This started out as a promising human portrait of Officer Tippit—something which doesn't seem to exist in many (if ANY) other books on the subject of This started out as a promising human portrait of Officer Tippit—something which doesn't seem to exist in many (if ANY) other books on the subject of Oswald's flight. Clearly well-researched and written, it also comes with the benefit of the Tippit family's input and support. But less than midway through, the tone changes and becomes increasingly repetitive and monotonous, as Myers continues to deliver the same scenarios through the eyes of multiple witnesses, when he could've relayed these once, much more concisely.
The author also comes across as being a bit too contentious with others who've written about the JFK assassination. No surprise, given the the epic controversy of the subject, but he seems to go out of his way to take certain writers to task; and at some point it just starts to grate away at what could've been a much more interesting story about Tippit's life, career, and final moments.
Another important detail: while I applaud the meticulous research and documentation that went into this, I was disappointed to find that literally half the book turned out to be appendix material and notes....more
A well-written, well-documented account of the rise and ultimate fall of Danny Greene (as well as most of his adversaries). But surprisingly brief—espA well-written, well-documented account of the rise and ultimate fall of Danny Greene (as well as most of his adversaries). But surprisingly brief—especially when read as an eBook.
Just past the 60% point, the main story ends; then comes several pages of source material, followed by a series of very brief vignettes about other related individuals. Overall, rather disappointing, for this reason only.
TJ English's Paddy Whacked includes a fantastic chapter on Danny Greene and the Cleveland mob wars, and that prompted me to read more. Unfortunately, Porrello's book—which I had high expectations for—ended up reading more like an extended pamphlet than a definitive biography....more
This is definitely one of those "truth is stranger than fiction" tales, and it made for a fascinating read. A haunting story overall, and well-writtenThis is definitely one of those "truth is stranger than fiction" tales, and it made for a fascinating read. A haunting story overall, and well-written. Perhaps TOO well-written, ironically, as Jentz goes to great lengths to display her impressively wide vocabulary—to the point that it actually becomes a bit distracting. With a slightly less lofty and repetitive tone, this would've rated 4+ stars. ...more
A tactile account of the events of March 30, 1981—a day that was permanently etched into my 8-year-old mind while growing up in the Washington, DC subA tactile account of the events of March 30, 1981—a day that was permanently etched into my 8-year-old mind while growing up in the Washington, DC suburbs.
Del Wilber gives an excellent portrayal of the entire scene from multiple fronts, including a detailed medical narrative as well as the growing drama at the White House throughout the critical hours. While it's a surprisingly fast read, (very little is given to backstory, as Wilber sticks to the immediate moment here) one almost gets the distinct effect of reliving that day in real time. ...more
An engaging read covering well over a century of shenanigans. My only beef is with the excessively poor proofreading—at least one annoying typo every An engaging read covering well over a century of shenanigans. My only beef is with the excessively poor proofreading—at least one annoying typo every few pages. Aside from that, the chronology is handled well and English provides a great overview of each profile. ...more
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