Brad Meltzer

I wanted to love Heroes for My Son by Brad Meltzer when I bought it as a gift. I decided to read it before gifting it because I don't like to give people books I haven't read. As I read, I found many things to really like, but a few that definitely gave me pause. Meltzer offers a rosy picture of the people he presents as heroes while never mentioning their flaws. I think including some of the flaws of these heroes would have made them more relatable. There were also some who I can't imagine show more having as heroes and would use to open a wider conversation about perceptions and images projected to the world rather than holding those particular individuals up as living lives one should model... Meltzer offers a quick snapshot into the lives of those he considers heroes for his son, and I hope this book will push children and perhaps even adults to further research and better understand the people, particularly the famous people, Meltzer included in Heroes for My Son, so they can decide for themselves if these people are deserving of the title of "hero". show less

The authors begin this history of a lesser-known assassination attempt against John F. Kennedy with a brief review of the resurgence in white Christian nationalism in the US beginning in the 1920s, and the linkage of white supremacy, anti-Catholicism, anti-Semitism, and fear of immigrants. Those who considered themselves “native born” (by which they clearly meant white and Christian, since they were most certainly not “native”) felt the need to fight back against the “invasion.” show more By the 1960s, many in the country still shared those sentiments. [Indeed, those sentiments still fuel a portion of the population.]. This was when Kennedy was trying to become the first Catholic to be elected U.S. President.

One person in particular in 1960 who embodied that nativist mindset and was vehemently opposed to any power going to Jews or Catholics was Richard Pavlick, a 73-year old man living in Belmont, New Hampshire. He was vocal in his grievance, writing a number of letters, including to Protestant ministers, alleging that “the safety of the United States can only be preserved by controlling or eliminating those ideologies foreign to the American way of life. . . . " (Sadly, as the authors document, Pavlick would have found willing listeners in the Reverends Billy Graham and Norman Vincent Peale, who had formed a group to work clandestinely in the background against Kennedy.)

Kennedy addressed anti-Catholicism head-on, but Pavlick, like many who are devoted to an irrational ideological position, was impervious to reason or enlightenment.

What is known about Pavlick and his actions don’t fill up an entire book however, so the authors also highlight some other ways in which heightened security became an essential part of guarding a young, active family. The authors focus on Jackie, because she had such an aversion to publicity, and yet, to her dismay, became the focus of obsessive interest by the press and public.

A parallel emphasis in the book, only tangentially related in that it concerned Jackie’s life, was the serial infidelity of JFK, and the ways in which Jackie was known to cope with it. As the authors write,

“. . .both JFK and Jackie grew up in environments where the powerful wealthy men felt entitled to do as they pleased, especially when it came to women. Both of their fathers had little regard for consequences, and their mothers were expected to endure and suffer silently.”

This characteristic of Jack provides the only negative note about him; otherwise he is presented as sui generis: handsome, brave, charismatic, and eloquent (although they do credit his speech writer for enhancing that latter trait).

Evaluation: This book was written much like a crime thriller, and included interesting forensic details about how Pavlick was caught before he was able to carry out his dynamite-fueled scheme. The details about the lives of the Kennedys have always been fascinating, especially to those who grew up dazzled by their youth, energy, intelligence, and idealism. [Unfortunately, many don’t understand that just having the Kennedy name is not a guarantee of those qualities.] In any event, this short book is entertaining, and a reminder of times when, at least in our rhetoric, this country stood for something more than greed, grift, and a war *against* minorities and the less fortunate. show less

I had honestly forgotten I'd already read this years ago (Really, over a decade ago? Wow...) until I came to Goodreads to add it. Luckily, I had also forgotten the plot so it was like reading it for the first time again. This really is a fantastic plotline about how superhero secret identities are meant to protect the heroes' loved ones. So when someone starts attacking and threatening them, the DC heroes declare war to find the perpetrator.

Reading this again with a different eye, I still show more loved the story but found parts of it very problematic. For one, it focused almost exclusively on male superheroes - no women heroes had their family members targeted. Given who the murderer was, it sort of made sense, but still seemed very skewed. It never really showed a women hero worrying about a loved one, as if that protective instinct was only reserved for men, though there were two panels showing Dinah and Zatanna standing at their fathers' graves. Meltzer could very well have had a brief scene of Barbara calling her dad; instead, we get a flashback of her getting shot by the Joker.

It's hard to reconcile a really powerful storyline with the paternalistic undertone. The story is supposed to make the reader feel uncomfortable, though I'm not sure this is a facet that the author had intended. While Dinah and Zatanna had major parts to play in the plot, they were never a POV character - and it was an odd choice to make Ollie Queen one, I thought.

A good -- if problematic -- read. show less

On December 11, 1960, shortly after Kennedy’s election and before his inauguration, a retired postal worker named Richard Pavlick waited in his car—a parked Buick—on a quiet street in Palm Beach, Florida. Pavlick knew the president-elect’s schedule. He knew when Kennedy would leave his house. He knew where Kennedy was going. From there, Pavlick had a simple plan—one that could’ve changed the course of history.

This is a story that will make you gasp, cry and want to hit someone. I show more love how the authors create such emotion in a nonfiction book. This is what I love about Brad Meltzer. His nonfiction books read like novels. There is true life to the characters. Yes, they were real people, but a lot of times, authors miss this part of the story. Not Meltzer and Mensch.

This is well researched and to be honest, I want to know more. And he briefly touches on something in the assignation, I wonder if anybody else picks up on it. Not going to say a word here…you need to read this to find out.

Scott Brick is my favorite narrator of all time. And he is perfect for this book..HECK…he is perfect for any book!

Need a unique story about JFK…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today

I received this audiobook from the publisher for a honest review. show less