First published 1995
Theodore Sorensen begins his account in January 1953, when freshman Senator John F. Kennedy hired him as a legislative assistant on trial. The young Nebraska Unitarian quickly becomes Kennedy's most trusted advisor, earning labels like "intellectual blood-bank" and "alter ego." Sorensen follows Kennedy through pivotal moments: the dramatic 1956 vice presidential bid, the launch of his presidential campaign, the crucial Houston speech to Protestant ministers, the televised Nixon debates, and election night at Hyannis Port. As Kennedy's Special Counsel, Sorensen witnesses the new president navigate major crises. He observes Kennedy's Bay of Pigs mistakes, his complex relationships with Cabinet members and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his handling of Berlin tensions and the Cuban missile crisis. The story captures Kennedy's interactions with Congress and the press through Sorensen's unique vantage point. Three months after Dallas, Sorensen departs the White House to write this intimate portrait of their partnership and the administration he helped shape.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, leadership, american-history
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: insider-perspective, political-drama
Setting: Hyannis Port, Houston, White House
Period: 1950s, 1960s
786 pages · Hardcover · Smithmark Pub