Live by the Sword

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Summary: Persuasion by detailed fact and quote; well written.
Review: In writng this book, Russo uses the somewhat daunting style of quoting specific sources, many of which have only recently been released. Beginning as a supporter of RFK during the late 1960's, Russo shows the reader how his vision of the early 60's has been slowly changed by mounting evidence that the Kennedy brothers circumvented many of the established political processes in their zeal for revenge against Castro for the Bay of Pigs disaster. And in this zeal, they also bypassed much of the CIA professional savvy and care, ultimately having Castro apparently find out about every one of their numerous plots to have him overthrown and assasinated. What Russo achieves is an excellent antidote to all the conspiracy theories of the past. It makes sense and provides exciting reading.

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Summary: Finally, it all makes sense.
Review: Live By The Sword is probably the most comprehensive book on the assassination of JFK to date. Author Gus Russo pulls together information from a staggering array of sources and concludes that Kennedy conspiracy researchers have been asking the wrong question all along. The real question is not who killed JFK, but why he was killed. Russo's answer is that JFK was shot because of his secret war against Fidel Castro, a "secret" which was common knowledge in the city of New Orleans, from which many anti-Castro operations were based. Lee Harvey Oswald, a desperately unhappy and alienated young man, knew of these operations through acquaintances in New Orleans' Cuban community. This book made a believer out of me; even if only a fraction of Russo's sources are accurate, there is still far more than can be explained away.

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Summary: will upset conspiracy theory-take a look!
Review: One of the problems this book will encounter is the "what-about-this-isms" that conspiracy theorists love to throw out in debating Kennedy issues. What fun would it be to know what actually happened when there is so much more money to be made by authors who write DOZENS of books on this subject, all realising different scenarios and key players. As far as I know Gus Russo has written this ONE book, and he interviewed persons unwilling to go on record prior to his writings. That in itself is reason to give the book a read. Even if this work is negated by those who "know what REALLY happened and I'm working on MY book" types, a realistic picture of the surrounding times and tensions that are rarely presented in works relating to the Kennedy Presidency are available here. If that isn't reason enough there are intriguing never before seen photos that will pique your curiosity and have you rethinking things you thoght you knew !

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Summary: Another re-hash of Posner's flawed theories
Review: Russo claims to present new material recently released by the AARB concerning the assassination, however, what he presents is just another re-hash of the same flawed theories presented several years ago by Gerald Posner in his slanted version of history "Case Closed." Mr. Russo falls into many of the same traps-ommisions and spin-that Posner fell into, and, as with Posner, we are presented with a work that is written to erroneously guide the reader into his own fabricated turths. While this work may provide fodder for the uninitiated, there will undoubtably be an uproar in the serious research community concerning Mr. Russo's neglect to address many of the unaswred questions concerning the life and times of Lee Oswald. This is a good read only if one wants to see how an author can bend facts to fit a scenario. More legitimate information is provided in a number of other works about the JFK incident.

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Summary: One of the worst books on the JFK case ever
Review: Simply put: one of the worst books on the jFK case. Still, it's fun to read---kind of like a good science fiction book. Suitable for all ages, 2-13 recommended.

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Summary: A CIA cover story from start to finish
Review: The earth is flat, the sun revolves around the earth, the lone assassin of JFK is Lee Harvey Oswald, and the single, magic bullet entered JFK's back, exited through his throat, entered Connally's back, exited through Connally's right breast, entered and smashed his right wrist and was then embedded in his left thigh. If you believe this, there is a bridge in Brooklyn that I'd like to sell you. The absurdity of the author's thesis, that Oswald acted as an agent of Castro, is not made more believable simply by virtue of the number of footnotes located at the end of the book. The author, in effect, puts forth the CIA cover story that Oswald, the lone gunman, acted upon his Communist, pro-Castro beliefs. Wasn't the lone gunman theory decimated by the accoustical analysis conducted by the House Select Committee on Assassinations which found at least 4 shots, one emanating from behind the grassy knoll? Didn't Alpha-66 leader Anthony Veciana observe his CIA handler [David Atlee Phillips]in Dallas in the company of Lee Harvey Oswald? Didn't Syvia Odio observe Lee Harvey Oswald attempt to solicit funds from her in the presence of two anti-Castro Cubans in order to support the anti-Castro cause? I refer intelligent readers to "The Last Investigation" by Gaeton Fonzi for an incisive analysis of the CIA's extraordinary efforts to block the House Select Committee on Assassinations investigation of the intelligence communities links with extreme anti- Castro Cubans and Lee Harvey Oswald, who was involved with them. Russo also takes as fact that Oswald was present in Mexico City, at the Cuban Consulate and Soviet Embassy, without any proof to back his assumptions up. The author is a talented spin doctor for the CIA. I suspect the CIA was involved in funding his research for the book. His reliance on numerous anonymous CIA and ONI sources is indicative of the partisan brief he is arguing. His subtle whitewash on behalf of the CIA may fool readers who long for simple closure in this matter. His pro-CIA spin and his propogation of what I believe is the classic CIA cover story in this matter made me nauseous.

