The Assassination of John F. Kennedy: An Excerpt, a Podcast, and a Conspiracy

A NEW RELEASE  highly recommended by Harvard University Press!

DAVID KAISER'S THE ROAD TO DALLAS

Read an excerpt from the book.

Listen to an Interview Podcast with author David Kaiser.
19:27 minutes

Neither a random event nor the act of a lone madman—the assassination of President John F. Kennedy was an appalling and grisly conspiracy. This is the unvarnished story.

With deft investigative skill, David Kaiser shows that the events of November 22, 1963, cannot be understood without fully grasping the two larger stories of which they were a part: the U.S. government's campaign against organized crime, which began in the late 1950s and accelerated dramatically under Robert Kennedy; and the furtive quest of two administrations—along with a cadre of private interest groups—to eliminate Fidel Castro.

The conspiracy to kill JFK took shape in response to Robert Kennedy's relentless attacks on organized crime—legal vendettas that often went well beyond the normal practices of law enforcement. Pushed to the wall, mob leaders merely had to look to the networks already in place for a solution. They found it in Lee Harvey Oswald—the ideal character to enact their desperate revenge against the Kennedys.

Comprehensive, detailed, and informed by original sources, The Road to Dallas adds surprising new material to every aspect of the case. It brings to light the complete, frequently shocking, story of the JFK assassination and its aftermath.

Review Attention:

"A scrupulously researched account, which may be one of the best books yet on the assassination...Kaiser posits that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman although he did not act alone: the murder plot was hatched by Mafia bosses Santo Trafficante, John Roselli, and Sam Giancana as revenge for Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy's relentless pursuit of the mob and for the vast sums of money they lost when Castro closed Cuba's mob-controlled casinos...This detailed, often chilling account stands out among the overwhelming number of assassination books."
--Karl Helicher, Library Journal (starred review)

"A thorough recounting of facts interspersed with interpretations and opinions that carry the weight of someone who knows how to analyze history... It would be hard to imagine anyone but Kennedy assassination scholars and historians not learning something new in Kaiser's book. For fans of Oliver Stone's movie JFK (1991) and JFK assassination junkies, the book is the latest--and perhaps best--view of the historic event."
   --Roman Modrowski, Chicago Sun-Times

"In this book we see the rare vindication of the lunatic fringe, as Kaiser puts forth the first serious historical study to confirm what we've long suspected: that JFK's killing was not the work of a lone madman. Comprehensive and well documented, The Road to Dallas connects the dots from the CIA to Carlos Marcello with convincing thoroughness. If you think you've had enough of grassy-knoll theories, this book will surprise you."
   --Leopold Froehlich, Playboy

"Historian David Kaiser's meticulously researched new work, The Road to Dallas, about the shocking and clandestine maneuverings of our CIA and FBI under President John F. Kennedy, paints a disturbing portrait of what often goes undetected at the highest levels of government...Kaiser's fine book destroys any romantic view of world politics we might wish to cling to--and shows us a much darker reality."
   --Elaine Margolin, Denver Post

"Kaiser's attention to detail and use of recently released FBI and CIA files put this analysis ahead of many of its fellows...This is a deeply disturbing look at a national tragedy, and Kaiser's sober tone and reasoned analysis may well convince some in the Oswald-was-a-lone-nut camp."
   --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

David Kaiser is a noted historian and a professor in the Strategy and Policy Department of the Naval War College.