Dark Soul of the South: The Life and Crimes of Racist Killer Joseph Paul Franklin
"In this chilling but important book, Mel Ayton examines the case of a man who—despite being a murderer, would-be assassin of public figures, and white supremacist—remains a hero to many Americans, and that’s probably the most shocking fact of all."--Paul Donnelley, author of 501 Most Notorious Crimes and Assassins and Assassinations in World History"Mel Ayton, who has written extensively on political assassinations in the United States, now has ventured where no other writer has. With his latest book,Dark Soul of the South, he delves into the world of a racial serial killer and attempted assassin of Hustler magazine’s Larry Flynt and civil rights leader Vernon Jordan. While many believe that the ugly precepts of racism expired with the successes of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, Ayton’s in-depth study of the activities of those such as Franklin is a reminder that the demise of racism was, and still is, somewhat premature.”--Larry A. Sneed, author of No More Silence: An Oral History of the Assassination of President Kennedy"With his latest well-written book, about the racist killer John Paul Franklin—along with his other works, particularly his important book about the 1968 murder of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy—Mel Ayton has staked his claim as one of the finest true-crime writers in the business. His portrayal of right-wing fanatic Franklin is both chilling and enlightening, as it chronicles the murderer’s past crimes while seeming to give warning about other individuals, also motivated by their sick views of American politics, who might follow in his wake. Ayton’s disciplined attention to detail in his story is investigative journalism at its very best."--Dan E. Moldea, author of The Hoffa Wars"Mel Ayton's books on the Kennedy and King assassinations exhibited a great clarity of mind and scrupulous regard for the facts. He now brings these all-too-rare tools to a grim story about the underside of American society."--Max Holland, author of The Kennedy Assassination Tapes