JFK: Volume 1: 1917-1956
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- Create Date：2021-08-27 09:52:49
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Fredrik Logevall
- ISBN：0241185904
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Summary
The definitive biography of John F。 Kennedy， from Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Fredrik Logevall。 This is the untold story of how the rise of President Kennedy and the rise of the United States mirror one another - from 1917， when Kennedy was born， to 1963， when he died and the US was at the peak of its power。 Full of new material from sources including a huge number of Oval Office tapes， a large volume of interviews with Jackie Kennedy， and never-before-seen CIA documents， Harvard professor Logevall focuses on international relations more so than any other biographer of this misunderstood figure。 For example， he uncovers detailed material not only on President Kennedy's father as ambassador to Britain but also on his rapidly-established relationship with Harold Macmillan， and on his and Jackie's relationships with individuals in the United Kingdom。 Peerlessly authoritative， this is a biography for the ages。
Reviews
Peter Stein
，
Truly terrific。 I’ve never come away from a biography feeling more like I knew the subject as a friend。 The very extensive use of primary sources leaves the reader with little doubt that they’re seeing events unfold as they actually happened， and seeing it from the unadulterated perspective of the subjects。 I can’t wait for Volume II。
Daniel Farabaugh
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A really good and solid biography of JFK that does a very good job of showing the depth of his character of JFK。 He has a lot more depth than often presented although not as much accomplishment in politics。 I look forward to the next volume。
SAT CHIT ANANDA
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Incredibly detailed reconstruction of JFK's early years （age 40 and younger）。 The historical context that the author provides with JFK's life story is very helpful but there are also quite a few tangents that are unnecessary （or unnecessarily long）。 Minus one star for being painfully drawn out in several instances。 Overall the book was interesting and painted a vivid image of the American legend。 Even with all his trials and tribulations， JFK's perseverance was incredibly impressive。 It's clear: Incredibly detailed reconstruction of JFK's early years （age 40 and younger）。 The historical context that the author provides with JFK's life story is very helpful but there are also quite a few tangents that are unnecessary （or unnecessarily long）。 Minus one star for being painfully drawn out in several instances。 Overall the book was interesting and painted a vivid image of the American legend。 Even with all his trials and tribulations， JFK's perseverance was incredibly impressive。 It's clear: Jack didn't want the world to leave a mark on him， he wanted to leave his mark on the world。 。。。more
John Windt
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Very good biography of JFK。 Well written， as expected by this author， and obviously researched。 A biography of the man versus the myth。 Well worth the read， looking forward to part II （after 1956）。
Tim Preston
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Loved it。 Easy to read American style but still including great detail。 Lookign forward to part 2 and would highly recommend。
Sharon McNeil
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Looking forward to the next volume！！
Douglas Trent
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Exceptional book on JFK up to running for President。 I can’t wait for the second volume。I really liked the fairness and honesty of this book。 The author didn’t shy away from JFK’s and the Kennedy’s faults and dishonesty。 Overall I thought this was a very balanced account of JFK and extremely well researched and the story told in a entertaining way。 I highly recommend。
Annie
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Totally hooked。 Amazing amount of research went into this！ A great deal of history I wasn’t aware of and great insight into the mindset of JFK。 Recommend。
Alexander Gardiner
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For someone who was supposed to have enormous charisma and magnetism， the Jack Kennedy portrayed here is pretty unlikeable。 This is a book about the most unbelievably privileged boy drifting through life （while often shagging several different women in one night） with a domineering reactionary father who starts to think for himself late in college。 Of course it helps that unlike most students he is able to travel across Europe with privileged access and meet many of the key players。 This is a ve For someone who was supposed to have enormous charisma and magnetism， the Jack Kennedy portrayed here is pretty unlikeable。 This is a book about the most unbelievably privileged boy drifting through life （while often shagging several different women in one night） with a domineering reactionary father who starts to think for himself late in college。 Of course it helps that unlike most students he is able to travel across Europe with privileged access and meet many of the key players。 This is a very thorough， well researched book， but what it really highlights is the Kennedy family competitiveness and desperation to win。 Thus we see a JFK who accommodates Joe McCarthy， who is more aggressively interventionist than his party， but less so than the Republicans。 A man who clearly loves the travel that a passion for international affairs allows， but shows little interest in domestic。 Even his position on civil rights seems as much about winning votes in his district than something he won’t compromise on for advancement。 It’s weird to read a book by an author who clearly sees his subject as a hero， but leaves the reader with a distinctly different interpretation。 。。。more
KOMET
