Gripping

This book is very well written and very easy to listen to.

I cranked the speed up to 3x and it was even better.

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Warts and all biography

Lots of information about JFK that I was not aware of. His treatment of Jackie is shocking early in their marriage. Joseph Kennedy gets a more gentle treatment than that old rouge is entitled to. He Author assumes the reader has no knowledge of WW2, so there are superfluous passages explaining the course of the war, that are not always accurate. However, when the book comes to describe Boston politics, McCarthyism, his Senate Race and the failed attempt to get the Democratic Vice Presidential nomination this book goes up several gears. I am looking forward to Volume 2.

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Sickophantic at best

Where to begin?, while this biography is very well narrated the content is very very partisan. Logevall is a lauded writer and on this evidence I really struggle to see why, Kennedy comes across as a charming man in many ways but his faults are totally skirted round. A major red flag for me was when his very nicely timed “redeployment” came through after lees than a year in the a pacific theatre of WW2 just as the conflict was entering a more high tempo phase. This sadly was not explored by Logevall who seems to be totally unperturbed by the Kennedy family constantly using there wealth and influence to Jacks full advantage throughout his life.
Having recently finished a biography of George H W Bush I was very surprised to find Bush far higher in my esteem than John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Great Listen. Lots of detail and insight.

Very well researched and written. Narration was solid and engaging. Recommended if interested in JFK and the history he lived through. Covers all major historical events of his lifetime. Insightful on his character and person. Family personalities, relationships and upbringing very well contextualised.

Excellent.

This biography is so informative. The portrait of Kennedy is well drawn and his family life and wartime experiences are well told against the background of American politics.

A comprehensive part 1 biography on JFK

Despite being nearly 30 hours long the story zips along nicely. You can tell the author is a JFK supporter, a more critical approach in some sections would be good. Also, he was a great man and I knew he was a womaniser but didn't realise that he was an obsessive womaniser. He never even tried to be faithful to Jackie which I find dad and very disrespectful, completely hypocritical while pretending to be a good Catholic. Not an admirable trait in any person.

Really poor narration

I really enjoyed the book but the dreadful narration made the listening experience painful.
The narrator managed to mispronounce almost every French or German word, quite some achievement. He even struggled with English names and places. Very poor indeed.

fascinating

Excellent book, immense detail and so interesting to learn about this icon of us politics. can't wait for the next instalment.

Wonderful

Epic biography. The degree to which he gets under the skin of JFK, particularly his early years and this volume is almost in addition a biography of Joseph P Kennedy and their ancestors. You really get a sense of who Jack is, in all his genius, his familial sensibilities, his friendships and of course his negatives.

Didn’t want it to finish and can’t wait for volume 2. Brilliantly read.

Great insight into before he was president

Best history book I’ve had for a long time, good narrator, very easy listening considering it’s not a “page turner”.