(Posted on my blog)

As I watch Jimmer and BYU take on Gonzaga in the "third round" of the NCAA tournament, I'm using an iPad from my company's IT department to write this post. It's pretty cool, I guess.

I recently finished a very compelling biography of JFK (An Unfinished Life). Being too young to have any experience with his presidency (or life, for that matter), I learned a lot from this book. I know a number of my "conservative" friends would automatically say JFK was a liberal. I suppose he did have liberal tendencies, but JFK had other non-liberal tendencies as well. For example, he had what some would call a hawkish (but sensible) foreign policy, and sought a tax cut in 1962 as a way of stimulating the economy. Was that the last time a Democrat asked for a tax cut?

Anyway, the key moment in JFK's presidency is the Cuban missle crisis. Having previously seen Thirteen Days (which is highly accurate, BTW) and knowing a little about the whole thing, I was anxious to read this part of the book. I don't want to take a lot of time on what happened...just what didn't. There were so many ways the whole thing could have gone wrong. War was a near certainty at numerous junctures.

The way I see it, the key to the whole crisis was Kennedy keeping his head and not overreacting. There were many chances to do so, especially when a U2 was shot down. Here's my point: I believe JFK was meant to be in the Oval Office in order to keep the peace. If Nixon (Kennedy's opponent in the 1960 election) had been president, I'm less certain catastrophe would have been averted (nothing against Nixon...I'll soon be reading a Nixon biography). Maybe (since his presidency had few victories) JFK was just supposed to be in the right place at the right time.

A rather random blog post, to be sure, but it's just been on my mind. And, BYU beat Gonzaga. Now that's worth celebrating.

In the acknowledgments of this book, the historian writes that "the research and writing of this book extended over five years...", and it must be noted that this is also the length of time it took me to read it.

Having previously read Robert F. Kennedy: His Life by Evan Thomas and absolutely adoring it, the logical next step for me was to pick up this- the definitive biography of John F. Kennedy. I wanted to love this book, I really did, but truthfully it did not grip me. Under normal circumstances I would have long-ago abandoned a book that was taking me so long to read due to its dryness but wanted to persevere until the end. These are my conclusions.

This was not, as I was hoping, an exploration of the life and character of JFK (on a backdrop of historical events) but rather an utterly comprehensive account of his presidency. If you are looking to read a history textbook of the minutiae of US politics from 1960-63, then by all means read this book- in this regard I cannot fault the historical scholarship. However, as an insight into the man behind the myth, I feel no closer, having read 718 pages, to knowing who JFK really was (I do admit of course the long time span over which I read this book may mean I have forgotten certain details).

I do not mean to suggest that this book should have been a shallow insight into the scandals and rumours of his personal life, but certainly I am left with gaping questions about the core of this president: What did he love in life? What was his favourite book? Was he religious/ what role did his Catholic faith play in his actions as president/ his personal life, if at all? What was his favourite ice cream?! (The aforementioned Bobby Kennedy biography included just this type of information, bringing the complexity of this man's character fully to life).

I would give this book 2.5 stars because there were some interesting insights, leading to scattered underlinings and folded page corners. A detailed account of his medical ailments proved insightful and epilogues analysing the reasons for his longstanding popularity- e.g. his whit, charm and appeal, but I still don't know if these aspects of him were really true at all. He remains just as much as a legend in my mind as when I first began.

This is definitely one of the best JFK biographies out there. I've read this twice now, which is rare for me with a biography. It's incredibly comprehensive, very detailed, and quite balanced. A lot of books on JFK either verge on hagiography or they seem to take a salacious interest in recounting the womanizing, the medical problems, the anti-Castro actions - this book doesn't excuse or condone the less savoury aspects of JFK's character but it does try to explain and put them in context. He comes across in this book as a man who may well have become one of America's greatest presidents - a man perhaps too concerned with politicial implications in his first term but who might really have come into his own in the second. But alas, we shall never know.

A fair-minded and authoritatively-written biography that persuasively lays out the case for JFK's importance in U.S. (or should I say world) history.

