5 comments about Breach of Trust: How the Warren Commission Failed the Nation and Why.

1. By now, any and all people who view the work of the Warren Commission have come to the conclusion that their product was rushed and baised. Unfortunately, that is all past history--or I thought it was. This book merely rehashes the very old (1967) arguments into a 2005 package. Who really wants to argue the single bullet theory again, based on the holes in JFK's shirt and coat? The autopsy pictures are availible now.
   Someone stated that this merely carries on the work of Harold Weisberg. I beg to differ. Harold Weisberg accused the Commission of a deliberate cover-up as opposed to a benign one. If you wish to read the old arguments, read Whitewash and Whitewash 2. If you like old stuff in a new package, get this book.



2. Everything you read in this book has been published or aired before. However, the writer has a certain flair and is a tremendous story-teller. It is ten times the book that Joan Mellen wrote about Jim Garrison -- which was an embarrassment to thinking people.



3. McKnight's book contains little that is "news" those familiar with this case. This is not a book of new disclosures, or examinations of trails gone cold, but perhaps something that will be valued more for it's refusal to move outside it's narrow focus: the conduct of the Warren Commission, and it's relationship with the various investigatory agencies and the handling (and mis-handling) of those who testified and their information. This is a "safe" book, in that there is no speculation (or even examination) of the motives of the WC or possible explanations for the many gaffs pointed out in the committee operations. This is a well documented examination of the flaws in the structure and function of the WC , and ultimately an interesting book for those students of history or government who may be less interested in the results than in the process. This is Meagher or Weisberg without the passion, but very well documented, and of use to those seeking a more recent view of WC activities and participants based on current information.



4. Groupthink is defined as `a mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group, when the members' striving for unanimity overrides their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action.' If one reads McKnight's exhaustive book about the Warren Commission, this definition would fit precisely to this group of men. In a recent survey, it was revealed that over a third believe that 9/11 was the efforts of a government conspiracy. Be that as it may, it is not a stretch then to assume that more Americans believe that the Kennedy assassination was a result of a conspiracy. However, the harm that that belief can cause now is minimal at best, because it is more then 40 years after the event, and our citizenry has become predisposed to ignore history. McKnight's large book presents very persuasive arguments that the Commission itself was flawed at the outset, by bureaucratic infighting and persistent groupthink. Early on in the investigation, McKnight argues, the FBI and the White House knew that the answer to the murder must be Oswald acted alone. This is justifiably the way that the new administration should have acted, since we must remember that November 1963 was very near the mid-point of the Cold War, and any thought of a Soviet plot would have stirred a massive amount of unrest.
   
   When the Warren Commission was formed, the Commission at the very least should not have assumed anything when it came to ballistics, suspects, witnesses or foreign connections. Instead, it became merely a rubber stamp for the Hoover-Johnson `official' story that began taking shape even before Kennedy was buried. The very disturbing aspect of the whole investigation is that early on, the FBI and other agencies knew that there were more then 3 shots. How this was swept aside immediately has led some people to believe that a government conspiracy was in effect to hide a previous conspiracy. McKnight contends that dissatisfied elements of the CIA who were incensed with Kennedy's Cuba policy executed the killings as sort of a bureaucratic grudge match. The point, McKnight contends, is that the CIA was trying to force the new administration's hand in dealing with Cuba from a more hard-line perspective. McKnight writes that they were disappointed, because Johnson merely continued the Kennedy policy of politely ignoring Cuba. Not the most well thought out plan! While I find this theory interesting, it does not account for the fact that Central Intelligence, throughout several administrations, has had long standing grudge matches with the executive branch. Yes, the CIA operated with impunity in Iraq, Nicaragua and the Congo, but it should not be assumed that just because the CIA executed these missions that they would have showed the same kind of impunity against an American president on American soil. When McKnight sticks to the leads and the information that the Warren Commission choose to ignore, the book can be very good, but the careless postulating later on becomes a drag on the books' central topic.



5. This is a well written and welcome addition to the seemingly Himalayan pile of works on the world's biggest unsolved murder case and a subject that still haunts America to this day. It is fair to say that the FBI never closed the case and it is no surprise then that works such as this continue to appear. So many however are poorly written, cover the same old ground and present largely unsubstantiated theories of conspiracy. Whilst I disagree personally with the authors stance that Oswald could not have been the lone assassin on the assumption that the single bullet theory must be incorrect, I found much of the text on the on the Commission's work generally to be of high value. Of the many recent ie, post 2000 publications on the subject, I would recommend this book as a good example of a well written pro conspiracy text. It is frustrating though to find yet another author who fails to analyze the magic bullet theory in an open minded fashion - ignoring the ground breaking work of the Discovery Channels documentary "Unsolved History: JFK - Beyond the Magic Bullet DVD" including the work undertaken by a team of Australian medics and wound ballistics experts who reconstructed the shot meticulously to show that it was indeed possible and highly probable that all the non fatal wounds of Kennedy and Governor Connally were caused by the same bullet.
   An interesting exercise would be to compare this to Earl Warren's chapter on the JFK assassination in his 1977 memoirs. One would find a resolute assurance that the Commission acted honorably in all aspects from Warren himself, this book however contests that whilst the Commission acted benignly in its path to the conclusion that there was no conspiracy, it failed to investigate properly some key aspects of the case and that had they done so we would have been left with a much less murky past and a rather less suspecting general public.

5 comments about The Skewed Throne.

