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The Kennedy Half-Century: The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy died almost half a century ago, yet because of his extraordinary promise and untimely death, his star still resonates strongly. On the anniversary of his assassination, celebrated political scientist and analyst Larry J. Sabato-himself a teenager in the early 1960s and inspired by JFK and his presidency-explores the fascinating and powerful influence he has had over five decades on the media, the general public, and, especially, on each of his nine presidential successors.
The Kennedy Half-Century reexamines JFK's assassination using heretofore unseen information to which he has had unique access, then documents the extraordinary effect the assassination has had on Americans of every modern generation through the most extensive survey ever undertaken on the public's view of a historical figure. The full and fascinating results, gathered by the accomplished pollsters Peter Hart and Geoff Garin, paint a compelling portrait of the country a half-century after the epochal killing. Just as significant, Sabato shows how JFK's presidency has strongly influenced the policies and decisions-often in surprising ways-of every president since.
Among the hundreds of books devoted to JFK, The Kennedy Half-Century stands apart for its rich insight and original perspective. Anyone who reads it will appreciate in new ways the profound impact JFK's short presidency has had on our national psyche.
The Kennedy Half-Century reexamines JFK's assassination using heretofore unseen information to which he has had unique access, then documents the extraordinary effect the assassination has had on Americans of every modern generation through the most extensive survey ever undertaken on the public's view of a historical figure. The full and fascinating results, gathered by the accomplished pollsters Peter Hart and Geoff Garin, paint a compelling portrait of the country a half-century after the epochal killing. Just as significant, Sabato shows how JFK's presidency has strongly influenced the policies and decisions-often in surprising ways-of every president since.
Among the hundreds of books devoted to JFK, The Kennedy Half-Century stands apart for its rich insight and original perspective. Anyone who reads it will appreciate in new ways the profound impact JFK's short presidency has had on our national psyche.
640 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2013
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1077 people want to read
About the author
Larry J. Sabato
89 books22 followersLarry Joseph Sabato is an American political scientist and political analyst. He is the Robert Kent Gooch Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia, where he is also the founder and director of the Center for Politics, which works to promote civic engagement and participation. The Center for Politics is also responsible for the publication of Sabato's Crystal Ball, an online newsletter and website that provides free political analysis and electoral projections.
He is well known in American political media as a popular pundit, and is interviewed frequently by a variety of sources.
Sabato grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, graduating from Norfolk Catholic High School in 1970. Four years later, he graduated from the University of Virginia. A 1974 Cavalier Daily poll showed more people could identify Sabato as student government president than could name Edgar Finley Shannon Jr. as University president. Sabato graduated Phi Beta Kappa as a Government major. He followed his undergraduate degree with graduate study at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs for one year. He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 1975, which brought him to study at Queen's College, Oxford. In less than two years he earned his doctorate in politics from Oxford.
Prior to his time as a political analyst, Sabato worked for nine years with Virginia Democratic Party politician Henry Howell. At the age of 15, Sabato joined Howell's first campaign for the Virginia governorship in 1968, and then worked on his successful run for lieutenant governor in 1971, and his campaigns for governor in 1973 and 1977.
Sabato is of Italian heritage.
Before becoming an academic at the University of Virginia, Sabato published works on the rise of two-party politics in the southern United States, most notably his 1977 publication of The Democratic Party Primary in Virginia: Tantamount to Election No Longer. In 1978, Sabato became a member of the faculty at the University of Virginia. Since then he has engaged in research and taught more than 14,000 students.
He is a University Professor and the Robert Kent Gooch Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia.
In 2005, Sabato made a $1 million contribution to UVA, the largest gift ever given by a faculty member.
Sabato is the author of over twenty books on politics, including Feeding Frenzy: Attack Journalism and American Politics and The Rise of Political Consultants: New Ways of Winning Elections. He is the co-author of Dirty Little Secrets: The Persistence of Corruption in American Politics with Glenn R. Simpson.
In January 2011, he published Pendulum Swing, which analyzed the 2010 midterm elections and the potential effect of Republican Party victories on the 2012 presidential, congressional, and state-level elections.
Prior to Pendulum Swing, Sabato authored The Year of Obama in 2009 and A More Perfect Constitution in 2007, which discussed his ideas for amending the U.S. Constitution. Other Sabato books include The Sixth Year Itch: The Rise and Fall of the George W. Bush Presidency, Divided States of America: The Slash and Burn Politics of the 2004 Presidential Election, and Get in the Booth! A Citizen's Guide to the 2004 Election, and writes for Sabato's Crystal Ball. He has written textbooks used by high school and college American government classes, and has been a frequent guest analyst on cable news outlets and radio programs.
His book The Kennedy Half-Century: The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy was published in 2013. It focuses on John F. Kennedy's life, administration, and assassination and contains research from focus groups, polling, and interviews with colleagues and eyewitnesses. After analyzing evidence regarding the assassination, Sabato discredited the 1979 United States House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) conclusion of a possible second shooter, stating that it was "blown out the w
He is well known in American political media as a popular pundit, and is interviewed frequently by a variety of sources.
Sabato grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, graduating from Norfolk Catholic High School in 1970. Four years later, he graduated from the University of Virginia. A 1974 Cavalier Daily poll showed more people could identify Sabato as student government president than could name Edgar Finley Shannon Jr. as University president. Sabato graduated Phi Beta Kappa as a Government major. He followed his undergraduate degree with graduate study at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs for one year. He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 1975, which brought him to study at Queen's College, Oxford. In less than two years he earned his doctorate in politics from Oxford.
Prior to his time as a political analyst, Sabato worked for nine years with Virginia Democratic Party politician Henry Howell. At the age of 15, Sabato joined Howell's first campaign for the Virginia governorship in 1968, and then worked on his successful run for lieutenant governor in 1971, and his campaigns for governor in 1973 and 1977.
Sabato is of Italian heritage.
Before becoming an academic at the University of Virginia, Sabato published works on the rise of two-party politics in the southern United States, most notably his 1977 publication of The Democratic Party Primary in Virginia: Tantamount to Election No Longer. In 1978, Sabato became a member of the faculty at the University of Virginia. Since then he has engaged in research and taught more than 14,000 students.
He is a University Professor and the Robert Kent Gooch Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia.
In 2005, Sabato made a $1 million contribution to UVA, the largest gift ever given by a faculty member.
Sabato is the author of over twenty books on politics, including Feeding Frenzy: Attack Journalism and American Politics and The Rise of Political Consultants: New Ways of Winning Elections. He is the co-author of Dirty Little Secrets: The Persistence of Corruption in American Politics with Glenn R. Simpson.
In January 2011, he published Pendulum Swing, which analyzed the 2010 midterm elections and the potential effect of Republican Party victories on the 2012 presidential, congressional, and state-level elections.
Prior to Pendulum Swing, Sabato authored The Year of Obama in 2009 and A More Perfect Constitution in 2007, which discussed his ideas for amending the U.S. Constitution. Other Sabato books include The Sixth Year Itch: The Rise and Fall of the George W. Bush Presidency, Divided States of America: The Slash and Burn Politics of the 2004 Presidential Election, and Get in the Booth! A Citizen's Guide to the 2004 Election, and writes for Sabato's Crystal Ball. He has written textbooks used by high school and college American government classes, and has been a frequent guest analyst on cable news outlets and radio programs.
His book The Kennedy Half-Century: The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy was published in 2013. It focuses on John F. Kennedy's life, administration, and assassination and contains research from focus groups, polling, and interviews with colleagues and eyewitnesses. After analyzing evidence regarding the assassination, Sabato discredited the 1979 United States House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) conclusion of a possible second shooter, stating that it was "blown out the w
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January 1, 2014
Unlike the stream of books released near the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's tragic assassination, this one doesn't have a historical axe to grind and is quite balanced in the treatment of his presidency and legacy. I thought he could have condensed the " conspiracy" discussion to a more manageable format; spent too much time plodding through multiple possibilities. I also found it interesting that one of the presidents who frequently quoted JFK and claimed to be carrying on his tradition, was Ronald Reagan. This was the same Reagan who was a constant critic of Kennedy during JFK's presidency. That hypocrisy aside, despite Kennedy's mixed record during his short presidency, he was such a charismatic figure that both political parties have claimed them as their own and try to capitalize on the JFK aura. As Sabato notes, as we get more decades distant from the events of '63, that aura will certainly fade.
