Scan barcode
Reviews
Listening In: The Secret White House Recordings of John F. Kennedy by Caroline Kennedy, Ted Widmer
stevem0214's review against another edition
3.0
Good book. I little dry...but you have to remember that life is a little dry at times. The movies always make everything in history very dramatic...when's it happening it may be tense, but there's no soundtrack. Worth reading and listening to. The audio quality was poor on a lot of these. I'm sure the best recording equipment was used...the best for the early 60's anyway!
clairebearrich's review against another edition
3.0
Okay, so I’m a history buff. I’m also a Camelot history buff, a communism history buff, and a Presidential history buff. So basically this concept was totally up my alley. Listening In contains some of the secret recordings of the Kennedy era, spanning subjects from the Civil Rights Movement, the Cuban Missile Crisis and other intriguing events. It had so much potential.
It just fell a little flat. Sure, some of the conversations were really interesting. To see exactly what was going on in the White House during some of the most critical moments of the Cuban Missile Crisis and being able to listen in on just what Kennedy thought of his political opponents was really cool, but a lot of the conversations were just boring.
It was like the author picked out random conversations from the Kennedy tapes, not paying any attention to the actual content and quality of the conversations. I saw what was being said about potentially going to war with the Soviets (PS this book made me sure that Kennedy would not have gone into Vietnam and I’m willing to argue about it if you want to challenge me on that.) But there’s also a lot of Kennedy saying “Yeah” and “Sure” to his staff as they give him relatively boring status reports. I understand that maybe some of the more intriguing bits might still be classified, but there’s no need to include a five or six line transcript of Kennedy congratulating a hockey coach on winning an important game.
In short this book had some amazing potential, but it just fell short. There are a few gems within its pages, but most of the conversations are huge disappointments. If you’re interested in the subject, go for it, but if you’re looking for some juicy details of the Kennedy regime, don’t bother.
3/5 stars
It just fell a little flat. Sure, some of the conversations were really interesting. To see exactly what was going on in the White House during some of the most critical moments of the Cuban Missile Crisis and being able to listen in on just what Kennedy thought of his political opponents was really cool, but a lot of the conversations were just boring.
It was like the author picked out random conversations from the Kennedy tapes, not paying any attention to the actual content and quality of the conversations. I saw what was being said about potentially going to war with the Soviets (PS this book made me sure that Kennedy would not have gone into Vietnam and I’m willing to argue about it if you want to challenge me on that.) But there’s also a lot of Kennedy saying “Yeah” and “Sure” to his staff as they give him relatively boring status reports. I understand that maybe some of the more intriguing bits might still be classified, but there’s no need to include a five or six line transcript of Kennedy congratulating a hockey coach on winning an important game.
In short this book had some amazing potential, but it just fell short. There are a few gems within its pages, but most of the conversations are huge disappointments. If you’re interested in the subject, go for it, but if you’re looking for some juicy details of the Kennedy regime, don’t bother.
3/5 stars
mcallima's review against another edition
4.0
This book is incredible and revealing. The President is the highest, most prestigious official in our country, and we really know so little about what happens behind the scenes. This book offers the American people a glimpse at those tense, turbulent, emotional, moments. We get to see and understand how a president thought and felt, and the inner workings of the decision making.
In the introduction, Widmer wrote, " After so many words have been written about John F. Kennedy, it feels right to let him speak for himself. This is the closest to an autobiography we will ever get" (p. 5). We know so much historically about the Kennedy presidency, we know the timeline of fateful events, but this books shows us, in Kennedy's own words, his thoughts, feelings, worries decisions, frustrations, and celebrations. It is the humanity behind the presidency.
And in so many ways, the issues of 1961-1963 are still relevant today. Kennedy tackle Civil Rights, Communism, space exploration, foreign relations. In the chapter "The Burden and the Glory," Widmer writes, "...Kennedy cautioned Americans against seeking comfort in the 'safe mediocrity of the past,' and he certainly would not have wanted readers to attack the problems of the twenty first century by repeating the well-worn catchphrases of an earlier generation. But perhaps by asking Americans to deepen their acquaintance with the issues, and to renew their commitment to talk with one another, as the participants in these converstaions do so well, these tapes will serve a new purpose that he never intended. That would be worthy of the final legacy of John F. Kennedy; not to romanticize his time, but to embrace and engage with our own" (p. 270).
In the introduction, Widmer wrote, " After so many words have been written about John F. Kennedy, it feels right to let him speak for himself. This is the closest to an autobiography we will ever get" (p. 5). We know so much historically about the Kennedy presidency, we know the timeline of fateful events, but this books shows us, in Kennedy's own words, his thoughts, feelings, worries decisions, frustrations, and celebrations. It is the humanity behind the presidency.
And in so many ways, the issues of 1961-1963 are still relevant today. Kennedy tackle Civil Rights, Communism, space exploration, foreign relations. In the chapter "The Burden and the Glory," Widmer writes, "...Kennedy cautioned Americans against seeking comfort in the 'safe mediocrity of the past,' and he certainly would not have wanted readers to attack the problems of the twenty first century by repeating the well-worn catchphrases of an earlier generation. But perhaps by asking Americans to deepen their acquaintance with the issues, and to renew their commitment to talk with one another, as the participants in these converstaions do so well, these tapes will serve a new purpose that he never intended. That would be worthy of the final legacy of John F. Kennedy; not to romanticize his time, but to embrace and engage with our own" (p. 270).
jeanetterenee's review against another edition
3.0
Most of the conversations here are a lot more mundane than you might expect. The recordings included were chosen to show what it was like day to day to be a president facing many issues. They don't reveal any big secrets or even much new information. Even the meetings about serious issues don't make a lot of sense. All the people talk in a sort of shorthand, because they were all familiar with the particulars and the conversations weren't meant for outside ears.
This is worth reading and listening to if you have a lot of patience and you like history. I thought it was especially interesting to see how much of Kennedy's time was spent cultivating good will (read: sucking up) with previous U.S. presidents and with leaders of other countries. That basic courtesy was essential to his effectiveness.
This is worth reading and listening to if you have a lot of patience and you like history. I thought it was especially interesting to see how much of Kennedy's time was spent cultivating good will (read: sucking up) with previous U.S. presidents and with leaders of other countries. That basic courtesy was essential to his effectiveness.
quintusmarcus's review
3.0
Terribly sad, to listen to Kennedy's voice, full of confidence and intelligence, knowing his fate. Still, it is wonderful to be able to hear him. The fault with this book, though, is that there's so little context around the excerpts. Presumably, anyone familiar with the history of his administration would know, but it would still help to have a larger picture in the book. Also disappointing is the fragmentary nature of these audio excerpts: I know, from having read the transcripts of the entire Cuban Missile crisis, that there is a wealth of audio material available, and that's not clear from this book. In that regard, the book is of little use to scholars, and is not well edited for non-specialists.
Still, it is a fine collection of excerpts, and surely of value to anyone of interest in the Kennedy presidency.
Still, it is a fine collection of excerpts, and surely of value to anyone of interest in the Kennedy presidency.
More...