First published 1980
Michael Beschloss takes readers inside the intricate political relationship between John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The author traces how FDR's legacy shaped Kennedy's worldview and presidential ambitions. Beschloss reveals the personal connections between the Kennedy and Roosevelt families that spanned decades. He shows how young Jack Kennedy observed Roosevelt's leadership style and absorbed lessons about wielding executive power. The book explores Kennedy's efforts to both emulate and distinguish himself from his Democratic predecessor. Beschloss demonstrates how Roosevelt's New Deal philosophy influenced Kennedy's domestic agenda, while foreign policy decisions reflected both continuity and departure from FDR's approach. Through detailed research, the author illuminates how one president's example guided another's path to the White House and shaped his time in office.
Genres: biography, history, 20th-century, political-science, presidents, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: United States
Period: 20th Century
318 pages · Paperback · WW Norton & Co