1. I was so totally hooked on this book from page one. Fantasy novels are one of my favorites and Joshua has an awesome imagination. Varis is an extremely fun character to follow and it is interesting to see what will happen to her every time you turn the page. She has a very exciting and interesting life. Very, very good and can't wait for the second one.



2. I'm very happy to have discovered Joshua Palmatier. His books are page-turners-- I read the first two in one absorbed afternoon, and then promptly ordered the third. The characters are vivid and real, and grow convincingly through the trilogy. While he uses classic themes, the books are not formulaic, and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next. Some of my other favorite authors are Roger Zelazny, Robin McKinley, any Wollheim anthology, Theodore Sturgeon, Delia Marshall Turner, and Patricia McKillip. It's great to add a new writer to this pantheon.



3. This book is awesome. The characters are portrayed in such a way that they come to life. You get sucked in to the plot and don't mind that it has a couple of slow chapters. I love how Varis is written and how the author let her stay true to her personality as the book goes along. I have found a new author to enjoy and am truly glad that I bought all three books in the series at once. I was hesitant to try a new author, but I am glad that I did.



4. "The Skewed Throne" follows an orphaned girl (V--) in a fantasy city. Surviving by stealing food, V-- meets a cop and starts earning food (no money, just food) as a spy, locating criminals. V-- has a fascinating magical power, that enlivens this novel. Expect the poor part of town, dagger fights, and great character motivation.
   
   The ending is forecast way too strongly, the length a bit long, and the fights entirely rediculous. Reminiscent of old Westerns, the least wound kills instantly, but V-- can receive any wound without consequence. V--'s motivations are well presented and consistent, and I liked that she stays desperately poor for most of the book. Overall, an entertaining and fun read, worth the purchase.
   
   This book will appeal to readers who enjoyed Devlin's Luck (Sword of Change, Book 1) or Forged Without Fire: A Champion for Catlover or Cast in Shadow (The Chronicles of Elantra, Book 1).



5. This first book in a series of three leaves me at the edge of my seat for more. With a dark start, this book begins by catapulting you into the shoes of parent-less teenager who needs to do whatever it takes to survive including steal and kill. Though stealing and killing would usually not keep me compelled, the vivid descriptions of all of senses from the main character's point of view; a strong story line culminating in twists, turns, and surprises; and a slow methodical journey into a girl's development of sense of self and ultimate revelation of fate kept me turning the pages.
   
   I've now read the second book of this series, and am thoroughly impressed.

4 comments about President Lincoln's Spy.

1. In July 1861, during what later became known by historians as the Battle of Bull Run, Northern Colonel Pettibone calls for a retreat as the rebel forces appear ready to break through his line. Thinking no retreat or surrender, Captain Fitz Dunaway ignores the order and instead leads a counter surge that prevents the Confederate army from breaching the Union lines. Outraged by the defiance of his inferior officer, Pettibone has Dunaway detained in the guardhouse.
   
   U.S. Assistant Secretary of War Thaddeus Prescott offers Dunaway a job that will get him out of the jail and allow him to take the risks he seems to relish. Dunaway accepts being part of President Lincoln's protective force, but understands his mission is to uncover who is plotting to kill the leader of the Free States. To do this he must pose as a Lincoln hater so that the conspirators ask him to join the plot to kill the President.
   
   PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S SPY is an engaging well written historical fiction thriller that paradoxically suffers from Steven Wilson choosing so well known of a figure and adhering to facts that readers know what will ultimately happen at least to the President. Still Dunaway's escapades make for an interesting tale as the hero begins to understand politics has strange bedfellows so not to trust anyone who just might be undercover working for some other side.
   
   Harriet Klausner



2. This book was very enjoyable. It's perfect for the legions of Civil War / Abe Lincoln history buffs out there. Lincoln appears twice in the novel, and the author conveys a very good image of him. Wilson is an under-rated novelist. His characters are lively and believable, and his knowledge of history is excellent. Why just 4 stars ? I guess the love story in the book drove the narrative a bit too much. But hey, at least the women readers will like this aspect !



3. I picked this up as being a historic fiction civil war book with spy's. How can you go wrong? I mildly enjoyed the first 150 pages beyond that I was so way ahead of the plot the book never caught up. Writing is good --not great but okay. I was swimming thru the dialogue between the characters which was not what you'd call tight or authentic. It rarely moves the plot thats done thru statements like "Who could he trust? Not so and so." Of course the plot is so simple you don't really need these statements but just incase your completely brain dead the book is full of really obvious sign posts. There are a bunch of characters introduced in the book that go nowhere in the story. The bad guys all but lack black hats. Lots of "oh boy" Washington is a wicked place and you can't trust politicians thrown in which to me was nonsensical. Historically this book could of taken place anytime. There's nothing really all that Civil War about it. Linclon is of course there and has a small speaking part but the rest doesn't really matter. The hero has a love interest with a married woman (and who knows if you trust her?) but this relationship is so out there it makes no sense at all. He has a friend that all but dumps him and you'd think they were dating. You get the idea. Stuck in an airport and nothing else to read. This is your book. Looking for something better try Coal Black Horse.



4. Reading Steven Wilson's PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S SPY is a fascinating trip not just to the battlefield, but from it to the nation's capital during the Civil War. As hero Captain Fitz Dunaway finds his way around the city, one of foul smelling canals, and construction sites of places we visit as tourist sights today, time falls away. It's a different world, Wilson reminds us as Fitz loses his way on the streets or meets the President himself who shuns security and enjoys chats with the underlings in his government, such as the telegraph clerks in the War Office.
   