February 21, 2014
Larry Sabato could've released three smaller books about John F. Kennedy and they still would've been exceptional. In this single volume though, he hits a grand slam by covering JFK's presidency, assassination and enduring legacy over the past fifty years.
Sabato presents an even handed analysis of JFK's presidency, which unfortunately turned out to be one of the shortest tenures of all the U.S. chief executives. Attention is given equally to both Kennedy's failures (Bay of Pigs, initial meetings with Khrushchev, hesitancy to push civil rights legislation) and accomplishments (Cuban missile crisis, pushing a tax cut through Congress, nuclear test ban treaty). It should come as no surprise to students of JFK that his roughly one thousand day term in the oval office contained a rather short list of substantive legislative victories. Surprisingly, he was not able to get much through a "friendly" Democratic Congress. Yet, Kennedy will always be remembered as the President who saved the world from nuclear war in October 1962, making extremely tough decisions and not backing down to the Soviet missile threat in Cuba. It is a seminal event in American history, and one of the primary reasons that Kennedy is held in high regard still to this day.
Sabato then provides his own investigation of JFK's assassination, fifty years after. Once again, he gives a balanced approach, this time to both the theories of Lee Harvey Oswald as the lone assassin, and of a multi-headed conspiracy. Sabato does however hammer certain players a half century later: the CIA and FBI for not coming clean with the Warren Commission about everything they knew beforehand regarding Oswald; and the Commission itself for rushing its investigation to appease Lyndon Johnson's request to complete it rather quickly, and for failing to interview certain key witnesses to the events in Dealey Plaza. Sabato does provide some new, original analysis of evidence from November 22, 1963, namely the Dictabelt audio recording of a Dallas motorcycle policeman's open microphone during the time of the assassination. It turns out that what was thought to have possibly held some clues regarding the number of shots fired that day is actually nothing close to that. Ultimately, Sabato says that based on all of the available evidence out there, he sees nothing right now to disprove that Oswald was Kennedy's lone gunman. That's not to say new evidence or government documents awaiting release won't come along in the future to change his mind.
Sabato then takes a look at how the legacy of JFK has affected and been utilized by every U.S. President that has followed him. Johnson was able to capitalize on the nation's grief over the assassination by convincing Congress and the American people that by following through on JFK's legislative ideas would be the ultimate honor to his memory. Because of this, LBJ was able to enact the civil rights and voting rights bills in 1964-65, as well as anti-poverty legislation that made up much of his own Great Society platform. Johnson's downfall though turned out to be attributable to what he believed to be another of JFK's ideas: democracy and peace in Southeast Asia. Sabato examines the remaining Presidents and the JFK legacy; from Richard Nixon never fully escaping the Kennedy shadow, to Jimmy Carter's feuds with Ted Kennedy, to Bill Clinton's hero worship of Kennedy beginning when he was a teenager, to Barack Obama as the latest President to try and carry the torch as the Democratic party's standard bearer. In the end, Sabato argues that no succeeding President used John Kennedy's legacy to his advantage more successfully than Ronald Reagan did. For a conservative Republican to have done this shows the bipartisan appeal that JFK has, both in reality and image.
Sabato concludes the book by presenting data on a poll that his government and politics research center at the University of Virginia conducted regarding JFK's enduring legacy. Despite fifty years passing since his death, and a term in office that contained more style than substance, John F. Kennedy continues to receive extremely high approval ratings for his Presidency, compared to those that came both before and after him in the annals of American history. Sabato claims this is largely because people have given the benefit of the doubt to a President whose time on Earth was cut so short and whose youth, energy and enthusiasm had inspired a new generation of Americans to ask not what their country could do for them, but what they could do for their country. His flame will forever be eternal.
Sabato presents an even handed analysis of JFK's presidency, which unfortunately turned out to be one of the shortest tenures of all the U.S. chief executives. Attention is given equally to both Kennedy's failures (Bay of Pigs, initial meetings with Khrushchev, hesitancy to push civil rights legislation) and accomplishments (Cuban missile crisis, pushing a tax cut through Congress, nuclear test ban treaty). It should come as no surprise to students of JFK that his roughly one thousand day term in the oval office contained a rather short list of substantive legislative victories. Surprisingly, he was not able to get much through a "friendly" Democratic Congress. Yet, Kennedy will always be remembered as the President who saved the world from nuclear war in October 1962, making extremely tough decisions and not backing down to the Soviet missile threat in Cuba. It is a seminal event in American history, and one of the primary reasons that Kennedy is held in high regard still to this day.
Sabato then provides his own investigation of JFK's assassination, fifty years after. Once again, he gives a balanced approach, this time to both the theories of Lee Harvey Oswald as the lone assassin, and of a multi-headed conspiracy. Sabato does however hammer certain players a half century later: the CIA and FBI for not coming clean with the Warren Commission about everything they knew beforehand regarding Oswald; and the Commission itself for rushing its investigation to appease Lyndon Johnson's request to complete it rather quickly, and for failing to interview certain key witnesses to the events in Dealey Plaza. Sabato does provide some new, original analysis of evidence from November 22, 1963, namely the Dictabelt audio recording of a Dallas motorcycle policeman's open microphone during the time of the assassination. It turns out that what was thought to have possibly held some clues regarding the number of shots fired that day is actually nothing close to that. Ultimately, Sabato says that based on all of the available evidence out there, he sees nothing right now to disprove that Oswald was Kennedy's lone gunman. That's not to say new evidence or government documents awaiting release won't come along in the future to change his mind.
Sabato then takes a look at how the legacy of JFK has affected and been utilized by every U.S. President that has followed him. Johnson was able to capitalize on the nation's grief over the assassination by convincing Congress and the American people that by following through on JFK's legislative ideas would be the ultimate honor to his memory. Because of this, LBJ was able to enact the civil rights and voting rights bills in 1964-65, as well as anti-poverty legislation that made up much of his own Great Society platform. Johnson's downfall though turned out to be attributable to what he believed to be another of JFK's ideas: democracy and peace in Southeast Asia. Sabato examines the remaining Presidents and the JFK legacy; from Richard Nixon never fully escaping the Kennedy shadow, to Jimmy Carter's feuds with Ted Kennedy, to Bill Clinton's hero worship of Kennedy beginning when he was a teenager, to Barack Obama as the latest President to try and carry the torch as the Democratic party's standard bearer. In the end, Sabato argues that no succeeding President used John Kennedy's legacy to his advantage more successfully than Ronald Reagan did. For a conservative Republican to have done this shows the bipartisan appeal that JFK has, both in reality and image.
Sabato concludes the book by presenting data on a poll that his government and politics research center at the University of Virginia conducted regarding JFK's enduring legacy. Despite fifty years passing since his death, and a term in office that contained more style than substance, John F. Kennedy continues to receive extremely high approval ratings for his Presidency, compared to those that came both before and after him in the annals of American history. Sabato claims this is largely because people have given the benefit of the doubt to a President whose time on Earth was cut so short and whose youth, energy and enthusiasm had inspired a new generation of Americans to ask not what their country could do for them, but what they could do for their country. His flame will forever be eternal.
November 27, 2013
Reading Larry Sabato, a University of Virginia professor with many years of experience analyzing politics both in a historical and modern sense, is a breath of fresh air compared to bloviating pundits on cable television. His style is better than the partisan talking heads because he is able to back up his thoughts and approach each topic with credibility and civility. It is also better than those people who approach each topic with the false equivalence of two sides being perfectly acceptable, because Sabato's fairness is driven by putting out all of the facts and showing both the good and bad for what they are, not trying to drive some other agenda of fake fairness. So his style is very enjoyable.
