A reading and viewing guide for the JFK assassination
From my notebook
The JFK assassination is the greatest murder mystery of all time. I’ve spent many enjoyable hours exploring its depths. I used to believe the Lone Nut Theory. I now find the evidence for conspiracy much more compelling.
I think elements of the CIA, between one and three members of the Secret Service, and one or two members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, crafted a highly compartmentalized conspiracy that used anti-Castro Cubans (and perhaps organized crime figures) to assassinate JFK.
Their motive was to change defense policy in a vastly more aggressive direction, including war in Vietnam and Cuba and a possible nuclear first strike on the Soviet Union. The Joint Chiefs had actually proposed such an attack to Kennedy at least twice.
I also consider it possible, and perhaps probable, that Lyndon Baines Johnson was a partner in this conspiracy. His motive was to avoid prison for corruption charges and to become the President.
In the end, Johnson gave the conspirators a war in Vietnam and nothing else.
I think Oswald was mostly what he claimed to be — a patsy. But he also had deep intelligence connections, and some of his behavior on that day is curious, even if the evidence points against his having been a shooter. There are two main possibilities…
- Oswald may have thought he was involved in a false flag operation on November 22, designed to spark a war with Cuba and/or the Soviet Union. Other participants in the compartmentalized conspiracy may have thought the same thing, only to discover in horror, after the fact, that assassination was the real goal. Or…
- Oswald may have been a “white knight” who attempted to warn the FBI about the assassination plot. Several items of evidence point in that direction.
Do you think such a complex conspiracy was impossible because someone would have talked? Well, the fact is that lots of people did talk, both before, during, and after. Oswald may even have been one of those people, depending on what he said in a now-destroyed note he left for FBI agent James Hosty before the assassination.
The conspirators stepped on their own dicks so many times, leaving evidence in all directions, that it almost looks like mistakes were part of the plan. In the end, a vast conspiracy can create confusion and doubt through its sheer complexity. The very factors that make a conspiracy seem impossible actually allow it to hide in plain sight.
And then there is the issue of all the mysterious deaths associated with the case. Too many people who were in a position to know things were either murdered or committed suicide in ways that looked like murder.
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I love doing deep dives into important subjects. Here are the resources I’ve found valuable for studying the JFK assassination. I’ve divided them into two main categories…
- YouTube Channels, documentaries, and lectures
- Books, blogs, and websites
Keep one thing in mind — even people who are wrong can teach you something important.
YouTube Channels, documentaries, and lectures
How to get a good overview of the subject
On the conspiratorial side
This four-hour series by Oliver Stone is a great place to start. It debunks the Lone Nut Theory. It provides evidence for a conspiracy. It offers ideas about what may have motivated the conspirators. It does a lot in just four hours.
The Assassination and Mrs. Paine
The Lone Nut Theory portrays Ruth Paine as an innocent bystander in the Oswald/Kennedy drama. But you will see things differently once you dig into Mrs. Paine’s background. She is almost a “poster child” for the connections Lee Harvey Oswald had to U.S. intelligence agencies.
This is a great place to get a broad-spectrum overview of the case. Mark Groubert is a good storyteller with a colorful background. He covers many subjects, but the JFK murder is his specialty. He has about two dozen videos covering various aspects of the crime. He also has great episodes about the MLK and RFK assassinations.
The Lone Nut Theory
Who was Lee Harvey Oswald? — PBS Frontline
This presentation mainly serves the official narrative, but it also does a good job with some of the critical details. For instance, this film was the first to show the now famous photo of a young Lee Oswald in the company of the notorious David Ferrie (who was memorably portrayed by Joe Pesci in Oliver Stone’s movie JFK.)
The Kennedy Assassination: Inside the Book Depository by Lemmino
This is a professional presentation. It tries to appear neutral, but it’s strongly biased toward the official story. It’s also very convincing. And wrong. To learn why it’s wrong watch the Killing Floor and Prayer Man videos I recommend below.
This great documentary has a foot in both camps. On the Lone Nut side it takes seriously the idea that Oswald visited Mexico City immediately before the assassination. (I think an imposter made that trip. Indeed, J. Edgar Hoover admits this in a memo. This fake trip provides strong evidence for a conspiracy.) On the other hand, this documentary also touches on the incredible Richard Case Nagell story, which pretty much blows up the whole “Lone Nut Theory” all by itself.
Digging Deeper
The next two videos deal deathblows to the Lone Nut Theory. The first one establishes pretty clearly that Oswald was NOT on the 6th Floor when the shots were fired. The second one goes a step further to establish where, exactly, Oswald was when the shots were fired.