   Dunaway is a man out of his comfort zone in Washington, not only in longing to be back on the battlefield where he knows what he's doing in leading men, but also in a city of politicians, a world where he soon believes the only man who tells the truth is the man known as Honest Abe. Once Dunaway was a man who spoke his mind and hid nothing, but doing so has landed him in trouble and to extricate himself he must become like so many others in Washington, a man who is hiding the truth of both his thoughts and actions.
   
   For those who enjoy a glimpse of a world long past, PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S SPY is an excellent way to board the train back in time -- in this case, to the early years of the War Between the States and the intrigues that plagued Washington, D.C., even then.

5 comments about Squeaky: The Life and Times Of Lynette Alice Fromme.

1. This is a compelling and very informative portrait of one of the more vocal female members of the Manson family, would-be presidential assassin Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme. In late 1969, when Charles Manson and four others were imprisoned for the brutal murders of nine people, Squeaky Fromme became the leader of the Manson clan in Charlie's absence and took to the streets, holding daily vigils outside the courthouse with the other family members who weren't imprisoned. In 1975, while living in Sacramento and preaching about the destruction of the environment with friend Sandra Good, Squeaky aimed a gun at then-president Gerald Ford. In prison for life, this novel details her early life as a dancer with the Westchester Lariats in Redondo Beach, California, her notable High School days, and finally how and when she met Manson and was seduced by his off-the-wall ideologies. It gives an incredible day-by-day account of her highly-publicized trial in which it was to be decided whether or not she actually meant to kill the president. Although not for everyone, this book is a must for true-crime fans and those who want to know what made this fascinating woman tick.



2. I've always thought you have to take anything thats been written about the so called "Manson family", whether pro or anti Manson, with a huge grain of salt. This book requires less salt than anything I've read pertaining to the "Manson family" to date.

   The author paints a very sympathetic picture of Fromme. I think the angle he is getting at is Manson was able to influence Fromme because she was looking for a Father figure type because her dad was emotionally abusive, neglectful and he strongly implies that Squeaky was sexually abused by him. (which Fromme has denied is true) He also does a lot to show and explain the environmental/ecological activism and theories of the "Manson family", which I found interesting and a lot more well grounded than Bugliosi's screwy "helter skelter" theory. The environmental issues were the main focus and obsession of the "Manson family", not "helter skelter" in my own personal opinion.

   I'm giving this book 4 stars, I'm leaning toward giving it 5 but some the stuff on her trial for attempted murder on former President Gerald Ford drags a little, although some of Frommes wacky courtroom behaviour during the trial is amusing. I personally do not believe she had any intention on shooting Ford either, she was just was trying to draw attention to the environmental issues she was obsessed with.




3. If you're one of those people who went through a phase where you were trying like hell to figure out why humans like Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme helped turn Charles Manson into a cult leader back in the late 1960s, this book will answer none of your questions. Though it received a lot of great reviews by writers from the best newspapers and magazines, I remain utterly dumbfounded as to why.
   Anyone who has truly wasted a lot of time digging for any information that can be found on "the family" will find this book hollow. Beyond hollow. It doesn't even have an outward form.



4. Another great book about the Manson women. Gives insight to the person behind the media stories. Very interesting story. Gives you insight to the person and not the crimes.



5. Overall, a good effort. Couple of shortcomings in that Fromme's formative years (her childhood) are glossed over pretty quickly, and because of when the book was written (late 1980s), there's little to nothing about her last two decades or so behind bars. Basically, the book really concentrates on Fromme's life from the period of 1970 to 1975, and in particular on the Ford assassination attempt and subsequent trial. Of interest is the period after Manson was sentenced leading up to early 1975, as this is where the author did a good job tracking down people involved with Fromme and fleshed out the holes in the media narrative as to what she was up to between the Manson trial and the attempt on Ford. Not a pro-Manson or pro-Squeaky book, nor is it mired in sensationalism...in fact, the portrait of Fromme is quite a bit different than what I expected it would be.

5 comments about Killing Hitler: The Plots, The Assassins, and the Dictator Who Cheated Death.

1. I really enjoyed this look at the various attempts on Hitler's life. Moorehouse not only gives the reader the straight facts of the attempts, but manages to give the right amount of background information so you can see just how each plot came together. It left me wondering just how many other schemes were out there that were swept away by the winds of time. A book like this really makes you think of how things could have been so different.



2. Well written, readable account of the major plots and attempts to kill Hitler over the course of his political ascension to his final self demise. Impressive telling from young Georg Elser's early attempt to kill Hitler in 1939 with an ingenious self made bomb that exploded on time but after Hitler prematurely left the podium to his military enemies the British who initially found the task undesirable. The telling of these grand and individual plots parallels the rise and fall of the Third Reich. The detail is quite refreshing discussing how initially vulnerable to assassination Hitler was partially due to his grandiose perception that he was supernaturally protected from death. Aside from external and internal plots within the military, the author explains in impressive detail how the various heroic undergrounds were successful in killing numerous Nazis while suffering great and shocking reprisals for their success particularly in Poland and Czechoslovakia. An ultimate example is the Czechs pulling off a major assassination with the killing of Heydrich. Impressive is the author's documentation of the various anti-Hitler networks involving such prominent military men such as Wilhelm Canaris and Hans Oster who both suffer once exposed. The highlight of the book of course is the great attempt that almost kills Hitler, the bomb planted by war hero Stauffenberg in the Rastenburg map room. The author also tells why the assassination failed that is an interesting and new revelation. Another interested party is Hitler's favorite architect and armories coordinator, Albert Speer, who the author recognizes as potentially self serving at Nuremberg but the author also recognized Speers' desire not to have Germany destroyed as Hitler wished at the end. The book also includes an excellent collection of photographs of the collaborators and other fascinating photos such as Goring inspecting the destroyed map room to a startling picture of the extraordinary intense gaze of British Colonel Noel Mason-McFarland during a pre-war German military review. Mason-McFarland emphatically stated before the war that a sniper could easily dispatch Hitler and save Europe.



