Let Every Nation Know: John F. Kennedy in His Own Words

by Terry Golway and Robert Dallek

Book Overview

Let Every Nation Know is the first book of its kind-a historical biography in Kennedy's own words. Combining a remarkable audio CD of Kennedy's most famous speeches, debates and press conferences with the insights of two of America's preeminent historians, the result is a unique look at the world-changing words and presidency of John F. Kennedy.

Robert Dallek, author of the #1 bestselling biography An Unfinished Life, and Terry Golway, author...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1402209223
• ISBN13: 9781402209222
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Mediafusion
• Length: 308 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.5" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A Great Addition to any Library

The combination of audio CD and written commentary make this a `must have' for the serious student of oratory and contemporary American politics. Writers Dallek and Golway present over 30 speeches (some edited) from one of the finest political orators of the 20th century. The vast majority of the speeches are probably well known to Kennedy aficionados, but probably only in written form. It is a delight to hear such a diverse range of speeches ranging from early in his campaign - January 1960 thru November 21 1963, the day before his assassination. The authors give a profile / overview of each speech. By its nature, these have to be brief and do not provide a lot of detail. For those interested in learning more about Kennedy's speech development, read Theodore Sorensen's Counselor, Thurston Clarke's Ask Not and Richard Tofel's Sounding the Trumpet. Occasions make great speeches. Kennedy was a fine orator who came to power at a time of great tension, achievement and change. The words he spoke when put in this context have become memorable. Thus Kennedy's address to protestant ministers of the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, his inaugural, the Berlin crisis address and the Cuban missile crisis address are memorable not just because of well crafted words, well delivered, but because they were important narrative about crucial events. The presidential debates with Richard Nixon feature prominently in the book. Many historians suggest that those listening on radio thought Nixon won the debate. I have never seen statistics to support that point, but Nixon does come across as well as Kennedy on audio although much of the Vice-President's commentary was pretty ironic given what we now know of the only man to resign the presidency. Kennedy's final speech on November 21st is worthwhile because of its poignant closeness to his assassination one day later. Overall, this is one of those books / CDs that you will constantly refer back to. Well worth adding to your library.

"Memorable Presidential Language"

Let Every Nation Know: John F. Kennedy in His Own Words examines the public speeches of President Kennedy. From his presidential campaign to his last speech in 1963, authors Robert Dallek and Terry Golway guide us through the setting and significance of his notable addresses. Even today, Kennedy's words reverberate through the collective consciousness of our nation. His inaugural remains one of the most inspiring and well-remembered in American history. In fact, as the authors argue, his skill with words is one of the key factors to his continued popularity four decades later. An innovative feature of this book that I especially enjoyed is the accompanying audio CD. For each chapter there is a clip from the corresponding speech. After reading the background, you can enjoy hearing the President "in his own words." This is a tremendous bonus for this book, and I hope other authors utilize this concept. Though I have never been a great fan of President Kennedy, I found myself enjoying this book immensely. As someone whose vocation requires public speaking, I find reading, hearing, and understanding what great speakers say, and how they say it, beneficial. More than that, it is enjoyable to observe a master communicator. There is no question that Kennedy was skilled when it came to using his "bully pulpit" to accomplish his agenda, but he was equally skilled in the art of speaking. Most effective presidents, especially those who are enduringly popular, were good communicators (Consider Lincoln, FDR, Reagan). In the words of the authors, "Substantive presidential accomplishments seem to have less of a sustaining hold on Americans than does memorable presidential language in public addresses." This book proves that principle is certainly true in the presidency of John F. Kennedy.

Perhaps the best of all the books on JFK

This was the kind of book that once I started reading I couldn't put down. I finished it very quickly. I was five years old when he was killed. He was the first President I remember first hand. I remember that in Kindergarden we were told that President George Washington was the Father of our country. In my five year old mind, I thought JFK was the Father of our country, because he too was President like George Washington. This book gave me a chance to hear in his own words what was going on in a time I barely remember as a young child. His words still speak to us today. This book for me was what I needed to read at this time to remind me of what is important. We as a country have moved so far away from the vision of JFK and it has inspired me to get back to my roots and to get back on track and to try and get our country back on track.

Let Every Nation Know. JFK in his own words.

A must have book for all age groups interested in the life and times of JFK. To hear the actual speeches of JFK on CD are inspirational and even in this day and age very moving. The book and CD transported me back to that era even though I was 8 at the time and brought back many memories. An excellent book.Highly recommended.

A Better Time

Listening to the accompaning CD is both stimulating and depressing. The literacy and restraint of Kennedy's language so starkly contrasts to what we hear from the current administration. There is much irony as well. In the clip from the debates, Nixon tells the voters that as president he will be a role model for the nation's youth, just as Ike had been. But most depressing is the way this book and CD demonstrate the change in what voters now find persuasive. These are not sound bits or simple messages. These are intelligent and sophisticated speeches. These speeches suggest that Kennedy assumed that the voters were intelligent and that he respected their intelligence. Compare that to the current, simplistic messages that accuse opponents of being in league with al Qaeda. While Nixon was no stranger to the simplistic attack, it is striking to listen to his language and compare it to the current Republican leadership. To suggest that an early time was better is almost a cliche, but when you read and listen to these speeches the evidence seems overwhelming. This was a time when many of our leaders spoke with eloquence and addressed complex issues (Stevenson, Dirkson, Mansfield, Nelson Rockefeller, Robert Kennedy, and many others). More importantly, the voters seemed to actually listen to these speeches. There are great lessons in this modest volume.