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    Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot
    Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot
    Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot
    Audiobook8 hours

    Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot

    Written by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard

    Narrated by Bill O'Reilly

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    A riveting historical narrative of the shocking events surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the follow-up to mega-bestselling author Bill O'Reilly's Killing Lincoln.

    The basis for the 2013 television movie of the same name starring Rob Lowe as JFK.

    More than a million people have enjoyed Bill O'Reilly's Killing Lincoln, the can't-stop-listening work of nonfiction about the shocking assassination that changed the course of American history. Now the iconic anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts in gripping detail the brutal murder of John Fitzgerald Kennedy—and how a sequence of gunshots on a Dallas afternoon not only killed a beloved president but also sent the nation into the cataclysmic division of the Vietnam War and its culture-changing aftermath.

    In January 1961, as the Cold War escalates, John F. Kennedy struggles to contain the growth of Communism while he learns the hardships, solitude, and temptations of what it means to be president of the United States. Along the way he acquires a number of formidable enemies, among them Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, and Alan Dulles, director of the Central Intelligence Agency. In addition, powerful elements of organized crime have begun to talk about targeting the president and his brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy.

    In the midst of a 1963 campaign trip to Texas, Kennedy is gunned down by an erratic young drifter named Lee Harvey Oswald. The former Marine Corps sharpshooter escapes the scene, only to be caught and shot dead while in police custody.

    The events leading up to the most notorious crime of the twentieth century are almost as shocking as the assassination itself. Killing Kennedy chronicles both the heroism and deceit of Camelot, bringing history to life in ways that will profoundly move the listener.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateOct 2, 2012
    ISBN9781427227089
    Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot
    Author

    Bill O'Reilly

    Bill O'Reilly is the anchor of The O'Reilly Factor, the highest-rated news show in America. He also writes a syndicated newspaper column and is the author of several number-one bestselling books including Killing Kennedy and Killing Reagan. He is, perhaps, the most talked about political commentator in America.

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    Reviews for Killing Kennedy