3. Although I was aware of some attempts on Hitler's life, I did not know that there were so many and from so many different sources - both within Hitler's entourage as well as far away from it. The author has provided well-researched and reasoned renderings of a subset of these attempts - the most fascinating and surprising ones. But in addition to discussing these various attempts in detail, the author has also presented much valuable information on the background history and evolving politics of Germany from the end of World War I to the end of World War II. The brutality of the Nazi regime is also amply discussed. As expected, particular attention has been paid to the instigation, structure and evolution of Hitler's security organization. The book's writing style is clear, friendly, authoritative and very engaging. It should be most relished by history buffs that have a penchant for the Second World War.



4. If you're an armchair historian on World War II,then this is an excellent account of Hitler's obscure rise to ultimate power.This is a fascinating look at all the secret saboteurs against the furiose fuhrer.If you're intrigued by the history surrounding the Hitler topic,you'll be spellbound by this book.I never realized the various plots ,inside and outside his inner court,that were being hatched around him.Some will argue it was fated that he would survive.Many would agree it was just bad luck.I still find myself asking if Hitler wanted to destroy Germany on purpose,in revenge for being an 'oddball outcast'.Hitler was seen as a backwood peasant,and not of Viennese artistic quality.Many 'Hitler Histories' claim he was a 'house-painter'.This was not true.He was a failed baukunstler student,that later painted postcards for tourists.Himmler is often listed as just a 'chicken-farmer's geek',when he in fact had technical training at an argicultural institute,as well.The sagacious Himmler was aware of Hitler's ill-gotten birth,ab ovo,and probably felt he was better off as the 'propaganda-direktor'.Rather than the Nazi party's leader.Himmler saw the potential marriage between Hitler and his niece ,Gisella Rubel,as another generation of 'genetic-trouble' for the Fuhrer and an image-problem for the party.It was not discussed in this book,yet it can be speculated ,that Himmler's SS had Rubel killed and Himmler then instructed a 'suicide-scene' staged.Hitler believed fully that 'in-breeding' was preserving of the Aryan race,when in fact it was creating genetic dead-ends for extinction of the human race.At any rate,the various Allied countries valiently tried to eradicate the polemic dictator from his post.This engaging book gives the agentry accounts of the agent-provocateurs involved.From his egregious wanderings into the beer-hall rants then onto his fusty bunker of despair.This is a gripping book about the assassins of change,who failed to curtail the actions of a desperate madman,whose demagoguery bedeviled an entire nation into ruin for a generation.



5. Roger Moorehouse's "Killing Hitler" is a tragic chronicle of the alarmingly few individuals and groups in Nazi Germany who saw early on (or too late) that their "leader" was a mass murdering psychopath and acted accordingly--to no avail.
   
   Though their bravery is commendable, one cannot help feel terrible anger and frustration as one gets into the thick of Moorhouse's feverish narrative. At long last, one has to ask, why didn't someone in the Wehrmacht simply get on good terms with Hitler, stand next to him, and ignite a live grenade? Suffice to say that any evaluation of posterity is just that, and only a slight percentage of those still living have had the experience of living in a ferocious totalitarian state like the Germany of 1933-45.
   
   Perhaps the most impressive of the would-be assassins is Maurice Bavaud, a young idealist with deep roots in Christendom who, in 1939, waited for Hitler to show up at his annual "Beer Hall Putsch" celebration (where the equally courageous Georg Elser would plant a bomb which missed only because of a chance early departure by the dictator) took a pistol, and was foiled because of a group of German civilians. This was not the first time Bauvaud would make such a naked, furious attempt on the Fuhrer's life. Captured and guillotined in 1941, Bavaud stated baldly that whether Germans would accept it or not, he had been acting not only in their interest but the interest of all humanity. Only Col. Claus Von Stauffenberg's already well publicized attempt rivals that kind of courage.
   
   The Warsaw Uprising of 1944 is given an impressive, if limited, recounting here: the PHM (Polish Home Army) managed to kill 9,000 SS soldiers and, through the utlitization of suicide bombers and guerilla attacks, eliminate a few important members of the Third Reich. The RAF's bungled, halfhearted attempts to bomb Hitler's HQ in East Prussia really didn't need mention here.
   
