Review
“Here's a welcome volume of the man in his own words.” ―Town & Country
“Most striking to the modern ear is Kennedy's ability to set forth specific and carefully considered policies in crisp, clear sentences, a talent that has been in short supply at the upper levels of American politics for quite some time. . . . remarkably comprehensive . . .” ―Kirkus Reviews
“Revealing and moving.” ―American History
“Sandler humanizes the near-mythical president through his own eloquent words in a way that both academics and casual readers will appreciate.” ―Publishers Weekly
“The most interesting and substantial correspondence occurred during his administration, including his exchanges with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., other civil rights leaders, and southern governors at critical moments in the fight against Jim Crow. This is an informative collection clearly designed to paint Kennedy in a positive light.” ―Booklist
“Drawn from more than two million letters on file at the Kennedy Presidential Library--many never before published--The Letters of John F. Kennedy presents readers with a portrait of both Kennedy the politician and Kennedy the man, as well as the times he lived in.” ―BookReporter.com
“From youthful Jack asking his father for a raise in his allowance to the president's letters to Khrushchev during the Cuban missile crisis. Letters to Kennedy from Nikita Khrushchev, Martin Luther King Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt and others also are included.” ―Washington Post
“Now a hazy memory tainted by satyriasis and Vietnam, these charming letters remind us that John F. Kennedy was intelligent, humane and funny." ―The Independent
"We hear so much these days about John F Kennedy's reckless womanising that it's easy to forget that his day job was President of the United States. How good a president was he? This engrossing selection of his letters suggests he was a very good one indeed and had the makings of a great one." ―Mail on Sunday
"A highly respectful and serious collection of letters written by a president who understood the power of words . . . designed to shore up, rather than dent, his posthumous reputation." ―Sunday Herald
About the Author
Martin W. Sandler is the author of Imprisoned, Lincoln Through the Lens, The Dust Bowl Through the Lens, and Kennedy Through the Lens. He has won five Emmy Awards for his writing for television and is the author of more than sixty books, two of which have been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Among Sandler's other books are the six volumes in his award-winning Library of Congress American History Series for Young People, a series which has sold more than 500,000 copies. Other books by Mr. Sandler include: Island of Hope: The Story of Ellis Island, Trapped in Ice, The Story of American Photography, The Vaqueros, America: A Celebration, and This Was America. Mr. Sandler has taught American history and American studies at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and at Smith College, and lives in Massachusetts.
