Let the Word/Forth

by Theodore C. Sorensen

Book Overview

In his own words--JFK at his wisest, wittiest, and most eloquent In one volume, the writings and speeches of John F. Kennedy reveal a man and President and portray an era as no historian or biographer... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0440500419
• ISBN13: 9780440500414
• Release Date: October 1988
• Publisher: Delacorte Press
• Length: 433 Pages
• Weight: 2.31 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A Career, A Society, and How We Have Changed.

Whether you love John F. Kennedy or hate him, "Let the Word Go Forth" is a rewarding read for anyone interested in the 35th President or the America from which we are not very far removed. This book consists of excerpts from over 100 speeches made by John F. Kennedy during his political life. These is not a collection of quotations but a public career as portrayed in largely and totally complete speeches and statements. In these pages we are reminded of the lofty ideals, the wit and, a bit of the parochial politician which was John F. Kennedy.For me, much of the value in this book lies not in what it tells us of Kennedy, but what it tells us about the country in which he lived. The things which were said, and which did not need to be said, and the language used tell us of an America different from the one in which we live today. To illustrate this I will discuss four of the speeches.We begin with the Inaugural Address, probably Kennedy's most famous statement. The speech, which gave us several remembered lines, the most famous of which is "Ask not what your country can do for you,-ask what you can do for your country" is most notable for what it does not say. Read this speech from start to finish and you will find no mention of social security, health care, education, poverty, civil rights, highways or any of the domestic concerns which have held such center stage in recent public debate. It deals exclusively of foreign policy. What President since Kennedy would start his administration which such a challenge?The second speech to which I would direct the reader's attention is the address to the Houston Ministerial Alliance on September 12, 1960. The purpose of the speech was to refute allegations that a Catholic would have a divided loyalty or would be subject to orders from the church hierarchy. The way in which Kennedy responded to the problem is felt by many to have done a great disservice to Catholic politicians. It is believed that Kennedy established the standard that, in order to be considered for office, Catholic candidates must establish that their religious beliefs will not be a factor in their decision making process. At the end of the speech, Kennedy was specifically confronted with a request that he request approval from the Vatican for his statement supporting the separation of church and state. What politician since then has been confronted with such a question?The third speech to be considered is entitled "The City Upon a Hill" and was given to the Massachusetts legislature on January 9, 1961. In this speech Kennedy draws on the history of Massachusetts in establishing the code of conduct for those serving the Commonwealth. He lists four questions by which public servants will be judged: "were we men of courage...were we men of judgement...were we truly men of integrity...were we men of dedication." As one reads these stirring question with their elaborations, a realization dawns on the reader: There were no women

Let the word go forth: the speeches, statements, and writing

Are you bored when you are listening to the E-Span? If you read this book, you won't be able to listen to any speech from any current politician. The level of nobleness is totally different. If you are looking for great speeches of the century, I strongly recommend this book. This book will make your life more exite and active. It is also the great book for the teachers who really wants to motivate their children. This book is for everyone beyond the politics.