American Tabloid by James Ellroy

James Ellroy explains in one of his interview how he was bummed down when he read the book, 'Libra' by Don Dellilo which deals with the assassination of JFK, told from the killer's perspective. He was unhappy for two reasons, one for not thinking of that one first, second he felt Libra was an astounding book, and deemed it as a perfect in all ways which cannot and should not be retold.

But the book triggered the idea to approach the subject in different perspective by keeping JFK assassination in backdrop and concentrate on the vast history that involved leading to the fateful day.

The idea was simple enough, take all the real life heavy weights from particularly juicy part of American history, ranging from presidential candidates, to LA mobsters, to FBI director, to singers and film actors and strip them all naked sparing no one with the loads of available real life info on these characters. Their perverted desires, their hankering for power and money, their animosity towards each other and weave a colossal plot, conspiracy ridden, that will blow a hole on all other conspiracy theories involving JFK's death.  

But The wheels of this thrill ride  are the three equally commanding and impressive characters as their real life counterparts, introduced by James Ellroy, that pretty much carries the entire load of making it a believable and riveting fiction. They do the job to acute precision, that you almost feel as if the characters, Pete, Kemper and Ward once roamed along side with the Kennedys, the Edgars or the Howard Hughes.

It’s a book with a shit load of characters, interwoven with a plot denser than the Amazon, with trademark James Ellroy staccato style that sure as hell keeps you engrossed but asks a lot from your brain. Some part I had to just read mechanically without giving much thought to its connection with the story. But I felt it being the first book of 2016, it’s a perfect start like a moped with changed oil that prepares you for the long journey ahead. 

I will always retain James Ellroy in high regard, for  his book  'The Black Dahlia'  which  enlightened me about the real art of crime writing. No one does it better than him. Will soon check out the other books in series.