An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963

Don't like it when there's no dust jacket

I highly recommend this very well written and documented book by Robert Dallek (if you can overlook the short shrift, lone-nut bias he gives to the assassination). With new interviews and new documents obtained from the JFK Library, Dallek offers fresh evidence and perspectives, as well as a very balanced portrait of JFK (that is largely favorable). Get this! Vince Palamara Secret Service expert (History Channel, author of 2 books, in over 32 other author's books, etc.)

There are at present two views of John F. Kennedy. The first is the "popular" view of the man on the street, which perceives JFK as one of the truly great presidents. The more "learned" view of the historian is more pragmatic, generally respecting his presidency, but unwilling to call him a "great" president. (Of course, there are those who are ideologues and partisans who hate him based on party.) Robert Dallek fortunately falls into the second category. His "An Unfinished Life" is a balanced biography that is a fascinating and enjoyable work. Dallek covers considerable ground. He examines Kennedy's families in detail, and neatly transitions into JFK's life, focusing on his numerous health issues, and how they impacted his life. He recounts in great detail and with great skill JFK's service in WW II, his entrance into politics, his election to the presidency, and the difficult his three years he spent in the Oval Office. Dallek makes a convincing case that Kennedy was quite capable of great things, and indeed, with the successful resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and a growing understanding the Civil Rights struggle in the US, Kennedy could have been great. Dallek does not shrink from criticism. He frequently takes Kennedy to task for his philandering. He also argues that JFK's myopic focus on foreign policy was certainly to the detriment to US domestic matters at a time when the US was growing extremely conflicted. Dallek is also quite pointed in his critique of Kennedy's mishandling of the Bay of Pigs (Dallek's assessment is that the whole plan was unworkable). Dallek is a master of giving the reader the lay of the Washington political landscape. The passages examining the run-up to Kennedy's nomination and the election are replete with colorful moments of political infighting and partisan bickering. The sordidness of these moments are frequently hilarious. These make some of the more mundane passages in the book bearable. In the final assessment, Dallek concludes that while the average American and the professional historians disagree about JFK's importance, he does admit that both sides do agree on one thing: the assassination of Kennedy as he stood poised for reelection and greater accomplishment leaves future generations with the inevitable question of "what if?". This is the most interesting element Dallek brings to his work. While he is unwilling to put Kennedy on the short list with Lincoln or Washington, he is sentimental about the possibilities Kennedy represented.

THere have been so many books written about the Kennedys (and JFK especially) so my reaction to the news that there was to be yet another JFK tell-all was a big yawn. But when I first read some of Robert Dallek's revelations in Atlantic Monthly last year, I felt compelled to check out An Unfinished Life.I was not disappointed.This is an extremely well-researched and complete look at a man who, considering his public profile, led a very private life. Without spoiling the book, I must say that the information about JFK's health in An Unfinished Life are reason enough to pick this one up.Although the media has been making much hay about Kennedy's own "Monicagate," that revelation is not at all the backbone of the book. Without taking sides, Dallek has given us the first look at the man behind the image. It's refreshing to see JFK not as an icon, but merely as a man who happened to be President of the USA...and like everybody, his life was not perfect.Kennedy fans will learn new things (both good and bad) and others will catch a glimpse of a man who became one of the prime newsmakers of the 20th century. A great read.