Assassinations Books

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.

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.

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!

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.

"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.

I read this book through, not long before Mr Beckwith passed away in prison. I found this very one sided, Medgar Evers is shown to be a saint, an angel on Earth, while Byron De La Beckwith is shown at EVERY turn to be a warped, crazy person. Anyone hoping for fair reporting here will be out of luck. Remember, Mr Beckwith was tried twice and had a hung jury. It wasn't until the late twentieth century, with the PC climate, that he was found guilty. At that point there was no way he would have been found not guilty.

This is a must-read for anyone interested in the civil rights struggle of the 60's. It is a very readable and detailed account of the murder of Medgar Evers by Byron de la Beckwith. This is one of those books I thought I would leaf through, but I got so absorbed that I read it in one sitting.

I got the paperbound edition of this book on the advice of a friend who, like me, had been disappointed by the film that borrowed its title (but not its content). The book is so gripping, and knot-in-the-stomach good, both as a work of journalism and true-life suspense. The sticker on my copy sez "Ghosts of Mississippi" was a National Book Award Finalist. Hey, it shoulda won because it's an American masterwork that oughta be taught in high schools in colleges. Yo! You want heroes worth believing in, and villains worth bringing to justice? Then put on a CD by the Roots or Rage Against the Machine and read this righteous book and learn real lessons you can live by.

This book is definitely not what you would call fun to read, but it is a stirring and important document. The author commits a few infelicities of language (for which I would have deducted the quarter-star if I could) but keeps the narrative tension high and sheds a lot of light for this Yankee girl on the kind of culture that made a man like Medger Evers loyal to the state of Mississippi even though it was a state that would allow his murderer to go unpunished for decades. It doesn't gloss over the warts of those on the side of the angels, and although it doesn't fully explain the psychology of the assassin, perhaps no one can.

I picked up Ghosts of Mississippi several years ago but tucked it away for a rainy day. De la Beckwith's death earlier this week (and a California rain storm) prompted me to dust it off. I now regret not having read it years ago. Maryanne Vollers' work is, in short, a masterpiece. Her amazing investigative skills and craftmanship left me wanting to read more. Logging on today to write this review, I was thrilled to see that Vollers has a new book out (Ice Bound). This time I won't wait!

In This Brilliant Fantastic Scholarly written Book LHO is on trial for the Alleged murders of JFK and officer Tippit. Mrs. Brown using the WC own files proves that the evidence used to convict Oswald in the eyes of the world were purely circumstantial, and with a competent defense attorney he would have been acquited had he gone to trial!!!I have known all along that Oswald had nothing to do with this murders. but after reading this book I am more convinced than ever!!HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

I note with amusement that one reviewer states that this book took "slight liberties". I don't think the liberties could have gotten any bigger. Brown does not write as an unbiased author stating facts, he clearly has an agenda and it is conspiracy. The book makes fun reading, but for facts, forget it. For a good book see Posners Case Closed.

.....That question being:

>> Was the "Patsy" plot I currently accept as the "truth" in the JFK case really a GOOD "plot" and a WISE assassination plan (from a PRE-ARRANGED point-of-view)? <<

Many (if not most) of the people who fall under the heading of "JFK Conspiracy Theorists" ("CTers") seem to have a vast amount of faith in the idea (theory) that Lee Harvey Oswald -- the man arrested for the November 22, 1963, murders of President John Kennedy and Dallas city policeman J.D. Tippit -- was nothing more than a "Patsy", the "fall guy", for both President Kennedy's and Officer Tippit's slayings. Oswald, himself, was gunned down and fatally wounded two days later, preventing him from ever being able to face, in a court of law, the vile charges that confronted him.

But no "CTer" seems to realize (and never has it seems) how utterly stupid, needlessly reckless, and insane the type of "Patsy" plot that many/most CTers actually believe took place in 1963 would have been from a Pre-November 22 standpoint. And it would appear that Mr. Walt Brown, the author of this pro-conspiracy publication ("The People V. Lee Harvey Oswald") is no different in this "Patsy"-believing regard.

Following is the "Plot" that most CTers seem to swallow whole, without bothering to ask the needed question of "How In All The World Could This Possibly Have Been Pulled Off?" ... Or, perhaps the even more-logical question of: "WHY Would ANY Professional Assassins, Who Wanted To Frame A SINGLE Patsy, Pre-Arrange A Crackpot, Bound-To-Fail Plot Like This In The First Place?".........

The Widely-Believed-As-Fact "Patsy Plot":

Let's "frame" Lee Harvey Oswald for the killing of BOTH John F. Kennedy and J.D. Tippit -- and we'll do it with a PRE-ARRANGED plan of using MULTIPLE SHOOTERS, both front and rear, in Dallas' Dealey Plaza -- meaning, of course, that we (the skillful and masterful architects of this cockeyed and undoubtedly-problematic plot) will almost certainly need to alter tons of evidence after the shooting, so as to eliminate all these bullets that are drilling JFK from the various non-"Sniper's Nest" locations (where our one Patsy, Oswald, is supposed to be located during the ambush). How stupid is this plan?! (Answer: pretty darn stupid indeed.)

While, at the same time, we will not even be keeping a wary eye on our resident "Patsy" named Oswald (who's apparently left free to roam the Texas School Book Depository at will, to be seen by God knows how many non-conspirators, which will provide Oswald, our ONE & ONLY PATSY, with the alibi he'll require after 12:30 PM on November 22). More brilliant planning by our Assassin Team of nitwits it would appear.

Also: We'll not even use Oswald's rifle to shoot JFK (a rifle which we have at our disposal on the 6th Floor of the TSBD Building). So, therefore, we're left with even more cloak-and-dagger manipulating to be done following the assassination, in the form of having to "Plant" gobs of bullets and bullet fragments all over the hospital and inside the Presidential limousine, in order to "tie" the shooting to Oswald and his "C2766 Mannlicher-Carcano" rifle. (Additional brilliant work by these "pros", wasn't it?)

Next ----

We'll let our one and only Patsy escape the shooting scene immediately after the assassination (when we could just as easily have killed him right after he exited the Depository or, better yet, "stage" his suicide right in the sniper's window). But no...we'd MUCH rather make the post-12:30 PM operation infinitely more complicated by allowing Oswald out of our sight yet again.

