Teenage Mischief Meets National Tragedy in David Benjamin’s Satirical Coming-of-Age Novel They Shot Kennedy

Title: They Shot Kennedy

Author: David Benjamin

Publisher: Last Kid Books

ISBN & Price: 9781732523586, $18.64

Buy here.

They Shot Kennedy by David Benjamin is a coming-of-age satire set in the shadow of JFK’s assassination. Through the fever-dream perspective of teenage narrator Cribbs, the novel humorously explores themes such as identity, power dynamics, the impact of violence, and the transformative force of storytelling and media in 1960s America. Benjamin curates a high-school play-by-play, taking readers back to a time of football, friendships, and fantasies—pitting adolescent struggles against the larger crises of a crumbling nation. 

The novel opens with a quote from the first book of Bokonon: “Don’t be a fool! Close this book at once! It’s nothing but foma!” This immediately sets the satirical tone, reinforced by narrator Cribbs’ repeated pleas for readers to put the book down. Although he happens to be in high school, Cribbs makes clear he isn’t trying to write a “searing portrait” of teen life. His aim is simply to “Get a grip on all the stuff that happened here right around the time they shot Kennedy.” (11) Cribbs’ scribblings exist only because his teacher, Ms. Porsche, suggested he use the exercise to sort out the chaos of his adolescent world—and the world around him. 

These ramblings of a smart-aleck teenager navigating life are framed by the social and political commentary of 1963. Scattered throughout are quotes, clippings, and headlines from sources like Newsweek, The Wisconsin State Journal, The Capital Times, and Time—covering everything from presidential election news and skyrocketing haircut prices to city orgies at Harvard, phantom burglaries in Miami, and Playboy commentary. Each chapter also opens with a JFK quote, and Cribbs’ signature “Anyway” returns readers to his own teenage narration. The use of these quotes and headlines mixed with Cribb’s adolescent perspective allows readers to feel as though they are experiencing 1963 firsthand, through fresh and mischievous eyes. 

Cribbs’ narration follows the antics of his group of friends—Dick, Roper, Casey, Turk, Polly, Pamela, Janice, and others. They spend their time lusting over cheerleaders, driving the ‘Deathmobile,’ pulling pranks like pretending to be IRS agents to reach Playboy model Miss September, navigating awkward courtships, avoiding vindictive bullies, staging mock gunfights, and sometimes participating unwillingly in minor crimes. Through Cribbs’ voice, Benjamin highlights a heightened awareness of the absurdity of their teenage tomfoolery: “There are things going on in the world… lynching Negroes in Alabama… kidnapping American soldiers… Why is it the only thing anybody here can talk about is Casey Dworkin breaking up with Pamela Rush?” (53) 

The adventures of the characters are not entirely lighthearted; as the novel progresses, they are forced to navigate violence within their school that mirrors the turmoil outside. Benjamin carefully explores darker themes such as abuse of power, sexual assault, and physical abuse. He uses Cribbs’ voice and his love of writing and poetry as a counterbalance to these darker events, serving as both a tool for healing and a way to combat corruption. JFK is quoted: ‘When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the area of man’s concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.’ (446) Many of the main characters, particularly Cribbs, use writing as a form of therapy or catharsis, helping them unravel events and understand their feelings. Benjamin underscores the power of writing as a means to restore perspective and humanity amidst both personal and societal unrest.

Towards the end of the novel, the assassination dominates the newspaper clippings and quotations, reshaping the culture of the town and serving as a catalyst for small yet significant changes within Cribbs’ friend group. Though the event has little to do with the children directly, it emphasizes how major historical moments ripple through everyday life. The book is less a high school diary than a portrait of relationships and humanity in all its forms—perverse and innocent, violent and loving. Cribbs closes with, “Anyway, I’m not in love with anybody, and this is not a goddamn diary. My only purpose (now fulfilled, thank God) was to write about what happened last November—which, all in all, would’ve been a hell of a month even if they hadn’t shot Kennedy.” (565) Ultimately, the novel highlights how the big picture and the small picture are not so different. Whether zoomed in or out, we’re all navigating similar struggles and learning from one another.

Review by Britain Powers