Reclaiming Parkland

Publisher's Summary

Reclaiming Parkland details the failed attempt of Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman - cofounder of the production company Playtone - to make Vincent Bugliosi’s mammoth book about the Kennedy assassination, Reclaiming History, into a miniseries. It exposes the questionable origins of Reclaiming History in a dubious mock trial for cable television, in which Bugliosi played the role of an attorney prosecuting Lee Harvey Oswald for murder, and how this formed the basis for the epic tome. Author James DiEugenio details the myriad problems with Bugliosi’s book, and explores the cooperation of the mainstream press in concealing these many faults during the publicity campaign for the book and how this lack of scrutiny led Hanks and Goetzman to purchase the film rights. DiEugenio then shows how the film eventually adapted from that book, entitled Parkland, does not even resemble Reclaiming History, though the script for that film displays the same imbalance that Reclaiming History does.

Reclaiming Parkland also includes extended looks at the little-known aspects of the lives and careers of Bugliosi, Hanks, and Goetzman - including Bugliosi’s three attempts at political office and a review of the Tate-LaBianca murders in the light of today’s knowledge of that case. DiEugenio also looks at the connections between Washington and Hollywood, as well as the CIA influence in the film colony today. Reclaiming Parkland is a truly unique audiobook that delves into the Kennedy assassination, the New Hollywood, and the political influence on how films are made today.

©2013 James DiEugenio (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Truth and Accountability Come A Knocking

What did you love best about Reclaiming Parkland?

The depth of research and documentation.

What other book might you compare Reclaiming Parkland to and why?

Sylvia Meagher's book "Accessories After the Fact" because of the competent research and documentation.

What about Brian Troxell’s performance did you like?

Clear without preachy intonation. Good pronunciation and almost errorless.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No- - -the book is full of astounding facts which refute Vincent Bugliosi's myopic quest to validate fraud.

Any additional comments?

This book effectively demonstrates that "Reclaiming History" was a fraudulent attempt to validate an earlier (Warren Commission) fraud. "Reclaiming Parkland" uses much of the information gained from 2-million new pages of evidence the Assassinations Record Review Board (ARRB) released, which previously had been obfuscated by "authorities" in an effort to seal the deal for Johnson, Dulles, Ford, McCLoy, Hoover and a host of others who benefitted by JFK (and Bobby) being neutralized. This book adds to the massive weight of evidence, which has been suspected by most, shouted by many and ignored by those in a position to reveal the truth and, just perhaps, restore what was lost after JFK was forever stilled.

There are books with modern science applied to old evidence. Sherry Fiester's book "Enemy of the Truth" is one. Vince Palamara's "Survivor's Guilt" and Gayle Nix Jackson's "Orville Nix; the Missing JFK Assassination Film" are two other fine works, hopefully coming to Audible soon, which are more than worthy of reading.

One which is available here is "JFK And The Unspeakable" by James W. Douglass. This is a must read for all Americans who want hope of a better future and some truth about the reasons JFK was dispensed with.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Excellent book on the eternal JFK cover-up

Destiny Betrayed (2nd Ed.) was James DiEugenio's excellent macro-level view of the JFK assassination. This book is more of the micro-level view, and goes into great detail to explain how and why Hollywood and its DC friends continue the cover-up to this day. The narrator also does a superb job.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

The CIA in Hollywood is worth the price alone

What did you love best about Reclaiming Parkland?

I loved the thoroughly documented facts presented in this book, as well as learning the hidden history of our country and its military apparatus.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Though there are many characters, Allen Dulles, Vincent Bugliosi, Tom Hanks and others, I can't say that any of them are my favorite because they each contribute to a false perception of American History that has ultimately damaged our country.

What does Brian Troxell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He makes it easier to take in the information which can be otherwise very dry in text form. It's just easier to hear someone speaking to you.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Having known a lot of this information beforehand, I wasn't shocked by anything but the information about the CIA's infiltration into Hollywood was particularly disheartening for the future of cinema and television.

Any additional comments?

Jim DiEuginio delivers another fantastically researched and documented take down of the 'Lone gunman" myth as presented by the Warren Commission and Vincent Bugliosi's book Reclaiming History. While a large part of this book focuses on Bugliosi's massive tome of disinformation and barely researched half truths, some of the most interesting sections of this book are about the CIA's influence on Hollywood, especially since the release of Oliver Stone's JFK. Considering how important it is for a supposedly free country to have an artistic medium which criticizes and inspires careful reflection of authority and misguided policies it's particularly disturbing just how controlled the Hollywood scene is. The author discusses four important people in the recent shaping of American History in film and television, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Chase Brandon and Phil Strub. The first two we all recognize, the latter two were fascinating if not obscure characters to learn about, for they are direct military liaisons between the West Coast and the military establishment. These two men have the single handed ability to shape scripts and even completed movies if they believe it in any way portrays the military in a negative light, even if the subject presented is 100% true. They can withhold military resources used for filming, which could potentially skyrocket the budget of a film and thus make it harder for a director to present their vision. An example would be 13 Days, about the Cuban Missile Crisis. The author does an excellent job of exposing this shady influence in what I would only classify as the slickest form of propaganda I've yet seen from the military establishment. This book is further proof that we as artists and creators need to keep challenging the status quo and to bring to light the uncomfortable truths of our own history, because right now we are suffering from ignorance. This is a relatively small part of the book but, in my opinion, is the single best reason to get it because of how important it is. DiEuginio is a class act and this work is further proof of it.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Essential reading

