Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero
This book is in a Controlled Release!
1 journaler for this copy...
Bought from Barnes & Noble in San Luis Obispo today.
I always liked Jack Kennedy, but I wondered how much of that feeling was from all the myths and his legendary charisma. What I believe is the real Jack comes through in this book.
Hardly a saint, neither was he that bad of a sinner.
From an early age he was a reader. His physical problems led to his having to spend a great deal of time at home alone, and books kept him company nicely. He developed or was born with a remarkable ability to retain information, to process it. And like our founding fathers he knew history.
His physical problems were far worse than I had realized. Yet he put up with great pain to present the appearance of health and vigor, which he needed for the course he followed. First, as commander of a PT boat, he behaved heroically to save his men when his ship was destroyed. Later, when campaigning for the House of Representatives he went door to door for months, and did it again when campaigning for Senate and for president. These efforts took a toll on his body.
Lit with a fire from within, Kennedy seemed to know that he was destined for the presidency from early on. He felt he needed to be there to do what had to be done. You could say he was full of himself to believe he had the answers. I don't think that's all it was. He honestly seemed to have learned from his study and his observations and wanted very much to do more for his country, as he urged all Americans, than he asked it to do for him.
Through much of the book I felt that Matthews had a kind of hero-worship toward Kennedy and that this probably colored his approach to the book. Nevertheless he did not back away from telling of Jack's infidelities (not that he spent much time on them) and of the way he used Bobby Kennedy in particular (but also others) to keep people in line. He was ruthless when he felt it was necessary.
I came away sad for Jaqueline Kennedy, who weathered much in private, and admiring of the man who wanted more for all of us, the flawed hero but hero nonetheless.
Hardly a saint, neither was he that bad of a sinner.
From an early age he was a reader. His physical problems led to his having to spend a great deal of time at home alone, and books kept him company nicely. He developed or was born with a remarkable ability to retain information, to process it. And like our founding fathers he knew history.
His physical problems were far worse than I had realized. Yet he put up with great pain to present the appearance of health and vigor, which he needed for the course he followed. First, as commander of a PT boat, he behaved heroically to save his men when his ship was destroyed. Later, when campaigning for the House of Representatives he went door to door for months, and did it again when campaigning for Senate and for president. These efforts took a toll on his body.
Lit with a fire from within, Kennedy seemed to know that he was destined for the presidency from early on. He felt he needed to be there to do what had to be done. You could say he was full of himself to believe he had the answers. I don't think that's all it was. He honestly seemed to have learned from his study and his observations and wanted very much to do more for his country, as he urged all Americans, than he asked it to do for him.
Through much of the book I felt that Matthews had a kind of hero-worship toward Kennedy and that this probably colored his approach to the book. Nevertheless he did not back away from telling of Jack's infidelities (not that he spent much time on them) and of the way he used Bobby Kennedy in particular (but also others) to keep people in line. He was ruthless when he felt it was necessary.
I came away sad for Jaqueline Kennedy, who weathered much in private, and admiring of the man who wanted more for all of us, the flawed hero but hero nonetheless.
Reserving for paperbackswap member.
Mailed to a paperbackswap member.
