JFK: Day by Day: A Chronicle of the 1,036 Days of John F. Kennedy's Presidency [Hardcover]

The bulk of the book is written in the format of a bunch newspaper clippings as if they were written on the day in question. For example, a day might say something like "Kennedy Gives Speech to UN" followed by a short article describing the event. The book, for the most part, is presented chronologically. Also included is a timeline on the right hand of every page that includes a significant event for every day Kennedy was president, even if it was a notable event that Kennedy was not involved in. Finally, there are a series of "in-depth" articles written from today's perspective usually a few paragraphs long. Things included in that might be Kennedy's relationship with Lyndon Johnson or a summary of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

All of the important events of Kennedy's presidency is included. From his inaugural address, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the creation of the Peace Corps, his Ich bin ein Berliner speech, among many others.

The book is an attempt to look at Kennedy objectively. While the bulk of the book is usually written in a positive fashion, the sidebars mention his infidelity or other flaws. Overall, I think it does the task decently.

Also included in the book are many photographs, many of them in full color.

As far as I can tell, there are not a lot of mistakes in the book. Sometimes a date does not seem correct. For example, Alan Shepard's spaceflight is mentioned as happening on May 4 when in actuality it happened on May 5. Small errors like this do not really detract from the overall quality of the book, though.

I enjoyed reading this book. I was born way after the Kennedy presidency, but it was very interesting looking at it day by day. I would recommend this to anyone interested in the U.S. Presidency, Kennedy (or Kennedys) in general, or even anyone who was alive back then.

In honor of the Kennedy 50th anniversary comes, "JFK: Day by Day" by Terry Golway and Les Krantz (Running Press). In it, the authors reassemble the 1036 day Kennedy presidency on a day-by-day basis, highlighting important events throughout the Kennedy era. All the obvious dates are covered - the Berlin speech, the Bay of Pigs, negotiations with the Soviet Union, the early forays into Vietnam - but additionally, every significant event - the passage (or denial) of important bills, speeches on human rights, state visits and even holiday celebrations - are detailed in news-like stories, with supplemental photos and calendar-like summaries. In addition to the daily recaps, there are sections profiling Kennedy's relationships with those around him from LBJ to Martin Luther King. This book serves as an easy to digest history useful to generations for many years to come.

Remarkably, the 50th anniversary of John Kennedy's 1960 election got little airtime this fall. It was probably drowned out by the hubbub over the midterms and was covered over by lack of interest of anyone under 45. This volume commemorates JFK in a way that should be appealing to those who lived through his 1000 days as well as to those who only heard about them in history class - by chronicling his presidency day by day.

Now JFK didn't do something noteworthy on every day of his presidency, so some days are left out. What remains is a remarkable voyage through the years in which America's idealism was kindled and America's foes faced squarely. Watching JFK stumble in his first months in office, especially after the debacle of the Bay of Pigs, makes it rather apparent that Soviet leaders saw him as a lightweight. October 1962's Cuban Missile Crisis was not, then, terribly surprising given that context. The book is full of these kinds of discoveries, as well as gossip (Jackie was too tired to attend all the Inaugural Balls) and plenty of photos.

Don't expect deep analysis from 100 days. Much of its entries are breezy and brief. And don't make the mistake a mere mention by Kennedy in a speech that such-and-such was a great concern meant that anything was ever done about it. But many difficult topics are at least touched upon. But it was amazing how many of JFK's lasting achievements - like the Peace Corps - were made very early on. On the dodgy side, JFK's multiple adulteries get their blurb, as do the lingering conspiracy theories about his death. His legacy is properly muted - especially in regards to Civil Rights and Vietnam - and shows a man tentatively committed to certain social goals rather than one who actively worked toward them. Kennedy the politician is never far from Kennedy the man.

For reasons that might have to do with his looks, his parentage, his wit and charm, the soaring rhetoric of his speeches or his ability to mobilize young idealists, John Kennedy continues to be a man who fascinates. This volume does him honor and helps the Kennedy aficionado see his presidency from a unifying perspective.