The Kennedy Half Century should really be called the Kennedy-Oswald-Johnson Half Century, or, at least, the Kennedy-Oswald Half Century. The fact that Sabato misses some big opportunities to make a better, more in depth case in the end is what keeps this from being as great as it could be. In a way, his book about Kennedy ends up being very much like the Kennedy Presidency - thoughtful, engaging, very intelligent, but falling short of a higher potential.
However, the very good outways anything else.
First, the book focuses mostly on Kennedy from his run for the Presidency to his assassination. It then follow up with the Presidents that came after him. Having read Robert Caro's books on Johnson's rise through the Senate and shocking path into White House, I was most impressed to see that Sabato actually adds a lot of new depth and anaylsis to Kennedy and LBJ that I did not already know, with things like the tremendous strength of Jackie Kennedy, JFK's uncertainty with the Russians, and even more interplay between Kennedy and Johnson.
There is a lot written in this book about the assassination. What is most impressive is how Sabato gives every conspiracy theory attention, going through the possibilities of collusion from the CIA, Castro, Anti-Castro forces, Russians, Johnson, labor, and the mafia and explaining how each could have been involved, while then showing why that probably isn't the case. Sabato ends up making the case for Oswald being the lone gunman as much as a diagnosis of exclusion as anything else.
Following JFK's death we see how the Kennedy family continued to make an impact on subsequent presidencies, both directly and indirectly. The Kennedy's all seem like both awesome figures and lousy human beings all at once. Obviously JFK's affairs hurt his personal stature, but even I didn't realize how blatant he was in his philandering. Ted Kennedy, known to many Democrats as the truest of liberals, was a hinderance to many progressive plans like universal healthcare, largely to push his own candidacy. While that tactfully isn't said directly, it is pretty clear that is the picture we are made to see.
However, what is missing is more depth on how Kennedy impacted future presidencies not just in a direct way through his extended politically involved family, but through the way his own presidency and assassination changed the course of history and the political bent of the country. As Sabato points out, JFK's shocking death helped propel Johnson to be able to pass landmark civil rights legislation. He misses pointing out that this lead to a huge shift in politics in the country as the South was no longer the Solid South for the Democrats. Kennedy's death, if it lead to passage of civil rights and voting rights, also lead to a successful Southern Strategy that allowed Nixon to win in 1968. This is no small link. A single bullet changed much more history than just who was in office. It also changed what legislation was possible and where the country would move politically and culturally.
It should also be noted that both Johnson and Nixon acted many times out of paranoia, spawned largely from interactions with the Kennedy's. Looking back on it, their paranoia makes sense. Did this lead to Johnson becoming more insular in his thinking, particularly on Vietnam? Did it lead to Nixon's actions regarding Watergate? I think there is reason to believe yes, which means that the Kennedy's had even more profound impacts on the future of the country than is presented here.
Sabato points out that many people see Kennedy's death as a sort of loss of innocence for the country. That seems abundantly clear. It is no small matter and is worthy of much more discussion in the future.
I definitely recommend giving this a read.
The Kennedy Half Century should really be called the Kennedy-Oswald-Johnson Half Century, or, at least, the Kennedy-Oswald Half Century. The fact that Sabato misses some big opportunities to make a better, more in depth case in the end is what keeps this from being as great as it could be. In a way, his book about Kennedy ends up being very much like the Kennedy Presidency - thoughtful, engaging, very intelligent, but falling short of a higher potential.
However, the very good outways anything else.
First, the book focuses mostly on Kennedy from his run for the Presidency to his assassination. It then follow up with the Presidents that came after him. Having read Robert Caro's books on Johnson's rise through the Senate and shocking path into White House, I was most impressed to see that Sabato actually adds a lot of new depth and anaylsis to Kennedy and LBJ that I did not already know, with things like the tremendous strength of Jackie Kennedy, JFK's uncertainty with the Russians, and even more interplay between Kennedy and Johnson.
There is a lot written in this book about the assassination. What is most impressive is how Sabato gives every conspiracy theory attention, going through the possibilities of collusion from the CIA, Castro, Anti-Castro forces, Russians, Johnson, labor, and the mafia and explaining how each could have been involved, while then showing why that probably isn't the case. Sabato ends up making the case for Oswald being the lone gunman as much as a diagnosis of exclusion as anything else.
Following JFK's death we see how the Kennedy family continued to make an impact on subsequent presidencies, both directly and indirectly. The Kennedy's all seem like both awesome figures and lousy human beings all at once. Obviously JFK's affairs hurt his personal stature, but even I didn't realize how blatant he was in his philandering. Ted Kennedy, known to many Democrats as the truest of liberals, was a hinderance to many progressive plans like universal healthcare, largely to push his own candidacy. While that tactfully isn't said directly, it is pretty clear that is the picture we are made to see.
However, what is missing is more depth on how Kennedy impacted future presidencies not just in a direct way through his extended politically involved family, but through the way his own presidency and assassination changed the course of history and the political bent of the country. As Sabato points out, JFK's shocking death helped propel Johnson to be able to pass landmark civil rights legislation. He misses pointing out that this lead to a huge shift in politics in the country as the South was no longer the Solid South for the Democrats. Kennedy's death, if it lead to passage of civil rights and voting rights, also lead to a successful Southern Strategy that allowed Nixon to win in 1968. This is no small link. A single bullet changed much more history than just who was in office. It also changed what legislation was possible and where the country would move politically and culturally.
It should also be noted that both Johnson and Nixon acted many times out of paranoia, spawned largely from interactions with the Kennedy's. Looking back on it, their paranoia makes sense. Did this lead to Johnson becoming more insular in his thinking, particularly on Vietnam? Did it lead to Nixon's actions regarding Watergate? I think there is reason to believe yes, which means that the Kennedy's had even more profound impacts on the future of the country than is presented here.
Sabato points out that many people see Kennedy's death as a sort of loss of innocence for the country. That seems abundantly clear. It is no small matter and is worthy of much more discussion in the future.
I definitely recommend giving this a read.
January 17, 2016
This was a completely engrossing book and - especially for the subject at hand - as non-partisan a book as there likely could be. Everything was meticulously referenced, explained, and conclusions weren't stated without noting evidence weighing on both sides. There were a few parts to this book: a brief review of JFK's presidency, his assassination and the subsequent investigation(s), and the ways in which JFK continues to influence politics on all sides of the political spectrum, despite his actual time in office being so short.
One of the things that sets this book apart from others is that the author didn't appear to have an underlying motive in writing this, no hidden agenda, except to examine how influential JFK was, even after his death and why we are still so fascinated by him. I suppose this fascination is what led me - and others - to pick up this book in the first place, despite not knowing exactly why we're intrigued. As the author noted, part of it is simply because of the different time that he seemed to live in, when the press was more deferential to leaders and the overall meaning of big events was not nit-picked apart to the point of being rendered ridiculous; as the author notes, Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berliner" quote did not translate perfectly, but the press then overlooked this in favor of focusing on the bigger impact of the entire speech. I'm quite sure that the author's correct when he noted that such a mistake now would be great fodder for late-night comedians, as well as political opponents. There's a lesson to be learned here...
The chapters detailing the assassination, how it was (or might have been) pulled off, and the various claims of conspiracy were gripping. The author spent time examining all sorts of claims about what "really" happened that day and who was "really" involved; I loved the thoroughness. Claims weren't dismissed out of hand, but the author presented the evidence, or lack thereof, in support of various theories, making it interesting to think about why people are so eager to believe certain versions of the "truth". Some of the commentary was entertaining as well, such as when it was noted that if everyone who now claims to have been in Dallas that day actually had been there, they wouldn't have all fit.
