Introduction Part I: John F. Kennedy 1. Ancient Heritage 2. Tempered by War 3. A Hard and Bitter Peace 4. The Torch is Passed 5. Though Embattled We Are 6. Across the Globe 7. At Home 8. A Long Twilight Struggle Part II: Documents Notes Bibliography Index
Biography
Jason K. Duncan is Professor of History at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
"In this sparkling short biography, Jason Duncan provides an exceptionally balanced view of John Kennedy. This gem-like book shows how Kennedy's many travels shaped his later presidency, including the founding of the Peace Corps. On each aspect of Kennedy's life, Duncan clearly and concisely presents both sides before deftly offering his own conclusion."
– William J. Rorabaugh, author of The Real Making of the President: Kennedy, Nixon, and the 1960 Election
"First the Kennedy life, then the myth, then the revisionism. Only now, a half-century on, do we have the distance required to put the thirty-fifth president into perspective. Jason Duncan has given us an insightful, accessible account of Kennedy and his era, reminding us what he accomplished and why it matters."
– H.W. Brands, author of American Dreams: The United States since 1945
"Professor Duncan's concise but absorbing biography of one of America's most unforgettable presidents offers students a rich and well balanced understanding of Kennedy's heritage, achievements, failings, and legacy. Especially insightful are its treatments of his emergence as a national figure, his efforts to manage conflicting traditions and pressures, and his handling of a critical stage in the Cold War."
– Ellis W. Hawley, author of The Great War and the Search for a Modern Order
