The Associated Press has published “JFK: A Daily Chronicle of the White House Years,” an account of President John F. Kennedy’s 1,036 days as commander-in-chief, ahead of the 100th anniversary of his birth on May 29.
The chronicle, by Les Krantz with The Associated Press, is a complete timeline that recounts Kennedy’s brief but eventful presidency and the style and wit with which he shaped the hopes of a generation.
Written in the present tense to capture the immediacy of the events, the day-by-day reports are drawn from coverage at the time, beginning with JFK’s inauguration through his assassination in November 1963.
Former AP Washington Bureau Chief Walter Mears writes in the introduction:
It was a time of hope, youthful leadership—JFK’s new generation in power—but with clouds. U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War was beginning. Kennedy sent an increasing number of military advisors there, and they were the first Americans involved in combat. The civil rights issue was a growing problem. Kennedy sought legislation, but it would not come on his watch.
In addition to recounting crises such as the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba and the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, the chronicle includes lighter dispatches, such as the Kennedys’ 1961 trip to France, during which the president memorably quipped: “I am the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris.”
“This comprehensive time capsule, told in real time, captures the youthful energy of JFK’s campaign and election as well as the mood of the country during times of tremendous challenges,” said Peter Costanzo, AP’s digital and archival publishing manager. “It’s a great addition to any Kennedy enthusiast’s library.”
The book contains nearly 200 photographs from AP’s archives, as well as recollections from AP journalists and photographers who covered JFK during his presidential campaign and his short time in the White House.
“JFK: A Daily Chronicle of the White House Years” is available in paperback and as an e-book exclusively on Amazon.
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