Then .... We'll "frame" Oswald for yet a second murder he never committed on 11/22/1963, by setting him up for J.D. Tippit's slaying on Tenth Street IN FRONT OF MORE THAN A DOZEN WITNESSES! (Many CTers actually believe this absurd balderdash, incredibly enough.) ... A fabulously-bright idea, yet again, huh? Nobody will catch on to this little diversion of killers on 10th St., now will they? Of course not -- because this particular "Dream Team" of "Plotters/Assassins/Bigshots" consists of individuals who will evidently never be caught or have their scheme uncovered. Couldn't EVER happen; even though multiple WITNESSES are at the second murder scene WATCHING OSWALD (oops, make that the "Imposter Oswald") kill Officer J.D. Tippit.

We'll get yet another "Oswald Look-alike" to gun down Tippit, then we'll (somehow) get THIRTEEN DIFFERENT WITNESSES to ALL lie under oath when they I.D. Oswald as the ONLY killer of Tippit, and/or as the ONLY man they each saw flee the murder scene at 10th Street and Patton Avenue. ... These plotters were amazing at persuasion I guess, getting thirteen different citizens to deliberately frame Oswald -- thirteen people who have no reason to want to frame an innocent man for murder (a man that they've never seen before in their lives). But I guess, per CTer accounts, that's exactly what the conspirators/plotters managed to pull off, WITHOUT A SINGLE DISSENTING WITNESS TO MAKE THIS BRILLIANT PLAN BACKFIRE. Truly remarkable.

Then .... Somehow (who knows how, this is another of those "miracles" that is just accepted as a truism and utter fact by the hordes of CTers who buy into such inanities, for some reason) the plotters were able to "plant" the Tippit murder gun ON OSWALD HIMSELF in the theater before police arrived.

Even if only ONE bullet shell was tied to Oswald's .38 revolver (and of course there were actually FOUR tied to it near the Tippit murder scene), that would have been enough to tie Oswald to the murder of Tippit.

How the plotters managed to get the real Oswald to attempt to kill a second policeman within the theater using the SAME gun that killed Tippit half-an-hour earlier might be the most remarkable sleight-of-hand feat yet by these crackerjack, never-heard-of-the-word-impossible "plotters".

I'm just wondering how many Oswald look-alikes were being employed in November of 1963 down at "Assassins For All Occasions, Inc."?

But the big question for CTers to ask themselves is a question I have never heard satisfactorily and believably answered -- and that is:

WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD ANY PROFESSIONAL PLOTTERS CONCOCT A MULTI-SHOOTER "PATSY" PLOT TO RUB OUT THE PRESIDENT, AND THEN EXPECT ALL THE PIECES OF EVIDENCE IN THE ENTIRE CASE TO FALL BACK ON LEE OSWALD'S LONELY LITTLE SHOULDERS?*

* = Especially when an alternate plan of employing just a single rear gunman in the TSBD, who was highly skilled at "pro hits", would have easily gotten the job done just as well.

Anyone who contemplates (for more than just a minute or two) the potential complications and repercussions of such an inane multi-directional, multi-gunmen "Single Patsy" plan can easily detect the absurdities and implausibilities that reside within any such "plot" of this nature.

The following query is worthy of repeating until the cows come home:

Does ANY CTer truly believe that a MULTI-shooter "Frame The Patsy Named Oswald" plan was really a wise and GOOD plan (from a Pre-11/22/63 standpoint)?

It's very difficult for me to imagine anyone actually answering "Yes" to the above inquiry. Because only an utter fool would pre-organize a professional assassination in such a reckless and outright foolhardy manner.

And that, in my "Lone Assassin" view, is one of the main reasons to know for a fact that no Patsy plot of that nature (which is widely accepted as fact, incredibly, by a large percentage of conspiracy theorists) ever occurred in the first place -- nor would it ever even have been considered for even one second prior to the day of President Kennedy's assassination on November 22nd, 1963.

This book was compellig. I once had Dr. Brown as a teacher in a American Histoy Class I attended and I was stunned on his great knowledge on the Kenedy Murders. It shows in this book in what I like to call, a "what if" situation.

Walt Brown's "The People v. Lee Harvey Oswald" works quite well on two levels: first, as an examination into the John F. Kennedy assassination and, second, as a courtroom drama. The temptation to play "What If..." with history is too irresistible, and the JFK assassination is the most compelling, mostly because of the murder of the prime suspect Lee Harvey Oswald before he stood trial. Walt Brown decides to play "What If..." but had one serious obstacle: what would Lee Harvey Oswald say about the case and about the attack against him. Quite wisely, Brown has Oswald's lawyer, Edward Barnes, have an informal gag order placed on his client. From there, the book can really take off.

Not much new evidence into the possible conspiracy is presented here. Instead, Mr. Brown marshalls it into a courtroom setting. The unsettling conclusion is that Oswald would have walked. The chain of evidence against had been mishandled. There was no stenographer taking notes during his initial questioning. There are a lot of other technicalities that might have freed Oswald. But I had to ask myself: "In these times, criminals are let off on the slightest loopholes and technicalities. Would Oswald really have walked in Texas in 1964?" Probably not.

On the courtroom drama level, this book works better. The courtroom bickering is believable enough. What wasn't, however, was the good guy (Edward Barnes) vs. the bad guy (D.A. Matthews) renderings. They were two dimensional to say the least. However, as for historical fiction, "The People V. Lee Harvey Oswald' will please most readers of this genre.

The book is divided into two distinct non-overlapping parts. The first part is a series of tightly woven summaries of some (but not all) of the
Most popular theories of the JFK assassination. The second is a psychological analysis of some (but again not all) of the key players. Although the author provided his own rationale for the selections in each part, given what exists today in the JFK assassination literature, the author's choices seem somewhat arbitrary and certainly incomplete. For instance, neither Jim Garrison's investigation, nor Michael Collins Piper's monumental work "Final Judgment" seem to have warranted status as full-blown separate theories. This was especially irritating since Garrison's work was referenced and used throughout many of the analyses. Piper's work, perhaps because it was too new in 2002 when this manuscript went to press, or too volatile, was not mentioned at all. The angle dealing with JFK's problem with Israeli nukes is missing altogether but is obviously a fertile area, especially since LBJ, as he did in the case of Vietnam, quickly reversed U.S. policy on this issue.

I also had problems with the way the parts were arranged in the text. Surely the best of all worlds would have been to display the two parts and then somehow add a third section that juxtaposed or integrated the earlier two. I was surprised to discover that the parts were treated more or less as separate stand-alone almost self-contained and distinct parts, with the trailing psychological analysis being more or less an epilogue or afterthought to the very solid summaries.

