Jack Kennedy, Chris Matthews
Jack Kennedy, Chris Matthews
2 Rating(s)
List: $29.99 | Sale: $21.00
Club: $14.99

Jack Kennedy
Elusive Hero

Author: Chris Matthews

Narrator: Holter Graham

Unabridged: 13 hr 20 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/01/2011


Synopsis

“Filled with the vitality and spirit that made Jack Kennedy such a magical figure. Chris Matthews shows the cunning and determination beneath that magic. It’s an awesome and delightful book.” —Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs

“What was he like?”

Jack Kennedy said the reason people read biography is to answer that basic question. What was he like, this man whose own wife called him “that elusive, unforgettable man?” In this New York Times bestselling biography, Chris Matthews answers that question with the verve of a novelist. We see this most beloved president in the company of friends. We see and feel him close-up, having fun and giving off that restlessness of his. We watch him navigate his life from privileged, rebellious youth to gutsy American president. We witness his bravery in war and selfless rescue of his PT boat crew. We watch JFK as a young politician learning to play hardball and watch him grow into the leader who averts a nuclear war.

Matthews’s extraordinary biography is based on personal interviews with those closest to JFK, oral histories by top political aide Kenneth O’Donnell and others, documents from his years as a student at Choate, and notes from Jacqueline Kennedy’s first interview after Dallas. As Matthews writes: “I found a fighting prince never free of pain, never far from trouble, never accepting the world he found, never wanting to be his father’s son. He was a far greater hero than he ever wished us to know.”

About Chris Matthews

Chris Matthews is a veteran political journalist, television commentator, and bestselling author known for his sharp insights, historical depth, and no-nonsense approach to American politics. As the longtime host of Hardball with Chris Matthews, he became a household name, grilling politicians and analyzing the biggest stories of the day with his signature wit and energy. Before his career in media, Matthews worked as a speechwriter for President Jimmy Carter and served as Chief of Staff to House Speaker Tip O’Neill, giving him a front-row seat to the inner workings of Washington. His books, including Hardball, Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero, and Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked, blend personal experience with historical analysis, offering readers a compelling look at power, leadership, and the art of politics. With a deep love for history and a passion for public service, Matthews remains a respected voice in political discourse, known for his ability to connect the past with the present in an engaging and insightful way.


Reviews

Goodreads review by John on December 06, 2011

Here is my overall review: I just finished reading Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero. There is a deep lump in my throat. Chris Matthews captured in his book what has been missing in so many other books about Jack Kennedy - his soul. Maybe it is my empathy with Chris Matthews world. Forty years ago I was inv......more

Goodreads review by Fergie on July 21, 2013

Chris Matthews' mind, razor sharp and astute in his political assessments, found its way to dissect the question of what draws Americans, to this day, to the compelling charm of JFK. Heroes, by their nature, if they are to be compelling, should be complex and flawed. What has always pulled me toward......more

Goodreads review by Jenn on January 18, 2012

My father took this book out from the library when I came home for sophomore year's winter break. "It's new," he said, placing it on the kitchen counter. "I thought you'd want to read it." It's no secret among family and friends that the Kennedys inspire me to see the compassion and wonder in politic......more

Goodreads review by Christina on October 29, 2020

Such a good audio book - I listened to it during this election season and it was a like a breath of fresh air unlike our current political climate. The Kennedys, Jack in particular, are resilient, so I found much of his story inspirational. I learned a lot more about his political career and less ab......more

Goodreads review by David on November 13, 2011

I've never been a huge JFK fan. I guess that just knowing so much of the behind the scenes realities of his life, that it is hard to put myself in the position of those Americans of the early 1960s who saw him as such a figure of hope, optimism, and change. I really have no idea what he accomplished......more