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No comments about Appointment in Dallas: The Final Solution to the Assassination of JFK.

1 comments about The Day Huey Long Was Shot September 8, 1935.

1. This book, quite simply, provides the most comprehensive coverage of Huey Long's death available anywhere. Updated with new evidence from the 1992 Starrs investigation. The book thoughtfully presents a chronology of events from both sides, Dr. Weiss and Huey Long. The reader is presented with all of the facts and encouraged to draw his own conclusion. The beginning of the book offers a brief overview of Huey Long's life.

4 comments about Never Too Late : A Prosecutor's Story of Justice in the Medgar Evars Case.

1. Medgar Evers was an American Hero. A young, articulate African American man, he had the courage to be head of the NAACP in Mississippi during the darkest days of the Civil Rights Movement. He was shot in the back in his driveway by an avowed "rabid racist" named Byron de la Beckwith.

   Beckwith was tried twice for the crime; each time the jury was hung.

   A quarter of a century later, an intrepid reporter named Jerry Mitchell of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger shook Mississippi to the core when he uncovered new evidence that pointed to Beckwith's guilt. Myrlie Evers, an amazing woman who was widowed by Beckwith's bullet, took that evidence to the Hinds County District Attorney's Office and asked that the case be reopened.

   At first, the DA was sympathetic but skeptical. Then a brilliant Assistant District Attorney, Bobby DeLaughter, began investigating the possibility of indicting Beckwith.

   This is the true story of DeLaughter's dogged, relentless search for justice. The story was partly told in the film "Ghosts of Mississippi" in which DeLaughter was played by Alec Baldwin. However, DeLaughter's real life account of the trial is far more captivating, amazing and, ultimately satisfying than the movie's version.

   This book has the passion and riveting surprises of the best of Grisham or Turow, combined with the emotional impact of "Eyes On The Prize" and "The Long Walk Home." DeLaughter, a fluid and powerful writer, takes us deep into the heart of evil as he investigates a powerful Klansman.

   In the end, this book is a triumphant and uplifting reminder of how the legal system can still bring justice.

   Highest Recommendation.




2. I had been interested by the story of Medgar Evers and the difficulty the state had in prosecuting his alleged killer for some time. When the State of Mississippi reopened the case for a potential third attempt at prosecution I was hopeful that some sense of justice might be achieved but not at all convinced that the then alleged killer would be found guilty of Medgar Evers' murder. Bobby De Laughter has written an insightful, thoughtful and intriguing book. As I read his account of the various threads of the story, the leads the DA's office had to develop to prosecute this case after so many years and the elements of good fortune that allowed this case to be pursued successfully I could not help but feel the presence of Medgar Evers. The goodness of the man and his persistent quest for justice is echoed in the actions of Mr. De Laughter, Ms. Myrlie Evers, the many dogged investigators and committed professionals who played their part in making the third trial come together.

   This is a great read, so compelling I could not put it down. In many ways this book reads like a mystery. So much of what was needed to prepare the case against Byron De La Beckwith was lost during the long period between the killing and the final trial. Twice shut out, the stakes couldn't have been higher for the prosecution in this third outing. The book is no less suspenseful because the verdict is known. Although an intensely personal account, Mr. DeLaughter clearly and consicely explains the legal hurdles the prosecution faced and incisively analyzes the behavior and motivations of the defendant. Mr. De Laughter is widely descibed as very private, but in his writing he and his experience are so accessible the reader feels as if s/he is there every step of the way. This is an intelligent and inspiring work that should not be missed.




3. Bobby Delaughter was a prosecutor of the right timbre, morals, and courage at the right time to help bring justice in a 30-year old murder case. This riveting book tells how, in the face of extreme odds, his faith was brought to the forefront, to show that God really does care and uses people such as Delaughter to produce what He desires most - justice. In this book, we see not only a story of Mississippi's catharsis in turning from a place of race-baiting politicians and of organized Ku Klux Klanism to a place where justice can truly be done, but also a story of the touching emotional struggle of the victims and prosecutors alike. As prosecutors face great opposition from not only racists and self-seeking politicians, but also from well-meaning but skeptical black and white citizens and even an arrogant FBI, they rise above the ordinary at great personal and political cost. As an attorney, I coined the phrase, "sometimes truth is very hard to come by." This story embodies that principle. The efforts of Mr. Delaughter and his D.A. boss should be applauded and lauded as a great triumph, not just for the machinery and tools of this great country's ever-grinding legal system, for they are but lifeless concepts apart from the souls that man their stations, but also for those with virtue and conscience, who are the fuel and oil without which there would be no production of justice.