The last third or so of the book was devoted to exploring the presidencies of JFK's successors and how they each invoked Kennedy's legacy for their own agendas, simply because of the weigh his memory lends. It was like a short history lesson on each president, with the focus being on the ways they were alike, and unlike, Kennedy - and, of course, the ways they strove to compare themselves to him. Seeing the number of times Kennedy was quoted by various presidents, compared to the number of times other "big name" presidents were mentioned, was fascinating. Somehow, despite all the subsequent revelations of Kennedy's less-than-stellar private life, he still appears untouchable. The author interviewed so many subjects for this book, including former presidents and their families, and the book seems so strong because of it. There are so many viewpoints and recollections in here, alongside reports, facts, and older interviews, that everything feels balanced.
This entire book was so readable. It made for an extremely accessible, yet also quite in-depth, look at Kennedy's seemingly eternal legacy. Well-researched and nicely put together, this did such an excellent job of making the events of a half-century ago seem completely fresh. Highly recommended for those interested in JFK or American political history in general.
One of the things that sets this book apart from others is that the author didn't appear to have an underlying motive in writing this, no hidden agenda, except to examine how influential JFK was, even after his death and why we are still so fascinated by him. I suppose this fascination is what led me - and others - to pick up this book in the first place, despite not knowing exactly why we're intrigued. As the author noted, part of it is simply because of the different time that he seemed to live in, when the press was more deferential to leaders and the overall meaning of big events was not nit-picked apart to the point of being rendered ridiculous; as the author notes, Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berliner" quote did not translate perfectly, but the press then overlooked this in favor of focusing on the bigger impact of the entire speech. I'm quite sure that the author's correct when he noted that such a mistake now would be great fodder for late-night comedians, as well as political opponents. There's a lesson to be learned here...
The chapters detailing the assassination, how it was (or might have been) pulled off, and the various claims of conspiracy were gripping. The author spent time examining all sorts of claims about what "really" happened that day and who was "really" involved; I loved the thoroughness. Claims weren't dismissed out of hand, but the author presented the evidence, or lack thereof, in support of various theories, making it interesting to think about why people are so eager to believe certain versions of the "truth". Some of the commentary was entertaining as well, such as when it was noted that if everyone who now claims to have been in Dallas that day actually had been there, they wouldn't have all fit.
The last third or so of the book was devoted to exploring the presidencies of JFK's successors and how they each invoked Kennedy's legacy for their own agendas, simply because of the weigh his memory lends. It was like a short history lesson on each president, with the focus being on the ways they were alike, and unlike, Kennedy - and, of course, the ways they strove to compare themselves to him. Seeing the number of times Kennedy was quoted by various presidents, compared to the number of times other "big name" presidents were mentioned, was fascinating. Somehow, despite all the subsequent revelations of Kennedy's less-than-stellar private life, he still appears untouchable. The author interviewed so many subjects for this book, including former presidents and their families, and the book seems so strong because of it. There are so many viewpoints and recollections in here, alongside reports, facts, and older interviews, that everything feels balanced.
This entire book was so readable. It made for an extremely accessible, yet also quite in-depth, look at Kennedy's seemingly eternal legacy. Well-researched and nicely put together, this did such an excellent job of making the events of a half-century ago seem completely fresh. Highly recommended for those interested in JFK or American political history in general.
July 17, 2014
It has been more than fifty years now since that tragic day in Dallas in 1963, and yet the public fascination with JFK shows no sign of abating. Despite a presidency of just over a thousand days he is consistently ranked up with the greatest of American presidents; books, articles, documents, films, video games continue to pour out every year; and few policy initiatives or presidential campaigns have been complete without some kind of Kennedy endorsement.
In this truly engrossing book, Larry Sabato sets out to explore that Kennedy legacy, looking first at his campaign for the presidency, his brief tenure in the White House and his assassination in Dallas on 22nd November 1963. He then explores the conspiracy theories surrounding Kennedy's death and the various investigations, primarily the Warren Commission and the House Select Committee on Assassinations.
The second half of this book is devoted to the post-Kennedy presidents and how they variously tackled the ghost in the White House, with both Democrats and Republicans consciously positioning themselves as Kennedy's successors, invoking his actions, speeches and legislation as precedents and justification for their own actions. From LBJ who consciously set out to carry out Kennedy's legacy, Bill Clinton who hero-worshipped him, and Obama, whose campaign echoed some of the rhetoric of hope and vigour that was so redolent of the New Frontier, JFK has been consistently cited and evoked far more than any other President, more than Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson.
Assassination, Sabato concludes, made JFK untouchable - and that lack of any definitive answer to the question of 'why?' has only strengthened the legend. It made him mythical, casting his brief presidency in a rose-tinted glow that will never fade, can never be tarnished, and can never be equalled. JFK will always be held up as the ultimate 'might-have-been'; his presidency always a nostalgic 'what-if'. For JFK, like Lincoln, there can be no slow decline, no gradual disillusionment and disappointment, no partisan post-presidency analysis and criticism. JFK will eternally be young and handsome and energetic, will always be the embodiment of America in the hopeful early days of the Sixties, a promise that was destroyed before it could be betrayed.
In this truly engrossing book, Larry Sabato sets out to explore that Kennedy legacy, looking first at his campaign for the presidency, his brief tenure in the White House and his assassination in Dallas on 22nd November 1963. He then explores the conspiracy theories surrounding Kennedy's death and the various investigations, primarily the Warren Commission and the House Select Committee on Assassinations.
The second half of this book is devoted to the post-Kennedy presidents and how they variously tackled the ghost in the White House, with both Democrats and Republicans consciously positioning themselves as Kennedy's successors, invoking his actions, speeches and legislation as precedents and justification for their own actions. From LBJ who consciously set out to carry out Kennedy's legacy, Bill Clinton who hero-worshipped him, and Obama, whose campaign echoed some of the rhetoric of hope and vigour that was so redolent of the New Frontier, JFK has been consistently cited and evoked far more than any other President, more than Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson.
Assassination, Sabato concludes, made JFK untouchable - and that lack of any definitive answer to the question of 'why?' has only strengthened the legend. It made him mythical, casting his brief presidency in a rose-tinted glow that will never fade, can never be tarnished, and can never be equalled. JFK will always be held up as the ultimate 'might-have-been'; his presidency always a nostalgic 'what-if'. For JFK, like Lincoln, there can be no slow decline, no gradual disillusionment and disappointment, no partisan post-presidency analysis and criticism. JFK will eternally be young and handsome and energetic, will always be the embodiment of America in the hopeful early days of the Sixties, a promise that was destroyed before it could be betrayed.
November 4, 2015
As the subtitle of this book states, the author has split his work into three sections. 'The Kennedy Half-Century' could be described as having a fourth division, as the Notes alone cover some one hundred and fifty pages.
The Presidency of JFK has been thoroughly documented over the past fifty years and Sabato's condensed treatment of Kennedy's political career in the first hundred or so pages offers little above the prior publications from the likes of Schlesinger, Sorensen or Dallek.
Although the section dealing with the assassination begins with:-'Winston Churchill's dictum about Russia fully applies to the murder of John F. Kennedy:It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.' Larry Sabato acknowledges the rushed and flawed investigations of Hoover's FBI and the biased, predetermined verdicts of the Warren Commission. He then presents his selected 'evidence' to confirm the WC findings. To be fair, this subject requires greater depth and balance than is allowed for here. The author's research into the DPD dictabelt evidence was completely new to me and requires further investigation before I can judge the merits of the 'Sonalysts' study.
The merits of Sabato's 2013 publication, for me, came in the final section, 'the Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy. As an Englishman I certainly agree with Katie Couric's review when she writes, 'this is a fascinating examination of the policies he put in place and how they influenced the nine Presidents who followed him into the Oval Office.'
Bob Schieffer, CBS News in his review writes that 'Larry Sabato has compiled a mountain of research that is sure to be the go-to reference on the assassination for years to come.' I can't agree with that opinion. I found too many points in this book that caused me raised eyebrows and would recommend caution from the reader from a rush to judgement...even after fifty years!
The Presidency of JFK has been thoroughly documented over the past fifty years and Sabato's condensed treatment of Kennedy's political career in the first hundred or so pages offers little above the prior publications from the likes of Schlesinger, Sorensen or Dallek.
