Interesting take on the dividing line between history and fiction. Aside from what the book is ostensibly about—the JFK assassination—it's also very much concerned with what it is to be a historian and researcher, how much of oneself moves in and out of a fixed story. There are a lot of ways to read this, I think, which makes it really engaging. Also the book itself is very beautiful, with a lot of attention paid toward the design and feel, which enhances the feeling of it being an interactive kind of text. This is something I could definitely reread at some point and have an entirely different experience. ( )

November 22, 1963 is a series of literary snapshots of the Kennedy assassination, from the point of view of Jackie Kennedy as well as others connected to the event: a motorcycle cop, the White House staff, the photographer at the autopsy, and others. There is a strong sense of nostalgia and of history-in-the-making. The atmosphere of awe and reverence around the president and his wife is striking; it resembles an attitude toward royalty more closely than one toward today's political figures.

I always enjoy a well-written historical novel, and I enjoyed this one, but I'm afraid it won't leave a lasting impression due to its broken narrative style and its brevity. It could have been longer and deeper, with the author inhabiting the character of Jackie more fully. Nevertheless, I'd recommend it to anyone interested in a different perspective on the Kennedy assassination.


Quotes:

There are times in your life when no matter how much you've earned, you never really believe you've deserved it. (26)

Maybe that's when you stop asking questions and submit to the fact that what's been laid out behind you will forever be in front of you. (32)

It was so hectic that it felt slow. Like every movement mattered, engraving itself into the history books in real time. (35)

We know that loyalty and courage don't always mix. (119)

And that's the thing: it is like a movie, only one that we're inside of. It's as though we're the sets and the artifice surrounding us, but are caught in its drama. (120)

It's best not to look at the clock. It's best not to watch something passing that one can't slow down. Or just stop. (161)

At only thirty-two, she understands the sadness of experiencing a great moment, knowing that it's already passing even while it's fully alive. (180) ( )

If you know anything about American History, you will recognize the title as the infamous date JFK was killed in Dallas, TX. This historical fiction book based on fact brings back the pain and anguish of that fateful day.

Adam Braver paints a lasting portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy as she is reentering the political scene after the death of Baby Patrick three months earlier. Dallas proved to be a tragic arena to show her true colors. The pink blood-splattered suit she wore made her seem fragile but her actions proved her to be a woman of uncommon strength and character.

The author tells the small stories of that day that didn't make the headlines yet will remain forever in family folklore. There was the ambulance driver who shared a cigarette with Mrs. Kennedy in the hospital waiting room and the businessman who photographed the 24 seconds of film that shook the world. Braver does a commendable job of recreating the emotion and the sense of unreality, even though we know the outcome of November 22, 1963. ( )

Adam Braver's portrayal of Jackie Kennedy is elegant and engaging. His words make you grieve along with Jackie as she tries to make sense of what has happened to her husband and ultimately her life. I loved the parts of the story with Jackie, but was disappointed by some of the other individual stories in the book. At times, they seemed sporadically placed and I had trouble understanding the connection between some of the stories. Maybe I am looking too deep to find a connection, maybe the connection is love -- love for their country, love for their president. Or maybe it is grief, the collective way the country grieved for John F. Kennedy. During these breaks in the story, it felt more like a history lesson at times -- how they preformed the autopsy, how the coffin was paid for in Dallas, how the limo was cleaned and used again. Yet, both the fiction and the lessons together made for an interesting novel about a part of American history I knew very little about.

To read the entire review go to: http://barneysbookblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/review-november-22-1963.html ( )

Brilliant. ( )