JFK

August 10, 2020
The young John F. Kennedy was no callow playboy but a serious and self-directed man, according to this sweeping first installment in a planned two-volume biography by Harvard history professor Logevall (Embers of War). Covering Kennedy’s life up to his Thanksgiving 1956 decision to run for president, Logevall writes that though Kennedy may have resented his parents’ favoritism for his older brother, Joseph Kennedy Jr., he also “treasured the space and relative anonymity his status as the second son provided.” Logevall’s JFK is still a charming, detached ironist and womanizer, as in other accounts, but he was also possessed of a determined character and a sophisticated intellect, capable in his early 20s of making penetrating analyses of fascism and the strength of the German-Italian alliance while traveling through Europe before WWII. The author also emphasizes Kennedy’s independent-mindedness as he outgrew his father’s isolationist politics and frequently rejected his advice (though not his money) during later political campaigns. Logevall writes vividly of the hothouse Kennedy family culture, but also widens his lens to take in the forces of war, politics, and television that shaped JFK’s worldview and career. This richly detailed portrait sometimes feels romanticized in its evocations of Kennedy’s charisma, but Logevall helpfully reminds readers of the considerable substance beneath the glamour. Political history buffs will be enthralled. Agent: Warren Frazier, John Hawkins and Assoc.

Starred review from August 15, 2020
A comprehensive life of John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), the first of two volumes. Even though Kennedy enjoys "larger-than-life status," writes Pulitzer Prize-winning Harvard historian Logevall, not many "serious" books have been written about him, especially drawing on the vast corpus of archival material now available. Taking his subject from birth into his years in Congress, the author concentrates closely on World War II, a crucible in many ways. For one thing, his actions as commander of the ill-fated PT-109 exhibited a bravery that went far beyond noblesse oblige; even Garry Wills, no fan, remarked, "His physical courage can never be questioned." Kennedy earned the Navy's highest honor, propelling him to national attention. When Kennedy returned home, he was committed to a life of public service that would manifest itself in electoral politics. Logevall dismantles the standard narrative that the firstborn Kennedy son, Joe Jr., who died in combat, was "the Kennedy child marked for political stardom." Though Joe Jr. had many of the necessary attributes--good looks, courage, sociability--he had also been an isolationist and even an admirer of Hitler and Franco in the 1930s, expressed in his Harvard thesis, all copies of which "seem to have vanished in the years following his graduation, suggesting the family perceived the problem." As early as 1944, Logevall reveals, JFK was meeting with political operatives to identify opportunities; upon entering Congress, he first identified as a rather conservative Democrat, even supporting the infamous anti-communist crusader Joseph McCarthy. He moved toward the center after McCarthy's downfall, learning the art of the political compromise--which, writes the author, he insisted "can be, should be, at the level of policy, not principle." More critical than the reminiscences of early aide Theodore Sorenson but appreciative of Kennedy's complex, thoughtful view of politics, this study casts the "playboy president" in a largely positive light. Highly revealing, particularly for post-Camelot readers who wonder at the esteem in which JFK is held.

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Starred review from September 1, 2020
Pulitzer Prize-winning author (for Embers of War, 2012), professor, and historian Logevall presents the first in a comprehensive, two-book biography of John Fitzgerald Kennedy in which he portrays his subject as an embodiment of two of the twentieth century's defining events. Born during the First World War, John Kennedy came of age during the Second, the son of a wealthy and politically ambitious father whose zeal to succeed was as much for himself as for his sons. By concentrating on JFK's place within the larger Kennedy clan?his relationships with his parents, siblings, and friends?as well as on his uneven academic career, his myriad and mysterious ailments, his service in WWII, and his early political successes, Logevall takes advantage of recently released archival material, including personal correspondence, to follow the trajectory of a political career that was launched almost in childhood. Episode by episode, tragedy by tragedy, challenge after challenge, young Kennedy's worldview evolves with stunning maturation. With impressive vision and flawless execution, Logevall bores down to a molecular level to put JFK's life and achievements within the context of the history of the times, while simultaneously exposing the truths obscured by the most popular JFK misconceptions. Expansive in scope yet detailed in implementation, this is a boon to serious Kennedy enthusiasts and readers attuned to twentieth-century American history.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

October 1, 2020

The first of an anticipated two-volume biography from Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Harvard professor Logevall (Embers of War), this comprehensive history pulls from the latest archival material to provide an honest, full-person view of the iconic 35th president of the United States. This volume introduces readers to the first 39 years of the life of John F. Kennedy (1917-63), beginning with his family's lineage and the dynamics of an Irish family. A great deal of time is also given to his service in the navy during World War II, followed by his years in Congress, to the point when he decided to run for president in 1956. While there is new information to complement the familiar, such as the inner workings of his presidency, Logevall doesn't shy away from the charismatic view of Kennedy, but he does dive deep into the details of ideas from the president's early adulthood that helped shape his worldview for a life destined for public service, and the growth of his political thought, to form the man he would become. VERDICT While a lengthy first volume, this study is accessible and entertaining. A wide array of history buffs, and readers previously reluctant to consume a Kennedy biography, will enjoy this highly recommended account.--David Miller, Farmville P.L., NC

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