John F. Kennedy, A Triumph of Style over Substance?
As the world prepares to mark the 50th anniversary of his death, Routledge publishes two absorbing biographies of USA’s most iconic and idolised president
"First the Kennedy life, then the myth, then the revisionism. Only now, a half-century on, do we have the distance required to put the thirty-fifth president into perspective.” - W. Brands, author of American Dreams: The United States since 1945
What made JFK the man he was? What were his policy goals, how did they shift, and how far did he manage to advance them? Why was he killed?
Historically, there has always been a gulf between the public’s largely positive appraisal of JFK and professional historians’ sceptical and mixed evaluation of a president who had only a foreshortened single term in which to make his mark. However, a recent New York Times poll showed a 50% decrease in Kennedy’s popularity amongst Americans since 2000. So, how has JFK’s memory evolved since 1963 and, more importantly, is the American love affair with JFK coming to end?
Two brand-new books by Routledge explore these important questions and help shed new light on one of the leading figures of 20th century history.
John F. Kennedy (Routledge, 13th November 2013) by acclaimed biographer Peter J. Ling is a lively, concise and cutting-edge biography of this towering figure in the history of American leadership. Ling shifts and synthesizes the mountain of Kennedy scholarship to provide readers with a fresh and strongly contextualised portrait of the man and his presidency.
978-0-415-52886-3 | £19.99 in paperback | November 2013
More information at: http://www.routledge.com/u/jfkling2/
Jason K. Duncan, in John F. Kennedy: The Spirit of Cold War Liberalism (Routledge 7th November 2013), elucidates the impact of this iconic president and the history of the 1960s by contextualising JFK’s political career through his personal life. In a concise narrative supplemented by primary documents, including presidential speeches and critical reviews from the left and right, the author explains Kennedy’s significance as a political figure of the 20th century and addresses the legacy he left behind.
"In this sparkling short biography, Jason Duncan provides an exceptionally balanced view of John Kennedy. This gem-like book shows how Kennedy's many travels shaped his later presidency, including the founding of the Peace Corps." - William J. Rorabaugh, author of The Real Making of the President: Kennedy, Nixon, and the 1960 Election
978-0-415-89563-7 | £17.99 in paperback | November 2013
More information at: http://www.routledge.com/u/jfkduncan1/
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NOTES TO EDITORS: Available for book reviews and media features – for your free copy contact:
Harriet Connor, Partnership Marketing Assistant, Routledge Humanities
Tel: +44 (0)207 011 9921 | Email: harriet.connor@tandf.co.uk
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