Libra

This post originally published February 4, 2010.

Author: Don DeLillo
Published: 1985
Publisher: Lester, Orpen and Denny
469 pages (paperback)
 
Summary: CIA agents disgruntled with the way the government is handling the Fidel Castro situation hatch up a plan to force the US to war against Cuba. Their idea involves a planned assassination attempt against the President, JFK, but they don’t plan on actually killing him — just an attempt. The agents search for a man to play the part of the gunman. Enter Lee H. Oswald, an outcast who defected from the Marines, lived in Russia for a time, then returned to the US with his Russian wife and child who he loves but beats. Running parallel with this plot is the story of Nicolas Branch, a CIA agent in the present day who is still trying to piece together the puzzle of the JFK assassination.

My Thoughts: This is the last book I had to read for my American Literature class. This is a book that, while having many factual elements to it, is strictly a work of fiction. The synopsis of the book sounded kind of interesting, but I couldn’t get into it. I am pretty sure it is a combination of me not particularly liking the story-telling style DeLillo uses, and the fact I have very, very, very limited knowledge on American history (I am Canadian). I mean, I’ve heard of the JFK assassination, of course, but I don’t understand the politics behind it. All this Cuba and Fidel Castro stuff is kind of new to me, so I found myself having to Wikipedia a lot of American history in order to understand this novel. I also suspect I am just not into politics in general, so whenever it was the CIA agents’ parts and they’re discussing politics, I had a difficult time wrapping my head around it all.

I did enjoy the parts dealing with Oswald though. His parts dealt less so with politics and more about himself as a person and how he came to be the person he is and he is quite a fascinating character. I haven’t a clue how accurate a portrayal the novel Oswald is to the real life figure, but the book figure is interesting. You don’t really feel anything for him. It’s hard to feel sorry for him, and at the same time, it’s hard to like him.

I think if this book wasn’t so politics-driven and if it wasn’t written in what I personally think is a slightly confusing style, I would have liked this better.

My Rating: 2/10