John F. Kennedy: Hero of History (Abridged) Audiobook

He was youth, vigor, and optimism personified. Born to wealth and privilege, he became a symbol of America. With his wife by his side, the young president ushered in a new, elegant, artistic, and cultural era in the White House. The postwar baby boomers were coming of age and Kennedy's tragic assassination became the catalyst for social and cultural upheaval in the decade to follow. Hear again his famous voice, the turbulent events, and the compelling life story of John F. Kennedy.

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"A very worthwhile addition to the trove of books on JFK. I like the way Matthews used material available through the Oral History Project at the Kennedy Library as well as interviews with everyone he could find that was part of Kennedy's life and career. I like the way he blended such excellent reporting with careful research via the body of published materials and archived materials at so many different places and some hard to find written sources. I like the way he did not hesitate to express his admiration for JFK as a President, particularly his emphasis on the lessons the president learned from the Bay of Pigs fiasco and the importance of his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis - which cannot be overestimated. I like the way he covered Kennedy's record on Civil Rights and on Vietnam, and I like his analysis of Kennedy's most important speeches. I like the way, despite his abundant admiration and even designation of JFK as a heroic figure, Matthews did not hesitate to emphasize the seriousness of negative aspects, particularly Kennnedy's blatant womanizing and the covering up of his medical condition. What emerges most forcefully here, more than in the more traditional biographies written by the historians (I believe I have read them all) is the complexity of character that the man possessed, the image of his not being entirely knowable. "Elusive" is an adjective that Matthews borrowed from Jacqueline, and it seems to be a wise one, in my opinion. And I have no problem with "hero," either, despite the disappointment attendant to the negative aspects that I do not in any way excuse. Four stars instead of five: no one can completely capture JFK, and this country is the lesser for the fact that he himself did not get to compose his own autobiography. (I will always believe that this country is the lesser for his having been murdered. We lost something. I will go to my grave believing that things would not have gotten as shitty as they did. But I digress.) Matthews did good work here."

— Vivian (4 out of 5 stars)