    4/5

    469 ratings44 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Simply one of the best books I have ever read. This book by O'Reilly is much better than his Killing Lincoln. This book is non-fiction and has more information than the general public knows about the Kennedys, the Oswalds, and the assassination. O'Reilly's first sentence sets the tone for the book, "The man with fewer than three years to live has his left hand on the Bible."
    • 5/5
      Absolutely loved it. I didn’t wanna stop listening. The book was fantastic
    • 5/5
      Another terrific book by Bill! Can’t wait to read the next one!
    • 5/5
      Riveting. Well read by author. Worth listening to again. Recommend.
    • 4/5
      Really enjoyed Killing Kennedy. As someone who wasn't alive when he was president, I knew the basics of his life and what happened but this went a bit more in depth in a entertaining way. It wasn't the history textbook story that I've read numerous times over the years, but a more personal feel to the story. You got a bit of background of JFKs like without it going overboard to get a sense of his character more. It included some of the major issues in his presidency and also about his affairs. We all know JFK was a cheat but I think the book shows how much he cared for his wife. Also got a good glimpse at Oswald's life leading up to 11/22/63 and where his mind was going before it happened. The book is also very detailed about the actual shooting, speed of the car, directions, errors made, little things that all had to line up in order for the president to be killed. It's sad and mind blowing to know that a few hours before it was raining and they would of had the bubble on top of the car but it ended up being a sunny day, that small event could of changed history. I liked how it did touch base on some of the conspiracy theories out there and why they came up. I wish that part of would been in more detail, especially at the end where we find out people who were going to testify of be interviewed ended up getting killed/killed themselves shortly before. Very glad I read this book and was surprised that Bill O'Riley can come off as a sane human being.
    • 5/5
      Fascinating! I learned so much from this book. I was a young teenager when Kennedy was assassinated so I really did not understand a lot of it. Like everyone who was of a certain age at that time, I remember exactly where I was the moment I heard the news. This was especially good to have the author reading. Now, I will download Killing Lincoln. Thank you Bill O'Reilly!
    • 4/5
      Bill and Martin are clear writers and lovers of popular history. I’ve read all of their manuscripts and have been entertained and educated as to some of the best details surrounding their subjects. I say charge ahead men! I’m caught up - sort of. Great read and thanks.
    • 5/5
      Simply one of the best books I have ever read. This book by O'Reilly is much better than his Killing Lincoln. This book is non-fiction and has more information than the general public knows about the Kennedys, the Oswalds, and the assassination. O'Reilly's first sentence sets the tone for the book, "The man with fewer than three years to live has his left hand on the Bible."
    • 5/5
      What can I say another amazing book by Bill O’Reilly. I am a generation x-er and had a vague idea of the events surrounding JFKs demise but appreciated the easy to follow depiction of details that I had not previously known. This is my fifth book by BO’R and definitely not my last.
    • 5/5
      This nonfiction book is a gripping account of the events that led up to President Kennedy’s assassination. Bill O’Reilly narrative gives parallel details about Kennedy’s life with that of Lee Harvey Oswald’s. It was interesting to see what each was doing in the months and days before Kennedy was killed. O’Reilly also talks about some the critical aspects of Kennedy’s administration, the world leaders he dealt with, and the people in his life, including his wife and children. He compares Kennedy’s assassination to Lincoln’s assassination, pointing out the similarities. The book reads like a novel, and is a bit sensationalized at times, but overall, was quite interesting.
    • 4/5
      I found this book to be as interesting as the other "Killing" books I have read. I found that I didn't know as much as I thought I did about Kennedy's assassination, particularly about Lee Harvey Oswald. The book is readable and informative.
    • 4/5
