Brilliant, moving and at times funny, this original book reaches far beyond JFK and his tragic death. Its about history and the way we remember things. Once I started reading, I couldnt stop. --Daniel Finkelstein, columnist at The Times
Smart, restrained and refreshingly honest, this book transforms one of the most mythologised moments in modern history into a mediation on memory, chance and the burden of the stories people carry. Whether you think you know everything about the JFK assassination or nothing at all, I cant recommend it enough. --Al Murray, comedian and co-host of We Have Ways of Making You Talk
A fascinating and informative look at the most famous assassination of all time, from fresh angles and new grassy knolls. I love it. --David Quantick, Emmy Award-winning screenwriter, novelist and critic
Brilliantly conceived! An anti-whodunnit that turns this case inside and out. --Chris Chibnall, Sunday Times bestselling author of Death at the White Hart, BAFTA-winning screenwriter and creator of Broadchurch
Fitzgerald's fast-paced, fact-packed and frequently funny guide to JFK assassination lore sorts conspiracy from coincidence and does for the grassy knoll what Craig Browns One Two Three Four did for The Beatles. --New World
I have given over 1,000 interviews and trust me, no one thinks about this subject like Martin Fitzgerald. --Dr Toni Glover, JFK assassination witness
The shots that rang out in Dallas on 22 November 1963 didnt only echo around the world and down the years, they also left behind a slain President, a traumatised First Lady and countless others whose lives had become for ever entangled in that moment of history. Those others are Fitzgeralds subject and their stories make his book an original and enthralling contribution. In a crowded field, it stands above the rest. --Peter J. Ling, author of John F. Kennedy and Emeritus Professor of American Studies at the University of Nottingham
The JFK assassination we all know about it. Or do we? In this brilliant book, Martin Fitzgerald explains that things are not what they seem. He is our tour guide to a special chapter of history, which begins on that fateful day in Dallas, weaves through the present and ends in the future. Fitzgerald guides with a voice that ranges from raconteur to cultural critic to expert historian. Hes interviewed witnesses and studied all the famed conspiracy theories, and he expertly explains the intricacies in an eminently readable narrative. Anything you need to know about the JFK assassination and our memory of it, youll find in Fitzgeralds superb book. --Gautham Rao, Associate Professor of History at American University
The Umbrella Man and Other Stories brings wit, warmth and perspective to one of the most studied events of the last 100 years, reminding us that historys most famous moments are often experienced by ordinary individuals who never asked to be part of them. This is a valuable and refreshing contribution to the JFK assassination literature thoughtful, humane and unexpectedly disarming. --Ian Sanders, host of the award-winning Cold War Conversations podcast
Ive been a fan of Martins writing for a long time now, and here he brings his customary wit, insight and pathos to a fascinating subject. This isnt a conspiracy compendium but a captivating examination of time, circumstance and human nature. --J. Willgoose, Esq., Public Service Broadcasting
Whether you thought you knew all there was to know about the JFK assassination or never knew how much there was to know about it, you will love this book. Fitzgerald uses one moment in Dealey Plaza to bring together diverse strands of American history, politics and culture. From the use of umbrellas to protest Kennedys apparent appeasement of communism to the Queen Mother accosting Larry Hagman at Royal Ascot to get the inside scoop on who shot J. R. Ewing, this book masterfully analyses the context of the Kennedy assassination and reveals its multifaceted and complex legacy. --David Swift, historian and author of Scouse Republic
