An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy 1917-1963 (120 page)

Chapter 1: Beginnings

p. 3: “good New Englander”: Hugh Fraser OH.

p. 3: “Irishman”: Collier and Horowitz, 7.

p. 3: “some disagreement”: Notes for speeches for Irish trip, June 11, 1963, Speech Files, Box 45, POF.

p. 4: Lismore Castle and Kathleen’s letter: Doris Goodwin, 729.

p. 4: Kathleen asked Jack: KKH to JFK, May 21, 1947, Box 4A, PP.

p. 4: Dress and appearance and the quotes: Burns, 57, 63, 71, 98, 122, 259; Lasky, 101-2; Parmet,
Jack,
84-85, 170; Blair, 511.

p. 5: The quotes about his effect on women are from Lasky, 149, 205.

p. 5: “rather quietly”: Doris Goodwin, 731.

p. 5: “Which Kennedys” and “looking just like”: Ibid.

p. 6: “magic of the afternoon”: Burns, 3-4; JFK to James M. Burns, Aug. 25, 1959, POF.

p. 6: “Did they have”: Doris Goodwin, 732. For Kathleen’s description of JFK visit, see KKH to JPK, Sept. 18, 1947, JPK Papers, JFKL.

p. 6: Kennedy great-grandparents: Collier and Horowitz, 7-11.

p. 6: Fitzgerald great-grandparents: Doris Goodwin, chap. 1.

p. 7: “Irishness”: Davis, 54. Also see Tamara Plakins Thornton, “Timely Reminders,”
Reviews in American History
(Dec. 1998), 795.

pp. 7-9: For the portrait of P. J. Kennedy, see Burns, 8-11; Collier and Horowitz, 11-17; Davis, 21-23, 27-32; Doris Goodwin, 226-32.

pp. 9-11: For the portrait of John F. Fitzgerald: Burns, 10-14; Collier and Horowitz, 18-20; Doris Goodwin, chaps. 4-7; Hamilton, 4-12.

p. 11: “a first hurrah”: Collier and Horowitz, 20.

p. 11: Fitzgerald-Hannon marriage: Doris Goodwin, chap. 6.

p. 11: “There have been times”: Rose Kennedy, 1.

p. 11: “a big, old rambling”: Ibid., 11.

p. 11: “the absolute thrill”: Doris Goodwin, 105.

p. 12: For the White House visit and horses and her own rig: Rose Kennedy, 33-34, 15-16.

p. 12: Old Orchard: Ibid., 17; Doris Goodwin, 123-25.

p. 12: “scrollwork porch”: Collier and Horowitz, 28.

p. 12: “a hazy idea”: Rose Kennedy, 24.

p. 12: “all manner” and Wellesley: Doris Goodwin, 130-33.

p. 13: For the Convent of the Sacred Heart, see Collier and Horowitz, 29.

p. 13: For the trip and schooling, see Doris Goodwin, 155-56, 158-59, 174-89; and Rose Kennedy, 29-33.

p. 13: Returned to Boston: Doris Goodwin, 197-98.

p. 13: Nothing more clearly: Ibid., 201-3.

p. 14: “mistrust” and “resentment” and other quotes in the paragraph: Rose Kennedy, 49-52.

p. 14: For social Darwinism, see Hofstadter,
Social Darwinism
.

p. 15: Joe’s reading of Alger: Collier and Horowitz, 23.

p. 15: On rags to riches and mind power, see Weiss.

p. 15: Jobs: Collier and Horowitz, 23; Davis, 31.

p. 15: Assumptions and “If you can’t be captain”: Collier and Horowitz, 24; Davis, 32.

p. 15: For Joe at Boston Latin: Collier and Horowitz, 24; Davis, 31-33.

p. 16: “somehow seemed”: Collier and Horowitz, 24-25.

p. 16: Special affection: Doris Goodwin, 227-28.

pp. 16-17: For Joe at Harvard: Ibid., chap. 13, especially 209 and 214.

p. 17: “basic profession”: Collier and Horowitz, 26-28.

p. 17: For the power of the banks, see Brandeis.

p. 18: Joe’s apprenticeship: Doris Goodwin, 237-41.

p. 18: Joe and Columbia Trust: Collier and Horowitz, 27-28; Doris Goodwin, 253-58.

p. 19: Courtship and wedding: Rose Kennedy, chap. 6; Doris Goodwin, 124, 258-59; Hamilton, 15-23.

pp. 19-20: Beals Street house: Rose Kennedy, 71-72, 75; Hamilton, 23-24.

p. 20: Joe Jr.’s birth: Ibid., 25; Collier and Horowitz, 32; Doris Goodwin, 261-62.

p. 20: JFK’s birth: Hamilton, 30.

p. 21: Joe and the war: Doris Goodwin, 267-76.

p. 21: Joe’s work for Bethlehem: Ibid., 276-81, 283-85.

p. 21: “for services rendered”: Ibid., 292.

p. 22: Joe as stockbroker: Ibid., chap. 17; for Joe’s fortune, 339.