This arrangement struck me as being exactly the opposite of what could have proven maximally effective. Arguably, it would have been much better to have provided the psychological analysis up front, first as foreground, or prologue, rather than as an afterthought or epilogue -- especially since it served a primarily contextual or background setting function. And then the author should have used it later as a marker guiding and integrating the various aspects of the respective theories and summary analyses.

The best example of how this approach could have worked effectively is with respect to ex-Director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover's homosexuality. Obviously his closeted homosexuality played a central, if not a decisive role, in the staging of and shaping of the conditions that led to the plot that killed JFK's: in corrupting the FBI, giving illicit power over to the mob and to the CIA, becoming a willing tool of LBJ -- all in a rather desperate effort to conceal his personal secret -- and then in making it all but inevitable that he (Hoover) would be an involuntary part of the cover up of the assassination plot. As foreground, and by setting the context, Hoover's homosexuality explains a lot; as epilogue, it is a mere salacious detail, an afterthought that serves little or no purpose. [Also in this regard, it is worthwhile to point out that at least one analysis focuses on the homosexuality of some of the key players (like in addition to Hoover, Clint Murchinson, David Ferrie, General Edwin Walker, et. al.) as a sub-assassination theory of its own.] The same can be said for JFK's philandering and his close ties to the mob, as well as his father's long-term debits to the mob. Not only were these private moral indiscretions examples of recklessness difficult to explain, but were central spokes in the background that made the wheels of several of the assassination plots turn. To relegate them to what amounted to a large appendix was at the very least, inefficient.

These comments aside, the analysis within the summaries was of a very high quality indeed. And certainly one of the unintended high points of the book was the way in which it systematically and completely demolished Gerald Posner's "Case Closed."

Four points in particular seem to have done the job: (1) the recently discovered photograph showing Oswald and Ferrie as part of the same New Orleans Civil Air Patrol unit, destroys Posner's unfounded contention that Oswald and Ferrie did not know each other prior to the assassination. (2) The fact that Parkland doctors confirmed that more than 40 bullet fragments were found in the president's skull proved that both frangible and non-frangible bullets were used and thus could not both have come from the same Mannlicher-Carcano that Oswald used -- guaranteeing that there had to be at least two shooters and thus a conspiracy; (3) Brain matter, skull bone, blood and tissue sprayed the patrolman at the left rear of the motorcade, invalidating Posner's cockamamie notion that an involuntary motion caused JFK's head to go backwards (in the same direction from which the shots were fired), defying Newton's second law of motion; and (4) the vector from the bullet that hit bystander Teague, a block away, when traced back to its origin, points to a shooter in the Dallas-Tex building, not to the Book Depository, also guaranteeing at least two shooters.

Given that most of the key players are now dead, and the likelihood that the court certifiable standard of "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" will henceforth never be forthcoming, one would think that the criteria for testing the validity of a given JFK theory would now be relaxed. And although this is what the author does in practice, it seems that in order to avoid being labeled a "conspiracy nut" he, like many others, nevertheless goes overboard in sticking to this impossibly high standard of proof. One would hope that a more relaxed standard such as "a preponderance of cross-confirming evidence by reliable witnesses and participants," would become the new standard of proof for JFK investigation research. As well, prior independent knowledge of the assassination itself and lying by key figures about their whereabouts on the day of the assassination should be given more solid weight in determining whether or not a conspiracy occurred. In such cases, it is easy enough to assign a quality value -- from "poor to totally convincing" -- to the reports and interviews of what actually happened. Also, logical consistency and common sense should be allowed to play a much weightier role in assessing the value and validity of information - especially with regard to secondary sources. Certainly the author did a great deal of this but he did so rather self-consciously and timidly.

Finally, the gestalt that is the JFK assassination phenomenon itself has its own validity and resonance. Even though we may never be able to prove it in a court of law, we all know in our bones the truth when we see and hear it. Thus among other things, this book establishes that the real "conspiracy nuts" are those who still hold on, in their collective delusional state, to the idea that the Warren Commission's Report (a true state sanctioned conspiracy theory) represents even a facsimile of the truth.

Five stars

"Conspiracy In Camelot" could probably also go by the alternate title of: "The More JFK Assassination Theories, The Better".

Despite the fact that all of the physical evidence points toward Lee Harvey Oswald as President John F. Kennedy's lone murderer on November 22, 1963, books like this still get published year after year. I've yet to completely figure out why this continuously occurs.

Some thoughts re. the JFK case (with a healthy dose of common sense attached)........

THE "SINGLE-BULLET THEORY":

Virtually every last scrap of physical evidence surrounding the double-man wounding of President John F. Kennedy and Texas Governor John Connally on 11/22/63 "fits" to a tee within a pro-"SBT" solution/context. Common sense also supports a pro-SBT conclusion as well.

Most conspiracy believers think that "common sense" re. this topic supports the anti-SBT side. When, in actuality, it's precisely the opposite. The anti-SBT scenario is a billion times more silly-sounding and undoable than is the SBT. (Not that we've ever been treated to a full-fledged "version" of what that pro-CT, anti-SBT scenario might entail -- since virtually no CTer ever wants to look foolish enough to actually cough up the shot-by-shot scenario.)

But any conspiracy theorist must surely realize the craziness and unbelievable string of "coincidences" that they must believe in if they don't want to accept the Single-Bullet Theory as a fact....don't they? I truly wonder if they do realize this. But just saying "the silly SBT is impossible" is not nearly good enough to discredit its viability.

By simply watching the very good cable-TV documentary "JFK: Beyond The Magic Bullet" (aired in late 2004 on The Discovery Channel), a lot of the "mystery" surrounding the plausibility of the "magic" bullet and the SBT in general should be wiped from a person's mind. Because that "re-creation" test of the SBT bullet path mimicked the real deal of bullet CE399 very closely.

The test didn't perfectly re-create everything right to the letter, true -- but no such test will ever be able to simulate TO THE INCH everything CE399 did, because JFK's and John Connally's bodies, naturally, weren't available to utilize in such a simulated SBT test.

But just watch that Discovery Channel program, and after doing so ask yourself this question -- If the SBT is truly a piece-of-junk theory, could those guys associated with that cable-TV documentary have REALLY re-created the same basic damage path and trajectory that the real CE399 bullet is said to have taken, and then also have that test bullet emerge in one piece, without any fragmentation to the test bullet at all?

The test bullet was flattened more than the real CE399, yes -- but the test missile remained completely INTACT following the SBT re-creation, just exactly like 399. The test bullet didn't break up into pieces, even after having travelled the same basic path that the real #399 travelled, and also having caused an approximate amount of damage in the two surrogate bodies.