4. As a new lawyer, this book really helped me realize so many things as to what a lawyer should do before, during, and after the trial.

   I am a Filipino, there is no racial discrimination in our country... yet I cried many times while reading this book.

   If you read this book you will really learn to appreciate the value of human dignity.

5 comments about The Assassination Bureau, Ltd. (Twentieth-Century Classics).

1. London supposedly "wrote himself into a corner" in the plot of this story, or else he hadn't the time to finish it, but the resolution by Fish is not only an entertaining conclusion (despite a certain abrupt removal of a key character), but is so similar to London's writing style and his familiarities so that the author transfer is indeterminable. The best part of the book as a whole, as all Londonites will agree, is the simple philisophical dialogue exchanged between characters. For those who are seeking a die-hard, man vs. nature conflict, you still won't be disappointed with the primitiveness of the characters (philisophical, mad, and fanatic) and their interaction with a civilized world that doesn't quite match the truths that they hold to be dear. An excellent read.



2. I read this book after seeing the movie because I'm an Oliver Reed fan, like so many books, the movie version is so different. But I still enjoyed reading this book, written a long time ago (for me) some parts were quite difficult to read in this drama about a group of assassins who are payed to kill their leader, the film continues in a chase to find the member of the bureau who would kill Dragomiloff the leader, or to see if he successfully managed to eliminate all of them. Seeing the film first, I do prefer the film but still find this a very enjoyable read.



3. the plot in this book is very interesting. the bureau in question is adminitrated towards killing people who "deserves" it. their clients have to convince the leader that the person deserves to be killed. a man shows up and convinces the leader that it is HIM (the leader) that deserves to be killed, and this person agrees at last. interesting concept. but after a while the plot gets less interesting. L doesn't seem to manage his own idea, and things end up just sort of happening. not his best.



4. Apparently, this unfinished novel was found in the deceased Jack London's trunk. Trying to cash in on JL's name, Robert L. Fish, "finishes" the book. Well, there's a reason London gave up on it and threw it in the trunk in the first place... It's terrible.

   Billed as an assassination bureau with a conscience, its chief, Ivan Dragomiloff decides whether the assassinations are "justified." Eventually, someone submits an anonymous name for termination, which Dragomiloff dutifully accepts. Well, he's the target. London quickly paints himself into a corner and the novel deteriorates into idiocy.

   At a mere 178 pages it was hard to NOT finish even if you realize about half way through you're wasting your time. Some novels are better left unread. This is one of them.




5. This book is one of the most interesting and mind grabbing that I have ever read! It brought me back from a reading hitus that I had suffered for over a year; it reminded me of how much I love books!

   The story is about Dragomiloff creating his bureau and justifying the assasinations they carry out. One man challenges him and proves Dragomiloff that his bureau's work is wrong. This causes Dragomiloff to send his bureau after himself, for his assassination.

   This book is truly one of his best ever and should be read by everyone, espically the people who think that London writes only about the artic. This is an intreaguing read full of twists and turns. I would reccomend it to anyone.

5 comments about Patriot Dreams: The Murder of Colonel Rich Higgins, USMC.

1. I remember reading about the murder of Col. Higgens and thinking at the time how awful and what risks the military took when they served in foreign countries. And, not to mention, how unappreciated they are. And, those who served or serve, can't depend on the support of those who sent them if something goes wrong. Patriot Dreams is a must read book. In fact, if the active military of all the services had any sense, they would jump all over Patriot Dreams for the families and make it standard reading; unfortunately, those in charge rarely see the obvious. Military families sacrifice in enormous ways and I often wonder why they choose to do it. And, Colonel Higgens is an example of what happens when a military man leaves for work in the morning and does not return. Soldiers, wives and families understand this but few in the civilian populace do. This is a wonderful book. Colonel Higgens himself is quite the inspiration. Then Lieutenant Higgins served in Vietnam in 1968 with C Company, 1st Battalion, 3d Marines as a rifle platoon platoon leader. This was a hard time in Vietnam and fighting was fierce as this was the year of the infamous TET offensive. Colonel Higgens was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat 'V' for heroism. It probably should have been much higher. I give him the Congressional Medal of Honor. Captain Higgins returned to Vietnam in 1972 as an Infantry Battalion Advisor to the Vietnamese Marine Corps and then as a rifle company commander with B Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines. By anyone's standards, Rich Higgens is a hero. Equally as important is the incredible devotion that his wife Robin had to him, both in life and in death. She did as a minimum double duty as a wife and fellow Marine. Wow! Semper Fi! This is a book that tells about it, the bureaucracy, the stupidity of government bureaurcrats, and the feelings of abandonment of good men. Every Vietnam vet can empathize with her. Many who gave their all to the country, to include their families, have experienced the feelings created by the government of having been used up and then tossed aside. Don't miss this reading and if you know someone in the military, get Patriot Dreams to them.



