In the first 24 hours after John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Lyndon B. Johnson made some critical decisions that determined the successes – and failures – of his presidency.

This look at Nov. 23, 1963, was a very enlightening, even to somebody who is pretty well-versed in the assassination literature.

The main backdrop is the rivalry between Johnson and Bobby Kennedy as the keeper of the flame/preserver of the legacy of his brother Jack. You could feel the tension between them as the account of the day continues.

Interesting that this book recounts all the myths and rumors about the day, scene at the hospital, phone calls, etc. It tells all the tales, from all sides, and attempts to sort out the truth.

Ultimately, Johnson is seen as a tragic figure, who had some of it coming to him, too.

OK I admit it, I used to be into all the conspiracy stuff, but I’m not anymore, so the fact that the book didn’t go into the mess of the assassination was a plus. Kind of like how Tony Stark didn’t want to hear Peter Parker’s origin story. It was better for it.

Not for those who want to debate the Grassy Knoll, but for those who want to know about LBJ.

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Really enjoyable, if you could use that word in connection with this subject. Reads like a fast-paced thriller -- with entire chapters covering time spans of as little as 15 minutes. Also superbly researched with a strong and successful effort at achieving balance, including presenting the reader with contradictory evidence along with a judicious weighing and balancing of that evidence.

As the title indicates, the book focuses on the President Johnson's first day in office, starting with being thrown to the ground in his limo by his alert secret service protection and ending with a series of photo-op meetings with his team in the Oval Office and what appears from the pictures to be the Roosevelt Room. In between, Johnson has to make rapid judgments under enormous uncertainty -- while balancing the need to project continuity with the importance of not appearing greedy or ambitious to a nation deeply in mourning for Kennedy. ( )

Really enjoyable, if you could use that word in connection with this subject. Reads like a fast-paced thriller -- with entire chapters covering time spans of as little as 15 minutes. Also superbly researched with a strong and successful effort at achieving balance, including presenting the reader with contradictory evidence along with a judicious weighing and balancing of that evidence.

As the title indicates, the book focuses on the President Johnson's first day in office, starting with being thrown to the ground in his limo by his alert secret service protection and ending with a series of photo-op meetings with his team in the Oval Office and what appears from the pictures to be the Roosevelt Room. In between, Johnson has to make rapid judgments under enormous uncertainty -- while balancing the need to project continuity with the importance of not appearing greedy or ambitious to a nation deeply in mourning for Kennedy. ( )

Book serves as a defense of LBJ's conduct and actions towards the Kennedy family and the Kennedy cabinet after the assassination. I've read earlier books about the assassination and did not learn much more than I had earlier. ( )