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Rating: 
Summary: All the Way with LBJ
Review: Craig I. Zirbel read almost every book, article, or newspaper dealing with the JFK assassination for 25 years. This book is the result of his studies. If it happened in a foreign country, 11/22/1963 would be viewed as a coup d'etat. If finding a motive for murder exposes the killer, then motive could explain why JFK was killed. This book explains why the Warren Commission and others are not credible. The most likely solution may be the most obvious, not the most complex (p.4).After JFK's death LBJ refused to leave Dallas until JFK's body was placed on the plane. The Warren Commission decided there was no conspiracy; Oswald was a lone gunman. Page 17 tells of the faults in the autopsy of JFK. The Warren Commission was created to investigate the crime (p.23). They would examine the evidence developed by the FBI. LBJ was never called as a witness (p.27). Chief Justice Warren would not listen to Jack Ruby (p.29)! LBJ created and controlled this Commission, when he was one of the logical suspects (p.33). Page 35 explains why political assassinations occur, and why some are covered up. Page 37 explains why Oswald did not fit the pattern of assassins (not insane, no motive). His quick elimination hints at a wider conspiracy. Page 43 tells of the problems in that mail-order rifle. Page 47 tells of the failures with a stationary target. (A telescopic sight adjusted to shoot "high and to the right" would have the built-in lead exactly needed for the shots fired that day! But was this done before that day?) Chapter 7 analyzes various assassination theories, and tries to discredit them all in a few pages. (You may not agree with it once you've read other books.) Does the photograph on page 82 resemble the villain in "From Russia With Love"? Chapter 8 discusses his theory of "right hand man assassinations". I don't think his examples prove his theory. Chapter 9 announces that he will try to pin it on LBJ alone (p.95). The big problem in this is the lack of any defender who may dispute his charges. Being dead, there is no way LBJ can defend himself. So his arguments are one-sided. Is that fair? Chapter 11 tells of LBJ's moral rules. Chapter 12 tells of his support by Big Business, page 113 tells how the NASA Space Center was built. How did LadyBird buy those radio stations? See pages 117-8. Page 122 tells of the crash of LBJ's airplane. Chapter 18 hints at the reason why LBJ didn't run in 1968: a strenuous campaign could cause a heart attack (he died in 1973). Chapters 22-23 describes the three major scandals of the Vice-President. Chapter 27 explains how the unsafe detour past the Schoolbook Depository was done against Secret Service wishes. Chapter 29 list the mistakes and problems in Oswald's capture. Chapter 31 tells of Oswald's activities; these may be explained as that of a secret agent who is controlled by others. Could the failure to record Oswald's interrogation be explained by the knowledge that he was doomed? Chapter 35 relates various strange acts: LBJ bought "presidential china" (p.256) in the fall of 1963! Chapter 37 lists 9 reasons for a conspiracy (p.282). Chapter 38 provides a parallax view to the events. Chapter 39 asks you to form your own conclusion. Do this after reading other books. You may find that Mark North's "Act of Treason" is the better book.
Rating: 
Summary: Very informative but not without flaws.
Review: Craig Zirbel's insight into the assassination of President Kennedy is uncanny. Providing a fresh look into one of the greatest mysteries of all time, Zirbel digs deep into the thoughts of the Johnson administration and President Johnson's premature rise to power. Reading this book lead me to better understand the twisted thoughts of both L.B.J and the world of politics. The only bad thing about "The Texas Connection" is that it's out of print. Zirbel's well founded assassination premise leaves me believing even more stongly in X-Files, Area 51, and that Elvis lives.
Rating:
Summary: Very Enlightening!
Review: I bought this book with some skepticism, however, Zirbel, an attorney, does an impressive job of making his case. Although some time has passed since its writing, and it could use a new edition, Zirbel makes a VERY convincing case for LBJ's involvement in the JFK assasination. I left with a feeling that Zirbel is onto something, and he certainly convinced me. Definately a worthwhile book. It even inspired me to so my own research into this!
Rating:
Summary: Very Enlightening!
Review: I bought this book with some skepticism, however, Zirbel, an attorney, does an impressive job of making his case. Although some time has passed since its writing, and it could use a new edition, Zirbel makes a VERY convincing case for LBJ's involvement in the JFK assasination. I left with a feeling that Zirbel is onto something, and he certainly convinced me. Definately a worthwhile book. It even inspired me to so my own research into this!
Rating:
Summary: Common Sense says that LBJ Dunit and that's it!
Review: This common sense approach to the myriad JFK conspiracy theories has a lot to recommend it. It is coherent in the extreme. However, much like Posner's Case Closed, it is very one-sided and long on plausibility and speculation and short on confirmable facts and citations. To the author's credit, and rather uncannily the book presaged much of what is now confirmed "factions" in Blood, Money and Power.
While the author's scenario holds together extremely well even under a hypothetical criminologist framework, it is nevertheless more "structured fantasy" than serious investigation or even serious academic research since it rests on a foundation of common sense speculation.
However, to his credit, the author makes no pretense of objectivity. From the start he says LBJ dunnit, and then proceeds to tell us why. There are many titillating never before explained facts which have the smell of truth, but they are all either hatched from the author's head or cannot be confirmed independently because they are not attributed to any particular source. That's a pity because this would be a good book to cite, were there any citable facts in it.
Three stars for a common sense approach that makes the author's premises and ground rules clear.
Rating:
Summary: Very informative but not without flaws.
Review: This is an excellent account as far as conspiracy theories go. Well researched and very readable, Zirbel's version of the Kennedy assassination makes some huge leaps and cites many sources that he did not document. It did convince me that LBJ had a hand in it anyway.
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