First published 2012
Edward L. Widmer presents a remarkable historical archive born from President Kennedy's decision to secretly record White House conversations in July 1962. Kennedy installed hidden recording devices in the Oval Office and Cabinet Room to capture accurate records of presidential decisions during turbulent times. The nation faced boiling Civil Rights tensions and nuclear war fears. Kennedy and his advisors engaged in intense debates over complex dilemmas requiring swift action. Widmer and the John F. Kennedy Library selected the most compelling recordings from 265 hours of material, fully restored for this fiftieth anniversary release. The book includes two remastered CDs and extensively annotated transcripts with a foreword by Caroline Kennedy. These unscripted conversations cover the Cuban Missile Crisis, Space Race, Vietnam, and arms race. Readers hear the unguarded voices of decision makers grappling with daily White House business during an era of uncertainty. The recordings reveal Kennedy's intellectual approach and his eclectic team of brilliant advisors, offering unprecedented access to presidential deliberations that shaped American history.
Genres: biography, history, 20th-century, politics, non-fiction, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-drama, insider-access
Setting: White House, Oval Office, Cabinet Room
Period: 1962, Cold War
320 pages · Hardcover · Grand Central Publishing