   How desperate some former Wehrmacht soldiers were for Hitler's death is given heart pounding illustration here, in history's first suicide bomber, Rudolf-Chriastoph Von Gersdorff. Having served as an unofficial emissary for Henning Von Tresckow, a lifelong opponent of the Nazi regime and a key figure in the July 20th attempt, agreed to an act of utter self-sacrifice in order to get rid of Hitler: "At this point it became clear to me that an attack was only possible if I were to carry the explosives about my person, and blow myself up as close to Hitler as was possible."
   Lining his uniform with "clam mines" obtained from a fellow officer (Col. Brandt, who knew nothing of the attempt, and who ironically would be the man to move the briefcase bomb away from Hitler on July 20th), he armed the mines with a trigger that would give him exactly ten minutes in which to approach his target and "kiss the sky". Hitler was, at the time, speaking in a German museum--originally Gersdorff was to approach him while the speech was being made and stand beside him.
   
   Hitler cut the speech, was intended to be thirty minutes, to two minutes, and despite Gersdorff having already activated the device--with 5 minutes left--his attempts to stay near Hitler were in vain. Hitler may have noticed that Gersdorff was unusually "eager to talk" and the demonic instinct of self preservation kicked in: in any case, he said goodbye very quickly. Gersdorff then ran to the restroom and defused the bomb with trembling hands.
   
   Moorhouse gets downright unethical--probably desperate for material, but still--including Albert Speer in this book. Speer was Hitler's devoted architect from the beginning of the war to the end and was much a brainwashed Nazi as Himmler, Goerring or Goebbels; he was just charismatic and knew how to BS the judges at Nuremburg. He lied about his knowledge of the atrocities and the Allies, not having evidence ofhis full knowledge which would emerge years later, bought it. Aside from a few scholars who have an unhealthy fascination with him, the general consensus is that he should have been dangling at the end of a rope with all the rest. The only reason he had even a passing thought about assassinating a man he otherwise had nearly homoerotic feelings for was the destruction of Germany. And that's all it was, a passing thought. It should probably be removed from the book.

4 comments about Truth At Last: The Untold Story Behind James Earl Ray and the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr..

1. I must start off this review by stating for the record that I have never been one of those "CONSPIRACY NUTS". In fact I have never even paid such claims a second thought. I even made fun of Oliver Stone. But the detail provided in this book by James Earl Ray's brother, John Larry Ray and Lyndon Barsten, a lay historian is quite compelling! John takes the reader all the way back through the entire history of the Ray family, "warts" and all. In fact the "warts" (criminal activity) are an essential element that adds veracity to the conspiratorial intersection of the CIA, FBI, Mafia and the United States Government. Aiding John's real-life firsthand knowledge regarding the people, organizations and events that culminated in Martin Luther King's (MLK) assassination is Lyndon's expert use of the "FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT" (FOIA) which freed up TENS OF THOUSANDS OF NEW PAGES OF NEW MATERIALS ON THE MLK ASSASSINATION.
   
   When James went into the Army he became a military policeman "for a year and a half in the 382nd MP Battalion. Later, he joined a new organization largely formed out of the old OSS, (Office of Strategic Services) which had been the Army's wartime intelligence service", but after 1947, the outfit was generally known as the CIA. "When James joined the Central Intelligence Agency, he was given a new U.S. Army serial number." James involvement in the Army with the OSS/CIA and his civilian criminal contacts would haunt and control him for the rest of his life. James would later say: "When you join the OSS, it's like joining the Mafia, you never leave." According to the authors, the CIA is probably the closest thing to a worldwide Mafia that ever existed. James was assigned a "handler" that would manipulate and direct him the rest of his life. "James would frequently say that when he joined the Army, it put him on the road to ruin. From the time he left the service in 1948 until his death in 1998, James Earl Ray spent forty-three of those fifty years in prison." In my opinion, if it wasn't for the FOIA the things I'm about to tell you would seem like science fiction. "Documents clearly indicate that the CIA was busy trying to reprogram people, and it was doing it in 1948. Several thousand mostly financial documents on mind control, drugs, and many other subjects the public would consider crazy survived a document-destruction project ordered by the director of Central Intelligence, Richard Helms, and Sidney Gottlieb, head of mind control studies, as they left the CIA in 1973. Today you can get the surviving several thousand pages of CIA mind control documents on three CD's that detail the bizarre experiments done in the name of "national security." The Army had their own programs that paralleled the CIA's: tens of thousands of surviving government documents detail, among other subjects, how they endeavored to create HUMAN ROBOTS to be used as killing machines. The CIA's own documents say it best. This document, "Hypnosis and Covert Operations" (written May 5, 1955) is released through the FOIA by the CIA as MORI 428311." "The CIA's MK-Ultra brainwashing program included feeding Army soldier's mescaline, sodium pentothal, depressants, amphetamines and LSD both on base and at local bars."
   
   On many of the occasions that the post-military James was ordered to report to his "handler" he was directed to smuggle weapons in and out of Mexico. The potential reader should be made aware that the CIA and FBI had a very close working relationship with the Mafia. "They used the Mob for clandestine operations so that they could maintain plausible deniability if the operation went wrong." Just a few of the documented examples are Lucky Luciano in World War II and the planned assassination of Castro in Cuba. So because of James's relationship with certain mob figures, when he met his "handler" in the time leading up to the MLK assassination he was led to believe he was going to be a "wheel-man" in a diamond heist. (In fact one of the hardest things for the government to cover-up was the money they gave James to keep him available and indebted to them when the conspiracy was questioned years later.) He was even directed to buy the rifle that the government would attempt to say killed MLK. The flophouse bathroom that the government said James shot MLK from was proven to be too narrow to fit the length of the rifle in at the proper angle without James either making a ten-inch-deep hole through the wall or hanging out of the window.
   