      Really enjoyed Killing Kennedy. As someone who wasn't alive when he was president, I knew the basics of his life and what happened but this went a bit more in depth in a entertaining way. It wasn't the history textbook story that I've read numerous times over the years, but a more personal feel to the story. You got a bit of background of JFKs like without it going overboard to get a sense of his character more. It included some of the major issues in his presidency and also about his affairs. We all know JFK was a cheat but I think the book shows how much he cared for his wife. Also got a good glimpse at Oswald's life leading up to 11/22/63 and where his mind was going before it happened. The book is also very detailed about the actual shooting, speed of the car, directions, errors made, little things that all had to line up in order for the president to be killed. It's sad and mind blowing to know that a few hours before it was raining and they would of had the bubble on top of the car but it ended up being a sunny day, that small event could of changed history. I liked how it did touch base on some of the conspiracy theories out there and why they came up. I wish that part of would been in more detail, especially at the end where we find out people who were going to testify of be interviewed ended up getting killed/killed themselves shortly before. Very glad I read this book and was surprised that Bill O'Riley can come off as a sane human being.
    • 4/5
      I admit that I avoided Bill O'Reilly's Killing_________ series. I thought they would be too trivial and uninteresting. I was wrong. This is a fascinating look at The Kennedy presidency and the relationships that we know all too well, but still, the way in which the author portrayed the characters pulled me in and I found interest, sympathy, and sadness.Mainly, I was surprised at the way in which the close relationship between Jackie and Jack was portrayed. This is a book worth reading!
    • 4/5
      Like the rest of the works in the "Killing" series, this is not a history book. Rather, it is a historical fiction which blends facts, conjecture and creative liberties to tell the tale of JFK and those around him in an intimate and compelling manner. The book moves quickly, and doesn't make clear which parts are proven fact and which are based on assumptions or crafted for creative purposes, but that is a reality in any book which assumes the perspective of being 'inside the head' of a historical figure. This book will likely offer some knowledge you didn't have about JFK, Oswald and others, and will play out in a manner that will feel reasonable and very possible. If you take it for what it is; a creative account of how things might have happened, with the gray areas of history filled in seamlessly by the authors, then it is a good read that will educate you a little and move you a lot.
    • 4/5
      I learned so much about the Kennedy era and the history of the United States while reading this book. This book, along with Stephen King's 11/22/63, has inspired in me a fascination with the 1960s and the Kennedy era. I now want to read more about JFK, Jackie, J. Edgar Hoover, and Marilyn Monroe. A great introduction to this era in history.
    • 1/5
      Killing Lincoln was much better. This one reads like tabloid journalism, and is disjointed. Read Death of a President for a better look. There's nothing new, or insightful, or frankly, all that interesting here.
    • 3/5
      While it was good, I didn't enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed Killing Lincoln. I think that probably had more to do with the fact that I already knew most of what I read in Killing Kennedy, which wasn't the case with Lincoln, so it just didn't keep my attention as well.
    • 5/5
      Well written factual account of Kennedy's life, his loves, and his death. It was a quick read. I especially enjoyed the account of LBJ's relationship, or lack thereof, with the President and Bobby Kennedy.
    • 5/5
      Great Read! Bill O'Reilly has such a way of a telling a story that you do not realize that you are actually learning history. There were so many things about this great American President and his death that I did not know. So glad I read this.
    • 4/5
      One thing I took away from the book is that the FBI investigated Oswald, he went from being an American Citizen to a Russian Citizen then back to an American Citizen how this did not send up red flags no pun intended.
    • 3/5
      Reading soon after "Killing Lincoln", I found that I enjoyed this one much more. Perhaps it was because the events were a little more contemporary, even though they still happened before my birth. Maybe it was because the fascination with the Kennedy's remains pervasive in America. In any case, I breezed through quite easily.