2. An easy to read book that captures the integrity of a military officer whose last tour of duty was to serve his country as a peacekeeper. He never made it home. The book, written by his wife, details the frustrations, the red tape and the longings of the heart, all of which become intertwined in her efforts to bring him home. Beautifully written.



3. One of the great privileges of my life was getting to know Rich and Robin Higgins when Rich was attending the National War College in the mid 1980s. Robin tells the story of their life together and the great tragedy of Rich's capture and assassination. What is equally powerful is how well Robin outlines the lessons learned. This book deserves a wide readership by those interested in the future of this country and the challenges we will face world-wide.



4. Let me be clear: by guts and loyalty, I mean Robin Higgins. I do *not* mean the leaders who, incredibly, abandoned her husband in his captivity.

   _Patriot Dreams_ is LTC Robin Higgins' story of the way she kept two oaths that she never imagined would be brought into conflict: her duty to her husband and her oath as an officer. What stands out about the book is the composure with which she writes about the topic, which gives voice to her determined but very mature and dignified efforts to obtain her husband's (an unarmed UN peacekeeper) release from brutal captivity. It's very likely to push the reader's buttons, not by design but by the nature of the topic, but you'll very likely come away with great respect for Robin Higgins. I did.

   Worth reading for anyone wishing to pay respect to two fine Colonels of Marines, for starters. It would also appeal to those who enjoy reading about true commitment in marriage. One other group, in my view, should give it a read: those who still maintain that women should be barred from combat military roles. I'm not taking a position on that topic here, but I do encourage this: if you feel that way, then read Robin Higgins' book, and then ask yourself if you'd want to be the one to tell her--and others of her calibre--she wasn't up to combat leadership, or for that matter if we can afford to exclude her brand of guts and loyalty from leadership in battle.




5. "Patriot Dreams" is the most gripping true story I have ever read, and I am a voracious reader. From the opening page, you will vicariously enter the inner world of Robin Higgins, and experience the tragic death of a true American hero.

   Rich Higgins was a Marine lieutenant-colonel who saw himself as a peacekeeper and a protector of the nation he loved. His duties in Lebanon required him to be unarmed, and he accepted those conditions as part of the job.

   Unfortunately, the Hezbollah did not respect his show of good faith. What happened to Rich and his ever-faithful wife, Robin, will give you the deepest understanding of the contemporary Middle East and the ineffectiveness of our government in protecting its citizens in that area.

   "Patriot Dreams" is written with an understated passion that sweeps the reader along; I was unable to put the book down until I finished the last word.

   Robin Higgins is an extraordinarly powerful writer. Her work combines the best features of a novel with a strong dose of reality therapy. You will be both wiser and better informed as a result of this read.

   The author was a student at North Shore High School when I taught there, and I can, without qualification, vouch for her good character and loyalty. When she introduced me to her husband, Rich Higgins in 1982, he was a major, and she was a captain. You would, as I did, recognize that he was a product of the best of our culture--strong but humane, highly intelligent without conceit, loyal without fanaticism.

   Rich Higgins will be mourned, but he must never be forgotten.

5 comments about Checkpoint: A Novel.

1. I think that people who try to take the political content of this book seriously are missing the point. The point of the book, like any good novel, is not in scoring political points but exploring the lives of the people involved in the novel. Because the political point of view of the two protagonists is contemporary, it's hard not to react to the political statements being made. Not surprisingly, then, many reviewers have considered the book as a political tract and have commented on how valid the political analysis is (maybe it helps to be Canadian).
   
   But that's not the point: The point is seeing two people living in the United States in 2002/2003. While the protagonists do, occasionaly, make points that real political commentators make, they also make absolutely loony points. Like a David Mamet or Harold Pinter play, the pleasure in this book is the dialog (the book is all dialog), the characters, and their relationship.
   