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Summary: This is THE book on the Assassination--the NYT agrees!
Review: The New York Times Book Review, May 23, 1999, NONFICTION

In December 1991, Oliver Stone released his movie "JFK," about the murder of John F. Kennedy, and as a result of a public outcry, Congress passed the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, which called for total disclosure by all Federal agencies and private individuals who might be in possession of relevant material. These three million-plus pages proved to be a treasure-trove of information for those interested in the assassination, and Gus Russo has based much of his compelling, exhaustively researched and evenhanded book, "Live by the Sword," on it. Russo has had a longstanding interest in the assassination; he was one of the lead reporters on "Frontline"'s 1993 documentary "Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?" and served as the chief investigative reporter for ABC's news special "Dangerous World: The Kennedy Years." After sifting through mountains of evidence and conducting interviews, Russo comes to a simple conclusion: Lee Harvey Oswald killed Kennedy. Russo also maintains that it was Kennedy's obsession with ridding the world of Fidel Castro by any means necessary, including assassination, that resulted in his own death. Was Oswald a Cuban agent? Russo stops just short of saying this, but he does argue persuasively that the emotionally disturbed Oswald acted out of admiration for Castro and could well have been encouraged by pro-Castro agents. What is most impressive about "Live by the Sword," however, is that he is able to explain (though not condone) the activities of many of those in Government, including Lyndon B. Johnson, the C.I.A. and Robert Kennedy, all of whom fought hard to keep what Russo calls "the secret war against Castro" from the public - thereby averting possible American retaliation and, perhaps, another catastrophic world war.

CHARLES SALZBERG

I'm awestruck by this review--it says that the "simple" conclusions of this daring, groundbreaking book are in fact right, and must be taken seriously. Basically, the most prestigious--and critical--newspaper in the world has itself concluded that Gus Russo cracked the case, correctly demonstrating what the Kennedy assassination was all about. I've read tons of these "assassination books"--and it's a field full of writers offering vastly different opinions about who did what, to whom, and why. Lots of us layman, I think, have a tough time accepting new angles or "new spins" on this old, old story. Some of us are instantly put off by a large, persuasive book whose contents are tough to evaluate. That's why I was so struck by the NYT review--and why it's so important. It represents a clarion call to the uncertain media that it's safe to regard "Live by the Sword" in the same terms that the Book of the Month Club used--"a definitive chronicle."

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Summary: One Picture Worth a Thousand Conspiracy Theories
Review: The single most important contribution this book makes to the public discussion of the JFK killing is the never-before-published photograph of the interior of Kennedy's limousine. It clearly shows that the jumpseat John Connolly was perched on was about a foot lower than JFK's back seat. This seating arrangement validates the oft-dismissed "single bullet theory" -- the trajectory is obviously in line with the placement of the two men.

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Summary: Bobby Kennedy nearly caused Armageddon!!
Review: This book is a remarkable piece of scholarship that provides the most thorough backdrop yet to the JFK assassination. I found the most significant part of the book to be the deep politics going on in the JFK administration. My worldview has been forever changed in learning that the character deficits of Bobby Kennedy and his obsession with getting Castro ultimately forced the Cubans to accept Soviet missiles for their own protection. Although I was taught that the Kennedy brothers heroically averted Armageddon in November 1962, it was their arrogance and inexperience that had actually pushed us to the brink in the first place! Thank you, Mr. Russo!!

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Summary: What they don't teach you in school
Review: This book should replace what little history is taught to students on the subject of JFK and the events that led to a pivotal moment in our nations brief life. Live By the Sword is going to end careers of authors who have made their living peddling "conspiracy" theories, as it sets such a logical sequence of events and egos that the conclusions are inescapable. It's been a long time since history has held any personal appeal (that was lost to me during monotone high school lectures),but books like this prove history is full of color, even when the simplest explanations of events are presented. Check out the picture of the car Kennedy was in when he was killed.....