The Gunman And His Mother

The narrative of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy has been told from many points of view, most significantly in the wave of books exploring the Warren Commission's findings and the conspiracy theories that followed. But for journalist Steven Beschloss, the story of Lee Harvey Oswald began with the troubled bond with his mother.

Drawing on public records, key interviews with Marguerite Oswald and other family members, and Lee's own writing and statements, Beschloss traces the origins of an American tragedy back to the lonely boy who couldn't find a way to belong and the unstable mother. Often left to his own devices, young Oswald read heavily, skipped school, and hatched plans to make his mark on the world. The Gunman and His Mother reveals the complex parental relationship that turned a boy into a killer responsible for a crime that changed American history.

This updated edition includes material from never-before-seen files containing Marguerite Oswald's personal writings, as well as a series of lawsuits Marguerite brought against various people. Not only do these documents complete the portrait of Lee's mother, but given her attacks on the media, conspiratorial mindset, and her sense of grievance, their inclusion sheds new light on our current political climate.