Mr. Oswald.

No, sir. Of course, I have seen him read various books. I never did see him read a book- unless the covers-- or perhaps if I picked it up--it didn't indicate anything about communism or socialism. He did like to read. He read quite a bit. And by this, I have observed him to read anything from funny books to novels, to westerns, the full scope. He liked American history. I have seen him read American history a great deal.

Mr. Jenner.

Was he a voracious reader? That is, did he read a great deal, devote much attention to reading?

Mr. Oswald.

Yes, sir, he was what I would term an assiduous reader.

Mr. Jenner.

I am directing your attention to his--oh, say, from age, let's say, nine or ten to the time he enlisted in the Marines-maybe we better go back a little bit more, since you were away. I would like to cover his youth up to the time he enlisted in the Marines. Is that the period of which you speak?

Mr. Oswald.

No, sir; I do not. I speak of a later period-my visit to New Orleans after I received my discharge from the Marine Corps.

Mr. Jenner.

And before he enlisted in the marines?

Mr. Oswald.

Yes, sir; before he enlisted in the Marine Corps. And of his moving to Fort Worth.

Mr. Jenner.

Fix the time.

Mr. Oswald.

With mother-in 1955.

Mr. Jenner.

On these occasions you observed him reading assiduously?

Mr. Oswald.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

And you had an opportunity, and you embraced it to some extent, just out of curiosity if nothing else, of observing the nature and character of the literature and the subject matter of the literature he was reading?

Mr. Oswald.

Yes, sir; that is correct.

Mr. Jenner.

And it is of the nature and the subject matter you already stated?

Mr. Oswald.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

During any of that period, and any observation you ever made whether then or prior thereto, had you noticed him or seen any books-he uses the expression "Marxism", communism--or any books or works, or pamphlets of that nature?

Mr. Oswald.

No, sir, I did not. I did not at any time observe him reading or have in his possession any type of pamphlet or book, should I say, of a political nature.

Mr. Jenner.

Even American politics?

Mr. Oswald.

American politics, of course American history, of course, would go into some degree of American politics.

Mr. Jenner.

I think you are probably right. But other than American history.

Mr. Oswald.

No, sir, I did not observe him.

Mr. Jenner.

Now, your brother states in this letter of November 8, the United States was a country that he hated-Taking the whole letter, we would like to have you state what your reaction to the letter was when you received it and read it, in view of the rather severe things he says, and startling things he says in this letter.

Mr. Oswald.

If I may, sir, refer to my testimony yesterday in relation to this letter, and my reactions then, I thought more along that line. I have not come up with any other conclusions where my thinking as to my reaction at the time I received the letter-- other than it was something that I expected, due to what I had read in the newspapers prior to receiving the letter of November 8, 1959.

Mr. Jenner.

Your shock, if 1 may call it such, had been conditioned-

Mr. Oswald.

To some degree it had; yes, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

In other words, then, the letter, when you did receive it, with these utterances in it, did not surprise you?

Mr. Oswald.

I feel, perhaps, if anything would have surprised me that did not appear, to my recollection, would be the statement "I will never return to the United States, which is a country I hate," particularly the latter part of that statement-"which is a country I hate."

Mr. Jenner.

That did shock you despite your having read the newspaper clippings or articles?