“All the mythmaking – positive and negative – about Kennedy would not have interested him as much as a fair-minded assessment of his public career.” – Page 703

I thought I knew a fair amount about JFK going into this book. Reading this 711 page bio, I can truly say I learned a great deal that I didn’t know about both the man and his presidency. Trying to look at his record objectively, I think there is a strong case to be made that JFK is quite possibly the most overrated president in our nation’s history. He remains as popular as Washington, Lincoln, or Roosevelt yet his administration hardly measures up to theirs. Domestically, none of his major reform initiatives (tax cuts, federal aid to education, Medicare, and civil rights) became law during his lifetime. It took LBJ, with his legislative expertise, to get them pushed through congress. The author argues those successes would have been Kennedy’s if only he had a second term but the evidence hardly supports such an assertion.

On foreign policy, his record is mixed at best. The world certainly owes him a debt of gratitude for his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Who knows how that would have worked out with a hardline Nixon in the seat? That one issue (huge, I grant you) aside, the rest of his track record is pretty abysmal. His high-minded outreach to the third world always “fell victim” to Cold War imperatives. In other words, he didn’t really believe his own rhetoric. While he talked a good game about US ideals and self-determination, behind the scenes he was perpetually conducting covert ops and staging coups in the Third World. Young and untested, he bumbled into the Bay of Pigs catastrophe. His actions in Vietnam set the nation up for its worst foreign policy nightmare. With the information presented in this book it is conceivable that Kennedy would have withdrawn US forces after his re-election but that is a highly debatable counterfactual. Given his track record, I think it more likely than not he would have found himself “forced” into the war just as LBJ was.

The author notes how JFK “probably would have been less than happy that biographers had unearthed so much of the truth about his private life.” For someone so enamored with “moral and political courage” he sure was an absolute sleaze ball. The author argues persuasively that his shockingly poor health and fear of an early demise contributed to his womanizing. Given the sex scandal that brought the English government down during his term, he is lucky his actions were not exposed because it almost certainly would have ended his presidency in disgrace.

The author (as far as I know) is the first to expose just how bad JFK’s health truly was. Again, it is amazing he was able to keep such serious problems (and the cocktails of drugs he took daily to get through the pain) hidden from the public. The author’s research in this area was both exhaustive and illuminating. I will say the area where the book falls short is the conclusion. I feel like the book just abruptly ends with his assassination. Given the enduring popularity of JFK in the public imagination, I was seriously disappointed that the author did not elaborate more than a couple pages on the aftermath of his assassination.

What follows are my notes on the book.

His ancestors immigrated to America during the great Irish potato famines of the 1840s and 50s. His two grandfathers were impressively successful in business and politics (one in the MA Legislature and the other a mayor of Boston) (6-11). His parents were upwardly mobile and eager to replace their “Irishness” with an American identity to insulate the family from the snubs of well-off, Protestant New Englanders. His father Joe was an extremely successful businessman. As the daughter of the mayor, his mother Rose was a wealthy socialite. His parents married in 1914 and had Joe Jr. the following summer. From birth, Joe Jr. was destined to be President; JFK’s birth received much less fanfare (20). Seven other children followed. Joe was a compulsive womanizer. Rose was religious, cold, and strict. Naturally, JFK rebelled (70).

Jack grew up in the shadow of his older brother; a fierce rivalry that followed him into adulthood. He was a privileged youth and attended private boarding schools where he was exposed to the country’s influential families and power brokers. He was completely insulated from the Great Depression because of his wealth (30-31). Naturally, this bred a certain arrogance and self-indulgence. It also meant he entered adulthood with a studied indifference to money. He never carried cash and others often picked up the tab (his family reimbursed them).

He wrestled with uncommonly high parental expectations. His father resented the many medical problems that plagued Jack’s early life. He was ashamed of his medical conditions and went to great lengths to hide or ignore them, often suffering painfully. Despite graduating in the bottom half of his class, he attended Harvard because of his family. He traveled to London in 1935, ostensibly to study economics but really to enjoy the social life. His first 2 years at Harvard were as unimpressive as his record from boarding school. He was a charming and irreverent young man with a passion for sports and the good life (40-43). Learning from his father how elastic the rules were for wealthy men, his womanizing began early at Harvard (46-47). Because of his medical history, Jack expected to die young. The author suggests this contributed to his hedonism and womanizing (79).

