Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Reading this collection of President John F. Kennedy's speeches, published to mark the centennial of his birth, one can set aside his tragic fate and instead marvel over his vision of an equitable and interdependent future. Ascending to the presidency just 15 years after WWII and at the height of the Cold War, JFK, with his expansive intellect and charm, captured America's imagination and portended the possibilities of a new era. Accompanying the speeches are essays by a veritable who's who of writers and luminaries, including the Dalai Lama, John Lewis, Kofi Annan, John Kerry, Elizabeth Warren, Jimmy Carter, Gloria Steinem, John McCain, and Henry Kissinger, who bring JFK's words and actions freshly to life. Coeditors Smith, JFK's nephew, and historian Brinkley (Rightful Heritage: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Land of America, 2016) provide background chapters on JFK's personal and public life. The result is an extraordinary commemorative history filled with hundreds of formal and candid photos, along with notes, marginalia, letters, and artifacts highlighting JFK's and the Kennedy family's important role in shaping the twentieth century. This is an important addition to American-history and political-science collections.--Kaplan, Dan Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
For the centennial of President John F. Kennedy's birth on May 29, 1917, his nephew Smith (MIT Sloan Sch. of Management) collaborates with author and historian Brinkley (history, Rice Univ.; Rightful Heritage) to create this collection, complete with chapter narratives and time lines, dedicated to the leader's life and legacy. Included are more than 700 photographs covering Kennedy's birth to his death in 1963; over 30 of his best speeches; and more than 40 brief essays by contributors such as Congressman John Lewis, historian David McCullough, and the Dalai Lama. Seven chapters look at Kennedy's prepolitical experience, congressional career in the U.S. Senate, the 1960 presidential campaign, the New Frontier program in 1961, his focus as a "Goodwill Warrior" in 1963, and his enduring legacy. Although Kennedy served in the Oval Office for only three years, he set a positive agenda for the nation and the world and had the ability to inspire. VERDICT This celebratory volume is more than just a coffee-table book for Kennedy fans; it is also a useful compendium and reference tool for anyone interested in learning more about his presidency. [See Prepub Alert, 11/14/16.]-William D. Pederson, Louisiana State Univ., Shreveport © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Smith (Sloan School of Management/MIT), John F. Kennedy's nephew, and Brinkley (History/Rice Univ.; Rightful Heritage: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Land of America, 2016, etc.) assemble a large collection of material by and about the late president.Coinciding with the centennial of JFK's birth, May 29, this volume presents speeches and accompanying commentaries from a wide range of public figures. The book is organized chronologically, briefly covering JFK's early years, the senatorial period, 1960 presidential campaign, each of the three years in the White House, and finally his legacy. The famous speeches are included: the inaugural address, the televised update on the Cuban missile crisis, the vision for space exploration set forth at Rice University, the Ich bin ein Berliner speech, and the civil rights report of 1963. Less-well-known speeches also are here, including JFK's address to the New York Liberal Party, entitled "Definition of a Liberal," and the role of the artist in American society, delivered at Amherst College shortly before his death. The speeches are well-written, often elegant. They usually exuded optimism and provided a tutorial on the issues and offered solutions on the most important national challenges. Many are as timely today as they were more than a half-century ago. Enhancing these primary sources are analyses from such diverse analysts as presidential historians Robert Dallek and Michael Beschloss, politicians Elizabeth Warren and John McCain, and entertainers Dick Cavett and Robert Redford. The book is an unabashed celebration of JFK, but the speeches stand alone, and the commentary is insightful. The editors have assembled hundreds of complementary photos, most of them uncommon, enhancing the overall presentation, and the book is packed with other notable contributors, including George Packer, Norman Mailer, Dave Eggers, Joseph Ellis, Samantha Power, and Gloria Steinem. Amid the stream of JFK books to be released for the centennial, this work should emerge as one of the most complete and useful. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
