Kennedy

My first memory was watching the funeral cortage of JFK roll through Washington and the sound of those mournful drums. I remember the adults all being so sad and somber. It made a powerful impression no me then, and I have since been fascinated by the man called JFK and his life and times. Sorensen, who was JFK's speech writing genius knew Kennedy on his ascension to power as few did. He tells his story clearly, convincingly and with reverence for the man who literally saved us from nuclear armageddon. During the "Bay of Pigs" Kennedy resisted the unanimous opinion of the joint cheifs to invade Cuba. As Sorensen details in the book, the Soviets blinked and removed the missiles. What was not known until years later was that the field commanders in Cuba had been issued tactical nukes and the authorization to use them. An invasion would have quickly become a nuclear exchange and then.... Too horrible to contemplate. Kennedy kept us from going over the precipice then and for that our country, indeed the world, owes him a great debt. Therefor I reject the scandalous books that surround JFK, he was indeed a flawed man, and his womanizing is indeed legendary. But he overcame tremendous obstacles in his life, devastating illness, injuries that haunted him all his life. He was indeed a hero, and to hear his words, his wisdom and candor is to truly hear a politician that cared about the people. Sorensen paints the picture honestly, clearly and concisely. His respect and affection for his friend is obvious, but so is his dedication to the truth. Camelot was indeed a different time, just as America was a different nation then. The man and the time belong to the ages, but we can indeed learn what made it special, and why it is worth learning from. This book is a great reference from one who was not only there, but intimately involved.

Sorensen's account deals briefly with Kennedy's background, and then dives deeper into his campaign and years in office. I used the book as research for a paper on the Bay of Pigs and found that Sorensen's analysis is concise yet thorough. His reliance on Kennedy's speeches and on the progression of the drafts (many that he wrote or co-wrote) provides a very interesting picture of the incident and the man that I couldn't find elsewhere.

A very good background, reference, or research piece from insider Ted Sorensen.

After watching the three Presidential debates between Kerry and Bush, its interesting to go back and read this book by Ted Sorensen, a valuable aide and friend of President Kennedy. To be able to compare the world we now live in as represented by President Bush and JFK wannabe John kerry, and the way the world used to be in the time of the real JFK is remarkable. Maybe there was a secret agreement between politicians and the media on reporting events and styles, but it seems that todays world of immediate desire for news and analysis compared to President Kennedys administration of realism and understanding goes a long way to explain why politicians today are viewed in a lesser light. After President Kennedys death, we were faced with Vietnam, Watergate, malaise, an actor in the White House, Bush, an intern in the White House, 9/11, Iraq and Bush. Like that famous politician Yogi Berra once said, "Its Deja Vu All Over Again".

First off, this book is well researched and a good read until you get to the "World Leader" part of the book. Even though that is the part that talks about the Cuban Missile Crisis, it is sketched out beforehand. By the time I got to the "World Leader" part of the book, I felt like it was a chore to read; something that had to be done! I highly recomend Robert Dallek's "An Unfinished Life" instead of this one because Dallek's book flows at a much faster pace and is easily the best JFK book out there!

I like to read biographies written by people who knew their subjects. Ted Sorensen knew JFK beginning with his first congressional race in 1953. The book is easy to read and almost every page reveals another example of it's subjects sense of humor.
If you are looking for scandals you will not find them here. You could read this book aloud to a five year old though that would not likely make a good bedtime story.

OK - I am a Kennedy fan and this book is overly reverential, but I still love it. Sorensen is a first class writer and this is nice intimate look at JFK. If you dont like JFK or the period - you probably wont like this. Otherwise - it is at the top of the list for fans of JFK,

Ted Sorensen was there, as JFK's Senate and Presidential aide. Sharing Kennedy's
passion for the improvement of humanity, in emulation of Franklin Roosevelt, he fought alongside
him against their imperial and Wall Street enemies. If you want to understand JFK, wouldn't you want to
try to see what he was trying to do, what he thought and what he knew? This book, and Kennedy's own speeches and
Presidential papers (including many now declassified and on-line) are your best start for getting to know
Kennedy.

History Students will greatly appreciate this Work of many by this author regarding the discussions and ultimately the Decisions that where made during this Administration and the reasoning behind the Decisions.

That what condition the book was in was correct. The pages showed the age of the book but it is in very good condition.

Fast shipping and exactly as described. Very happy