   When reading this book it might be worthwhile to take the long view: Assume that the protagonists are living in the time of Louis XIV and are considering assissinating the king. In that frame of mind, you wouldn't care about the politics and would only interested in the people. On that basis, I enjoyed the book. What is impressive to me is how much the author reveals about the characters and their values through the incidentals of the character's conversation. We see two people who really have given up on any hope of influencing their country's direction (or even the direction of their own lives) and who can not tell the difference between fact and supposition. They have come to the point where the only difference they believe that they can make in the public sphere is through some spasmodic dramatic action.



2. I read this in 2 hours. It's a boring, short book (in script form). There's no real fowarding of the plot, and the character are annoying. Even if you hate Bush, you wont like this book.



3. This book is billed as a novel, but it's really a short story told entirely in dialogue form -- there's a guy who's threatening to assassinate George W. Bush, and his old high-school buddy is trying to talk him out of it. The would-be assassin, Jay, seems to be delusional: I don't think we're supposed to believe that his intended plans (or weapons) could possibly work. At the same time, he's very well-informed about recent events, especially the Iraq war. I suppose that combination makes him potentially an interesting character, and the book might work as a character study -- but if that's the intention, it's too short; we don't have enough to go on to really understand this guy, and we certainly don't get anything like a thorough political assessment of the Bush Administration (or even just the Bush Administration's crimes). So I'm not sure what the book really means to provide. I like Nicholson Baker's writing, but I don't know..... maybe too little is expected of novelists these days. This isn't a bad read, but it seems dashed-off and insubstantial -- certainly not the novel that will be looked back on as defining this era.



4. This is a very politically motivated book where two guys get together and one has a plan to assinate the President. What transpires are the goals of both guys--one to stop his friend from his sick plan, the other to carry out his sick plan. A pretty good fast read.



5. Probably the least controversial thing one can say about Nicholson Baker's "Checkpoint" is that it's controversial. Released at a time when the highly polarized American public was awaiting the charged 2004 election, the book's main character spews invective against the incumbent president, George W. Bush. Some four years later the public remains equally divided as yet another tense presidential election approaches. Some things never change. 2004 also saw the release of Micheal Moore's "Fahrenheit 911," a film which seemed to unify the left by showcasing President Bush and his administration at their absolute worst. Its phenomenal success prompted a catharsis of anti-Bush material. Doubtless Baker, or at least his publisher, saw an opportunity with "Checkpoint." In August, 2004 it appeared to near universal disdain (at least in the mainstream American press). Though the book isn't necessarily political, its timing, subject matter and tone probably made it difficult for many to read it otherwise. Its incendiary topic: the assassination of President Bush.
   
   The cover of "Checkpoint" says "a novel," but it reads like a play. It could easily be performed as one (for the controversy hungry, at least). Every page contains nothing but dialogue and the occasional bracketed stage direction or sound (such as "[Click... click, click]"). Perhaps the cover should instead read "Checkpoint a dialogue." The text involves a tape recorded discussion between two main characters, Jay and Ben ("Room Service" has a few lines later on). Ben has rushed to the "Adele Hotel and Suites" in Washington, D.C. at Jay's behest. Jay soon says "I'm going to assassinate the president." Ben's initial reaction seems a bit far-fetched, but as the book continues the reader discovers that Ben has a history with Jay. Jay isn't well. He hasn't been well for a while, it seems. Plus, he's a little loopy. His assassin's weapons include a large boulder, remote controlled flying saws, and "special bullets" programmed by marinating them with a picture of the intended victim. Jay also reads blogs. From these he's collected information on what he sees as the crimes of the Bush administration. The Iraq war plays heavily here, in particular an episode at a checkpoint in which a mother witnesses her daughters killing by US forces. Jay works himself to a frenzy. Ben tries to dissuade him and threats begin (when Ben threatens to contact the authorities, Jay promises to carry out his act immediately; the story's crucible seems a little contrived, but it suffices). Ben tries to calm Jay with some of the usual palliatives: killing just leads to more killing, all presidents have been bad (he lists them since Truman; only Carter gets a "meant well"). He then has Jay pound on a picture of Bush with a hammer ("[Flump!]"). Whether this provides adequate therapy remains somewhat ambiguous. The book ends with a "[Click.]"
   
