The JFK Assassination: Recommended Reading List

In anticipation of the JFK Special, we polled Jim Marrs, John Barbour, and Kenn Thomas for their recommended reading list of books related to the JFK assassination. The result was a veritable cornucopia of conspiracy tomes covering not only the assassination itself, but also Lee Harvey Oswald's life as a spy, the story of a man who may have been set up to be the 2nd patsy on November 22nd, 1963, and some recent examinations of America's most infamous parapolitical mystery.

Jim Marrs:

Anyone who wants to really delve into the Kennedy assassination should start with the Warren Commission Report (1964). Most of the information in this report is valid. The problem is not with what they reported but with what they failed to report. Then read my 1989 book Crossfire: The Plot that Killed Kennedy to take up the slack. These two books should give the reader a good background in the case.

Then, for more up-to-date thoughts and the broad perspective, I would recommend:

John Barbour:

  • On The Trail Of the Assassins by Jim Garrison. Garrison's view of the killing as a result of his investigations, and the book bought by Oliver Stone as the basis for the film.

  • Rush To Judgement by Mark Lane. Forced to go outside the country to get his critique of The Warren Commission published,(being paid only $1,200.00,) this is the book that really brought wide attention to the shabbiness of the Government's non-investigation.

  • The Man Who Knew Too Much by Dick Russell. It's a long book but an unbelievable read about Richard Case Nagell,the man assigned to kill Oswald, but who felt he was being set up as the alternate patsy, and to save himself walked into a bank just weeks before Nov. 22nd., 1963, shot bullets into the ceiling and when arrested said, 'I don't want to be in Dallas on Nov. 22nd!'

  • Crossfire by Jim Marrs. Another well-written, solid taking apart of the Government's case against Oswald, and another book used by Oliver Stone for his film.

  • Post Mortem by Harold Weisberg. Weisberg is a former Intelligence Officer who self-printed a number of books called 'Whitewash' in which he very meticulously shreds the myths surrounding the government's view of Kennedy's killing.

  • Sons And Brothers by Richard Mahoney. Mahoney, who ran for the Senate in Arizona, started out wanting to just write a book about Bobby Kennedy, but the more he delved into the material the more he realized there had been a major conspiracy at the very highest levels.

  • Conspiracy by Anthony Summers. This English Investigative Journalist is the British version of Jim Marrs, and shows just how international is the disdain for The Warren Report.

  • A Farewell To Justice by Joan Mellen. The best book written about Jim Garrison's case against New Orleans businessman Clay shaw, and probably the best book written about Garrison himself.

  • Heritage Of Stone by Jim Garrison. This book about the Clay Shaw trial received rave reviews by John Leonard in the morning edition of The New York Times, but didn't appear in the late edition. Evidently the Times didn't think it was News Fit To Print!

Kenn Thomas:

  • NASA, Nazis & JFK ... yes, one of mine, but it has the indispensable Torbitt Document

  • Rush To Judgment by Mark Lane ... since it was the first (and has a movie documentary)

  • Spy Saga by Phil Melanson ... covers Oswald's life as a spy

  • Crossfire by Jim Marrs ... for best overview of the case

  • Best Evidence by David Lifton ... covers the "body switch" theory and "wink" photo

More Articles