It has been 100 years since his birth, but John F. Kennedy remains a popular historic figure. People are fascinated with his privileged upbringing and the complicated politics of his presidency. His abbreviated life continues to inspire books, televisions series and movies. If you’re interested in reading more about this man who managed to leave a lasting mark on this country despite his short life, the library offers a large selection of interesting titles.
Before he was president, Kennedy showed promise as a leader when PT 109, the torpedo boat he served on, was downed by a Japanese Destroyer in the South Pacific. The ship’s surviving crew was stranded on an island, and Kennedy risked his life several times, swimming miles through the ocean in search of both food and escape from the island. “PT 109: An American Epic of War, Survival, and the Destiny of John F. Kennedy” by William Doyle explores how Kennedy’s experience shaped him from a spoiled, wealthy youth into his destiny as the inspirational war hero who beat the odds to win the presidency.
Readers interested in the minutiae of Kennedy’s political career should 
read “The Road to Camelot: Inside JFK’s Five-year Campaign” by Thomas Oliphant. This well-researched book follows Kennedy from his audacious, but ultimately unsuccessful bid in 1956 for the vice presidency through his entry into the White House five years later. Kennedy’s Catholicism was a hurdle to overcome, but he managed to do so by building relationships with powerful individuals and using polling data and televised debates in ways that would shatter convention and reshape the way future politicians would approach campaigning.
In this day and age of the smartphone, it’s difficult to remember a time when we didn’t always have a camera on us, capturing every moment for 
perpetuity. Kennedy, a trailblazer in many ways, was also one in death as his assassination was captured on film by Abraham Zapruder, who on a whim brought his family’s home movie camera to film the president’s motorcade. This act forever changed Zapruder’s life. “Twenty-six Seconds: A Personal History of the Zapruder Film” by Alexandra Zapruder explores the history of the film, including how it came to be and how the family struggled with the ethics of what to do with it over the years.
The assassination of the young president was a turning point for this country in many ways. “November 22, 1963: Reflections on the Life, Assassination, and Legacy of John F. Kennedy
” by Dean R. Owen contains reflections from countless individuals, including news reporters who covered Kennedy’s work and several of his political colleagues, exploring what was lost that day and the legacy he left behind. Although Kennedy’s time serving as this country’s leader was cut short, he managed to make his mark, helping to shape the future that he did not live to see.
Image credit: White House Press Office, John F. Kennedy, White House Portrait via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