      However, small details were offputting to me, like Jackie Kennedy's suit worn in Dallas. It was not a Chanel suit, but a reproduction made by an American designer. I find that important, especially since she had worn the suit several times before, and had it made specifically in the US to please the public.

      Another glossing over was the media's relationship to JFK. This was the last president to benefit from the respect of hte media in staying out of his private life. The media could have ruined the perfect vision of Camelot, if they had not been so enamored with JFK.

      Lastly, the statement that the Vietnam War was "popular with voters". This is certainly the first time I have ever heard this notion, and I would need to see significant evidence to that end, as I can provide much proof that it was the opposite.

      All-in-all, I would recommend, with the comment to take much of it with a grain of salt.
    • 3/5
      The majority of the events in this book occurred before I was born, I was amazed at how much of an idyllic picture of Camelot has been painted via public schooling and how many mundane details I'd never heard (like Mrs. Kennedy being pregnant during her term as First Lady).
    • 3/5
      Nothing to see here...move along. Really! This is a good basic history book about JFK and his assassination by Oswald--including lead up to the event. There were few impact statements except involvement in the VietNam conflict. It was well presented and is a good primer on the two individuals as well as others who touched the lives of both. O'Reilly skirts other theories of the crime, but does not go into either of them very deeply; I kept waiting for more, but it wasn't there. One parallel with recent events; Kennedy's Bay of Pigs decision mistakes were apparently repeated by Obama during recent years as Russia took the Crimea & Ukraine. Kennedy's recovery in the Cuban missile crisis has not been matched since. Bill O'Reilly, the author, is a right wing political pundit--the reader could see that in his writing. Maybe, I'll try another one of his books about a hero about which I know less and enjoy it more.
    • 4/5
      I think I liked this more than Killing Lincoln. It was a real page turner. Can't wait to read his new book when published, Killing Jesus.
    • 5/5
      Great book. Whatever you think of O'Reilly, read the book. If you don't want money to go to his pocket, order the book from his website, all profits go to charity.
    • 4/5
      This is an excellent beginner book on Kennedy. Reads like a novel. However the authors misuse of past and present tense grammar interrupted the narrative. This isn't just a few times either, it is continual thoughout the whole book. I'm befuddled how this book ever went to print. I wanted to give this a 4 or 5 star but the writing errors were too many and too serious. Still I would recommend it just be forewarned the writing can drive you abit nutty.
    • 4/5
      I finished reading this book by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard a while ago but have needed time to process it. My feelings about the book are many and varied. I was young at the time of the assassination of President Kennedy and had a very limited view of what was actually going on in the world at that time. Reading Killing Kennedy definitely gave me an education on what the political temperature was like back then. Because I am not a very political person, I had no idea what it was like to be President of the U.S. Since reading this book I believe I have a better understanding of what that position entailed.My rating of Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot is dependent on my interest in politics because this was a book that dealt with politics it at times lost my interest. These times did not last long however because of my curiosity about the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the man himself. I am going to give this book a 4**** rating. If you are curious about politics and what part they played in the assassination of Kennedy then this is a book that will grab your interest.
    • 3/5
      Adds nothing to knowledge about the events of the JFK administration and assassination. O'Reilly is overly find of irrelevant innuendo and gossip.
    • 4/5
      I liistened to this book on CD from the library - It relates details of Kennedy's life from his time that he was the captain of PT109 that sunk and the efforts he goes to to save his crew. It goes through the the failed Bay of Pigs as well as the Cuban Missile Crisis. It relates his womanizing with Marilyn Monroe as well as many other women and his relationship with his beautiful wife, Jackie. I grieve with Jackie as she loses their third child, Patrick and she drifts away out of the public eye to be alone. The death of Jack at the hand of gunman Lee Harvey Oswald at the motorcade in Dallas is graphic and heart stopping. A very compelling read.
    • 4/5
      Much has been written about both the life and death of President John F. Kennedy, some interesting and some not, some historically accurate and some not. This book qualifies as both fascinating and historically accurate and is definitely not “just another book about Kennedy”. If you only read one book about the life and death of Kennedy, it should be this one. You will be both entertained and learn something in a most painless manner.JFK was initially hired to lead the U.S. because he was young, good looking, charismatic, and had the power and money of Joseph Kennedy Sr. backing him. It didn’t hurt that he had a beautiful wife by his side. It was enough to get him elected, but was it enough to lead the nation, to wisely make the tough decisions that every president must make? In the beginning, no, it wasn’t and Kennedy made his share of mistakes and bungles. However with time and difficult lessons learned, Kennedy grew into the position and became a true leader of men and nations, though he had serious flaws, both personally and professionally that would never be resolved. Would JFK have been re-elected in 1964 had he not been assassinated a year earlier? Almost certainly.In the end, this book brings us back, those of us old enough to remember, to the shining days that were known as Camelot and just for a few hours we are transported to a world we loved, a world of heroes and of conquering exciting new frontiers – racial equality, space exploration, and new frontiers for global democracy. This book also peels back some of the glitter of those days, the sexual liaisons, political jealousies and jockeying, lies and half-truths. But it doesn’t shatter the image … these men, particularly Kennedy, whom we so admired were not perfect, they weren’t saints, they were men. The comparison to Camelot put forth by Jackie K has, in the words of the authors, “… shaped how (her) husband’s presidency is remembered to this day.” Nonetheless, they are heroes and will always be in our eyes, as they forged their way into uncharted new territories of which the nation’s founders could never have even dreamed.If this book brings to mind the lovely carousel ride that was the Kennedy’s Camelot, the afterword reminds us of the roller-coaster ride that was the aftermath of conspiracy theories, Vietnam, and the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King.The book also treats us to a look into the life of Lee Harvey Oswald, the man whose destiny was to kill Kennedy and end the legacy of Camelot. Oswald did not hate Kennedy and really had no beef about the man, but Oswald believed that he was born to be a great man, to be known by all as a great man, and it is in this that his life was filled with bitter disappointment for he was the definition of a loser. In the end, his decision to kill the president boiled down to a simple equation: if his wife would take him back, he would put his plan aside, otherwise, with nothing left to lose, he would go down in history as “the man who killed President Kennedy”. For those of us who have not extensively studied this era and the principals involved, there is much to be learned from this book. Those of us who are of a certain age certainly remember that there was much written about Kennedy’s womanizing, rumors of his communist leanings, the beginnings of our involvement in Vietnam and the struggle to win racial equality. But throughout this book are many tidbits that most of us probably didn’t know, for example the deviousness of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover and Martin Luther King’s excesses which were similar to Kennedy’s.This is the second book written by the team of O’Reilly/Duggard … the first was Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever which I have not yet read, but certainly plan to now. I also hope to see more from these two accomplished writers. This is a book well worth the time spent reading it and one that you will remember for a long time.