It was a pretty impressive "re-creation" of the SBT and CE399's capabilities if you ask me. Not 100% perfect. But that's never gonna happen in a million years. And here's another thing that couldn't have happened in a million years either -- i.e., 3 gunmen fire 3 separate bullets into 2 men (as many conspiracy theorists actually believe did happen in Dealey Plaza on 11/22/63), and then, afterwards, somehow these three seemingly-associated (but supposedly, per CTers, separately-created) wound paths, trajectories, and actual wounds inside the two victims so closely appear (falsely) as if all of this stuff COULD have occurred with just a single shot and a single bullet labelled Commission Exhibit #399 that the Warren Commission and follow-up investigations actually propose that this THREE-BULLET MIRACLE SHOOTING was, indeed, just a ONE-BULLET occurrence.

Another excellent source to seek out to establish the workability of the SBT is computer animator Dale K. Myers, who worked for about a decade on an animation project that simulates the inner workings of the SBT and the entire assassination shooting sequence (based primarily on the Abraham Zapruder Film).

Almost all of Mr. Myers' computer model stems from "Key Framing" his animated model to the actual Zapruder Film itself. To quote from Myers' own website:

"In essence, the key frame process had created a motion file of Zapruder's camera in 3D space."

Mr. Myers' work is incredibly detailed and thorough...and IMO should be looked upon as a breakthrough with respect to solving the long-asked question of whether the SBT was a "doable" deed from the Book Depository's Sniper's Perch or not. And the answer to that question, thanks to Mr. Myers' efforts (and others as well) is a resounding and undeniable "Yes".

I've heard it said by some CTers that Mr. Myers has intentionally skewed data in order to make his computer animation more "SBT friendly". But, seeing as how Mr. Myers was a believer in a JFK conspiracy up until about 1994 or so (pre-dating his work on his animation), if he were to have had any desire to "fudge" the results of his work, he almost certainly (at that time in the mid-90s) would have wanted to fudge it to lead toward CONSPIRACY (and an anti-SBT conclusion), rather than a pro-SBT stance.

Who amongst us wants to potentially look like a fool to others by changing our position 180 degrees on a given subject that we've studied for years? But Dale Myers did just that by going from a conspiracy believer to an LNer in the 1990s. And if he were going falsify any data when he began his animation project in the mid-90s (at a time when he was still a CTer), does anybody think he'd want his data to show a result in favor of the SBT (a position he opposed for years)? That's just kooky.

But Mr. Myers was big enough to swallow any pro-CT pride he might have had and simply followed the evidence to where it ultimately led him -- to the Sniper's Nest in the Texas School Book Depository, and to Lee Harvey Oswald .... as well as to the SBT being a concrete scientific FACT.

With the Single-Bullet Theory in place, here's what exists:

1.) One bullet (CE399).

2.) Zero "missing" bullets to account for.

3.) Zapruder Film evidence which validates the SBT (victims reacting at precisely the same point in time).

4.) A wound path from JFK to JBC which validates the SBT, whether any conspiracist wants to admit it or not.

5.) No bullets or large bullet fragments found inside the neck or back regions of JFK's body; plus no major neck damage whatsoever in JFK (validating the undeniable fact that a bullet went completely through him).

6.) No vehicle damage to the back-seat or jump-seat areas of the X-100 limousine, validating the fact that the one bullet that undeniably exited JFK's throat went somewhere else other than into the limousine seats...with that one place, without doubt, being John Connally's back (which was the only possible place for the bullet to go if it did not hit other victims or the vehicle in flight).

7.) An elongated entry wound on Connally's back, validating the SBT's flight path...i.e., a bullet which was tumbling upon entering Governor Connally's body.

8.) An amount of damage to John Connally's wrist which also validates the probability of the SBT; i.e., if that bullet that crashed into Connally's wrist had NOT gone through JFK first, it was determined that JBC's wrist would have been more severely damaged.

9.) Bullet fragments from Connally's wrist wound are consistent with bullet CE399 (with a very good degree of probability, those fragments came from that one exact bullet, "to the exclusion"; not 100% probability, true...but there's a high pct. of certainty that CE399 was inside JBC's body on 11/22/63).

10.) The incredible "coincidence" would exist -- if the SBT is wrong -- of having John Connally being hit in the back (by a turning-sideways bullet) at just precisely (or very close at any rate) the exact point on his far right back where he would have also been struck had a bullet coming out of JFK's neck at a downward trajectory of approximately 17 degrees continued on to strike Governor Connally. What do you suppose the odds are of this occurring via a separate non-SBT shot? Must be pretty remote (at best).

11.) And #10 probably had no way of happening in the first place...because JFK was in the gunman's line of fire when Connally was hit by the bullet that struck him in the back.

12.) And the amazing "coincidence" of THREE separate gunmen being able to pelt the two victims with bullet holes (from THREE different rifles, per any conspiracy-flavored account of the event) in such a perfect arrangement on the two men to make a "SBT" even remotely feasible or plausible in the first place. Such a perfect connect-the-wounds feat would be more appropriate within a Warner Brothers' Saturday-morning cartoon. (And yet CTers laugh at the SBT?? Get real.)

13.) And one of the biggest questions that shall never go away via any anti-SBT scenario --- WHERE ARE THE BULLETS that must "replace" the Single-Bullet Theory's CE399 bullet? Show the world just ONE. Please. (Of course, CTers really need three bullets to replace the SBT, if 399 is a "plant", as all CTers believe is the case -- but I would settle for just ONE measly non-399 bullet. I'd love to see it. But, alas, we never shall; because those anti-SBT bullets never existed in the first place.)

In short....the Single-Bullet Theory is a rock-solid fact, and has been since 11/22/63. Every scrap of evidence supports the SBT being the way the shooting occurred (CTer scorn notwithstanding). And, frankly, such CTer scorn and scoffing at the SBT is meaningless and unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Because there hasn't been a single anti-SBT theory that has stood up to the overwhelming support and evidence that favors the SBT being true. And there never will be, IMO.

But it would be nice if the "Anti-SBT" crowd could at least make an attempt at putting forth a detailed analysis of the way the shooting supposedly happened by coming up with something that makes MORE sense than the SBT (if possible)....and something that PROVES the SBT is a wild dream concocted out of thin air by Arlen Specter and the Warren Commission....and PROVE that an anti-SBT theory can hold up to critical scrutiny when weighing it against the EVIDENCE in the case. (And blindly proclaiming "All the evidence is faked" just isn't good enough, in my view.)