With his older brother destined for politics, Jack imagined becoming a reporter. In 1937, FDR appointed Joe ambassador to the UK. Jack again traveled to Europe, gaining a firsthand view of the growing European crisis over Czechoslovakia and the Sudetenland. When Hitler invaded Poland, Jack witnessed Chamberlain announce the UK’s decision to go to war. The trip fired his imagination over the big questions of international relations and his grades improved during his fall term (52-54). With access to his father the ambassadorial contacts, he wrote his senior thesis on Britain’s appeasement policy.

In 1940, he failed the navy’s physical exams but his father pulled some strings to get him a clean bill of health (81-2). Sea duty replaced parental and religious constraints with military directives that seemed to serve little purpose (87). On a motor torpedo (PT) boat, he first saw combat in March 1943 (90). He grew frustrated with the generals and his fellow officer and (ironically given his own circumstances) thought that political influence on officer selection was at the root of the problem. Jack became jaded with his place in the war effort. On one particularly mismanaged patrol, in a freak accident Jack’s boat was cut in half by a Japanese Destroyer. Given his back and other health problems, Jack showed genuine courage in leading his surviving men to rescue. Headlines hailed him as a hero but he felt humiliated by the sinking of his boat. By November, his health problems became so severe he was forced to return to the States (101). Questions began mounting about the pre-war origins of Jack’s illness which he tried to hide. He was medically retired in March ’45. His brother Joe was killed when his plane exploded over the English Channel. The news devastated his father and left Jack trapped in the shadow of his brother’s memory.

After the war, Jack got a job as a reporter where he covered the U.N. summit in San Francisco and events in Europe. In the summer of ’45, his father made a concerted effort to raise Jack’s profile in MA in anticipation of a run for congress. Running in the 11th district dominated by blue collar ethnic (Irish and Italian) voters, many were frustrated with Kennedy’s “unmerited” candidacy, and parodied his campaign with signs announcing “seat for sale, no experience necessary.” Jack spent a staggering sum of his father’s money to saturate the district with advertisements, radio ads, and direct mailings. Despite a Republican wave that gave them both houses of Congress, he triumphed in his election (133).

Jack’s arrival in DC coincided with mounting national concern over communism. His family viewed his election as little more than a first step. He had no thought other than getting to the Senate as fast as he could (135). Fiscally conservative, he often felt out of sync with his constituents looking for New Deal style federal largesse. As a Catholic representing a heavily Catholic district, he fought against was an discriminatory and unconstitutional law limiting aid to religious schools. As a freshman in the minority party, he was frustrated with the arcane institutional rules and customs that prevented him from accomplishing anything of substance. Still, trying to jump to quickly to the Senate could look self-serving so he did what he could to bide his time and had a wild social life full of one night stands (151). He was re-elected in 1948 and began laying the groundwork for a Senate run in ’52.

Americanism (anti-communism) was the issue he intended to ride to the Senate. He was sympathetic to both Nixon and McCarthy though he never participated in red-baiting (163). He was an early advocate for developing nonmilitary techniques for combating communism in the Third World. Kennedy wanted to align the US with the emerging nations (rather than supporting former colonial powers like France in Indochina). Jack’s interest in foreign affairs made the Senate more attractive but incumbent Henry Cabot Lodge was a MA icon who would not be easy to beat. Their views were similar, both were internationalist conservatives who occasionally bowed to liberalism. As before, his father shelled out enormous sums that simply overwhelmed Lodge (171). His brother Robert managed the campaign with great organization. Kennedy won 51.5 to 48.5.

With an eye towards running for President, Kennedy sought to establish himself as a leader on foreign affairs. He was critical of Eisenhower’s reduction of defense spending and overreliance on nuclear weapons (184). Kennedy came to regret not voting to condemn or censure McCarthy (who was hugely popular in MA) and his stand hurt him with liberals in his party. He reluctantly decided to marry in 1953, a political necessity for a run for President. The author suggests that Jack’s womanizing actually made him more attractive to Jackie (the idiocy of women attracted to bad boys never ceases to amaze me). She was unprepared for the humiliation she would suffer as her husband would leave her stranded at parties as he disappeared with some pretty young girl (194). While Jackie was suffering through a miscarriage, he was having orgies on a Mediterranean Yacht trip (195). Jack’s health continued to deteriorate and he had surgery to stabilize his spine.

