James L. Swanson - End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy

I thank my most important reader, my wife Andrea Mays. Despite her busy life as a professor, author, and mother, Andrea helped shepherd all three books in my presidential trilogy Manhunt, Bloody Crimes, and End of Days to publication. She read every page of this book more than once, from first to final draft, and her editorial comments, from overall storytelling advice to meticulous line edits, were indispensable and improved the book in countless ways. Our boys, Harrison and Cameron, also helped me tell this story by assisting on my book for young adults The President Has Been Shot! that preceded End of Days.

It is impossible to think about the death and funeral of John F. Kennedy without recalling the death of another president ninety-eight years earlier. The upheaval that followed the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and the unprecedented national mourning unleashed by the events of April 14 and 15, 1865, was not seen in this country again until November 22, 1963. These two profound national tragedies have much in common. Indeed, the parallels connecting these stories are so striking that I began to think of them as bookends to one great sad, American tale of loss, legend, and myth. My previous books on the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the chase for his killer, his funeral, and the national death pageant that transformed him from man to martyr made it possible for me to write about John Kennedy.

A number of people helped bring my version of Johnand JacquelineKennedys end of days to print. Regarding Jackie it is easy to forget that, although she survived the gunfire in Dealey Plaza, the life she knew ended that day. This book is about her, too.

My first readers Michael F. Bishop, Ronald K.L. Collins, and David Lovett read the manuscript early on and offered many helpful comments and insights. Michael, former Congressional staffer, White House veteran, and former executive director of the national Abraham Lincoln bicentennial commission, brought his extensive knowledge of the presidency and the modern executive mansion to bear to my advantage. Ron, one of the nations preeminent experts on the First Amendment, is a prolific author of books not only about law, but also on American legends of another kind, including Lenny Bruce and the Beats.

David Lovett, Washington lawyer, lobbyist, and association executive, scrutinized the manuscript with exquisite care and went far above and beyond the call of duty to assist me. He is an expert on the Kennedy and Lincoln assassinations, and he owns what I believe is the finest and largest private library in the world on the murder of JFK. In his spare time, he is one of the top historical researchers in Washington and one of the citys best-kept secrets. He threw open the doors and gave me total access to his vast archive. Whatever I neededbooks, pamphlets, documents, images, recordings, ephemera, or objects of material culturehe provided. He is more knowledgeable than anyone alive about the bibliography and historiography of the Kennedy assassination. We have been friends for almost thirty years, and he is the only person I know who matches my obsessive zeal for tracking down obscure historical rarities. His uncanny research skills made End of Days a better book. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, David gave his last full measure of devotion to this project, and for that I thank him.

My friend Richard Thomas narrated all three audio books in this series. He is one of the finest actors of his generation and, whether he was busy in theater, television, or film, Richard always took the time to lend his great American voice to my words. His artistic choices made the text come alive. No one could have done it better, and I thank him for his generosity.

The late Wesley J. Liebeler, my professor and mentor at the UCLA School of Law, served as an assistant counsel on the Warren Commission. His insights provided a rare insiders perspective on the murder. Jim had an irreverent and irrepressible sense of humor, and I wish he were around today to read how some of the more outr conspiracy theorists have theorized that I, as Jims protg, must be part of the government conspiracy to cover up the true history of the Kennedy assassination. I miss Jims maniacal, cackling laugh. I owe him much. Not only did Jim pass on to me the secrets of the Warren Commission, he gave me something far more precious. He introduced me to my wife.

Fellow UCLA Law alumnus Vincent Bugliosi is one of the finest prosecutors in American history. Vince, a three-time Edgar Award winner, is the author of one of the best nonfiction crime books ever written, one that is also one of the most frightening books of the twentieth century, Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders. His monumental Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, is one of the most important books about the event. He is a remarkable and generous friend, and I have enjoyed our long conversations about the events surrounding November 22.

Thanks to former editor of the Los Angles Times Shelby Coffey III and the great investigative journalist Edward Jay Epstein for an unforgettable conversation about Lee Harvey Oswald and the evidence against him. Ed is a brilliant historian of the assassination and his books are essential reading.

I am indebted to Clinton J. Hill, United States Secret Service, for several conversations about what he saw and did on the afternoon of November 22. He is a great American, and a brave but humble man. No one misses President Kennedy more than Clint Hill. He was there, and he knows.

John Seigenthaler and Charles Overby extended many courtesies to me in Nashville and Washington, D.C. John talked about what it was like to know John and Robert Kennedy, and he shared stories about being alone with them in JFKs last house in Georgetown. His insights on Jackie Kennedy were priceless. John speaks with touching eloquence about what it felt like to live through November 22.

Thanks to Tom Ingram, former editor in chief of Nashvilles David Lipscomb High School newspaper, for providing me with an original issue of the Pony Express extra that covered the Kennedy assassination.

Jessica Kline assisted me with gracious expertise and good humor whenever I needed help with computer problems. Amy Hart was invaluable in producing all the printed materials I needed to revise the manuscript from first to final draft.

My literary agent and good friend Richard Abate worked tirelessly to bring End of Days to publication. The great agents believe that once they sell a book, their work is not doneit has just begun. This is our sixth book together. On all of them, Richard has stood beside me and he has, with great taste, humor and a historians eye, made them better books. I always look forward to our strategy sessions at our favorite classic New York City steakhouses.

My editor Henry Ferris has been with me on all three of my books about presidential history. By now I have inflicted upon him a centurys worth of American tragedy, death, and mourning. I promise that someday I will write a happier book. Until then, I owe him my thanks for his patience, kindness, and invaluable contributions along the way.

Henrys lieutenant Cole Hager assisted in gathering the photos, bringing the manuscript to final draft for publication, and getting it into production. During a hectic process he was always cool under fire, and I thank him.

Sharyn Rosenblum has been with me on all my books and remains the best publicist in the business. I have fond memories of a memorable dinner at Martins Tavern, where we outlined the campaign for this book, and then went on a midnight walk past John and Jackie Kennedys last Georgetown house a few blocks away, before strolling down to the old C & O Canal. The spirit of the Kennedys still lingers in their old neighborhood.