Although the section dealing with the assassination begins with:-'Winston Churchill's dictum about Russia fully applies to the murder of John F. Kennedy:It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.' Larry Sabato acknowledges the rushed and flawed investigations of Hoover's FBI and the biased, predetermined verdicts of the Warren Commission. He then presents his selected 'evidence' to confirm the WC findings. To be fair, this subject requires greater depth and balance than is allowed for here. The author's research into the DPD dictabelt evidence was completely new to me and requires further investigation before I can judge the merits of the 'Sonalysts' study.
The merits of Sabato's 2013 publication, for me, came in the final section, 'the Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy. As an Englishman I certainly agree with Katie Couric's review when she writes, 'this is a fascinating examination of the policies he put in place and how they influenced the nine Presidents who followed him into the Oval Office.'
Bob Schieffer, CBS News in his review writes that 'Larry Sabato has compiled a mountain of research that is sure to be the go-to reference on the assassination for years to come.' I can't agree with that opinion. I found too many points in this book that caused me raised eyebrows and would recommend caution from the reader from a rush to judgement...even after fifty years!
June 2, 2015
this book had many different topics he covered and I've never read one quite like it. Even though it didn't seem a bit long there was still quite a lot of insight and it made you think. First off the author gives quite a lot of background leading up to the Kennedy era and in addition he sheds a lot of different viewpoints on the assassination. A lot of it we already know but there was a lot of deeper digging that he did on his own and got special permission to use for this book and he had a lot of interesting quotes and one-on-one interviews with various people too many to name.
The one interesting thing I did find in this book is the author did a nice compare and contrast of almost every president after Kennedy he went from Johnson all the way up to Obama. Even though Obama and the second George Bush were more recent than any of the other presidents there is still several parallels even in today's society of what Kennedy did back then in the 1960s.
I read this on my nook and the one advantage to doing that is the version of the book that is on my nook the source material where the author got the information is provided in footnotes and he even has a special notes section with various websites to look up different information about what each trying to get across. I was surprised also at the section at the very end that had photos of the Kennedys some of them I had seen other's I don't recall seeing so that was a nice touch to the book as well.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the Kennedys and who would want to compare and contrast presidents because it provides plenty of valuable information on that subject as well is the assassination itself. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and hope others will too if you're a history buff.
The one interesting thing I did find in this book is the author did a nice compare and contrast of almost every president after Kennedy he went from Johnson all the way up to Obama. Even though Obama and the second George Bush were more recent than any of the other presidents there is still several parallels even in today's society of what Kennedy did back then in the 1960s.
I read this on my nook and the one advantage to doing that is the version of the book that is on my nook the source material where the author got the information is provided in footnotes and he even has a special notes section with various websites to look up different information about what each trying to get across. I was surprised also at the section at the very end that had photos of the Kennedys some of them I had seen other's I don't recall seeing so that was a nice touch to the book as well.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the Kennedys and who would want to compare and contrast presidents because it provides plenty of valuable information on that subject as well is the assassination itself. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and hope others will too if you're a history buff.
March 12, 2014
I'm all for "balanced" historical analysis. And this book promises it. A promise that would make this a very rare book in a Kennedy book universe filled airbrushed fairy tales and mean spirited hatchet jobs.
But if 'balanced' historical analysis means you ask Rick Santorum and Sarah Palin to review and comment on a 1960 speech delivered by Senator John F. Kennedy and then you quote them in the book . . . Well, you aren't delivering 'balanced' historical analysis. You're delivering useless filler void of meaningful substance. Promise broken.
The author does not betray any axes to grind. And in that sense the book can be called "fair". But there's no new information here for students of President Kennedy.
No, quoting from fan mail sent to the Kennedy family does not reveal anything we did not previously know.
Yes, Ronald Reagan was a hypocrite for spending decades criticizing all things Kennedy and then embracing all things Kennedy once in the presidency.
No, we will never know the truth of what happened in Dallas.
Yes, the Kennedy legacy is infinitely larger and more powerful than the man who bequeathed it to us.
This is well charted territory. Nothing new.
But if 'balanced' historical analysis means you ask Rick Santorum and Sarah Palin to review and comment on a 1960 speech delivered by Senator John F. Kennedy and then you quote them in the book . . . Well, you aren't delivering 'balanced' historical analysis. You're delivering useless filler void of meaningful substance. Promise broken.
The author does not betray any axes to grind. And in that sense the book can be called "fair". But there's no new information here for students of President Kennedy.
No, quoting from fan mail sent to the Kennedy family does not reveal anything we did not previously know.
Yes, Ronald Reagan was a hypocrite for spending decades criticizing all things Kennedy and then embracing all things Kennedy once in the presidency.
No, we will never know the truth of what happened in Dallas.
Yes, the Kennedy legacy is infinitely larger and more powerful than the man who bequeathed it to us.
This is well charted territory. Nothing new.
January 16, 2014
This is perhaps, the, or at least one of the foremost studies of the Kennedy presidency and legacy. As other reviewers have commented, it is really three books in one, and because of personal disinterest, the portion on conspiracy does drag on. Nonetheless, Sabato has managed to work new facts with old information in a way that makes this work a must for all Kennedy scholars and enthusiasts. The final chapters, on legacy and comparison to other presidencies, is worth the time - ALONE.
Read
February 18, 2021John F. Kennedy was the youngest president in US history, and he has 1 sister and 2 brothers. John F. Kennedy was the 35th president of the United States Also because his dad was a famous politician, Kennedy was influenced to become a Politician. Then on September 12, 1953, he married Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Kennedy is most famous for is his decision to raise the money for the space program in U Usa that let Apollo 11 blasted off on July 16, 1969, and successfully land on the moon. This decision is especially important because it let many scientists have data on the moon that is useful for the experiment. Also, the decision that impacted the world is the way he deals with the Cuba missile, the time USA is in the cold war with the USSR and there is a missile in Cuba and they do not have enough time. If they did not do anything to the missile or did something to it but is been find out they will lose the cold war, so Kennedy thought of an idea that let people debate in many rooms. At last, I think without Kennedy the world today might change a lot.
October 26, 2013
BOOK REVIEW: 'The Kennedy Half-Century': JFK Is Still the Most Popular President 50 Years After Dallas; He Continues to Exert Influence on Leaders of All Political Persuasions
Ransom Stoddard: You're not going to use the story, Mr. Scott?
Maxwell Scott: No, sir. This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend. -- "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", 1962
* * *
Although he was president only two years and ten months, John F. Kennedy was the most highly rated president by a wide margin in a poll of 2,009 adults who rated presidents from Dwight Eisenhower to Bill Clinton, according to Larry J. Sabato in his monumental "The Kennedy Half-Century: The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy" (Bloomsbury USA, 624 pages, 16-page color and b&w photo insert, notes, index, $30.00).
The runner-up in the poll, conducted by Peter Hart and Geoff Garin, was Ronald Reagan, followed closely by Dwight D. Eisenhower and Bill Clinton (the poll results are in Chapter 21, "The People's President"). Presidents Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush and Lyndon B. Johnson were pretty much even --and Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon brought up the rear.
Published on the eve of the 50th anniversary of events of Nov. 22, 1963 in Dallas, "The Kennedy Half-Century" deals in considerable detail with the controversy over the assassination, with Sabato reporting that most people refuse to believe the conclusion of the Warren Commission, that one lone gunman on the 6th Floor of the Texas School Book Depository in downtown Dallas -- Lee Harvey Oswald, a 24-year-old ex-Marine -- acted alone using an Italian bolt-action rifle to kill Kennedy and wound Texas Gov. John Connally.
Sabato -- born to a devout Roman Catholic family in Norfolk, VA in 1952 and inspired by JFK and his presidency—explores the fascinating and powerful influence he has had over five decades on the media, the general public, and especially on each of his nine presidential successors.
