I think it’s important to put reviews in perspective. I loved Kennedy’s Only Hero by Joel Nelson. This is somewhat extraordinary as I really dislike JFK. Now that I have enraged at least a few people, let’s talk about the book!
Nelson reveals that JFK was a legitimate Winston Churchill fanboy. There is no other way to put it. When I put this book cover up on social media, there were multiple people like me who became a bit wary. Is this the case of an author piecing together a few disparate bits of evidence to write a book and label it as a fresh look? Emphatically, no, this is not what Nelson has done. He brings the receipts and they are compelling. So if you are hesitant because you think this might be a bit of a bait and switch or an imagined angle, fear not.
Now, I have stated I dislike JFK. I like Churchill well enough. However, while I can see why some people are drawn to JFK, I absolutely loathe Joe Kennedy. You could say the worst of JFK is entirely the influence of Joe, and I wouldn’t argue with you at all. Fun fact: Joe loathed Churchill. Kennedy family drama. Who could have seen it coming?
In the end, I enjoyed this narrative more than expected. Each of these three main characters is presented as fully fleshed out human beings although some with much clearer failings than others. Most importantly, Nelson meets the promise of his subtitle. Obsession is the only way to describe it.
(This book was provided as a review copy by PublicAffairs.)
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