Incomparable Grace

Acclaimed presidential historian Mark K. Updegrove, head of the LBJ Foundation, offers an illuminating account of John F. Kennedy's brief but transformative tenure in the White House



Nearly sixty years after his death, JFK still holds an outsize place in American culture. While Baby Boomers remember his dazzling presence as president, millennials more likely know him from advertisements for Omega watches or Ray Ban sunglasses. Yet his years in office were marked by more than his style and elegance. His presidency is a story of a fledgling leader forced to meet unprecedented challenges, and to rise above missteps to guide his nation into a new era.



Kennedy entered office inexperienced but compelling, his reputation more given by an enamored public than earned. In this compelling new account of his time in the White House, presidential historian Mark K. Updegrove reveals how his first months were marred by the botched Bay of Pigs invasions, a disastrous summit with the Soviet premier and a mismanaged approach to the Civil Rights movement. Though demoralized, Kennedy offered an important lesson in perseverance, righting wrongs and, importantly for our times, learning the correct lessons. Indeed, Kennedy grew as president, radiating greater possibility as he coolly faced a never-ending stream of crises before his tragic death.



Story Locale: The White House, Washington, DC