An Unfinished Life: JFK 1917-1963, Robert Dallek, 2003

A detailed and well-told biography of our 35^th President, warts and all.  Kennedy is portrayed as a smart, savvy, and strategic quick learner who came to the Oval Office with little executive experience and know-how but who matured quickly through adverse experiences.  His family history is told in detail, especially the influence of his father, a bigoted, cold, and incredibly ambitious son of an Irish immigrant.  The impact of his brothers, the war-lost Joe and the tireless Bobby, is huge as is JFK’s need for sex.  An America torn by civil rights conflict, the Cold War, the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis, and poverty are well portrayed.  Kennedy’s medical issues are dealt with in detail.  A good read for the 50^th anniversary of the assassination in Dallas.