William Manchester was an adjunct professor of history and writer-in-residence at Wesleyan University, as well as author of Portrait of a President, and The Death of a President. But before that, he was friends with John F. Kennedy for nearly two decades, and in this book puts aside the glaring tragedy of JFK's death to to celebrate the brightness of his life.
Manchester recalls in intimate detail everything from family gatherings at Hyannis Port, to grueling campaign trips, and quiet evenings alone with the President in the White House family quarters. The resulting portrait provides listeners with myriad anecdotes and insights into a life of a man that bristled with vigor, competitiveness, and an unflagging drive for excellence, and shone with elegance, intelligence, and compassion.
The book was important when it was first published, but now fills a new role as an antidote to the wave of political disillusionment in America.