I'm still awaiting that proof of the SBT being dead-wrong. And I think I'll be waiting for a long time to come.

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THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE AND WHERE IT LEADS:

Anyone who bothers to study the documented PHYSICAL EVIDENCE in the two 11/22/63 murders (JFK's assassination plus policeman J.D. Tippit's killing, which many CTers, incredibly, feel was also not committed by Oswald) can easily see an "Oswald's Guilty As Sin" pattern emerging pretty quickly.

By "physical evidence", I'm talking about bullets, fragments, fingerprints, fibers, guns, and bullet shells. And where does all of that kind of stuff lead? -- Answer: To Lee H. Oswald and ZERO other people. Could ALL of this evidence have really been "faked" in order to frame lovely lil' Lee? If anyone thinks that is the case, I'd suggest re-thinking that mindset. (And then read Page #246 of Larry Sturdivan's excellent book "The JFK Myths", to see what that ballistics expert has to say on that subject of mass evidence fakery.)

Then study the eyewitness testimony of the 200+ Dealey Plaza witnesses. You'll easily find that the majority of witnesses did NOT think there were multiple shooters firing guns in the Plaza on 11/22/63. In fact, an incredibly-small percentile of less than 5% thought gunshots came from MULTIPLE directions. And a huge percentage of witnesses heard exactly three gunshots (including, to my knowledge, every single one of the news-gathering people in the media who were in a position to relay the immediate news of the shooting to the world via electronic means....radio, newswires, and television).

The Zapruder Film shows JFK's head moving forward at the MOMENT OF IMPACT AT Z313, proving that the shot struck from the rear. Plus, there's no visible "spray" at the REAR of the head, which is not at all possible if Mr. Kennedy had the BACK of his head blown open.

Has the Zapruder Film been faked too? Sorry, but that pro-conspiracy argument is almost as silly as the "Let's Use Several Different Riflemen To Frame Just One Patsy In The Book Depository" hunk of craziness that many theorists believe in (without noticing how utterly stupid such a "Patsy" plot is from every vantage point).

To anybody who doesn't have a tendency to scream "Cover-Up!" and "All This Evidence Is Fake!" at the drop of a hat, the evidence surrounding the JFK assassination is telling the world who it was who killed President Kennedy and policeman J.D. Tippit -- and that "who" was obviously Lee Harvey Oswald.

To believe otherwise is to place your faith in a vast conspiracy involving God knows how many total individuals -- including (no doubt) many members of the Dallas Police force -- a DPD which just had one of "their own" killed like a dog in the street and who, per many CTers, didn't hesitate for one moment as they forged ahead with the framing of an innocent man for Tippit's death; and thusly the DPD evidently couldn't have cared less about allowing the "real killer(s)" to walk away scot-free.

Doesn't that type of conspiracy-oriented mindset seem just a tad unrealistic when you think about it for a moment or two? A "CT" mindset, that is, which has the DPD willingly allowing the murderer(s) of a FELLOW OFFICER (AND FRIEND) to just waltz away with a "Free Murder" card?? That's just...insane.

But many CTers believe that to be the case re. the Tippit crime. And common sense ALONE tells me that kind of unsupported CT talk concerning Tippit and the Dallas Police is full of holes. Which, in turn, taints a CTer's whole conspiracy case swirling around the John F. Kennedy assassination, in my opinion.

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Was there a "Conspiracy In Camelot"? Sure there was -- there was a conspiracy among some individuals to keep President Kennedy's health issues a secret; and another conspiracy to keep JFK's constant womanizing a secret as well.

But there was no multi-gun "conspiracy" with respect to his assassination. The physical evidence which connects only Lee Harvey Oswald to the President's murder verifies that fact quite clearly -- and always has.

Dr. Kroth again confronts cultural icons with psychological spelunking. This time it is Kennedy's sexual addiction which places him in contact with dangerous characters acting behind the scenes in shady government and greedy, gangland business. No thinking person in America can accept that Kennedy was killed by a single, lucky loner. Written with grace and style Kroth peals the layers of the onion to the sweet center and leaves no doubt that this is not the America you thought it was. Our president was taken from us for all too tawdry reasons. There is no clear hero in this story and no clear victim but there is insight which will keep you thinking long after you have finished this book. Bang for the buck, I give it a hearty five stars.

Jerry Kroth's Conspiracy in Camelot, may be the most significant contribution to date towards understanding the underlying dynamics of the Kennedy assassination. His artfully written synthesis of well developed academic research and psychological insights, yield a fascinating, certain classic.

Kroth is the first author to delineate the role of John F. Kennedy's mental instability, and its manifestation as sexual addiction, as key role in his untimely death. Many of John F Kennedy's behavioral patterns, are modeled after his father, Joseph Kennedy. As a result of sexual and economic acting out, both father and son were subsequently brought into close contact with mafia and other underworld connections. These dark linkages played a prominent role in Kennedy's untimely murder, and the deaths of scores of others with Kennedy connections.

Conspiracy in Camelot rivets the reader like the finest detective novel. But the substantive new insights and statistical data that Kroth provides, will influence the historical perspective on America's most romantic and admired president.

Bette U. Kiernan
Palo Alto, California

Dr. Kroth uses his well-tuned research skills to bundle up the plethora of evidence in a scholarly package of text that is easy to understand and absorb. Join Dr. Jerry Kroth on a psychohistorical quest to excavate, illuminate, and evaluate forty years of JFK assassination evidence in his newest work, Conspiracy in Camelot: The Complete History of the Assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. If you are a JFK assassination aficionado, then here's a book that will reinforce your passion and satisfy your desire for new information. If you're not a JFK assassination aficionado but have thought about being one only to fear being over taken by the over 700 sources of information on the subject before you come to terms with who killed JFK and why, then you must read this book! As Dr. Kroth attempts to base all conjecture and speculation on evidence gleaned from one source or another, he respects his readers' rights to formulate their own evaluations and conclusions. I especially enjoy the skill with which Dr. Kroth organizes the facts, posits the possibilities, profiles the players, and scopes out the pros and cons of each assassination theory associated with the greatest murder mystery of the 20th century. Quotes by those who walked and talked in the Kingdom of JFK's Camelot permeate the text and add a pinch of intrigue. Anyone fascinated with the study of collective psychology will be mesmerized with Dr. Kroth's discussion of the symbolic meaning of the psychological implications of the JFK assassination on the American consciousness - then and now. For those of us who delight in reading books by authors who aren't afraid to say what they think in a creative and thought-provoking manner, Conspiracy in Camelot does not disappoint. I give this book 5 stars!

