Born in 1917 to one of Boston's wealthiest families, John F. Kennedy was the youngest elected president—and one of the most mythologized figures in American history. Presenting a deeper understanding of JFK, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Embers of War traces Jack from birth through his decision to run for president, to reveal his early relationships, his formative experiences during World War II, his writings, and his political aspirations. While revealing a more serious, independently minded Kennedy than we've previously known, Fredrik Logevall also tells the parallel story of America's own midcentury rise.

"Logevall conveys both JFK's humanity and the history of the age…. It's a powerful, provocative, and above all compelling book."—Jon Meacham