Increasingly fascinated with moral and political courage, Kennedy wrote a book on the subject. Profiles in Courage recounted the careers of 8 senators who risked their careers by taking unpopular stands on the issues of their day. It was a bestseller and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1957. The family offered to bankroll LBJ’s run for president if he would name JFK as his running mate. Viewing Eisenhower as likely to be reelected, LBJ turned down the offer, infuriating Bobby Kennedy. Jack continued to campaign for the VP spot under Stevenson but his Catholicism was deemed an insurmountable obstacle and his bid fell short (which proved fortuitous).

Given his youth, Catholicism, and limited party support, his 1960 bid for President was an act of unprecedented political nerve (211). His chronic health problems were a closely guarded secret given the impact it would have on an election. He had been secretly hospitalized nine times during his VP and Presidential campaigns. He had terrible back pain, prostatitis, and repeated bouts of colitis with abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration (212). Both JFK and LBJ viewed a push for civil rights as a strategy for advancing their presidential ambitions. With limited exposure to black Americans (mostly chauffeurs and valets) his position on civil rights was largely motivated by self-serving political considerations (215).

In 1960, there were only 16 state primaries. JFK was viewed as unlikely to get the nomination. Humphrey, Johnson, Stevenson, and Symington all seemed to have more political backing (244). However, they each had weaknesses (Humphrey was too liberal, Stevenson a 2 time loser, Johnson a corrupt southerner). Symington seemed like the likely compromise candidate (245). Both Johnson and Symington avoided the primaries giving Jack an opening to build momentum for his candidacy (248). Jack’s glamorous family allowed for an effective presentation of celebrity on the campaign trail. Jack swept seven straight primaries including Maryland, Oregon, and West Virginia. The convention was a raucous affair but Kennedy clinched the victory on the first ballot (266).

Putting his personal feelings aside he went with the smart choice of LBJ for his VP since he could help the Catholic Kennedy win in the South (269). Despite widespread prosperity, there was a general feeling that the country had lost its sense of purpose. His call for a new generation of leadership that would restore the nation’s historic purpose resonated with the people. Liberals like Truman and Eleanor Roosevelt eventually backed him but mainly because they hated Nixon (278).

Kennedy needed to challenge Nixon directly in a debate to counter arguments that he was too inexperienced to deal with the country’s national security challenges. He held his own in the debates (he won over the TV audience but those listening on radio thought Nixon had won). Kennedy won on the narrowest of margins. Several factors help account for his win (LBJ’s influence in the South, Jack’s charm on TV, a faltering economy, and voter fraud (Daley’s machine clearly tipped IL to Kennedy) (295). His narrow margin of victory convinced him that it was essential to conciliate Republicans. Ike and Kennedy did not think highly of each other (Ike was a fossil and JFK a young celebrity rather than a serious public servant).

Kennedy was determined to stand against those who might try to exploit a young and untested chief executive. He appointed the pliant Dean Rusk as Secretary of State & McNamara at Defense. His brother Bobby was brought in as Attorney General despite his lack of legal experience and fears he would politicize the Justice Department. Bobby was his most trusted advisor and someone who could tell him the unvarnished truth.

Despite Democratic control of Congress, many southern Democrats opposed civil rights legislation prompting Kennedy to push less legislation and more through executive action (332). Kennedy gave weekly, televised press conferences which showcased his intellect and wit. His Gallop polls showed an impressive 72% approval rating (335).

He established the Peace Corps in an effort to outdo Moscow in the promotion of national values (338). From the start of his term, Kennedy had little rapport with his military chiefs and was distrustful of the defense establishment (344). He preferred a strategy of “flexible response” to the current plan of “massive retaliation” (346). He ordered DoD to place more emphasis on the development of counter-guerilla forces, something he viewed as essential to fighting the insurgencies and limited wars being waged by the communists in places like Cuba, Laos, Algeria, Congo, and Vietnam (350).