   It gets more insane from there as FOIA documents later proved that while James was given a lawyer from a government approved list, the FBI was secretly giving an author bogus incriminating evidence about James to be published in "LOOK" and "LIFE" magazine before James ever got his "fair" trial. By this time Coretta Scott King "was now openly and publicly beginning to discuss her suspicions of government conspiracy in her husband's death and in the death of her brother-in-law." Add to this, Judges about to approve an appeal dying of heart attacks, new lawyers handling James's case dying of heart attacks, and witnesses dying of heart attacks. NOTE: "One of the most common methods used by intelligence agencies for murder is HEART ATTACKS!" There is so much more documented detail in this expose that even if you start reading this book with a closed-mind... by the end of this book it will be opened to the possibility that...???



2. John Larry Ray's oldest brother was James Earl Ray (p.1). John spent 25 years in federal prison and now lives in Illinois. John claims he was imprisoned because he knew too much about the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr on April 4, 1968. Lyndon Barsten is a historian who frequently lectures about the assassination. This is a very readable book that is fast-paced like a novel, except it is based on fact. John begins by telling about the Ray family history and culture, and debunks the stories reported in the Corporate Media. John gives the facts as he witnessed them. The Ray brothers were often in trouble and in prison. John claims his brother was a "patsy" like Oswald. He tells what he knows and what he was told by his brother James.
   
   John says there was "no evidence that Jimmy killed King" because the Feds didn't use it in the extradition proceedings (p.128). James had to plead guilty to escape the death sentence (p.129). Was there a conspiracy to murder Martin Luther King (p.131)? A famous lawyer takes a criminal case for "free advertising" (p.134). Should James have gotten a new trial (p.135)? Were there mysterious deaths associated with this case (p.136)? Chapter 8 tells of John's conviction for conspiracy (summarized on page 149). William H. Webster was both the FBI and CIA chief after convicting John (p.151). Do you have to "bend the Constitution" (p.153)? Did two journalists, Bill Slater and Louis Lomax, die under suspicious circumstances (p.158)? Both investigated the King assassination.
   
   In October 1974 James got an evidentiary hearing in an attempt for a new trial. Herb MacDonnell testified as an expert witness to say the shot that killed King could not have come from Ray's room (p.162). Did the King family question the Federal version (p.164)? Are the mentally ill recruited as assassins (p.165)? Would a Federal judge be bumped off for political reasons (p.168)? James was never tried for his escape attempt (p.173). There was a problem about James' money during 1967-68 (p.175). Is reality irrelevant (p.179)? John says he was the victim of a "Federal Vendetta" (Chapter 11). Was he convicted for "not picking up someone on the highway who was found not guilty of robbing a bank" (p.190)? Does greasy food destroy your liver (p.191)?
   
   The importance of this book is its presentation of a counterpoint to the Establishment Media version. "Only one in five people believe the mainstream media." If the rifle bought by James did not match the bullet that struck Dr. King (p.115) that would establish James as a "patsy". The 'Bibliography' lists the articles, books, and other references to this event.



3. You certainly do get another side of the story with this book. It is written by convicted assasin James Earl Ray's brother, and boy, does he lay out some whoppers. You would have to believe in about three different major conspiracy theories to wind up with the conclusion that John Ray comes up with. The cia warped Jame's mind with LSD, hired the mob with FBI approval to get a hit man to kill MLK jr and use James Earl as a patsy.
   
   Why did James leave finger prints all over the place and his gun behind? Because he was a not too bright con man.
   
   Unsubstantiated allegations, assertions with no proof or facts to back them up. If there was another gunman as stated, what evidence is there to back it up? None is provided.
   
   Whatya expect, it's his brother. Not likely he's going to come out and admit James Earl killed one of the most important and influential Americans of all times.
   
   I kept reading this like one would a bad sci-fi book - just to see how outlandish the author dared to be. That's the only value this book had to me. Frankly, I'd skip it altogether.



4. This book is complete made up crap...written by a hairdresser (yes I said a hairdresser not a writer or author or someone with intelligence) The publisher who took on this must be the biggest morons on the planet...the Lyons Press, it just goes to show that there are alot of 6th rate publishers with such a low caliber of talent....they don't deserve even to be on Amazon.

5 comments about The Fate of the Romanovs.

1. Book based on "Ifs", "Could have happened", "Must have happened", "Can't be trusted", an so on, but no definite facts. Really, based on no facts at all. I've got the impression that the authors want to show a "loving" Lenin, stating that he wasn't involved in the massacre of the whole family, failing to explain from which documents they arrive to such conclusion. I highly regret having bought the book. It is not serious at all.



2. I'm a history buff and am learning details about post World War I that I never knew.



3. Very well but selectively researched. I was disappointed by the obvious sympathies to a group of people that comitted the most henous act of genocide in history.
   
   Over bloated and irrelevant in places. Don't bother.



4. For anyone with an historical interest in the last Tsar this book is a must read. The historical analysis is well done and up to date (excepting the recent find of Alexei and Maria's grave sites). The work is well documented with footnotes and sources, but at the same time it is thoroughly enjoyable to read. Although there are some different approaches to the Romanov tragedy, I did not find it so "revisionist" as it proclaims, except perhaps to put a more human side to the captors of the family and the somewhat lack of responsibilty Lenin had for the murders. It stays on my library shelves as a great reference to the events described and explained.



