Life is never easy. There is work to be done and obligations to be met- obligations to truth, to justice, and to liberty. -John F. Kennedy. The historical non-fiction novel, Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot, by Bill OReilly and Martin Dugard describes Kennedys journey as the 35th president of the United States. The novel specifically focused on the life of John F. Kennedy from his early years all the way to his role as a leader. To discover some of the most nerve-racking moments during the presidents term, the authors covered events such as the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban missile crisis (Kirkus , 2012). Bill OReilly and Martin Dugard are also New York Times bestselling authors of Killing Lincoln (Kaufman, 2012). In the beginning, the authors described Kennedys personality towards life and politics. They discussed the PT-109 mission in which Kennedy realized that it was his duty to serve the nation and bring America back on track. The authors portrayed how Kennedy was a lady’s man and was never interested in politics but, after a near death experience, he realized that it was time to change. They mentioned how he was very passionate about writing and traveling and then shifted his area of focus towards running for president. They also presented how political problems such as the escalating Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, affected Kennedys personal life (Maslin, 2012). OReilly and Duga
rd emphasized JFKs relationships with his wife, children, and brothers, and how political issues raised problems between them. The book does not only talk about Kennedys life but also untangles the life of his assassinator, Lee Harvey Oswald. Although his presidency was short lived, the book explored through major hardships and temptations JFK faced and how along the way, he acquired both friends and enemies. The authors describe the shocking events surrounding Kennedys assassination in great detail (OReilly, Dugard, 2012). This is a story of resilience, suspense, and thrill. OReilly and Dugard did an incredible job covering the life of John F. Kennedy from his short years of presidency all the way to his dreadful assassination. According to The New York Times, the book is, immersively written [and] Mr. OReilly and Mr. Dugard succeed in investing a familiar national tragedy with fresh anguish…a powerful historical précis (Maslin, 2012). If one were to give this book a rating it should be 5/5 stars. Every chapter digs into a new episode of Kennedys life, that included frantic moments you could never even imagine. Just by reading the first few sentences of a chapter could capture the readers attention. If one were to read this book, they would feel as if they are alongside Kennedy and experiencing the same emotions as him. If you need a dose of thrill and suspense, you have found it in this book.