Amateurs do the best work on the Kennedy case. This video is a prime example. It elaborates on an important book, The Girl on the Stairs by Barry Ernest. That book, and this video, do a fantastic job of showing that Oswald was NOT on the sixth floor at the time of the shooting. The evidence that he was on the first floor is much stronger than the official narrative.
This is an amateur production. It’s also incredibly important. The narrator speaks English as a second language and strangely adds the words “as such” after nearly every sentence. Don’t let that deter you. (And don’t make it into a drinking game either, because you’ll be hammered in no time.)
A book of the same name describes the research behind this video in more detail. I think it demonstrates that Oswald was on the front steps of the building when the shots were fired. His blurred image shows up in one frame of a film taken on that day. That image has been dubbed “Prayer Man,” because some people think it looks like the guy is praying. Prayer Man is very likely Oswald.
What happened to Officer J.D. Tippit, Part 1 & Part 2
This is a moderate-quality production with high-quality information. It’s the best visual presentation I’ve seen of the Tippit case, which is essential to understanding the JFK assassination. Did Oswald shoot Tippit, or was he framed?
The Strange Case of Sherrif Roger D. Craig
The evidence Craig presented during his short, tragic life, and the confirmation it receives from other witnesses, blows up the official story in several ways. Sadly, Craig paid for his honesty with his life. He tells his own story in this interview.
The interviews in this video provide disturbing evidence that the Zapruder film may have been altered by the CIA.
When you want to level up after watching Mark Groubert, this is the place to go, especially if you’re not a book reader. It lays out all the evidence for and against the main theories in a very clear way. It’s a podcast that’s also available on YouTube (no pictures).
This is a multi-part series that ran on the History Channel in the 80s. It’s not all of equal quality but the high points make it worth the time. You can find the first few episodes here. The rest are available in other parts of the YouTube universe.
Extra Credit
Mr. Palamara is an amateur investigator who has made himself into the world’s leading expert on the Secret Service. He’s written several books about that agency and its role in the JFK assassination. His writing style isn’t always polished, but his information is world-class. He’s done the heavy lifting that the professional historians should have performed. His YouTube channel is also a great resource for old films and interviews. I’ve listed some of his books below.
Jim Garrison: The Case That Should Have Changed History by Joan Mellon
Jim Garrison was the District Attorney in New Orleans during the 60s. He tried a case accusing a man named Clay Shaw, and by implication, several associates, with complicity in a conspiracy to kill President Kennedy. These events provided the basic plot for Oliver Stone’s movie, JFK. The Establishment called Garrison a nut at the time, but subsequent events have verified most of his claims. For instance, we now know for certain that Clay Shaw was a CIA asset. In this lecture, Joan Mellon discusses the excellent book she wrote about Garrison’s case.
Mr. Yaccuci has produced many videos on this subject. They are amateur productions, but excellent sources of evidence and analysis. I don’t agree with all his conclusions, but he has informed my thinking in several ways.
Sheehan is a famous attorney who was involved in the Pentagon Papers case in the 60s and many other epic events in the intervening years. He has also been a force in the fight for UFO disclosure and justice in the JFK, RFK, and MLK assassinations. His lectures on these subjects, which also rope in Watergate, are excellent and well worth your time.
The public library in Allen, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, hosts regular lectures about the Kennedy murder. The quality varies from speaker to speaker, but the high points include some of the best presentations I’ve seen on this subject, especially this one about Oswald’s last phone call.
This channel is based on a book of the same name. It lays out a fringe theory of the murder that has enough evidence and verisimilitude to make it worth considering, though I sometimes feel like this channel may be a CIA-funded “limited hangout.” You will learn things even if you reject the overall theory.
Rob Reiner also has a very popular new podcast on iHeart radio, but I haven’t had a chance to review it yet. There’s also a YouTube version (no pictures).
This documentary tells the story of the amateur researchers who did the work to show that conspiracy is more likely than the Lone Nut Theory.
Books, blogs, and websites
Books
The Essentials
JFK and the Unspeakable by James W. Douglass
If you only read one book on this subject, make it this one: It covers all the ground with great, concise prose and crystal clear thinking. It is, in a way, a work of art.
The JFK Assassination Chokeholds
If you have time for two books make this the second one. It’s an anthology written by a group of experts on the key bits of evidence that make a conspiracy conclusion unavoidable.
The Establishment Narrative
I’m fond of Mr. Posner, even though I now think he led me astray. This is the go-to source for the idea that Oswald did it, acting alone.
I’ve read this book at least five times. I’ve also recommended or given it to countless people. It was, for a long time, my exemplar of how to steelman opposing arguments, and then destroy them. Alas, I eventually discovered that Posner, whether consciously or not, cherry-picks and/or distorts evidence to a disturbing degree. Plus, what I took to be steelman cases were often the strawest of strawmen.
