JFK and His Enemies: A Portrait of Power

It is impossible to live the kind of life that John Fitzgerald Kennedy lived – one of privilege, power, and pain – and not acquire a few enemies along the way. Yet few figures in American history have as oddly conflicted relationships with their political foes as did our 35th President. Historian Thomas Whalen’s book sheds light on each of Kennedy’s enemies, detailing the ways in which Kennedy’s more fractious relationships evolved over time, affected his Presidency, and his personal life. From Richard Nixon (an early colleague and ally turned bitter opponent) to Lyndon Johnson (an initial adversary shrewdly adopted as a running mate) leading finally to Lee Harvey Oswald, whose deranged action changed the course of history, Kennedy’s list of enemies is extensive, fascinating, and – five decades after his tragic demise – as legendary as he.