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"JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century， 1917-1956" is the first volume in a projected 2-volume biography of John Fitzgerald Kennedy。 This is the first definitive biography to be written about JFK for many years。 What's more: it's very much a solid， readable， well-crafted and researched book that gives the reader a deep sense of JFK himself and the factors that contributed to his personal growth and political career from his birth in May 1917 to 1956， when he emerged from the Democratic Nati "JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century， 1917-1956" is the first volume in a projected 2-volume biography of John Fitzgerald Kennedy。 This is the first definitive biography to be written about JFK for many years。 What's more: it's very much a solid， readable， well-crafted and researched book that gives the reader a deep sense of JFK himself and the factors that contributed to his personal growth and political career from his birth in May 1917 to 1956， when he emerged from the Democratic National Convention that summer as a major national， political figure -- someone to be watched， with future prospects for higher office。 。。。more
Bob Richardson
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First of 2 volumes。 Fascinating story of JFK’s younger years。
T P Kennedy
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A very promising first volume of a new JFK biography。 It's told with sympathy but not with any desire to conceal flaws or issues。 It comes across as very fair and balanced。 It's a very well told story。 It's detailed and well researched while not being overly so。 Really looking forward to volume 2。 A very promising first volume of a new JFK biography。 It's told with sympathy but not with any desire to conceal flaws or issues。 It comes across as very fair and balanced。 It's a very well told story。 It's detailed and well researched while not being overly so。 Really looking forward to volume 2。 。。。more
Peter Burton
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Excellent。Is there a need for yet another bio of JFK？ Well yes because this comes with the long term perspective of 45 odd years and from an experienced history professor who has read almost（if that’s possible） all about his subject。Always interesting and even exciting （ as in the details of the 1956 convention open selection of the VP candidate） with considered judgements of the key events。
Flora
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BRILLIANT！！！！
Gregor Schafroth
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Good book， second one soon please！ （:
Gladys Schrynemakers
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This book was amazing！ Fredrik Logevall really captured JFK as he was becoming JFK！ The way that in weaved together the man and his times and how one shaped the other was truly inspiring。 I have read several books about JFK， but no one holds a candle to this text。 I can't wait to read volume II！ This book was amazing！ Fredrik Logevall really captured JFK as he was becoming JFK！ The way that in weaved together the man and his times and how one shaped the other was truly inspiring。 I have read several books about JFK， but no one holds a candle to this text。 I can't wait to read volume II！ 。。。more
Jerry
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A serious historian of global history and the cold war turns his eye to political biography！ The writing is entertaining， informative， and compelling。 I wish Logevall dealt more with JFK’s developing morality - his tendency to comprise his values in the Rosemary lobotomy， McCarthy， and Civil Rights episodes as he rose to prominence。 What did JFK think at the time？ How does it reflect on his legacy and character？ Maybe Logevall is saving his insights for volume two but he missed a chance to educa A serious historian of global history and the cold war turns his eye to political biography！ The writing is entertaining， informative， and compelling。 I wish Logevall dealt more with JFK’s developing morality - his tendency to comprise his values in the Rosemary lobotomy， McCarthy， and Civil Rights episodes as he rose to prominence。 What did JFK think at the time？ How does it reflect on his legacy and character？ Maybe Logevall is saving his insights for volume two but he missed a chance to educate here。 。。。more
Seth W
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What a remarkable personal look at JFK。 I really felt I had a sense of JFK as an individual and was so drawn in by his writing。 There were several points I simply could not put the book down。 Fredrik Logevall is an outstanding historian writer。
Kathy Smith
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Only 600 pages and an eye opener for me。 I was privileged enough to speak with the author and learned so much about JFK。 I’m looking forward to part two。 Having read more than 1 book on the Kennedy’s and reading at least one book on every American President up to Nixon， I’m thoroughly impressed with F。 Logevall’s comprehensive study on the Kennedy’s starting with Patrick leaving Ireland。I never liked the Kennedy’s but John wasn’t the arrogant person I expected him to be。 Logevall explains clearl Only 600 pages and an eye opener for me。 I was privileged enough to speak with the author and learned so much about JFK。 I’m looking forward to part two。 Having read more than 1 book on the Kennedy’s and reading at least one book on every American President up to Nixon， I’m thoroughly impressed with F。 Logevall’s comprehensive study on the Kennedy’s starting with Patrick leaving Ireland。I never liked the Kennedy’s but John wasn’t the arrogant person I expected him to be。 Logevall explains clearly the pain and suffering as well as the near death（s） experience JFK endured and always with a premonition he wouldn’t live long。 It answers a lot of questions。 Do I like JFK now？ Hmm， I’m not sure but if I had encountered him as a young adult I bet I would have been smitten by his charm。 No doubt。 。。。more
Andrew Reilly
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Richly detailed and cleverly written。
Henry Jameson
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This is an absolutely terrific book。 Its 654 pages cover JFK's life only through 1956， and yet it is utterly engrossing and was hard for me to put down。 I cannot recall another biography that so successfully captures a life。 When you put the book down， you will feel as if you know this man。 This is an absolutely terrific book。 Its 654 pages cover JFK's life only through 1956， and yet it is utterly engrossing and was hard for me to put down。 I cannot recall another biography that so successfully captures a life。 When you put the book down， you will feel as if you know this man。 。。。more
Sarthak Bhatt