Still, if you want someone who will give the best case for the Lone Nut Theory, this book is still the standard.
Reclaiming History by Vincent Bugliosi
Bugliosi is the prosecuting attorney who devised the (probably wrong) “Helter Skelter” theory of the Manson murders. This book is his attempt to repeat what Posner did for the Lone Nut Theory in the JFK case, but at greater length and depth.
This may be one of the longest books ever written. It’s about three thousand pages if you print it with normal-size text and pages including the stuff on the accompanying CD. It’s also, in my opinion, largely unreadable. Bugliosi uses way too many words to say way too little. But I do value the book as a kind of encyclopedia for the Lone Nut Theory.
To learn why Bugliosi was probably wrong about the motive for the Manson murders, and how the CIA and FBI may have had involvement with both the Manson family and their murders, I highly recommend the book Chaos by Tom O’Neil. It’s a stunning piece of research and analysis.
Conspiratorial classics
Rush to Judgement by Mark Lane
This is the big one. If the public movement to reevaluate the assassination has a starting point, it was this book by attorney Mark Lane.
This book is both a JFK assassination book and a gripping courtroom drama. Attorney Mark Lane persuades a jury that former CIA spy and Watergate burglar, E. Howard Hunt, was in Dallas on that fateful day as a low-level participant in the conspiracy to kill the president.
Six Seconds in Dallas by Josiah Thompson
This book was published in 1967. It was a great early forensic dissection of the shots fired that day. Thompson has updated his analysis in The Last Second in Dallas.
Accessories after the Fact by Sylvia Meagher
This, along with Rush to Judgement, was the other great early takedown of the Warren Commission and its findings.
On the Trail of the Assassins by Jim Garrison
This is one of my favorites. Garrison tells his own story about the Clay Shaw trial and all the ways the Establishment, both The State and The Media, tried to thwart him. No one reading this book could possibly conclude that Garrison was a nut. Quite the contrary. He was wise, prudent, and far-seeing.
This book, along with Garrison’s book, provided the backbone for Oliver Stone’s JFK movie. Marrs was an investigative reporter who collated his own discoveries with the work of other researchers to build a case that includes everything but the kitchen sink. It’s been too long since I read it to judge it fairly, though my conclusion at the time was that he tried to do too much. I think it’s time for a re-read.
Other important authors and books that work the conspiracy angle
James DiEugenio
DiEugenion was the editor of Probe magazine. He also worked closely with Oliver Stone on his documentary series, Destiny Betrayed. And he runs the fabulous website Kennedys and King.
The JFK Assassination: The Evidence Today by James DiEugenio
This is a comprehensive response to Buglosi’s book by a top JFK researcher.
The Assassination: Probe Magazine on JFK, MLK, RFK, and Malcom X, edited by James DiEugenio
If the CIA was involved in the JFK murders, then there may also have been connections to the other famous assassinations of the 1960s. Probe magazine investigated all of them. This book provides the highlights.
Douglas Horne
Horne was a naval officer who became one of the major researchers for the JFK Assassination Records Review Board (ARRB) after it was established by Congress. His work with the ARRB led to numerous videos that can be found on YouTube and several books, mainly about the JFK autopsy. Horne has gone a long way toward establishing that the autopsy was corrupted by the military to hide evidence of a conspiracy. Horne has also established evidence suggesting that the CIA may have tampered with the famous Zapruder film.
JFK’s War with the National Security Establishment by Douglas Horne and Jacob Hornberger
There are a whole lot of reasons why elements of the Military Industrial Intelligence Complex might have wanted Kennedy dead.
Inside the Assassination Records Review Board by Douglas Horne
There are eight volumes in this series. He provides a comprehensive look at the evidence, especially about the autopsy.
Jefferson Morley
Jefferson Morley is a former Washington Post reporter who now covers the JFK assassination on Substack. His newsletter and website are called JFK Facts.
JFK Facts has both free and paid subscriptions. I liked the free version enough that I upgraded to paid.
Morley tried to report on developments in the assassination case for the Post, but met enough resistance that he finally decided to cover the story on his own. He has also written several related books of interest…
Ghost: The Secret Life of CIA Spymaster James Jesus Angleton: This is the man who controlled the Lee Harvey Oswald file at the CIA. He also played a key role in Israel’s acquisition of atomic weapons.
Scorpion’s Dance: This one covers the connection between Nixon, Watergate, the CIA, and the Kennedy assassination. Yes, there are indeed, quite a few connections.
CIA & JFK — The Secret Assassination Files: The title speaks for itself.
Our Man in Mexico: Winston Scott and the Hidden History of the CIA: Scott was a key figure in the agency, but became disillusioned after the Kennedy assassination. Morley explores the possible reasons.