What a story of shear guts and determination of a man who paid the price for speaking out against the Secret Service protection for President Kennedy. I wish I had half the guts Mr. Bolden has, and I hope that in the end, those who for the most part framed Mr. Bolden, will be held fully accountable when they meet their maker. There was definitely a breakdown that fateful day in Dallas of Secret Service reaction when the first shots were fired. REading about one of the agents losing his credentials in a bar the night before the assassination definitely makes one wonder about the "phony" Secret Service agent who flashed credentials behind the grassy knoll.

This work is intriguing as Abraham Bolden gives his side of how the Secret Service framed him rather than permit him to give testimony to the Warren Commission about the lax in the duties of Secret Service agents to protect President John F. Kennedy. The Warren Commission investigated the assassination. Bolden was the first black to serve on the White House Secret Service, assigned to protect the president, and was invited to that post by Kennedy. Bolden is very brief about his childhood, and tells even less about his teen and college years. The main purposes of this section is show the development of his sense of duty, honesty, and other values his parents taught him. Most of the book is devoted to his tenure as a Secret Service Agent and how all that he had built professionally was destroyed. He provides very detailed accounts of the trials, and his appeals and other strategies to clear his name and get his freedom. Despite all that happened to him, his family stood my him. The work is well written, and written in such a way that the reader can get a sense of the intellectual, emotional, spiritual and physical trials and tribulations of the author and those around him. The minute details are necessary because Bolden is attempting to clear his name and actions from a time period that is very controversial. Therefore, he uses footnotes so that the reader can cross check the facts. Some documents were unobtainable, but Bolden proves to a great researcher, using various primary source materials to support his claims. Unlike most autobiographies, the work is indexed. Others have criticized the book because it sheds little light on the Kennedy assassination, but this is an unfair assessment. The book is about Bolden, not Kennedy. This work is a very much needed addition to black American history, particular in the history of Secret Service Agents. In addition, it also contributes to the historiography of the assassination of President Kennedy, as well as the general historiography of the 1960s. It could also be used in the study of racism, organized crime, the criminal justice system, and the legal system. This work stands, perhaps, as the final testimony of Bolden, who wants to public to know his ordeal. At this point, the public becomes the jury.

If you are looking for something really new and substantial on the JFK case, I doubt you'll find it here. Or anywhere ! I'd recommend the book if you are interested in the secret service however and the author has a few interesting snippets to tell of his brief meetings with the Kennedy brothers which may be of interest to some. It's a reflective work and highlights some of the prejudices prevalent at the time even within the secret service, but the title is a little bit misleading as the material relating to the assassination is limited. A nice to have book, but there are better recent works on the case.

Abe Bolden, a seasoned and decorated law enforcement officer and the first Black to serve on the Presidential detail (handpicked by JFK himself) as a member of the Secret Service, experienced a staggering fall from grace, due in large part to "guilty knowledge" he had that bore on the possible conspiracy to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. Having been alerted by uncommonly vicious backroom verbal attacks against Kennedy (and racist attacks against himself) by his colleagues and the very men sworn to protect JFK, Bolden's antenna were on full alert as he witnessed event-after-event that could only be interpreted as "purposeful laxity" in both the run up to JFK's cancelled visit to Chicago (where an assassination attempt was foiled) and the President's fatal visit to Dallas (where it succeeded).

Bolden, as a seasoned agent, was deep inside the Secret Service's inner loop as an "eye" and "ear" witness to all of the behind the scene maneuverings that resulted in both the failure to apprehend the suspects who conspired unsuccessfully to kill JFK in Chicago a couple of weeks before Dallas, and then as witness to his colleague's laxity during the President's fatal visit to Texas, where they apparently succeeded.

Once it became clear that Bolden was not going to "be a team player" in the cover-up of possible Secret Service complicity in the assassination, things turned very bad for him indeed. Unable to silence him on the outside, Bolden was then framed by his colleagues in an elaborate setup that apparently had the support of the judge who presided over his "railroading" through the U.S. Criminal Court system. After a lengthy sequence of trials that went all the way to the Supreme Court, he eventually landed in a series of increasingly brutal and isolated U.S. jails, work camps, and prisons, ultimately ending in the prison psychiatric ward on heavy and regular doses of psychotropic drugs.

In what can only be considered an epic miscarriage of justice that one would think could never occur in the U.S. -- highlighted by the admitted perjury and recantation of the key witness against him (a low level mobster and snitch affiliated with the Sam Giancana outfit (also implicated in the JFK assassination) named Joseph Spagnoli), combined with the ruthless bias of a federal Judge (J. Sam Perry) bent on prosecuting him at all cost, Bolden used up his savings, his good graces, his reputation, and apparently his nine lives before he was summarily sentenced to six years for having allegedly sold a criminal file to his accuser for $50,000.

The real saga of this tale is not just that justice failed at every turn through a lengthy series of Court battles, but that it was an obvious and blatant "frame-up" from start to finish. Once Bolden was caught-up in the American legal grinding machine, there was nothing anyone could or would do to overturn his situation. Like in Kafka's novel "The Trial" as Bolden moved deeper and deeper into the bowels of the U.S. prison system, almost inexorably, laws were stretched, procedures twisted, and documents disappeared just enough to continue his progression towards, and to ensure, the already pre-determined outcome of either silencing him or changing his mental state so that he would eventually end his campaign to tell what he knew.

Apparently six years in prison and years of heavy medication seems to have succeeded in silencing him, because in this book, which was written after his release, Bolden (beyond telling us about an "all alerts bulletin" for someone with the name "Hurd" immediately after JFK was shot, and the fact that a prime suspect in the Chicago attempt, named Echeverria, just disappeared from the radar screen) Bolden still has not given us a full accounting of, or any additional insights into what he actually knew.

That this travesty could occur in the U.S. against a citizen with an impeccable Law Enforcement record, with not even an eyebrow raised, is just further confirmation that we still live in the post-JFK assassination era, an era that continues to be chilling in ways that we as a nation cannot be very proud of.