DiEugenio’s Reclaiming Heartland answers Bugliosi’s Reclaiming History point by point and anyone who has read Bugliosi owes it to themselves to read DiEugenio’s rebuttal before reaching any conclusions. Reclaiming Heartland is not a quick read, but the time and concentration it demands are amply rewarded. The book assumes a reasonable amount of fore-knowledge of the main events and principal characters. None of this is easy because even the smallest details associated with the JFK assassination are contested – the only undisputed facts seem to be who was assassinated, when and where. The how and the why and who pulled the trigger/s may never be known, mired as they are in unaccountable and unscrupulous individuals and organisations, dirty deals, vested interests, diverse agendas, big money, lies, cover-ups, silences, and witnesses taking their secrets to the grave. Still, as documents become available with the passing of time, and some are willing to speak many decades after the event, some facts emerge clearly from the vast web of disinformation. Anyone interested in the world around them and who actually runs it would be better off spending some of their spare time reading this book rather than absorbing Hollywood propaganda. On second thoughts, don’t wait until you have spare time, make time for this essential book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Angry

I want to like James DiE but his Anti Americanism bores one after a spell. The Charlie Wilson stuff was bad enough and not sure why it was in a this book other than to highlight his hatred of Tom Hanks. Fine. But when he put down the American GIs in WWII. Well that was enough for me. I agree with him on JFK murder. But from there he loses me fast.

I did think it was funny that the narrator called Hale Boggs - Wade Boggs once. I had to replay it three times to make sure I heard it. It’s thee. I am guessing either the author or narrator is a baseball fan.

Overall the book is not great. Didn’t much of anything new from it. His politics ruined it for me.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Brilliant, painful, and eye-opening.

DiEugenio methodically and convincingly demolishes the Warren Commission fables. Troxell’s narration is spellbinding. Reclaiming Parkland is a must-listen masterpiece with lessons from recent history that reverberate to today

Immune to MSM Brainwashing

DiEugenio hurdles an Everest of misinformation, disinformation, deceit and outright lies surrounding the US coup d'etat which occurred on 11/22/1963.
Hollywood's gift wrapping of war, the NFL's "paid patriotism" and cynical corporate "support our troops" sponsorship is so entrenched that it is essentially invisible.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Gripping

Great book. Intensive research. Has really made me think about how we as a public have been brain washed. Thanks

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

A Summary of an Anti-American Radical

Starting with the assassination of President Kennedy, America is in rapid decline according to this author. However, I wonder how something can be in decline when it was never great according to DiEugenio. I disliked the entire philosophy thrown on these pages. I wish I never made this purchase and do not recommend the book.

2 of 9 people found this review helpful

Thank goodness

Buglisoi has fame....and having loved Helter Skelter, I was crestfallen after his reclaiming history/ 4 days in November books. As is pointed out so well in this here book, the irony almost leaps out the pages as he uses discrediting methods when criticising conspiracy theorists, so familiar to his own writing in the two aforementioned biopics.

This redress is vital and beautifully done

Comprehensive Vincent Bugliosi takedown

With this book Jim DiEuginio has produced a fantastically well researched and documented rebuttal to Vincent Bugliosi's book Reclaiming History. Poor old Mr Bugliosi really doesn't stand much of a chance once Mr DiEuginio's gets going delivering one literary broadside after another. Mr Bugliosi's book and the Warren Commissions fiction are brutally torn to pieces. In the process we learn some quite astonishing details about the JFK assassination. This is a very good and well narrated book from one of the leading JFK researchers.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

Illuminating!

Where does Reclaiming Parkland rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I am a huge fan of James DiEugenio's writing and as such this was another enjoyable book.

What other book might you compare Reclaiming Parkland to, and why?

I'd compare it to 'You'll Never Eat Lunch in this Town Again' by Julia Phillips - her account of her career as a film producer.

What does Brian Troxell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Some books sound as if they're being read and some books sound as though the author himself is telling the story (sometimes they are): this book falls into the latter category.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did not have an emotional reaction to the book as I know the story somewhat well, having now listened to or read a number of books on the subject. It did not make me laugh or cry but it did make me feel somewhat disillusioned with those who have a lot of power.

Any additional comments?

Great book. The narrator did a super job and he had me entertained to the very last word. This is a book I will listen to at least a half dozen times again.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful