A Question of Character: A Life of John F. KennedyNo issue is more hotly debated than how, or even if, a politician's private life affects his public competence. In "A Question of Character" John F. Kennedy's two lives--public and private--are examined to answer this timely question. Respected historian and biographer Thomas C. Reeves reveals discrepancies between JFK's public persona, which has reached mythic proportions, and his scandalous private behavior. Most illuminating is the constant theme or Joe Kennedy's almost total control of JFK's behavior and politics throughout most of his son's career. "The John Kennedy who emerges from these pages was not a man of good moral character. He was reared not to be good but to win." -- "Los Angeles Times" Reeves has provided the most truthful and balanced assessment of John F. Kennedy to date. Written more in sorrow than in anger, "A Question of Character" explores the sensitive and difficult question of how people, and history itself, ought to judge the relationship between personal character and national leadership. |
Contents
The Vital Framework 1 | 1 |
The Founding Family | 18 |
Getting into Shape | 34 |
Copyright | |
17 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
Adlai Stevenson administration ambassador American Arthur Krock Arthur Schlesinger asked attorney Bay of Pigs Ben Bradlee Berlin Blair Boston Bradlee Burke Marshall called campaign candidate Castro civil rights Collier and Horowitz Communist Cuba Cuban declared Democratic Eisenhower elder Kennedy election Evelyn Lincoln ExCom Fitzgeralds George Smathers Giancana Goodwin Hero Ibid invasion issue Jack Jack's Jackie JFK Library Joe Junior Joe McCarthy John F John Kennedy Johnny Johnson Kennedy's Kenny O'Donnell Khrushchev King Knew Ye Krock Lasky later recalled leaders liberal Lyndon Johnson Martin McCarthy McNamara military moral Nixon November nuclear O'Donnell and Powers October Oral History Parmet political president presidential Public Papers reporters Robert Kennedy Rose Salinger Search for J.F.K. secretary Senate Smathers soon Sorensen Soviet speech story Ted Sorensen telephone television thought Thousand Days told United Vietnam vote wanted Washington White House Wofford wrote York young