Four Stars

This is an amazing story of injustice, racism, a corrupted justice system, and dogged, courageous persistence to clear his name. Abraham Bolden was clearly his own worst enemy, if only because he wasn't shy about pointing out the shortcomings of his colleagues and bosses. Most of us would shake our heads and pass on by. Not Bolden. If Secret Service agents came to work drunk, he spoke up about it. If they let security relax on President Kennedy's White House detail, he told his superiors. That's not a strategy to warm the hearts of co-workers, but this was the Secret Service, and the President's life was at stake. Bolden took his protective mission to heart. The obvious and blunt racism of his colleagues is surprising forty years later but typical of the sixties. After a stint with the First Family on Nantucket Bay, Bolden writes that his shift supervisor, Harvey Henderson, a good-ol'-boy Southerner, commented to him, "You're a nigger. You were born a nigger, and when you die, you'll still be a nigger. You will always be nothing but a nigger. So act like one!" If that doesn't stagger your perceptions about the Secret Service, nothing would. Imagine trying to do your job with that kind of attitude hovering over you. Transferred back to Chicago, his home base, after a month on the White House detail, Bolden's troubles continued and eventually culminate in charges, conviction, and imprisonment. As he presents the case against him, the corruption, racist conspiracy to destroy him, and the fumbling, blockheaded pursuit of the case by authorities eventually overpower and convict him. It is justice pursued in the most invidious fashion for the most insidious motives. The man is black. Get him. Yet, after all that he and his family endure, Bolden emerges years later undefeated. And that is what makes him a man admired. This is one heck of a story! And the horrifying thing is, it's true.

This is a very revealing book, exhaustively researched and written in a style that is reasonably easy to read. Read it if you are open to the possibility that the government doesn't always tell us the whole truth about things and you think that, in theory at least, it may do some evil things quite deliberately. Otherwise, don't bother.

Pepper should be ashamed for putting this book out. It is full of the type of wild speculation that gets attention on a "Jerry Springer" type show. It is very sad that the King family has been taken in by James Earl Ray and his attorney.

As someone who reads widely and often, I can honestly say this: Very few books I have ever read have had as profound an impact upon me as Dr. William Pepper's meticulously and exhaustively researched "Orders To Kill". Dr. Pepper spent upwards of 18 years researching the facts behind the King Assassination and is probably the world's leading authority on the subject. "Orders To Kill" contains the results of those 18 years of investigation.

What he found is chilling and disturbing, and should make us wonder what happened to our "democracy": The government of the United States, among others, was deeply involved in the killing. And in a testament to Dr. Pepper's tenacity and skill as an investigative journalist, many of those responsible for King's political murder have actually admitted their complicity in the book (These facts do not 'give away' the plot, since this information is contained on the outside back of the book and because it takes a book of over 500 pages like this one to fully explain the enormity of the event it describes).

In fact, one of the men implicated in the assassination, witnessed the shooting himself and names the individual who actually fired the bullet that killed Dr. King (Hint: it is not James Earl Ray). Of course, this individual named names only after being assured by Dr. Pepper that he would be immune from prosecution for his role in the killing.

Dr. Pepper, through sheer persistence, an iron will, and a burning desire for the truth, has written a book that will grab the reader from page one, and not let go until the bitter (very) end.

The tale it so skillfully tells is a tragic one and is of epic proportions. But it is a tale that must be told, for if truth is to prevail in this world, as I believe it must, then books like this one must be written. I cannot recommend a book more highly than I recommend this one. Read it and prepare to be disgusted, frightened, saddened, and in the end, amazed and hopefully glad that the truth has finally prevailed.

This book reveals the extensive role the U.S. government, organized crime, civilians, played in the assasination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. William F. Pepper had, through years of investigation, wrote a book that tells us the truth of the assasination. Theres not much for me to say except that if a student, from Singapore, who had nothing to do with the one of the most prominent figure in the history of the United States, bothered to post a review about a book which narrates events leading up to his murder and afterwards, surely tells a lot about the book.

The Dirk Diggler review on 05-01-98 talks about Gerald Posner's book "Case Closed" as if it were the "the whole truth and nothing but!" In reality, Posner speculates and adds wording to testimonial given by eyewitness accounts. The conspiracy theories offered in his book add up to a little more than the government telling him what to write and then adding additional dollars to his publicity campaign to help promote the book. "Dirk Diggler" is either Gerald Posner writing his own review and touting his book, or he works for the government and wants to keep the facts as far away from the public eye as possible.

The fact that the government has not allowed an independent lab to test the rifle supposedly used by Ray, or that Ray was never granted a "fair trial" are viable questions that are raised. "Orders to Kill" offers an insight not found in other books in this category. If you want to believe that only "one gunman" killed JFK, then "Case Closed" is the perfect read. "Pepper offers a rare glimpse of reality, not often seen in these times of governmental deception!"

John Dalmas has created a story that you can't put down. All of the characters and the main character and the theme of the story "The Second Coming" are interwoven with skill and leave you wondering if perhaps the book might be somewhat prophetic. I don't want to spoil it for you so won't tell you more except that the main character will make you think about Barak Obama - hmmmm. Not in real life of course but it will still make you think!

I got this book from the library in the science fiction section, but I would classify it as fantasy instead. I couldn't put it down, I enjoyed the characters, the story, and the spirituality. Great stuff!

This book may challenge your world view, so readers that cannot approach a differing world view with an open mind would be advised to avoid it.

The 'new age' sprituality is introduced at a light pace, and fits seemlessly with the story. As a contrast, The Celestine Prophesy series tended to bog down for me in this respect.

To readers that enjoyed this book, I would also recommend 'Religion Wars' by Scott Adams.

Entertainment: 5 stars
Enlightenment: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars

The Second Coming is first novel in The Millennium series. Sometime in the near future, a Great Depression has the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse riding over the world. The Middle East has been devastated by the One-Day War and Israeli refugees are crowding into California. Four major parties vie for power in the United States; Florence Metzger, the current President, is from the Centrist party. Eight messiahs have been proclaimed since 2005, including two Islamic Madhis, one Buddhist Maitreya, and five Christians.

Ngunda Eliga Aran is one of these Christian messiahs, although he has not yet acknowledged his status. Born in Malawi of an African mother, his father was a New Zealander with Maori, Irish and English ancestry. A graduate of the University of Toronto in computer science, Aran became a research assistant at Advanced Artificial Intelligence Systems while going to grad school part-time. He became a vice president at AAIS at age twenty-five, but resigned at age thirty to pursue the spiritual side of his life. He eventually became a psychotherapist, then a new-age columnist, and founded Millennium to promote tolerance and compassion throughout the world.

