The Death of a President, November 20-November 25, 1963

by William Manchester

Book Overview

The author of the bestsellers American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur, 1880-1964 and The Last Lion offers a compelling account of President John F. Kennedy's last six days--the only record authorized by the Kennedy family--written with remarkable detail and immediacy, and with an intimacy that is unparalleled in the literature.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060551364
• ISBN13: 9780060551360
• Release Date: January 1967
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 710 Pages
• Weight: 2.50 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Great book.

A great book by Manchestor about the assassination of JFK. Precise detail and characters are colorful and fully drawn. Supports conspiracy with logic and facts. Manchestor's role of insider pays off during the Crime of the Century.

couldn't put it down

Bought it and read it again after 30+ years, having seen the article in Vanity Fair about Mr. Manchester and what the project did to him personally. I confess that when I first read it, I didn't focus upon the political climate in Dallas at the time of the assassination. Comparing it with the political hatred and vitriol present today gave me chills and made me want to warn Mr. Obama to be careful. I am assured the Secret Service is much more competent today. How I hope so!

Fascinating details presented in a readable manner

I was continually left in wonder at the depth of Manchester's attention to detail. For a book that basically only chronicles 6 days in the history of the U.S., the 700+ pages almost seems insufficient given the level of information the author gives the reader. Early in the book Manchester states that he personally visited many of the key sites described in the book, and that dedication is rewarded in almost every situation that can benefit from a precise description. I really wouldn't recommend this book to anyone bent upon proving some "conspiracy theory" because the author does a sound job of debunking many of the sources of the myths that the current conspiracy fans hold dear. If I could have asked for anything more from this book, it would be that a second reflection could have been written after the end of the Johnson presidency and the assassination of RFK. So much more has been learned and revealed in the years after this book was finished (in 1967), that I think even more material on those 6 days could be written. And I suppose that is the best testimonial I can give.

Highly recommend

I have studied the assassination for 13 years now, and I often lecture to groups at schools and organizations about the subject. What I tell my listeners (especially the young ones) is that, before discussing theories on this subject, we must first determine as best we can the facts. Mr. Manchester's book is a riveting factual account of the events of these six days. And, it is astonishingly fast reading for a 700-plus page book. A real page-turner!