It may come as a surprise to many readers, but the runner up to JFK in the popularity poll, Ronald W. Reagan, drew upon the legend and the record of JFK to an extraordinary degree, Sabato writes, quoting a scholar (Page 348): "While Reagan quoted FDR 76 times between his 1981 inauguration and his 1984 reelection he cited John Kennedy on 133 occasions."
Sabato notes on Page 349 that Reagan's "recurrent use of JFK was a carefully planned political strategy, on a par with Lyndon Johnson's regular invocation of President Kennedy." This obsession with the martyred president led the Republican National Committee to compile a "quote file" to show how much Reagan was in sync with JFK on many issues, from tax cuts to national defense, Sabato writes.
A recent Gallup poll gave JFK the highest job approval rating of any of those successors, and millions remain captivated by his one thousand days in the White House. Despite the revelations of JFK's repeated womanizing and marital infidelity, he is still idolized by millions of people worldwide.
Sabato renews the plea of many writers -- along with the vast army of Kennedy assassination writers and buffs -- for the federal government to release autopsy photos and other forensic evidence, something the government has refused to do. He argues -- and I couldn't agree more because I refuse to believe the conclusions of the Warren Commission -- that the information belongs to the historians and the public because it's a product of government work, including the puzzling choice of conducting the JFK autopsy at Bethesda Naval Hospital rather than in Dallas, as required by state law.
On pages 248-9, discussing the events of Friday, Nov. 22, 1963, Sabato says that a conspiracy cannot be proved, nor can it be dismissed out of hand. He also says that there is "no doubt" that Oswald, who received outstanding marksmanship results with an M1 rifle in the Marine Corps, was "at least one" of the shooters, if indeed there was a second or third gunman.
Sabato says there is also no doubt -- based on the ballistic evidence of Oswald's revolver -- that he killed Dallas Police Officer J.D. Tippit in the weird aftermath of the horrific events at Dealey Plaza. He also discusses the mob connections of Jack Ruby, the transplanted Chicagoan who shot and killed Oswald in the nation's first television murder.
Doubters of the Warren Commission report 's conclusions included the majority of people queried by writers, along with Lyndon Johnson and the Kennedy family, Sabato writes on Page 252. He also discusses the role of the CIA and the unusual -- to say the least -- treatment of Oswald after he defected to the Soviet Union, married a Russian woman related to a KGB officer and then changed his mind and moved with Marina back to the States. All this at the height of the Cold War!
While Sabato trashes the Oliver Stone film "JFK" which presents the most far-fetched conspiracy theories, he acknowledges that many younger Americans accept Stone's conclusions as gospel.
Like many of my pre-Boomer generation, I was influenced by Kennedy. He was the first president I voted for, after I turned 22 in the fall of 1960 as a senior at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. I remember exactly where I was when I learned of his assassination that fateful Friday in November 1963.
Sabato's "The Kennedy Half-Century" will appeal to history buffs and political junkies alike. There probably will never be a satisfactory answer to who did what on Nov. 23, 1963, but Sabato's book will answer many questions -- as well as raise many more.
Ransom Stoddard: You're not going to use the story, Mr. Scott?
Maxwell Scott: No, sir. This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend. -- "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", 1962
* * *
Although he was president only two years and ten months, John F. Kennedy was the most highly rated president by a wide margin in a poll of 2,009 adults who rated presidents from Dwight Eisenhower to Bill Clinton, according to Larry J. Sabato in his monumental "The Kennedy Half-Century: The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy" (Bloomsbury USA, 624 pages, 16-page color and b&w photo insert, notes, index, $30.00).
The runner-up in the poll, conducted by Peter Hart and Geoff Garin, was Ronald Reagan, followed closely by Dwight D. Eisenhower and Bill Clinton (the poll results are in Chapter 21, "The People's President"). Presidents Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush and Lyndon B. Johnson were pretty much even --and Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon brought up the rear.
Published on the eve of the 50th anniversary of events of Nov. 22, 1963 in Dallas, "The Kennedy Half-Century" deals in considerable detail with the controversy over the assassination, with Sabato reporting that most people refuse to believe the conclusion of the Warren Commission, that one lone gunman on the 6th Floor of the Texas School Book Depository in downtown Dallas -- Lee Harvey Oswald, a 24-year-old ex-Marine -- acted alone using an Italian bolt-action rifle to kill Kennedy and wound Texas Gov. John Connally.
Sabato -- born to a devout Roman Catholic family in Norfolk, VA in 1952 and inspired by JFK and his presidency—explores the fascinating and powerful influence he has had over five decades on the media, the general public, and especially on each of his nine presidential successors.
It may come as a surprise to many readers, but the runner up to JFK in the popularity poll, Ronald W. Reagan, drew upon the legend and the record of JFK to an extraordinary degree, Sabato writes, quoting a scholar (Page 348): "While Reagan quoted FDR 76 times between his 1981 inauguration and his 1984 reelection he cited John Kennedy on 133 occasions."
Sabato notes on Page 349 that Reagan's "recurrent use of JFK was a carefully planned political strategy, on a par with Lyndon Johnson's regular invocation of President Kennedy." This obsession with the martyred president led the Republican National Committee to compile a "quote file" to show how much Reagan was in sync with JFK on many issues, from tax cuts to national defense, Sabato writes.
A recent Gallup poll gave JFK the highest job approval rating of any of those successors, and millions remain captivated by his one thousand days in the White House. Despite the revelations of JFK's repeated womanizing and marital infidelity, he is still idolized by millions of people worldwide.
Sabato renews the plea of many writers -- along with the vast army of Kennedy assassination writers and buffs -- for the federal government to release autopsy photos and other forensic evidence, something the government has refused to do. He argues -- and I couldn't agree more because I refuse to believe the conclusions of the Warren Commission -- that the information belongs to the historians and the public because it's a product of government work, including the puzzling choice of conducting the JFK autopsy at Bethesda Naval Hospital rather than in Dallas, as required by state law.
On pages 248-9, discussing the events of Friday, Nov. 22, 1963, Sabato says that a conspiracy cannot be proved, nor can it be dismissed out of hand. He also says that there is "no doubt" that Oswald, who received outstanding marksmanship results with an M1 rifle in the Marine Corps, was "at least one" of the shooters, if indeed there was a second or third gunman.
Sabato says there is also no doubt -- based on the ballistic evidence of Oswald's revolver -- that he killed Dallas Police Officer J.D. Tippit in the weird aftermath of the horrific events at Dealey Plaza. He also discusses the mob connections of Jack Ruby, the transplanted Chicagoan who shot and killed Oswald in the nation's first television murder.
Doubters of the Warren Commission report 's conclusions included the majority of people queried by writers, along with Lyndon Johnson and the Kennedy family, Sabato writes on Page 252. He also discusses the role of the CIA and the unusual -- to say the least -- treatment of Oswald after he defected to the Soviet Union, married a Russian woman related to a KGB officer and then changed his mind and moved with Marina back to the States. All this at the height of the Cold War!
While Sabato trashes the Oliver Stone film "JFK" which presents the most far-fetched conspiracy theories, he acknowledges that many younger Americans accept Stone's conclusions as gospel.
Like many of my pre-Boomer generation, I was influenced by Kennedy. He was the first president I voted for, after I turned 22 in the fall of 1960 as a senior at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. I remember exactly where I was when I learned of his assassination that fateful Friday in November 1963.
Sabato's "The Kennedy Half-Century" will appeal to history buffs and political junkies alike. There probably will never be a satisfactory answer to who did what on Nov. 23, 1963, but Sabato's book will answer many questions -- as well as raise many more.
September 19, 2023
Actually really love jfk now
November 4, 2013
4.5 stars. John F. Kennedy is still considered one of the most well-known and beloved American Presidents. His influence has lasted for 50 years. With the 50th anniversary of his untimely assassination coming up later in November, well known political scientist, Larry J. Sabato, explores Kennedy's presidency, his death, and his long lasting legacy and influence on American politics. This book is absolutely fascinating and a great book for lovers of politics and history!
