The dark side of camelot ebook

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Well, that was life-alteringly depressing. I have never been a great Kennedy fan, but I've also never been a huge detractor. I was aware of some womanizing "issues" although I had no idea the extent , and that the Bay of Pigs was a total cluster fudge, but beyond worse d that I really had no opinion.

Good things, bad things, seemed like the normal mix of a presidency, just more extreme in some areas. It was The whole thing was six, lies, and audio tape, though you almost have to appreciate the ability to create and sustain the long-term, all-encompassing illusion.

You also have to wonder how much longer the house of cards could have continued to stand, if events had not unfolded as they did--there were several scandals brewing that probably couldn't have been contained very much longer, and then we might have been left with a quite different historical record. The author does a thorough, if depressing, job of covering each aspect of the family life, campaign, and presidency, and demolishing all the mythos around it.

I'm sure there will be some fans of the family that will complain that it was a smear job, but Hersh isn't exactly known for being a conservative shill. It's definitely worth a read, to reclaim a good part of our history that seems to be somewhat of a black hole. But take it in small doses; it's an overwhelming change shift of perspective to try to plow through quickly. View all 3 comments. Jan 25, Pete daPixie rated it liked it Shelves: biogs , history-u-s , jfk , rfk , historythc.

I lived through these times and over the decades I have accumulated rather a large personal collection of books on these killings. To widen my studies I also include prominent biographies and many other Kennedy tomes. As Hersh's 'The Dark Side of Camelot' was published in , I am twenty years late in finally getting around to this book.

I have to say there are very few points of revelation that I have encountered here, that have not been covered in other books that I have read. Jack Kennedy was undeniably a deeply flawed person, with his addiction to sex or his use of chemical stimulants at a time when the term 'swinging sixties' was still unheard of.

Yet, my study of this period of history shows a dark side, not just in political circles, but in the military, big business and the popular entertainment fields as well.

It is well documented that J. Edgar Hoover had his feet in the trough of moral turpitude with his lover Clyde Tolson and enjoyed links to the Mafia that were not healthy for a director of the FBI, and was collecting files on political persons for decades.

The Secret Life of J. Edgar Hoover' by Anthony Summers. Hersh does document the high class brothel run by Bobby Baker for his patrons from Capitol Hill in Washington, but does not quote Baker's confession of Lyndon Johnson's involvements in murders, or his own corrupt Texan election and criminal business dealings. Kennedy's opponent went on to his own ignominious term in office, but many years before that Dickie was somewhat tricky with his associations with one Prescott Bush.

Newman, a book published in and therefore available to this author. A policy that Johnson was promoting with intrigues with the U.

The book also purports to show that all things in the CIA garden were rosy between Langley and the White House but Alan Dulles was not dismissed from his position at CIA for no reason and there were many in the top positions at the agency whose opinions were similar to the JCS.

Kennedy did not only utilise a secret back channel communication with Moscow during the missile crisis. There is no mention in this book of JFK and Castro engaged in back channel diplomacy that could possibly lead to normalized relations.

I just feel that there is a lack of fairness and balance to accentuate the 'dark side'. We get no mention of a Peace Corp. Other reviewers have highlighted Hersh's far too often repeated statements of 'interviews for this book' or 'documents made available for this book' on every other page. Why he didn't just utilise numbered Notes, when the book has a Notes section anyway, is beyond me.

As stated above my interest in JFK mainly concerns his murder. Page One of Chapter One wasn't a good start for me. Was Jack Kennedy's death the first move in an international conspiracy? Was Lyndon Johnson now the target? Oswald was charged with the crime some nine hours later. Yes, there was most certainly a dark side to the Kennedy clan, but we are viewing a different period that contained many shady characters and dark times.

As I have read this book a new president has been sworn in to the White House. He is a very rich man who has inherited wealth from his father's business built on embezzled money. Many think his election was fraudulent, he has been recorded bragging of his dealings with the opposite sex and he declares he is going to make America great again. Maybe the times are not so different after all. Apr 19, Heather rated it did not like it. I think I need to put this disclaimer in first. I am a fan of John F.

I do have my own strong opinions about his career and his life. However, I do see myself still able to review books without a huge amount of bias. Mainly because I am aware of this potential bias from the outset. The reason why I did not like this book is because most of the accusations the author spews is unsubstaintiated.