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A very thorough and intimate look into the life of jfk。 Even with his father wealth and influence one has to commend the man for his sheer resilience and hardwork even when he was close to death on numerous occasions， his letters really show how sick he was and occasionally he used wit and humor to get through the bad time and then there were family tragedies which must have taken a huge toll on him too。 The author did a very good job with this book i can't remember a single time i was bored whi A very thorough and intimate look into the life of jfk。 Even with his father wealth and influence one has to commend the man for his sheer resilience and hardwork even when he was close to death on numerous occasions， his letters really show how sick he was and occasionally he used wit and humor to get through the bad time and then there were family tragedies which must have taken a huge toll on him too。 The author did a very good job with this book i can't remember a single time i was bored while reading this must read for every history buff！！。 Looking forward for the second and final volume。 。。。more
Melanie
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Excellent biography with additional details and information I’ve not previously seen in other JFK biographies。 I’m looking forward to reading the next volume。
Oliver
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I was blown away by Logevall's balanced， well-researched and thoughtful assessment of every aspect of John F。 Kennedy's pre-Presidential life and political rise， I also enjoyed the history commentary （mostly regarding WWII， Vietnam， FDR， Churchill and Stalin） which ran parallel to this。 Kennedy is a fascinating character to read about。 If there is one thing that I take away from this book， it is the true flaws and fractures within the Kennedy clan which seldom line up with the rosy image present I was blown away by Logevall's balanced， well-researched and thoughtful assessment of every aspect of John F。 Kennedy's pre-Presidential life and political rise， I also enjoyed the history commentary （mostly regarding WWII， Vietnam， FDR， Churchill and Stalin） which ran parallel to this。 Kennedy is a fascinating character to read about。 If there is one thing that I take away from this book， it is the true flaws and fractures within the Kennedy clan which seldom line up with the rosy image presented on camera。 Despite its length and high level of detail， it never felt too heavy to read; Logevall structures the book chronologically and his writing manages to remain meticulous while flowing well。 The very few issues I have with the book are minor and nitpicking， such as that I found his defense over Kennedy's authorship of Profiles in Courage weak。 However， don't let this put you off a brilliant historical work which is extremely well deserving of 5 stars。 If there is a part two， then I definitely plan to read it。 。。。more
Irene O'Callaghan
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Very interesting biography of JFK up to 1957 when he decided to run for president
Patrick
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A magisterial study of one of the 20th century most interesting political figures。 An utterly absorbing and insightful book。
Patty Backer
，
Interesting， if you want to know JFK’s background
Joe Rodeck
，
I mostly enjoyed the history of scorn for the Irish Catholic in America and the rise of Joe Kennedy Sr。 He became a major Hitler appeasement/stay out of overseas wars strategist his son Jack was brave enough to ideologically break away from。 Not sure I wanted to go through the history of the 20th century--Hitler， Korea， Viet Nam--please save it for another book。 In this very thorough rise of a star tome we meet the entire Kennedy clan， their wives， their close associates。 This kind of work sh I mostly enjoyed the history of scorn for the Irish Catholic in America and the rise of Joe Kennedy Sr。 He became a major Hitler appeasement/stay out of overseas wars strategist his son Jack was brave enough to ideologically break away from。 Not sure I wanted to go through the history of the 20th century--Hitler， Korea， Viet Nam--please save it for another book。 In this very thorough rise of a star tome we meet the entire Kennedy clan， their wives， their close associates。 This kind of work should appeal more to academic completists。 Too Harvard。The author covers most of the “like father/like son” promiscuous playboy life styles of Joe Sr and Jack， but this is frustratingly all surface。 We can assume they are all raving beauties， but doesn’t anybody ever get knocked up？ Have abortions？ Disappear mysteriously？ No irate husbands？ Public scandal？ Blackmail？ How can one be such a sexual athlete with such a bad back？JFK was a man in terrible health。 If you want a profile in courage， the man battled debilitating ailments that had him in agonizing pain all his life and on a deathbed many times。 “X-rays showed that his fifth lumbar vertebra had collapsed， probably on account of the corticosteroids he was taking for his Addison’s Disease。” 。。。more
Christian
，
I enjoyed this more for its exploration of JFK’s world and circumstances rather than the man himself。 While the author seems quite enchanted with him， I found Kennedy to be rather arrogant and callow。 He is frequently described as having a keen， creative and skeptical intelligence but what good is that without real political courage？ An example: his feeble refusal to vote to condemn Joseph McCarthy with the rest of the Democratic caucus for fear of upsetting Irish Catholic voters。 I picked this I enjoyed this more for its exploration of JFK’s world and circumstances rather than the man himself。 While the author seems quite enchanted with him， I found Kennedy to be rather arrogant and callow。 He is frequently described as having a keen， creative and skeptical intelligence but what good is that without real political courage？ An example: his feeble refusal to vote to condemn Joseph McCarthy with the rest of the Democratic caucus for fear of upsetting Irish Catholic voters。 I picked this one up because I really enjoyed Embers of War， an examination of the French war in Vietnam。 I’ll certainly read the second volume when it’s released。 I’ll be particularly interested in the author’s take on Vietnam， Bay of Pigs， etc。 。。。more
Will Hefner
，
Detailed and thrilling。
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=JFK: Volume 1: 1917-1956
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=JFK: Volume 1: 1917-1956&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft