Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot

***First, (some personal thoughts and recollections) that day....November 22, 1963. It was one of those rare days that (unfortunately) get imprinted onto our cogitative memory like 9-11-2001, or myriad other things that for one reason or another we always remember. I have never forgotten that day, nor that moment, (having just returned from lunch with my high school sophomore classmates to Miss Curtis' homeroom and waiting to go to the first afternoon's class) when our principal, John Abbott, came over the intercom with the news from Dallas. I do not believe that any of us actually thought what we were hearing was true. We were young, untouched by any kind of tragedy in our lives, and thus, it had some kind of unreality; difficult for us to absorb. I was left simply not knowing how to act, or react, to this news, and still remember that all I could muster was a smile (to my horror), but truthfully, I did not know how to act or react, nor what I really was feeling at that moment, trying to process something unimaginable to my young self. Much later I would learn that usually response to this sort of thing is either tears or a smile (or something like it) is quite normal. This was the United States, this just couldn't happen here. We were dismissed and I remember the walk home from school, through town, seeing people everywhere, all asking or declaring what had happened, or how, in Texas, so many, many, miles away, just an hour ago. And, then, of course, the uninterrupted broadcasts of never-ending coverage from the saddest possible news and images to scenes of unbelievably and outrage that were still playing out there in Dallas, Texas, throughout that sad weekend.Time, of course moves on, and with that time, things settle out, become sifted to their proper level of importance or memory to the times. It takes this time for history to sort itself out.***"Killing Kennedy" review:Last year I bought "Killing Lincoln" as I have had a life-long interest in both the man and the Civil War and it's times. Of course, with a lifetime of prior readings and studies, I knew the story inside out (I thought). Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard certainly had to have done their homework very well and have produced one of the finest books I have ever had the pleasure to read about Lincoln and his times. It is a magnificent achievement, and if you have not read it, I heartily recommend it to you for your enlightenment. It moves in real-time and is so clearly written and articulated that you literally feel that you are "there"....which I have never experienced before. That book can be found by clicking this link: Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America ForeverAs I was finishing up "Killing Lincoln", I saw the announcement for "Killing Kennedy", and thus since it was relevant to my or "our" time, I pre-ordered it here and awaited its publication and release. Other life obligations prevented my reading it until about two weeks ago, but I must say it, also, is one of the finest-told (presented), in "real-time" again, "endings of Camelot" that I have read, and as with Lincoln/Civil War, I have read many about Kennedy, Cuban Invasion, Missile Crisis, Cold War, etc.Again, O'Reilly and Dugard have done incredible homework and worked diligently to piece together this riveting account, hour-by-hour, of the assassination there at Dealey Plaza that "last" sunny autumn day of the Kennedy presidency, and the shattering destruction of "Camelot" as we were just coming to know it. The back story is clear and concise, seemingly not too long, but neither short-ended with its presentation of relevant facts, etc. I was quite fascinated by revelations of JFK and Jackie's "private life" in the White House vs. their "public life" that we of course always knew about.Of course, we all know the story, (again, it seems), intimately from the "over-and-over" of all the intervening years and the countless "theories" that have come about. I greatly admired O'Reilly's avoidance of these theories, directly, in this presentation of this sad and tragic piece of American history. Mention of all those who have been accused over the years of having had a hand in this brutal killing, but O'Reilly leaves that information "just there", which I was pleased and impressed by.Details, yes, there are myriad details concerning many things that have not been exactly presented in the "full light of day" so to speak, and they speak much here in this fascinating account of Jack, Jackie, Bobby, even the rise of Teddy, and more; --revealing and personal insights into their lives, personal and public, shining new light onto and into their situation during JFK's "reign" as this country's chief executive.You will get insights into the introductory chapter(s) of the Viet Nam Conflict, the Mafia, Marilyn Monroe, the Lawford's, Onassis (and how he first came into the picture), Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Greta Garbo, Lyndon Baines Johnson, Adlai Stevenson, Lee Harvey and Marina Oswald, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, the CIA, the Secret Service, and the police force there in Dallas that day. And, of course, the last character in this story, the strip-joint operator, Jack Ruby. There also are wonderful "afterwards" to all concerned characters here in this "Saddest of Stories".This, of course, has always been one of the biggest and so-called best stories of the past century, and O'Reilly and Dugard have magnificently re-told it here, enhanced greatly by details and information that we have not previously been exposed to before. Because of the news-coverage and the immediacy of the electronic age that was just coming into being, the notoriety and instantaneous presentation of events, both tragic, horrifying, and ceaselessly amazing to us, the people who either were there that day in person or were there because of television, it will long remain in the memory of the history of the citizens of the `60s and too, the history of this country and of it's leaders and the movement just out of sight of us as ordinary citizens.This surely is a "must read" book for every person in this country who lived during those days or who is interested in this country's history, both in and of itself, and also of it's leadership over the years. I cannot recommend Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard's magnificent presentation to us of "The End of Camelot" (as we knew it) highly enough. You are SURE to love this book!~operabruin

I just finished reading the book Killing Kennedy, by Bill O’Reilly on my Kindle. At first, it was just an interesting book, with tons of facts about JFK plus all the people surrounding him in his daily life, as well as his assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. It covered his rise from childhood to the Navy, to Senator, and then to President of the United States of America! As I said, so many facts. As I got into Part III of the book, it was impossible to put down. The time of the murder of the President of the United States was close.Finally, in Chapter 25 of the book, I am in Dallas, TX at 12:14 P.M. (Mountain Time) on November 22, 1963. As I read, there were shots fired, I was suddenly transported back in time from my chair to yet another place! My mind left the book, and it was November 22, 1963, at Ben L. Smith High School, Greensboro, NC. I am in Ms. Schnable’s English Class, and it is about 3:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time. We are all reading our books and then suddenly the PA System comes on and our principal is making an announcement. He explains that President Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas TX. The classroom falls silent. Then, as shock begins to set in, crying breaks out. First one person then another. Since I am a 16-year-old Senior I am NOT going to cry or show any emotion. Heck, as the Senior Class President, I am a leader and cannot afford to be emotional. Then, for unknown reasons, I joined in the crying of my classmates. Not one person noticed or commented. Just that fast, our childhood is over!Back in the present, it is November 14, 2024, and I am sobbing. I mean I have been back to 1963 and was hit that hard as I remember the feelings in that room. This book has had that powerful an impact. I sure was not expecting this reaction, after all, I knew the story. The assassination of JFK was so long ago, why am I being this emotional?It makes no difference if you lived during this time or not, this book makes that time come alive. This book explains what happened in enough detail to make it real, once again.I can and do recommend this book to anyone who was there (emotionally at the time) or was born after the assassination.

Great book! Lots of history and facts building up to the assassination. Would have given 5 stars but was a little disappointed that there wasn’t much about the assassination itself and afterwards.

Thanks for writing this! I don’t read much (& not enough) but this was an enjoyable and enlightening read. And of course the very, very sad ending to it all was so heartbreaking…again. Although I was only 10 when JFK was assassinated, I clearly remember watching this sad news as it happened on TV, seeing the emotional Walter Cronkite. So many things that JFK wanted to do back then are still so valid today. Oh, and notice that back then, the Democrats were a VERY different party, a party who cared about our people and our country, and it’s the exact opposite of what the Democratic Party is today - NO comparison!!! And lowering taxes actually does make our economy better! Kennedy said it back then and it is still so true today if only all of our presidents would follow suit! Now more than ever. It’s so tragic about all of the terrible things that surrounded Jackie Kennedy. She was a very strong woman.

I like the series al lot but this one was below par. Ending almost every charter with his countdown to the murder was annoying. Oswald is quite a flat character and his motive is not very believable in my view.

Great book.. gives a complete background on the mysterious death of Kennedy.. but still remains retains the mystery..

Um excelente livro sobre os mil dias da presidência Kennedy, com maestria e elegância, é comentado sobre a administração breve, porém, que foi o embrião de grandes desdobramentos da vida política americana, como a Guerra do Vietnã, os movimentos civis e a chegada do homem à Lua.

I really like the style of the "Killing of" series. I particularly enjoy the directness of the book - no hinting around about controversial segments of a great Presidents life. A very good read.

Since I am not a fan of Fox News and certainly not of Bill O'Reilly, a positive review of his book by me is doubly positive. I was fascinated by the deep research that preceded the writing of this book, by the facts, largely known, but very well presented, and the easily readable style of writing.