First published 2004
John Kerry stands at the podium, feeling the weight of decades in public service as he prepares to address the nation. Kranish places readers inside the mind of the Massachusetts senator as he navigates the treacherous waters of Washington politics. Kerry wrestles with compromises that test his Vietnam War experience and his Catholic faith. The novel follows him through heated Senate debates, tense diplomatic missions, and quiet moments of doubt in his Boston home. As Kerry faces a crucial vote that could define his legacy, he must reconcile the idealistic young veteran who testified before Congress with the pragmatic politician he has become. The story reveals a man caught between principle and power, struggling to maintain his integrity while serving a system that often rewards the opposite.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, american, political-science, politics, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, idealism-vs-pragmatism
Setting: Boston, Washington
Period: Vietnam War
640 pages · Hardcover · Thorndike Press