In the first months of his term, Cuba was his principle concern. The CIA was training Cuban exiles in Guatemala to infiltrate and topple Castro. Kennedy supported these efforts. He was rushed into a decision, thinking a delay would allow Castro to secure his hold on power. Allen Dulles rushed the untested young president into a bad decision. There were no shortage of dissenting opinions in the days before the operation but Kennedy gave the go ahead. Looking to hide US involvement, he withheld all US military support and the invasion at the Bay of Pigs failed spectacularly. He was extremely bitter over the failed coup. Publicly, he bore responsibility but behind the scenes he moved to remove Dulles and others who he felt misled him (367-8). In a stroke, the image of Kennedy as an aspirational leader was replaced by one of old fashioned imperialism. The move empowered Castro and poisoned any goodwill between Kennedy and Khrushchev (376). Convinced the press tipped off Castro, he tried to clamp down on the media, which naturally increased tension between the White House and the press. He worried about the press exposing his poor health and philandering. J. Edgar Hoover, in a not so blatant bit of blackmail, kept Bobby informed of his growing file detailing Kennedy’s extra-curricular activities (376).

After the Bay of Pigs and pulling out of Laos, he believed he could not suffer another loss overseas (417). In his first meeting with Khrushchev, he attempted a conciliatory approach but this only made Khrushchev more assertive and unbending (414). When he held firm on Berlin, Khrushchev put up the Berlin Wall to stop migration out of East Berlin, easing JFK’s fears that Moscow would try to seize West Berlin by force (426). Despite his own doubts, JFK expanded the US role in Vietnam, doubling the number of military “advisors” (453). The skeptical press challenged him on his undeclared war in South Vietnam (458). Kennedy also supported secret interventions in Cuba, Brazil, British Guiana, Peru, Haiti, & Dominican Republic (522). On all his foreign trips, he had physicians that secretly accompanied him to give him amphetamines and inject painkillers in his back (398).

Domestically, the economy continued to trouble him and he proposed tax reform (507). With his focus on foreign policy, liberals and African Americans concluded Kennedy simply wasn’t committed to their cause (388). Impressed by MLK Jr’s “I have a Dream Speech” he made a push for a new civil rights bill with no success (645).

In 1962, Khrushchev feared a US invasion of Cuba & deployed nuclear missiles to the island (535). When U2 flights provided evidence, US military chiefs pushed Kennedy hard to strike. Kennedy’s cooler head prevailed and they worked out an exchange: a promise not to invade for removal of the missiles. Additionally, the US would remove the Jupiter missiles from Turkey in six months. Since this would appear to be selling out our NATO allies, this part of the deal was to remain secret (566-7). France defied JFK’s leadership in Europe. De Gaulle intended to build his own nuclear arm so they were not reliant on the US (611). JFK brokered a limited nuclear test ban treaty prohibiting tests in the atmosphere, space, and underwater (626).

Kennedy planned to withdraw US forces from Vietnam but decided against making a move before his re-election (668). As pressure built to do something, he backed the coup to remove the Diem Government (674). Worried about repeating the Bay of Pigs, he waffled on when to execute, and the situation got out of his control. When Diem was assassinated, he was upset thinking the coup would be bloodless (683).

For his re-election campaign he planned trips to Florida and Texas angry over his civil rights agenda (691). The Secret Service was so worried about the “ultra-right” that they never expected an assassination by the radical left. Communist sympathizer Lee Harvey Oswald flew under the radar (693-4). His death shocked the country. Lincoln’s demise seemed a natural culmination to the bloodletting of the Civil War. Kennedy sudden death seemed to have stripped the country of a better future. His tragic death seemed to dissolve Jackie’s anger toward him and she found solace in preserving his memory (696). His death provoked conspiracy theories that continue to this day.

I found this 711-page bio of the life of the 35th President to be fascinating. I think Dallek did his research and tried to be balanced, not overlooking JFK's womanizing and the medical condition that he kept hidden from the American public. The title says it best, describing Kennedy's life as "an unfinished life." We don't know how much more he could have accomplished if the assassin's bullets had not cut short his remarkable life. Certainly, his was a life that was complex, filled with contradictions. Beyond any doubt, his life was an heroic one--we should never forget he was a true war hero of the Second World War.

a Great read. An unfinished life, great resource for research and / or term paper. Enjoy!

Privilege and Adversity.

This book is a nuanced and deeply researched biography that seeks to uncover the complexities of one of America’s most iconic and popular presidents: John F. Kennedy. Dallek’s work excels in balancing admiration for Kennedy’s achievements with a critical examination of his flaws, making it a compelling read for those interested in both the man and the myth.

