DeLillo: Libra | The Modern Novel

Don DeLillo: Libra

This is DeLillo’s Kennedy assassination novel and anyone who has followed his career up to now will realise that it is a natural progression, given his interest in the dark side of the USA and everything that is wrong with that country. The hero or, rather, the anti-hero is Lee Harvey Oswald. The function of this book is not to show who actually killed Kennedy, though a sort of explanation is offered, but rather to show how history is made, not by the actions of great man but little, often stupid things, strange coincidences and people who accidentally show up at the right place at the wrong time. If you enjoyed the movie JFK, you’ll love this book as everyone is involved – CIA, movie, Cubans, Russians.

Publishing history

First published 1988 by Viking