5. "The Fate of the Romanovs" by British historians Greg Wilson and Penny Wilson looks at the life and tragic death of Nicholas II and his doomed family who died in a hail of Bolshevik bullets on July 17, 1918.
   The book is long and very detailed in its depiction of what happened to the eighteenth and last Tsar. Nicholas began his reign in 1894. He was a good father and husband but a terrible ruler of the vast land he ruled!
   Nicholas was a virulent anti-semite, persecuted Jews and minorities, cruely sought to stifle dissent and lived in a fabulously wealthy cocoon
   supported by the reaction Russian Orthodox Church and the Tsarist army.
   Nicholas was a uxorious mate to his formidable Darmstadt born wife Queen Alexandra. She was disliked by the public and aristocrats at court for her haughty and unfriendly behavior. Alexandra was deeply religious although her support of the starets Rasputin was deplored by the Russian people.
   Nicholas and Alexandra were the parents of five children: Olga, Tatiana, Marie, Anastasia and the tsarevich Alexis who was a hemophiliac.
   The family were taken prisoner by the provisional government of Kerensky in the spring of 1917 following the signing of the treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany. The Romanovs who had ruled Russian for 300 years were taken into captivity at their home Tsarkoye Selo. Later they would be moved under guard to the Siberian city of Tobolsk and their final destination of Ekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains. The Bolsheviks were now their captors. Ekaterinburg was under attack by the White Russian army and the Czechs as the Russian Civil War was in full force. Lenin did not favor the execution of Nicholas unless he were tried in a public trial before the nation.
   It was the Ural Soviet Council that wanted Nicholas and his family to die before their city was taken by the Whites/Czechs. And so on the night of July 17, 1918 the Romanovs were forced to enter the cellar of the Ipatiev home where they were being held prisoner. Here they were shot to death and bayoneted by a squad of 10 men led by Yurovsky. Their bodies were first put the Four Brothers Mine nine miles outside the city deep in the forest. This was proved to be unacceptable and they were then buried in a mass grave in a forest meadow.
   This story takes 300 pages to tell. It was, to this reviewer, the most interesting part of the book. The second half deals with inept attempts by the Soviet government to invesigate the scene of the crime, exhume the bones and make a report on their findings. We also learn of the controversy in the Russian Orthodox Church on granting the Romanovs sainthood. The Romanovs were buried in the Fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul in St. Petersburg on July 17, 1998 in a controversial funeral pitting political & religous forces against one another.
   The major mystery remains the whereabouts of the bodies of Anastasia and her brother Alexis. Their bodies were never found in a mystery which will probably never be solved. King and Wilson inform us that the Romanovs have become the center of a cult glorifying past Russian glory.
   As one who is not privy to all the controversies in this Royal murder mystery this is still an excellent book for the history buff or general reader. The account of the brutal and horrific murders will shock and sadden you. I recommend this book as a worthy addition to your shelf on Russia and her leaders.

5 comments about American Gunfight: The Plot to Kill President Truman--and the Shoot-out That Stopped It.

1. This book is awesome. First book I read about the subject. You will find yourself reading a chapter and saying what the hell...and then he draws it all together. It is written very well.



2. Authors Stephen Hunter and John Bainbridge provide the reader with minute details on the assassination attempt by Puerto Rican Nationalists on President Harry Truman outside Blair House on November 1, 1950. Many of the details provided are those they perceive to be in the mind of each of the assassins and those they are attacking during the gunfight. These details are interesting and perhaps correct. I feel it makes for a more interesting book. To me, the main drawback of the book is its disjointedness. Whenever a character is introduced into the story we are provided with a chapter delving into their background from years before. Due to this method of writing the book loses its continuity. The authors make a convincing case that the attempt may have been a part of a wider conspiracy. Security for presidents tightened significantly following the attempt on Truman's life. Truman did not run for reelection in 1952, and the attempt on his life may very well have been a factor in his decision. I have to admit to being one of those the authors refer to as those who weren't aware of this attempt on the life of President Truman, but confuse it with an incident in 1954 when four Puerto Rican Nationalists had a shootout in Congress. The book educated me, but I did not like getting sidetracked with chapters introducing the characters when they entered the story.



3. This has everything you want in a good book. A great story, history, drama, and pathos. I am a history teacher and was impressed by both the depth of research and the quality of the writing.
   This is about 2 Puerto Rican Nationalists who, compelled by their fervent beliefs, tried to assassinate President Harry Truman in 1950. Most people do not realize how close they came to succeeding.
   The story alternates between historical background and a moment to moment account of the gun fight that occurred on that day.
   This book kept me enthralled the entire time I was reading it. I can't think of anyone who would not thoroughly enjoy this book.



4. Not the usual Stephen Hunter. This reads more like a history text than an
   action novel....but then, it is history, and presumably accurate history.
   Earl Swagger would have had a field day with these clowns.
   
   
   



5. Hunter does a good job covering a relatively unknown historical event. The writing style (constantly bouncing around) was tiresome after awhile.
   
   In addition to learning the details and characters behind this assasination attempt, the reader gains some insight into revolutionary movements, the use of sleeper cells, law enforcement training in the post-WWII era, stress reaction in a gunfight, etc...

5 comments about The Elite Serial Killers of Lincoln, JFK, RFK & MLK.

1. This Book, "The elite serial killers of Lincoln, JFK, RFK, and MLK" is a very important book.
   It is both disturbing, as well as being a breath of fresh air.
   It is disturbing, because it shows how the elite, (The rich, influential bigwigs among us) control almost every establishment in America, and how they have from the very first day!
   It is a breath of fresh air, because, now that we have exposed these pimples on the rear end of our Democracy, perhaps we can defeat them, and bankrupt them, which will render them powerless, because money, and money alone allows them to believe that they have a right to rule over us and dictate our history and our freedom and indeed our very lives.
   They are the Phantom Menace to our freedom and to peace as well.
   They must be dealt with and step one is KNOWLEDGE. By reading this book and learning about the forces of evil, we can then understand how to defeat them.
   By being strong in Spirit. Not in the pocketbook, which leads to greed, death, and spiritual weakness.
   Money cannot buy happiness and cannot make us feel better. Once we get over that ignorant thought process, we will have come to a new beautiful eye opening reality.



2. I found this a well done overview of these assasinations. There is an obvious conspiracy surronding all of these deaths, these men stood for something dangerous...opposition of globalism. I wish the chapter on Lincoln was a little longer, but overall great.



3. A very good book that gives the readers
   relaible names for those who killed some
   very important leaders over the years.
   Believe it or not Mr and Mrs America,
   we got real problems. And that's the
   way Big Brother wants it!



4. "RIVETING" Perhaps the most REVEALING book that I have read as to the "powers" that CONTROL politics, creation of wars and the manner in which we live on an everyday basis. JUST FOLLOW THE "BIG" MONEY. Absolutely frighting and educational as to the "conditions that exist TODAY." This book made me realize how totally ignorant that I am and have been, even though I consisered myself well-informed. An absolute MUST READ for those of us who desire to be aware of the "reasons" that events happen. I have never gone out of my way to FULLY recommend a particular book until I read this one.



5. To me, this book represented everything that's wrong with conspiracy theory. And don't get me wrong, I consider myself pretty open-minded to conspiracy theory. I'm actually a bit of a mini-expert, having read almost all major books on the subject as well as some more obscure volumes, such as this one. Sometimes these little 'underground' conspiracy theory books are just a little wacky, and at first, make you squinch up your face and go "No, get outta here!" but then the more you read, the more they start to make sense. If not true, then definitely feasible. Now, the book at hand. The 'elite' in the author's eyes are the Rothschilds, described as direct descendants of the tribes of Israel. These men -(and women)- are allegedly responsible for all the major wars and conflicts in modern history, extending back to medieval Europe, and beyond... Well, a few chapters into this book, and the constant referrences to this family of Jews whole supposedly control all the world's money and who also largely control global policy, and specifically U.S. foreign policy. Although, in consideration of their
   -(alleged)- larger, global schemes to control the world, these assassinations seem downright small potatoes. Anyway, to me, it reminded me of "the Protocols of the Elders of Zion." If you haven't researched this book and read at least a few books on the story of the "Protocols," I'm going to go ahead and say it : "Read More Conspiracy Theory!" The story goes like this -(I'll try to keep it terse <~amazon word, like that?)- The Russian secret police, in Czarist Russia came up with the Protocols to drum up Anti-Semitism and achieved great success toward that goal. "The Protocols" were an outline for world domination, a Jewish secret council that secretly meets to plot to take over the world. This of course is Fascist baloney and to further prove the baloney-osity of the whole ordeal, it was proven to be plagiarised from a book entitled "the Dialogues in Hell Between Montesquieu and Machiavelli" by Maurice Joly, an anti-imperialist work of satire. I'm not saying "The Elitet is a bad book, an I'm definitely not saying there is not some interesting and valid history in there, but on the whole it smacked of thinly-veiled anti-semitism, and I cannot abide Fascism. For more info on the Protocols, I would STRONGLY recommend "the Plot" by comics legend Will Eisner, in which he chronicles the long, interesting history of the false document that refuses to be killed, despite it's obviously insane origins and underlying motives. Oh, and I do think people should read "The Elite Serial Killers" because it is very well written and I always like to read different perspectives, no matter my own personal views.

3 comments about Post Mortem: JFK Assassination Cover-Up Smashed!.

1. As the leading civilian expert on the Secret Service, I highly recommend this brilliant volume by the legendary Harold Weisberg. Of particular value are the many documents reproduced at the end of this lengthy book.
   Vince Palamara
   History Channel, author of two books, in over 32 other author's books, etc.



2. While every one of Harold Weisberg's usually self-published books were awesome and informative, "Post Mortum" was his magnum opus. This massive volume is a must read for all JFK assassination researchers. His intricate examination of every minute detail of the medical evidence might not interest the casual reader, but the data he unearthed here is remarkable and priceless. I have to confess that Harold Weisberg was one of my personal heroes; the evening I spent at his home in Frederick, Maryland back in the early 1980s was one of the most memorable of my life. While he was cranky and cantankerous, with a bitter writing style that turned many people off, no one can question the invaluable contributions he made to assassination researchers. His personal courage was reflected in the way he took a bus into Washington, D.C. almost every day for many years, at an advanced age, in order to file numerous Freedom Of Information lawsuits against government agencies that fought their release every step of the way. All Americans interested in the truth about what happened in Dallas on November 22, 1963 owe him a huge debt of gratitude. If the truth about who killed President John F. Kennedy is ever allowed to be known, Harold Weisberg will be hailed as a great American hero.



3. It s the 2nd book I got. I didn t order 2 ! I wrote to amazon twice: no answer. My purchases dont even appear on my account :I ve bought more than 10 books in the last 4 months/ In a nutshell: I m not too happy