One of the most notable aspects of the book is its exploration of Kennedy’s private life, particularly his significant health challenges. Dallek draws on newly available medical records to reveal the extent of Kennedy’s physical suffering, including his struggles with Addison’s disease, chronic back pain, and various other ailments. This portrayal humanises Kennedy, showing the resilience and determination required to endure the rigors of public life despite debilitating conditions. His life was adversity and privilege at the same time. He was only able to reach the top through his rich father, Joseph F Kennedy, although he had all the talent at the same time. He was intelligent (too intelligent if you ask Krushchev), charismatic and decisive. He was also a huge womaniser, who perhaps didn’t work with the civil rights movement and its leaders such as Martin Luther King effectively.

The biography also sheds light on Kennedy’s political career, from his rise as a congressman and senator to his presidency during the Cold War. Dallek provides insightful analyses of key moments, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Bay of Pigs fiasco, and Kennedy’s efforts in civil rights. While Dallek commends Kennedy’s vision and charisma, he does not shy away from critiquing his indecisiveness and occasional missteps, particularly in foreign policy.

Equally compelling is Dallek’s examination of Kennedy’s personal relationships and their impact on his presidency. The book candidly addresses his infidelities, the influence of his family—especially his father, Joseph P. Kennedy—and the dynamics of his marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy. Dallek presents these elements without sensationalism, aiming instead to provide a fuller understanding of Kennedy as a complex individual. Dallek’s prose is accessible yet scholarly, weaving together extensive archival research, interviews, and newly unearthed documents. The author’s balanced approach ensures that the book appeals to both Kennedy enthusiasts and readers seeking a critical perspective on his legacy.

Overall, ‘An Unfinished Life’ is a definitive biography that captures the triumphs and tragedies of John F. Kennedy’s life and presidency. It paints a vivid picture of a leader whose potential was cut tragically short, leaving readers to ponder what might have been had he lived to complete his second term. For anyone seeking a comprehensive and thought-provoking account of Kennedy’s life, Dallek’s work is a must-read.

Es ist fast schon ein Drama. Die Geschichte von John Fitzgerald „Jack“ Kennedy. Wahrscheinlich ist sie deshalb bis heute so beliebt.
Der 35. und erste katholische Präsident der Vereinigten Staaten war damals und ist noch heute stark umstritten.
Eines aber ist unbestritten: sein unglaubliches Charisma und die Fähigkeit Menschen zu berühren. Robert Dallek der bereits mehrere Präsidenten porträtiert hat, erzählt die Geschichte Kennedys hier in 4 Phasen. Beginnend in der Jugend und beendend mit der unvollendeten Präsidentschaft.
Eine sehr ausführliche Erzählung die im Zusammenhang mit der Familiengeschichte zugleich glorifiziert und entglorifizier.

More than detailed, exhausting is the word i'd use, life story of JFK.
To be honest i got kind of sick of it about halfway through, just too much detail and here's the curious thing...the more the author showed the real JFK behind the scenes, the less i liked or cared about him.
In fact after reading this i'm kind of wondering why Kennedy is as loved as he is. Perhaps when the Baby Boomers die off and nobody remembers that fateful day in Dallas anymore the mystique of Kennedy will fade and he will be just another politician.

I'm just not going to understand why he gets rated as being such a good president. You could have swapped out his name for Trump's throughout this book and not thought twice about any of it.

Well written book, crappy human being.

“The sudden end to [John F.] Kennedy’s life and presidency has left us with tantalizing ‘might have been’s.’ Yet even setting these aside and acknowledging some missed opportunities and false steps, it must be acknowledged that the Kennedy thousand days spoke to the country’s better angels, inspired visions of a less divisive nation and world, and demonstrated that America was still the last best hope of mankind…”
-tRobert Dallek, An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963

An Unfinished Life is an appropriate title for a biography of the 35th President of the United States. There is an aura surrounding John F. Kennedy that stems in large part from the fact that he was cut down in his prime, at the height of his powers. As author Robert Dallek points out, Kennedy had stumbled early in his presidency, in both the domestic and international realms. However, as of November 22, 1963, it seemed that he was ready to put to use the hard lessons he had learned.

He never got that chance.

Following Kennedy’s death, the United States stumbled and lurched its way forward, through the war in Vietnam, grudging progress on civil rights, and social unrest. For Kennedy partisans, it was easy to believe that – had he have lived – he would not have made the same fateful mistakes as his successors.