The book opens with Kennedy's death. Yes, there has been many books on the subject but what I appreciated about this book is that Sabato uses a lot of detail from primary sources, which really helped to bring me into the thick of the action as a reader. Sabato explores some of the conspiracies around Kennedy's death. This isn't new territory for those who have read any of the many books about JFK but the detail that Sabato adds again serves to make this book a little bit new and different.
The second half of the book is made up of chapters on how JFK and his legacy affected the subsequent Presidents. This was new territory to me as I had never really thought about how much our Presidents still draw on JFK's memory. For example, just look at what Caroline Kennedy and Ted Kennedy's endorsement of presidential candidate, Barack Obama, did for his campaign. The Kennedy name still has the power to excite. It was fascinating to see how politicians from both sides of the aisle have continued to embrace JFK's power.
I really enjoyed this book and know that it will be a great reference book for me in the future. This will definitely be the next book that I make my dear husband read! We don't agree on a lot about books we like but I know that this one fits both of our bills.
The book opens with Kennedy's death. Yes, there has been many books on the subject but what I appreciated about this book is that Sabato uses a lot of detail from primary sources, which really helped to bring me into the thick of the action as a reader. Sabato explores some of the conspiracies around Kennedy's death. This isn't new territory for those who have read any of the many books about JFK but the detail that Sabato adds again serves to make this book a little bit new and different.
The second half of the book is made up of chapters on how JFK and his legacy affected the subsequent Presidents. This was new territory to me as I had never really thought about how much our Presidents still draw on JFK's memory. For example, just look at what Caroline Kennedy and Ted Kennedy's endorsement of presidential candidate, Barack Obama, did for his campaign. The Kennedy name still has the power to excite. It was fascinating to see how politicians from both sides of the aisle have continued to embrace JFK's power.
I really enjoyed this book and know that it will be a great reference book for me in the future. This will definitely be the next book that I make my dear husband read! We don't agree on a lot about books we like but I know that this one fits both of our bills.
September 5, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I first became aware of it through the Coursera class of the same name. That class was more sensational in tone than this work. I enjoyed this more due the scholarly, even-handed, and thorough approach. It is clear that Sabato has a great deal of respect for the material along with what the presidency means to the American nation. This is the type of history book that brings it all alive. I give this a very high recommendation for history buffs and those not so inclined.
Well done, Mr. Sabato.
Well done, Mr. Sabato.
August 19, 2019
There are some interesting parts, but the details on all the assassination theories/evidence really drag things down.
July 3, 2022
I would give this 3-and-a-half stars.
This is actually three books in one. The first is a very concise but interesting history of the Kennedy Administration. Sabato presents the issues and events of the time in a clear and lean fashion. This part of the book is highly recommended.
The middle of the book sees Sabato look at the various controversies around the assassination. He quotes a guy who says "I know all the facts about the assassination, but I still don't know what happened." The reader will feel the same way after reading these chapters. There is no audio evidence of a second gunman, despite what was said in 1979. That is about the only definite thing that one comes away with (beyond Oswald's guilt.)
The third part of the book looks at JFK's legacy and impact on subsequent Presidents. In a way, this reminded me of Gary Willis' "The Kennedy Imprisonment," which was written in 1982. Sabato's judgments seem fair. He makes the good point that it was the Kennedys who undercut the two post-JFK Democratic Presidents (LBJ and Carter), which was something I knew but hadn't really thought about before. My problem with this part of the book was that after Clinton, it seems like JFK's influence vanishes. Sabato's chapter on George W. Bush is barely five pages long and is mostly how Bush manipulated Ted Kennedy. (Again, something I remember but is very interesting in light of how Ted Kennedy kneecapped Carter.)
"The Kennedy Half-Century" was published nearly ten years ago. What is amazing is how utterly remote JFK seems today. The endless crisis of the Trump years has made Kennedy seem like a bygone figure in a way that seemed unthinkable in 2013.
This is actually three books in one. The first is a very concise but interesting history of the Kennedy Administration. Sabato presents the issues and events of the time in a clear and lean fashion. This part of the book is highly recommended.
The middle of the book sees Sabato look at the various controversies around the assassination. He quotes a guy who says "I know all the facts about the assassination, but I still don't know what happened." The reader will feel the same way after reading these chapters. There is no audio evidence of a second gunman, despite what was said in 1979. That is about the only definite thing that one comes away with (beyond Oswald's guilt.)
The third part of the book looks at JFK's legacy and impact on subsequent Presidents. In a way, this reminded me of Gary Willis' "The Kennedy Imprisonment," which was written in 1982. Sabato's judgments seem fair. He makes the good point that it was the Kennedys who undercut the two post-JFK Democratic Presidents (LBJ and Carter), which was something I knew but hadn't really thought about before. My problem with this part of the book was that after Clinton, it seems like JFK's influence vanishes. Sabato's chapter on George W. Bush is barely five pages long and is mostly how Bush manipulated Ted Kennedy. (Again, something I remember but is very interesting in light of how Ted Kennedy kneecapped Carter.)
"The Kennedy Half-Century" was published nearly ten years ago. What is amazing is how utterly remote JFK seems today. The endless crisis of the Trump years has made Kennedy seem like a bygone figure in a way that seemed unthinkable in 2013.
August 31, 2017
I took this course through Coursera.org. This book is a more detailed version of the course. For anyone who recalls the Kennedy assassination at all, this book gives an in-depth look at the Kennedy family, administration, assassination and aftermath. It talks about the conspiracy theories concerning the assassination and what allowed the theories to take root.
While this book does not offer a solution to what happened on November 22, 1963; it does uproot some of the conspiracy theories which have flourished over the years. It also offers a clearer picture of what might have occurred.
While I suppose I was hoping for an answer, what I learned about presidents that rode the Kennedy coattails was remarkable. How it was a man who had multiple affairs managed to give the people in his world a feeling of Camelot is still a bit fuzzy in my head, but none the less, I am glad that I took the class and read the book.
For all of you who are interested in what occurred that day, you can hear it live as it occurred if you can handle it. There is also a webpage with apps for iphones and android phones that allow you to do just that.
One other thing, for those of you who think this will no longer bother you to relive those days; I thought the same thing, but I was brought to tears by this book.
While this book does not offer a solution to what happened on November 22, 1963; it does uproot some of the conspiracy theories which have flourished over the years. It also offers a clearer picture of what might have occurred.
While I suppose I was hoping for an answer, what I learned about presidents that rode the Kennedy coattails was remarkable. How it was a man who had multiple affairs managed to give the people in his world a feeling of Camelot is still a bit fuzzy in my head, but none the less, I am glad that I took the class and read the book.
For all of you who are interested in what occurred that day, you can hear it live as it occurred if you can handle it. There is also a webpage with apps for iphones and android phones that allow you to do just that.
One other thing, for those of you who think this will no longer bother you to relive those days; I thought the same thing, but I was brought to tears by this book.
May 10, 2021
Be forewarned, this is NOT a biography of JFK. Read the book synopsis before reading the book. This is a book on JFK’s influence on America and other Presidents.
I thought this was a surprisingly fair book on the legend of the Kennedy’s and JFKs assassination.. I really liked the way the assassination was laid out and how he addressed all the other theories in a very detailed, logical manner. The book is worth reading / listening to because of the assassination analysis alone. Exceptionally well presented and thoroughly researched.
I only gave it 4 stars because I wish more details were given on his earlier life. That may not be fair considering what the book’s true topic was but I did find it a big hole in this book.
Still a very interesting book and a welcome analysis on the mythical legend of JFK. I was glad to see that Sabato discussed all of JFKs cheating, fraud and dishonesty and showed that Americans were fooled by an incredible public relations team who lied, cheated and stole to get a Kennedy in the White House and to keep that fictional legend alive.
I thought this was a surprisingly fair book on the legend of the Kennedy’s and JFKs assassination.. I really liked the way the assassination was laid out and how he addressed all the other theories in a very detailed, logical manner. The book is worth reading / listening to because of the assassination analysis alone. Exceptionally well presented and thoroughly researched.