   Following publication, a plethora of interpretations spewed from the press and public. Some excused it merely as a diatribe against President Bush a la "Fahrenheit 911." Others saw it as a critique of liberalism, likely building on the seeming "nothing-we-can-do" passivity of Ben in the face of Jay's violent outburst and Jay's iconoclastic views on abortion. A much smaller number questioned the legality of the book. Still others saw its "therapeutic" value in providing a warning to not destroy oneself by raging against the machine. The literary minded tended to dismiss the politics altogether and focus instead on the character's personalities and interactions. Baker himself insisted that the book is "not political," though he also said it was inspired by the events of the recent Iraq war. The book does read like an emotional outburst. It feels rushed and uneven in many places. But it also contains hilarious, disturbing, and moving passages; a few of which seem like harbingers of Baker's 2008 non-fiction follow-up "Human Smoke." Ultimately, the question remains: will this book continue to inspire readers situated outside the political volcano it appeared in? It seems to have disappeared, swallowed up by the 2004 election results, though criticism of the Bush administration continues unabated. Nonetheless, the book contains enough intriguing elements that in a few year's time people may read it with a new perspective. In some ways the book was too close to the historical events that surrounded it. Time may provide enough distance to judge the book by other merits. Or perhaps it will remain a product of its fervent and frenzied time, when the United States saw a degree of polarization unseen since the Civil War.

No comments about Triumph of Truth: Rajiv Gandhi Assassination-The Investigation.

1 comments about The assassination tapes: An electronic probe into the murder of John F. Kennedy and the Dallas coverup.

1. The voice stress analyzer (VSA) is an electronic device that analyzes spoken words and determines if the speaker is lying. It is similar to the stress detector that measures heart rate, breathing, and perspiration ("lie detector") of a live human. The VSA does not require the knowledge, cooperation, or presence of the subject. It can be used with recordings to test the dead. George O'Toole compiled copies of all recordings of the assassination. He then interviewed as many of the principle players as possible and recorded their conversations. This book is the result. This 1975 book seems to have caused the Congressional Select Committee that re-investigated the assassination, and uncovered the facts used in the second wave of books on the subject after 1977. The first wave was the books published in the late 1960s.

   The conclusion is that JFK was killed by a conspiracy, and Lee Harvey Oswald was innocent. There were two interlocking conspiracies: one small and tightly organized to shoot JFK; another large and loosely organized to cover it up. The latter involved those who became involved accidentally, reluctantly, or after the fact; they were the weakest links. A fanatic will use a pistol since they don't care if they are caught (Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley). A hired killer will use a rifle to allow time to escape before the police discover the location (JF Kennedy, ML King, Judge Woods). The Appendix discusses the commercial rivalry between the older "lie detectors" and the newer PSE used to analyze voices. The Kubis study was not done by either Kubis or his assistant; they subcontracted defectively recorded audio tapes and received poor results!

   The Introduction discusses the Anglo-Saxon conceit that political mischief only happens in non-English speaking nations. It can happen anywhere there is an unresolved conflict among the ruling classes. Watergate revealed this self-evident truth. Like the assassination of Napoleon Bonaparte, time passed before the truth came out. Just as you may be able to detect something wrong from the tone of a voice known to you, the PSE uses objective rules to detect stress in a voice (correlates to telling a lie). "It has demonstrated, beyond any reasonable doubt, that every major conclusion of the Warren Report is wrong" (Chapter 1). Any questions about the Warren Report should follow the laws of science and logic. Researchers into the 26 volumes found many facts that did not lead to a lone gunman. Sylvia Meagher's "Accessories After the Fact" is one example (p.15). Chapter 2 discusses some of the problems with the Warren Report. Governor Connally was wounded by a second shot that could not have come from Oswald's rifle (p.23). The angle and elevation from the "Oswald window" could not pass thru JFK and then hit Connally (p.26). Expert marksmen could not fire that rifle quickly and accurately (p.27). Page 32 quotes a policeman that the bullet dug from General Walker's wall was steel jacketed, not the copper jacketed bullet in the National Archives! There are three important points about the back wound in the Bethesda body: 1) it was below the shoulders, not in the base of the neck; 2) the bullet entered at a steep downward angle that did not line up with the throat wound; 3) the bullet only penetrated a short distance. The Wecht-Smith analysis of the medical evidence was that there were two gunmen firing from the School Depository, neither from the "Oswald window" (p.38). One interesting note on page 36 concerns the photographs whose facial features "are consistent with" the recollections of the President's. This is NOT saying the facial features were in fact that of the President! See for yourself.

No comments about "No Sorrow Like Our Sorrow": Northern Protestant Ministers and the Assassination of Lincoln.