Morley v. CIA: This one relates the story of Morley’s legal battle to free the files of a man who probably played a role in both the assassination and its coverup.
John Newman
Dr. John Newman is an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at James Madison University. He was also a Major in U.S. Army Intelligence and the Military Assistant to the Director of the National Security Agency. He’s written several books about the Kennedy administration and the assassination…
JFK and Vietnam by John Newman
What was Kennedy planning to do in Vietnam, and what did the Joint Chiefs of Staff think about it?
Oswald and the CIA by John Newman
The connections are thick enough to write a book about it.
Where Angels Tread Lightly; The Assassination of President Kennedy, Volume 1, by John Newman
Was the CIA entangled with ex-Nazis and the Mafia. Did it help bring Castro to power before trying to bring him down again? Did JFK pay the price for all of this secret Deep State maneuvering?
Countdown to Darkness: The Assassination of President Kennedy, Volume 2, by John Newman
Was Oswald a communist defector to the Soviet Union, or a fake defector spy for U.S. intelligence agencies?
Into the Storm: The Assassination of President Kennedy, Volume 3, by John Newman
Events during the 1960 campaign and JFK’s first years in office set the stage for the assassination that followed.
Uncovering Popov’s Mole: The Assassination of President Kennedy, Volume 4, by John Newman
Did key figures in the CIA use Oswald as bait to uncover a Soviet spy inside their ranks?
Vince Palamara
Honest Answers about the Murder of President John F. Kennedy by Vince Palamara
He sums up decades of work on the case.
Survivor’s Guilt: The Secret Service and the Failure to Protect President Kennedy by Vince Palamara
Palamara shows that the Secret Service handled the Dallas trip differently from all other JFK excursions. The changes made Kennedy easier to kill. Maybe no more than one or two members of the agency were involved in the conspiracy, but it was enough to make JFK a sitting duck for what happened in Dealy Plaza.
The Girls on the Stairs by Barry Ernest
This book demonstrates that Oswald was not on the 6th floor at the time of the shots, that the Warren Commission knew that, and that they altered evidence to frame Oswald.
Someone Would Have Talked by Larry Hancock
Well, lots of people did talk. Hancock catalogs them and tells us what it means.
The Man Who Knew Too Much by Dick Russell
A man walked into a bank and shot a gun into the ceiling. He then went out front and sat on the curb, waiting for the police to come arrest him. He told the cops he wanted to be taken to prison to avoid being implicated in a conspiracy to murder the president. Was he crazy? This was before the assassination happened. And he also had identification bearing the name of Lee Harvey Oswald!
Lee Harvey Oswald’s Cold War by Greg R, Parker
The biography of Lee Harvey Oswald was intertwined with far more than just the Kennedy assassination.
Blogs and websites
This is a fabulous site that will keep you entertained and informed for countless hours.
They have reference pages for many subjects, but their JFK assassination section is one of the best resources on the internet.
This is the greatest depository of JFK research material anywhere on the web. Please join and support their work.
Related subjects
CIA and the Kennedy Administration
The Devil’s Chessboard by David Talbot
This book shows how CIA Director Allen Dulles ran his own foreign policy, without the consent and often against the preferences of the elected officeholders who were supposed to be his bosses. He may also be one of the conspirators who murdered JFK, and he was certainly one of the men who covered up the crime.
This book traces the path that led two brothers to assassination.
RFK Assassination
- The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy by Tim Tate and Brad Johnson
- The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy by William Turner
- A Lie Too Big to Fail by Lisa Pease
- Shadowplay by William Klaber and Philip Melanson
- Who Killed Bobby Kennedy by Shane O’Sullivan
MLK Assassination
The Plot to Kill King by William Pepper
James Earl Ray’s lawyer seems to have truly believed Ray was innocent.
Watergate
The Secret Agenda by Jim Hougan
Who was the main driving force behind the Watergate burglaries? Was it the Nixon administration or the CIA? And what did sex and blackmail have to do with the case? You may hear echoes of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal when you read this book. Are we the United States of Blackmail? Does the CIA use sexual dirt to secretly run the government from behind the scenes?
The Manson Murders
What could the CIA and the FBI have to do with the Manson murders? Perhaps a lot. Perhaps everything. You will never look at Vincent Bugliosi’s “Helter Skelter” the same way again after reading this book.
You can also listen to Tom O’Neill on the Joe Rogan show.
Copyright © Perry Willis 2024
Perry Willis is the co-founder of Downsize DC and the Zero Aggression Project. He co-created, with Jim Babka, the Read the Bills Act, the One Subject at a Time Act, and the Write the Laws Act, all of which have been introduced in Congress. He is a past Executive Director of the national Libertarian Party and was the campaign manager for Harry Browne for President in 2000.