In this novel, Lee Shoreff and her husband Ben are hired by Millennium and, with their two daughters, move out west to live at the organization compound. Lee has had a bad experience with a religious cult and is very suspicious of the organization's goals and lifestyle, but the depression has ruined her consulting business and Ben has lost his job, so they need the money. She becomes a close associate of Dove -- the name used for Aran by his inner circle -- and participates in many of the everyday functions as she redesigns the organization. Gradually she loses her apprehensions and starts to identify with the Millennium purposes.

Millennium has many enemies who feel a burning anger when they hear Dove speak. Luther Koskela is a mercenary soldier who has been hired by his uncles to assassinate Aran. Thomas Corkery is an ex-IRA thug who has been hired by the Catholic Soldiers of America to dispose of Aran. Other individuals and groups are also out to eliminate Aran and his teachings.

This novel is a story of the millennium and the second coming, but with a twist. This coming will not be the second, but more like the eighth, and the event will occur later than expected. Many of the signs will also be unexpected, but still unmistakable. Once again, the messiah will not conform to popular beliefs, but will nevertheless bring a definite and clear message to the world.

The novel incorporates many existing threads into this messianic tale, including Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's personality typing from the four Michael books. Many of the elements are new-age beliefs derived from Buddhist and other Oriental thinking. Thus, it will conflict with popular millennial thought. Overall, it depicts a very believable portrayal of the coming of an avatar to divert the world from a hateful and nonproductive path into one of increased cooperation and love.

Highly recommended for Dalmas fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of the intervention of higher powers into the ordinary world.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Two thousand years ago, while the Roman Empire flourished, corruption also blossomed. In that moral void, the Infinite Soul arrived to pass the word.

The United States has made terrific progress on the race and gender fronts almost eliminating the negative isms from the dictionary as showcased by a black female president. However, the country is suffering from a drastic depression and as the original Rap said "violence seems as American as apple pie". Corruption and amoral behavior grows.

A cult forms around the teachings and miraculous abilities of Ngunda Aran, who insists he is not THE SECOND COMING, but just a guru preaching that love is the basic force of the universe and that fear is the corollary. Aran insists the Infinite Soul is coming back to coincide with an asteroid heading towards Earth, but not as a carpenter. This time he will return in the body of a married black Canadian software guru, who rejects the notion that he has Christ's soul inside his heart. Will this anointed one be nailed in the crosshairs of an Uzi from those who want him and his benefactor dead?

THE SECOND COMING is an exciting telling of the return of the Infinite Soul, but with a Hindu twist to the tale. As John Dalmas points out the philosophy and writings of Aran can be traced to Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's Michael novels making this book a treat for her fans. Though at times pontification slows down the plot, post-apocalyptic fans will take immense pleasure with this engaging story because Aran, the president, the Infinite Soul and his enemies seem genuine in a world heading either directly to heaven or hell with no in between rapture weigh station.

Harriet Klausner

Let me preface this by saying I know John Dalmas personally and he's a great guy. There is a lot of regional veracity here, especially in describing Spokane, where we both live. The only thing I noted that was off was that SeaFirst Stadium is now Avista Stadium; this book was written before Bank of America purchased SeaFirst Bank.

The main shortcoming to me was the large number of characters. I had a hard time connecting with some of them, especially Aran. If you don't identify with the doomed prophet, it's hard to get into this book. The character I liked best was Lee, a professional woman struggling with child custody and other family issues. Lee tries to protect her children as they are drawn more into the cult-like atmosphere of Millennial beliefs, and that resonated with me.

I was also surprised at the ending. The consequences of a global disaster are barely hinted at. In speaking with John, it had not been my impression this book was to start a series, but if it is number one of a series, the omissions make more sense. The full ramifications will obviously be explored in later volumes.

I do not recommend this book to anyone with strong Christian beliefs, as the New Age and Asian religious references will not appeal to you at all.

Deby Fredericks, author of The Magister's Mask

Writing about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is fraught with difficulty. There is a deep history of violence and revenge and counter-violence and counter-revenge and deeply and personally felt injury and injustice. The people caught up in the conflict on both sides are at war both with each other and with themselves. They hate their enemies but they also hate the changes that the conflict has wrought in their own psyches. Some of the younger or less sophisticated warriors kill their enemies with some enthusiasm, but the older and more thoughtful ones kill with sadness and regret.

Littel's story takes place in some near future in which a new American President has essentially imposed a peace settlement on the middle east. No one likes it but neither side is fully able to resist the pressure and the threats of withdrawal of aid from the United States. Still, emotions are high and any new violence threatens to disrupt the fragile agreement and start another vicious circle of attack and retaliation.

In this environment, two very similar religious zealots, one Muslim, one Jewish, each hope to disrupt the peace settlement. A devout, middle-aged, fundamentalist Muslim doctor with a deep personal grievance against Israel kidnaps a devout, middle-aged, fundamentalist Jewish rabbi who leads an anti-Arab settler movement. Israeli security services begin a very sophisticated hunt for the terrorist and the rabbi, while an apparently neutral American journalist tries to get the story, and an American diplomat tries to keep everyone calm and committed to the peace accord.

Part of the story is about the hunt. In my opinion, that part of the story is quite well done. Readers of police and spy thrillers should not be at all disappointed with either the action or the technical detail. But a deeper part of the story is about the politics, the religion, the psychology, and the personal tragedy of the conflict.

Littel has no illusions about good guys and bad guys. No one has clean hands. Israeli and Palestinian/Fatah security agents collaborate in the torture of a suspect. An innocent young Palestinian woman is arrested, brutalized, humiliated and betrayed while the police lie to her father, telling him that they haven't seen the girl. Innocent young Jews are killed by the terrorists. Anyone who claims that his people only do what has to be done because of the evil nature of the enemy is failing to see the true enormity of the vicious circle of violence and revenge, or the depths of inhumanity that the conflict inevitably engenders.

At the center of all this is the story of the doctor and the rabbi. Each is a true zealot. Each considers his own life to be of no account. Each believes he is an instrument of God's will. Surprisingly and rather crazily, and yet quite convincingly, each comes to understand the other and to believe that he has found a true brother in his nemesis. Each is united with the other in his determination to ensure that the peace is prevented and the war goes on.

In my view, this is a quite remarkable book that rises well above the typical thriller to give us valuable insights into one of the most important conflicts of the past and coming century. Strong partisans of one side or the other will probably hate it. I recommend it.

Another superb offering from Littell. Evocative, educational and fast paced in the form of an adventure story set in the chaos of the Middle East. All too believable double crosses amidst an attempt to scuttle a peace treaty brokered by an unnamed female American president.