He gives many "unnamed sources" which completely dissolves his argument in my view. If you are g I think I need to put this disclaimer in first. If you are going to make controversial statements or conclusions, you need to back them up.

This book reads more like a tabloid story than a biography or a monograph. It is scandalous and interesting but I don't believe there is a lot of fact behind it. But you can judge for yourself. That said, I did not like this book. And it was not because it could be classified as an "anti-Kennedy" book. Actually, that was why I bought the book in the first place because I want to learn all possible aspects of a story or a history and obviously not everything Kennedy did was good or in the best interests of the country or his family.

View 1 comment. Jan 07, Jeff Breiwick rated it really liked it. Should be required reading for anyone who grew up during the sixties. Sep 02, James Carter rated it it was amazing.

I laugh whenever somebody says, "I've always admired John F. Now, forget that JFK was a Democrat. It doesn't matter if he could have theoretically been a Republican. It makes no difference really. Politicians are politicians. They are corrupt, dirty, and, most of all, criminal. Seymour M. Hersh's The Dark Side of Camelot , consisting of 5 years of research that's backed with hundreds of sources through documents and interviews with those who had been there and involved in the administration, is the most damning indictment of who JFK really was.

It's one damaging chapter after another about how he illegally won the presidency through bribes and voter fraud, was having sex with an untold number of women on a daily basis despite his marriage and religion, carried a series of venereal diseases and knowingly infected others, indirectly ordered foreign political leaders assassinated, prolonged the Vietnam War on purpose when he had the chance to withdraw his troops completely in order to keep his reelection chances alive, and was no hero during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Hersh also lays various conspiracy theories to rest by stating that Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby had therefore acted alone. Now, does JFK sound like somebody you would admire? Think again because it's important to keep this in reminder that the President of the United States should be held to the highest moral standards. By all accounts, JFK failed thoroughly. All in all, don't fooled by JFK's looks. Jan 20, Peter Corrigan rated it really liked it.

If you woke up from a year nap and still believed much good about the Kennedys, this heavily researched account by a NYT guy should end that silly notion. When you compare JFK and his vaunted family with the one all the leftists and media loves to despise today there is really no comparison at least what we know today! Poor Donald seems a saint compared to these guys.

Stolen elections, actual real mob-connections, misogyny metoo, haha , assassinator-in-chief Trujillo of the DR, Diem of S If you woke up from a year nap and still believed much good about the Kennedys, this heavily researched account by a NYT guy should end that silly notion.

Stolen elections, actual real mob-connections, misogyny metoo, haha , assassinator-in-chief Trujillo of the DR, Diem of So. Vietnam, and of course the prolonged effort at Castro , blustering blow-hard liar 13 Days..

It all started with Joe who set the example but the shenanigans of the two Jack and Bobby of them makes you really wonder if Oswald and Sirhan didn't do us a great favor. Especially Bobby who was a ruthless a-hole without a shred of moral fiber though so was Jack, but probably more fun to hang around and Bobby certainly was on a 'mission' when he finally did run in ' What a despicable President he would have been!

Of course this book is years old and so none of it is news but it bears repeating from time to time.

Oh, and Hersh spent 5 years research on the book and said he found nothing to contradict the Warren Report. So perhaps I don't have to read another on that rabbit-hole. Jul 27, Sean rated it liked it. Hersh's thesis is that JFK's moral weaknesses limited his ability to fulfill his duties as President; and that, moreover, the image of JFK as the devout Catholic and focused President, who was fully committed to the well being of his family and country, is more myth than fact.

His thesis is proven through interviews and documentation, which indicate extensive adultery and corruption. The book serves as both a challenge and a caution. It's a challenge to those who would allow a politician's charis Hersh's thesis is that JFK's moral weaknesses limited his ability to fulfill his duties as President; and that, moreover, the image of JFK as the devout Catholic and focused President, who was fully committed to the well being of his family and country, is more myth than fact.

It's a challenge to those who would allow a politician's charisma and policy accomplishments to excuse his moral turpitude in the form of numerous adulterous encounters. And, it's a caution to those, particularly journalists, who may find themselves so enamored with the energy and charisma of a particular President, that it overwhelms or obscures their critical faculties.