Of course, for as many people who admired – even worshipped – the slain president, there was an equal number who despised him. Kennedy has always drawn strong opinions, and to his detractors, he was both politically and morally compromised.

In this heated atmosphere, it is perhaps fitting that Dallek’s biography is so pointedly even-keeled. He seems to write in such a manner as to tamp down the wild passions on either side of the Kennedy divide. The result is a sober-minded, judicious book, which avoids mythmaking, self-righteous personal judgments, and unprovable speculation. Nevertheless, these virtues also drain An Unfinished Life of anything resembling vitality, making it curiously lacking. I was surprised, at finishing this, to find myself so entirely unmoved.

Though my feelings are mixed, it’s fair to note at the outset that a general consensus seems to have arisen around An Unfinished Life as being the standard one-volume biography on JFK. It might not be – in my opinion – great literature, but it is solid history. Thus, if you’re looking for an easy-to-read survey that also has academic bona fides, this is a solid choice. I am not going to totally disparage the good just because it was not better.

Whatever else I might say, An Unfinished Life is not a minor work. At 711 pages of text, it is rather weighty, and lengthy enough to be topically comprehensive. That is, Dallek has enough space to comment on most aspects of Kennedy’s life, both positive and negative. He covers his upbringing (the son of an extremely wealthy, ambitious, and ruthless man), his service in World War II (where he famously survived the sinking of his vessel, the PT 109), and his entry into politics (where he took the place of his deceased brother Joe as the family’s chosen flag-bearer).

Dallek provides a well-rounded discussion of JFK’s presidency, covering both the highs and lows, both of which could be staggering (for instance, the unmitigated cluster of the Bay of Pigs was followed by his adroit handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis). For those of you who can’t get enough of JFK’s nocturnal habits, Dallek delivers, meditating on the motives for Kennedy’s affairs, while also turning up “previously unknown instances of his compulsive philandering.”

No matter how long a single-volume biography is, it cannot hope to capture the entirety of a person’s life, especially not one as varied as John Kennedy’s. As such, while Dallek tries his best to cast a wide net, he cannot possibly manage – nor does he try – to explore all these things at any real depth.

There is one exception: Kennedy’s health.

One of the idiosyncrasies of single-volume biographies is a hyper focus on one or two characteristics or facets of its subject. In An Unfinished Life, that facet is Kennedy’s medical records, which Dallek pores over with an obsession that I found – at times – a bit distracting, if not outright off-putting. To be sure, this is a legitimate area for exploration, and is part of Dallek’s thesis that many of Kennedy’s behaviors flowed from his maladies. Nevertheless, the large amount of space devoted to this particular theme unbalances the book’s flow.

More relevant to my overall reaction – or lack thereof – to An Unfinished Life is Dallek’s style. Let’s be clear: there is nothing wrong with the writing. It is solid, grammatically sound, and cohesively organized.

It also did nothing for me. An Unfinished Life is missing that spark, that magic, that elevates the telling of history onto a higher plain.

We live in an era of remarkable biographers, from the late Edmund Morris to Robert Caro to Ron Chernow. These authors, and others, have mastered an ability to combine historical veracity with literary merit. While it’s not really fair to compare Dallek to these titans, it is also no use pretending that I can simply forget how profound and moving a biography can be. There was never a moment in An Unfinished Life that I felt like I was in Kennedy’s world, or that I was in his living, breathing presence.

Writing about John Kennedy is hard, because one has to simultaneously recreate and shatter a mystique. Dallek approaches this problem by maintaining a respectful objectivity that definitely favors Kennedy, but does not fully advocate on his behalf. This intellectual, emotionally-neutral approach is just fine. It might even be exactly what you want. Certainly, you’ll learn a lot.

For me, however, fine doesn’t seem entirely satisfactory. Kennedy’s foreshortened existence on earth was exciting and full-blooded, encompassing tragedy and triumph, love and war, mystery and intrigue, noble ideals and massive mistakes. When I finish a book on Kennedy, my heart should be pounding, my senses tingling. I should not feel as calm and sedate as when I finish reading Goodnight Moon to my kids. Unfortunately, for much of its length, Dallek’s book contains all the drama of a medical chart. There is a lot of information, but very little artistry.