Jack Ruby by Gary Wills and Ovid Demaris, reviewed for Ellroy Reads

How did James Ellroy view Jack Ruby? Ruby makes fleeting appearances in both American Tabloid and The Cold Six Thousand, but he is largely on the periphery of great events, which is what he was fated to be in real life according to his biographers Gary Wills and Ovid Demaris. In their acclaimed book on Jack Ruby, Wills and Demaris argue against fanciful conspiracy theories and stick to the established view that Ruby was deeply shaken by the assassination of President Kennedy and wanted to spare Jacqueline Kennedy the trauma of a long, drawn-out trial.

In the latest episode of Ellroy Reads I discuss Ellroy’s changing view of Jack Ruby, and highlight some of the ways he has presented him in his fiction. Enjoy the episode and do remember to subscribe to the channel and share the content.