Monday, February 7, 2011

Five best books on John F. Kennedy

Thurston Clarke's books include Ask Not: The Inauguration of John F. Kennedy and the Speech That Changed America.

For the Wall Street Journal he named a five best list of books on John F. Kennedy, including:
Vietnam If Kennedy Had Lived
by James G. Blight, Janet M. Lang, David A. Welch (2009)

It is a vexing historical what-if: If JFK had not been assassinated, would he have escalated the Vietnam War? James Blight, Janet Lang and David Welch consult a wide spectrum of Vietnam War experts in a quest for the answer. The authors believe that any prediction needs to take into account how Kennedy felt about the Cold War, the military and Third World nationalism, so the spirited discussions often slide into biography, with illuminating results. The Kennedy who emerges is a Cold Warrior, but a nonviolent one whose refusal to commit U.S. combat forces to Laos, Vietnam and Cuba belie his saber-rattling "pay any price" and "bear any burden" talk. By examining the Vietnam what-if so thoroughly, the authors bring us closer to solving the greatest Kennedy mystery of all: not who killed him but who he truly was on that tragic day.
Read about the other books on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue