Robert Dallek

The #1 bestseller that forever changed how we thought about JFK, published with a new epilogue in time for the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's assassination. When it was originally published in 2003, AN UNFINISHED LIFE brought to light new revelations about JFK's health, his love affairs, his brothers and father, and the path JFK would have taken in the Vietnam entanglement if he had survived. A blockbuster bestseller, the book was embraced by critics and readers as a landmark assessment of our 35th president. Now, in time for what promises to be remarkable media attention on Kennedy's death and legacy, AN UNFINISHED LIFE returns with a new, strikingly incisive examination by Robert Dallek in which he further assesses JFK's impact and hold on American culture.

John F. Kennedy, 1917 - 1963

An Unfinished Life

Jeremy Anderberg

The Kennedy family was a political and social fixture in New England throughout the first half of the 20th century. But it wasn’t until John’s election to the Senate in 1952 that, as a unit, they were catapulted to the status of American royalty. Since then, our nation’s collective attention has been held captive by their charming smiles (and hair), rousing speeches, public sexcapades, and of course, numerous shocking and utterly tragic deaths.

Honestly, though, I didn’t really understand all that appeal until I read Robert Dallek’s completely beguiling study of the 35th President of the United States.

Growing up in the ‘90s, I was familiar with a different charismatic president dogged by sex scandals. I figured the JFK story was along those same lines and I didn’t care to dig much deeper.

But, within a couple dozen pages of An Unfinished Life, Dallek had me hooked. I get the Kennedy allure.

Every single character in that family is utterly fascinating. The males ache for power; the women tag along, while doing more behind the scenes — and putting up with more bullshit — than would ever be shown on TV.

Based on all the evidence, it seems that John Kennedy truly cared for the nation’s interests, which is a lot better than a lot of other presidents we’ve had. That he was a rich son of a corrupt and at least halfway tyrannical father doesn’t change that fact, nor does his unhealthy marriage and addictive appetite for clandestine sexual encounters.

There was very much a type of Jekyll and Hyde duality to his life and personality. At times, he was a well-informed, dedicated, even heroic leader (i.e. in his WWII service and in dealing with his numerous and very serious health problems). At other times, he wasn’t those things — showing his lack of touch with the real world, treating his relationships like garbage, caring more about the competition of an election than in bringing about true social change.

Dallek covers all of this very well. I wish he had written about the assassination a bit more — he does so in just a handful of pages — but I suppose he figured there was enough material out there that it didn’t need re-hashing. Besides just telling the story, Dallek also does a marvelous and convincing job analyzing Kennedy’s lasting meaning to the nation.

Harry Ahn

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The second installment in the Morland Dynasty is set in the turbulent times of the early Tudor kings. The Morlands have to enter a horrendous struggle to protect their religion, Anglo-Catholicism. Nanette Morland, half daughter of master Paul Morland of Morland Place is presented at court and becomes close friends with the maid courting disaster, Anne Boleyn.

An Unfinished Life John F. Kennedy, 1917 - 1963

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