I only gave it 4 stars because I wish more details were given on his earlier life. That may not be fair considering what the book’s true topic was but I did find it a big hole in this book.
Still a very interesting book and a welcome analysis on the mythical legend of JFK. I was glad to see that Sabato discussed all of JFKs cheating, fraud and dishonesty and showed that Americans were fooled by an incredible public relations team who lied, cheated and stole to get a Kennedy in the White House and to keep that fictional legend alive.
May 14, 2021
The Kennedy Half-Century isn't a biography. While it hits some of the highlights of Kennedy's political career, it's more concerned with why America has spent more than 50 years fascinated with Kennedy's life and death, and why such a short presidency has had such an outsized impact on the office.
Sabato makes for a great guide/narrator, taking the reader through conspiracy theories and Kennedy's outsized impact on history in a way that never becomes too dry or boring. He's just funny enough and just personal enough to bring his subject matter out of the realm of dry, lifeless history. It makes for an interesting look at Kennedy, his assassination, and the way his brief time in office has rippled through the half-century following his death. As someone who went into it with a fairly limited knowledge of Kennedy, I found it very interesting (though it may not have that much to offer Kennedy buffs). It's also a reasonably balanced portrayal of Kennedy; Sabato paints Kennedy as neither a saint nor the devil, neither the great liberal hope nor a centrist hack. He embraces the complexities of trying to relate the Kennedy story and the book is better for it.
4/5
Sabato makes for a great guide/narrator, taking the reader through conspiracy theories and Kennedy's outsized impact on history in a way that never becomes too dry or boring. He's just funny enough and just personal enough to bring his subject matter out of the realm of dry, lifeless history. It makes for an interesting look at Kennedy, his assassination, and the way his brief time in office has rippled through the half-century following his death. As someone who went into it with a fairly limited knowledge of Kennedy, I found it very interesting (though it may not have that much to offer Kennedy buffs). It's also a reasonably balanced portrayal of Kennedy; Sabato paints Kennedy as neither a saint nor the devil, neither the great liberal hope nor a centrist hack. He embraces the complexities of trying to relate the Kennedy story and the book is better for it.
4/5
April 21, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read it for a UVA class with Larry Sabato himself, and I am honestly sad that I have finished it. Sabato full captures the extent of the Kennedy legacy, diving deep into every aspect of Kennedy’s life and the lasting effects of his life. Prior to beginning this book (and this course), I had a basic knowledge of Kennedy; however, now I not only know what made Kennedy such a genius but the pivotal mistakes that he made. Sabato spoke directly regarding Kennedy’s legacy but also communicated regarding how our country perceives his legacy and why.
It is incredible that the life of one man can maintain such a significant meaning and symbolism. Especially how we almost overlook the mistakes that he made in his career, all due to his charisma and influence. It also caught me by surprise the connections between Kennedy and other presidents, specifically regarding how they have used his legacy to fuel their own.
It is incredible that the life of one man can maintain such a significant meaning and symbolism. Especially how we almost overlook the mistakes that he made in his career, all due to his charisma and influence. It also caught me by surprise the connections between Kennedy and other presidents, specifically regarding how they have used his legacy to fuel their own.
September 8, 2024
This is a very good book.
I thought the best section was the first, about Kennedy's actual presidency. It clearly showed that his presidency is more complex than the Camelot we tend to remember.
The section on assassination theories was a bit of a slog, although I understand the author felt he had to consider a number of theories -- even the wackiiest -- before either taking them seriously or dismissing them.
The final chapters, on JFK's legacy, was very useful. It shows how various leaders have cherry-picked aspects of JFK's words and deeds to suit their purposes. Granted, Kennedy's presidency and its multiple directions sort of lends itself to this.
Updating the Kennedy legacy thesis, it's probable that the legacy was bruised thanks to the ascendancy of Trump and RFK Jr, not to mention the distance if time. However, the family rallying around Harris might revive it if Harris wins the election.
I thought the best section was the first, about Kennedy's actual presidency. It clearly showed that his presidency is more complex than the Camelot we tend to remember.
The section on assassination theories was a bit of a slog, although I understand the author felt he had to consider a number of theories -- even the wackiiest -- before either taking them seriously or dismissing them.
The final chapters, on JFK's legacy, was very useful. It shows how various leaders have cherry-picked aspects of JFK's words and deeds to suit their purposes. Granted, Kennedy's presidency and its multiple directions sort of lends itself to this.
Updating the Kennedy legacy thesis, it's probable that the legacy was bruised thanks to the ascendancy of Trump and RFK Jr, not to mention the distance if time. However, the family rallying around Harris might revive it if Harris wins the election.
February 26, 2018
The Kennedy Half-Century
This book discusses Kennedy's assassination and career as Senator and President. It also details the presidents who succeeded Kennedy. Dr. Sabato discusses his investigation of the Dictaphone recording of a Dallas police officer on the day of the assassination. At the end Dr. Sabato details the results of polls he did with respondents in 3 cities. A very interesting and informative book.
This book discusses Kennedy's assassination and career as Senator and President. It also details the presidents who succeeded Kennedy. Dr. Sabato discusses his investigation of the Dictaphone recording of a Dallas police officer on the day of the assassination. At the end Dr. Sabato details the results of polls he did with respondents in 3 cities. A very interesting and informative book.
November 24, 2023
This was interesting but at times lost it's way a little. The presidential analysis/comparisons was different but this book lingered too long on assassination conspiracies.
Sabato kind of breezed over JFK's actual presidency, then delved into about 200 + pages of almost all conspiracy theories that we know of then the last 200 or so pages were about subsequent presidents trying to capture the charisma of JFK or distinguish themselves from him.
Sabato kind of breezed over JFK's actual presidency, then delved into about 200 + pages of almost all conspiracy theories that we know of then the last 200 or so pages were about subsequent presidents trying to capture the charisma of JFK or distinguish themselves from him.
February 20, 2019
Sabato does a great job tying not just the presidency of JFK, but also his life to the shaping of American politics since the 60s. The Kennedy charisma and outright passion moved the public to not just get involved as citizens, but feel compelled to care. It’s a rare quality to engage strangers to that level and something I hope future presidents aspire to be like.
March 20, 2021
This is 3.5 for me. I know the assassination is in the title so I should have anticipated it, but I valued the analysis of JFK's presidency and the impact his life and death had on every one of his predecessors a lot more than the three chapter summary of different perspectives of the assassination.
March 6, 2019
I have read multiple Kennedy biographies and none of the approach the excellent level of writing and research. Sabato's work is a compelling account of one of the most pivotal events in American history.
July 31, 2020
This balanced book is in three parts:
1. The Kennedy presidency (could be twice as long)
2. The assassination and its aftermath (could be half as long)
3. Kennedy’s effect on later presidencies (just right)
1. The Kennedy presidency (could be twice as long)
2. The assassination and its aftermath (could be half as long)
3. Kennedy’s effect on later presidencies (just right)
Read
March 10, 2022I didn't get to page 80, the material was so dry. There was little new information that I hadn't read before... but there was a chapter at the end regarding polling. I have to 'shelve' this book before I literally fall asleep while reading. Sorry Mr. Sabato, it wasn't what I was expecting.
December 8, 2023
This came out on the 50th anniversary of the assassination to ten years ago, but it's still revelant today. It's more than a re-examination of the assassination; it's a deep look into JFK, his presidency, and a legacy that continues fascinate new generations. I strongly recommend.
February 29, 2024
3.5🌟
The thing that made this biography stand out against others was the comparison between JFK's legacy and the presidents that followed it. The first half of the book focused on the obvious, the assassination, and the second half detailed each presidency from Johnson to Obama. Very informative.
The thing that made this biography stand out against others was the comparison between JFK's legacy and the presidents that followed it. The first half of the book focused on the obvious, the assassination, and the second half detailed each presidency from Johnson to Obama. Very informative.
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