Oct 28, Jon rated it liked it Shelves: history-historical-fiction. I was intrigued by Kennedy's presidency after reading Bill O'Reilly's "Killing Kennedy", but found myself completely disturbed by the accounts reported in this book.

If only a quater of these accounts are accuate, it's disturbing - not just the womanizing, but the path to election and the cover-up of mistakes. I guess I never really looked into the claims and rumors I had previously heard and like most Americans of my generation just accepted the accounts of the Kennedy dream presidency.

We've f I was intrigued by Kennedy's presidency after reading Bill O'Reilly's "Killing Kennedy", but found myself completely disturbed by the accounts reported in this book.

We've focused so much on Kennedy's death and the aftermath that many of us were ignorant to the abuses of the office. I put this book down totally cynical of our political leaders and more distrustful than ever with the rise of our current president. It will be interesting to see how much his rise and tenure in office will be similar to JFK -but then again, who can you believe?

It is OK, but I personally found it a bit droll. A lot of the material seems to be exclusive, as the author continuously reminds us. The subject is very interesting and the events that are discussed, are amazing too I just didn't feel the writing flow. Several times I found myself nodding off. It is not a bad book, but it lacks rhythm and all I got out of it was a list of bullet points.

I suppose there is plenty of material out there to compare against and to try and get more detail. Though, th It is OK, but I personally found it a bit droll. Though, the range that this book covers is quite remarkable. I would half recommend it, but would add a warning regarding the rhythm, pace and writing, but that's just me. Hope you enjoy it and get more out of it than I did Jan 01, Alan rated it did not like it Recommends it for: No one.

Seymour Hersh obviously didn't win Pulitzer prizes on the merits of this book which reads more like a gossip rag than a serious study of the Camelot years. While I admit to being one of those who wants to believe in the myth I have heard much of this before and much more that I for one don't want to hear at all. Salacious, mean spirited and somewhat poorly documented much reads like hearsay and hearsay from people who in a court of law wouldn't be given much credence.

I've had enough Mar 13, Steve rated it really liked it. Hersh is a digger, and I've read plenty of his magazine articles over the years. This was my first time reading one of his books - boy, did he find out plenty about John F.

Kennedy and his life hidden from the public eye. Yeah, we all know about the sex, but not to the degree Hersh describes. And we know Kennedy got the U. And the fixation with Cuba, the stealing of the presidential election in the first place, the deals behind the scenes with the Soviet Union, all detailed with multiple sources.

A fascinating read, even if it doesn't all add up to something unambiguously dark every time. Jul 07, Robert Sparrenberger rated it really liked it. It was sure dark. The skeletons were popping out of every room in this one. If you are a Kennedy buff, then this is a book for you. It definitely puts a different light on him and his presidency. One final note: if the author would hav It was sure dark.

We got it. Sep 17, Ron rated it liked it. Privilege, excess and entitlement are the overshadowing themes of this book. While deftly written, it details the lives of the prior generations of Kennedy men much more than I imagined or wanted to know. May 12, Elaine rated it it was ok Shelves: owned , books-about-jfk-and-jackie. As a huge fan of JFK's, knowing full well he was a flawed man in more ways than one, I struggled with this book and feel a little ambivalent towards it and its author.

Overall I wasn't particularly surprised at all the wheeling and dealing that went on within the Oval office and between the brothers as well as between JFK and many others. Nor did I necessarily have "rose coloured" glasses about the main players and the era they operated in. What really annoyed me was the fact that a lot of what As a huge fan of JFK's, knowing full well he was a flawed man in more ways than one, I struggled with this book and feel a little ambivalent towards it and its author.

What really annoyed me was the fact that a lot of what was in this book had been revealed before and at times, except for a few exceptions, I felt like Hersh was "putting words" in people's mouths. Hersh shows us a John F. Kennedy we have never seen before, a man insulated from the normal consequences of behavior long before he entered the White House. His father, Joe, set the pattern with an arrogance and cunning that have never been fully appreciated: Kennedys could do exactly what they wanted, and could evade any charge brought against them.

Kennedys wrote their own moral code. Jack appointed his brother Bobby keeper of the secrets - the family debt to organized crime, the real state of Jack's health, the sources of his election victories, the plots to murder foreign leaders, and the president's intentions in Vietnam. There are no reviews yet. Be the first one to write a review. Books for People with Print Disabilities. Internet Archive Books.