Kennedy - Peter Chrisp

In his inaugural speech, President Kennedy resolved to meet any hardship to assure the success of liberty. This resolve was severely tested in his short time in office. It was at the height of the Cold War and international politics dominated his presidency. Foreign affairs crises in Cuba, Laos, Berlin and Vietnam had to be handled. Meanwhile, at home, the civil rights movement was gaining momentum and Kennedy's hopes to introduce sweeping social reforms met frequent setbacks.

This book gives a fascinating account of Kennedy's life and presidency - ending in his world-shocking assassination in 1963. Quotation panels, featuring many of Kennedy's well-known sayings and comments, and the opinions of his well-known contemporaries, are scattered liberally throughout. The final chapter examines his legacy and attempts to answer the question: how justifiable is his reputation in view of his achievements?