p. 22: The family: Rose Kennedy, 75-76.

p. 22: Naples Road house: Ibid., 75; Doris Goodwin, 313-14.

p. 23: “Now, listen Rosie”: Doris Goodwin, 392.

p. 24: “I hope you”: Quoted in ibid., 303-4.

p. 24: “were another thing”: Interview with Frank Kent Jr. in David E. Koskoff Papers, JFKL.

p. 24: “And the old man”: Blair, 318.

p. 24: Affair with Swanson: See Collier and Horowitz, 47-55; “the largest private” is quoted on 53. Also see Doris Goodwin, 389-97, 415-18; Hamilton, 63-68, 73.

p. 24: “Your father again”: Rose Kennedy to Children, Feb. 2, 1942, Box 4A, PP.

p. 25: Rose’s return to her father’s home: Doris Goodwin, 301-8.

p. 25: Rose’s travels: Rose Kennedy, 94; Davis, 71; Doris Goodwin, 320-21.

Chapter 2: Privileged Youth

p. 26: And if Joe Kennedy were: “The Nine Kennedy Kids Delight Great Britain,”
Life,
Apr. 11, 1938.

pp. 26-27: Early schooling: Rose Kennedy, 97; Doris Goodwin, 355-56; Hamilton, 52-53.

p. 27: Jack’s first ten years: JFK childhood medical record, Box 1, and Report of Physical Exam, Oct. 20, 1943, Box 11A, PP; Burns, 32-33; Rose Kennedy, 84, 110-11; Parmet,
Jack,
17, 19; Doris Goodwin, 353-54; Damore, 19-21.

pp. 27-28: “It was an easy” and Joe Jr.-Jack rivalry: Burns, 23, 28; Damore, 26-27; Collier and Horowitz, 59, 61.

p. 28: Jack’s affection for Joe Jr.: Doris Goodwin, 355; John F. Kennedy,
As We Remember Joe,
3.

p. 28: “When Joe came home”: JFK to Dad, Dec. 9 (probably 1929), Box 1, PP.

p. 29: “was no place”: McCarthy, 42.

p. 29: Rose’s reaction: Doris Goodwin, 367-68; Rose Kennedy, 166.

pp. 29-30: Jack at Riverdale School and transfer to Canterbury, “Creditable”: Upper School Scholarship Report, Box 1, PP; Notes on JFK’s Canterbury Attendance, Dec. 8, 1988, in NHP; Hamilton, 81-85.

p. 30: “It’s a pretty good place”: JFK to Uncle Jack, n.d., Box 1, PP.

p. 30: “his average should be”: Canterbury School, Record of JFK, Form II, Box 4B, PP.

p. 30: “a little worrying”: JFK to Mother, n.d., Box 1, PP.

p. 30: Sports: Letter beginning, “I was certainly glad,” JFK to Dad, n.d., Box 1, PP.

p. 30: “Please send me”: Schoor, 37.

p. 30: Talk on India: JFK to Dad, n.d, Box 1, PP.

p. 30: “a desire to enjoy”: Sorensen, 14.

pp. 30-31: “What do you remember”: Hugh Sidey in Henderson, xxiv.

p. 31: “You watched these people”: Charles Spalding quoted in Collier and Horowitz, 113.

p. 31: Arrogance: Damore, 20-21, 36-41.

pp. 31-32: Indifference to money: Ralph Horton OH; James Rousmaniere interview in NHP.

p. 32: “They really didn’t have”: Collier and Horowitz, 62.

p. 32: “Jack, I sent for you”: Smith, 161.

p. 32: “Mind your own business”:
Boston Globe,
Nov. 19, 1964.

p. 33: Jack’s admission to Choate: Hamilton, 84, 88.

pp. 33-34: JFK medical record, including Rose Kennedy’s card file on JFK’s childhood illnesses; JFK undated letters to “Mother” and “Dad” in Box 1, PP; Doris Goodwin, 309-312; Hamilton, 87-88.

p. 34: “probably very homesick”: “Notes on John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s Canterbury Attendance” provided by the school, NHP.

p. 34: “a mild cold”: Secretary to Mrs. Kennedy, Nov. 24, 1931; also see exchanges between Rose Kennedy and Mrs. St. John for Jan. 18, n.d., 19, 20, 21, 22, 1932, Box 1, PP.

p. 34: “quite a cough”: Jan. 23, 25, 1932, Outline of JFK Choate Letters, Box 1, PP; JPK to Mr. St. John, Dec. 3, 1931, and Clara St. John to Mr. Massie and to Mrs. Kennedy, Feb. 8, April 28, 1932, NHP.

pp. 34-35: “flu-like symptoms” and “Jack’s winter term”: Quoted in Hamilton, 98. Also see Secretary to Mrs. Kennedy, Jan. 10, Feb. 14, 17, 18, Mar. 3, 9, 10, Apr. 13, 1933; Rose Kennedy to Mrs. St. John, Jan. 17, Mar. 9, 1933; Mrs. St. John to Mrs. Kennedy, Jan. 23, 1933; Mrs. St. John to Paul Murphy, Jan. 30, 1933; Paul Murphy to Mrs. Kennedy, Jan. 28, 1933, Outline of JFK Choate Letters, Box 1, PP.

p. 35: On his weight: George St. John to Mr. Maher, quoting JPK, Oct. 10, 1933, NHP.

p. 35: “We are still puzzled”: Mrs. St. John to Mrs. Kennedy, Feb. 6, 1934, NHP.

p. 35: “I hope with all my heart”: Mrs. St. John to Jack, Feb. 5, 1934, NHP.

p. 35: “It seems that I was”: JFK to Billings, Feb. 1934, JFKL. Also see Mrs. St. John to Jack, Feb. 8, Mar. 6, 1934; George St. John to JPK, Feb. 8, 1934, NHP; George Steele to Masters, Feb. 14, 1934; Secretary to JPK, April 25, 1934, Outline of JFK Choate Letters, Box 1, PP; Maurice “Maury” Shea OH.

p. 35: “one of the ‘big boys’”: Clara St. John to Rose F. Kennedy, Oct. 7, 1931, NHP.

p. 35: Rose had already signaled: In letter to George St. John, July 3, 1931, NHP.

p. 36: “Jack sits at”: G. St. John to JPK, Oct. 20, 1931, NHP.

p. 36: Rat Face: Meyers, 15.

p. 37: Jack told Billings: Doris Goodwin, 465-66.

p. 37: “stressed to his children”: Ibid., 351.

p. 37: “Jack was sick,” “Why don’t you,” and “Everybody wants to”: Hersh, 16.

p. 37: “very frame”: Quoted in Hamilton, 358-59.

p. 37: His schoolwork continued: JFK Choate School Records, Box 2, PP.

p. 37: “what concerned us”: Rose Kennedy, 176-77.

p. 38: “conspicuously failed”: Quoted in Hamilton, 107.

p. 38:
Information Please:
Horton OH. Reading the
New York Times:
Meyers, 15; Horton OH. On Churchill, Kay Halle OH.

p. 38: “most likely to succeed”: Horton OH.

p. 38: “I’d like to take”: John J. Maher Report of JFK, in Meyers, 14.

p. 38: “I can’t tell you”: JPK to G. St. George, Nov. 21, 1933; JPK to JPK Jr., Nov. 21, 1933; JPK to G. Steele, Jan. 5, 1935, NHP.

pp. 38-39: The Muckers episode is best recounted in Parmet,
Jack,
34-38; Doris Goodwin, 486-89; Thomas C. Reeves, 42-43; and Hamilton, 119-27.

p. 39: For Tinker on St. John’s anti-Catholicism, see Sheldon Stern to author, Mar. 25, 2002. Also, Meyers, 17; Parmet,
Jack,
33.

p. 40: “the longer I live”: Meyers, 15.

p. 40: “I never saw a boy”: G. St. John to JPK, Nov. 24, 1933, NHP.

p. 40: “Jack is one”: G. St. John to JPK, Feb. 8, 1934, NHP.

p. 40: “never lectured”: Meyers, 16.

pp. 40-41: “My God”: LeMoyne Billings recounted this to Doris Goodwin, 487-88.

p. 41: “To Boss Tweed”: Horton OH.

p. 41: “a little wild”: Doris Goodwin, 467.

p. 41: “If I were their age”: Rose Kennedy, 172-73.

p. 41: “Jack has a clever”: Meyers, 15.

p. 41: Harvard College: Principal’s Report on Applicant, Box 2, PP.

pp. 41-42: Princeton decision: Rose Kennedy, 201. For the most detailed description of this interlude between fall 1935 and summer 1936, see Hamilton, 139-64.

p. 42: “Exam today”: JFK to Billings, Jan. 27, 1937, LBP.

p. 42: “cram school”: Torbert H. Macdonald OH. JFK’s Harvard records, including tutor’s report, are in Box 2, PP.

p. 43: On JFK at Harvard: Lawrence Lader, “Jack Kennedy at Harvard: A Fellow Student Tells About,” which includes the quotes from the coach and the contemporary about Joe, Box 2, PP; also see Doris Goodwin, 505-6.

p. 43: “espoused their causes”: Lasky, 74.

p. 43: “You are certainly”: JFK to Billings, Nov. 9, 1936, NHP.

p. 43: The state of the university is described in Keller, chap. 1.

p. 44: Galbraith on Joe Jr.: Galbraith,
A Life,
53.

p. 44: “When I become”: Lasky, 75.

p. 44: For Joe Jr.’s career at Harvard, see Doris Goodwin, 504-5.

p. 44: For JFK’s courses, see JFK, Harvard University Concentration Card, June 1940, Box 2, PP.

p. 44: “is planning to do work”: Freshman Adviser’s Report; the books are listed in Tutorial Record, 1937-38, Box 2, PP.

pp. 44-45: For the papers on Francis I and Rousseau, see Box 1, PP, and Hamilton, 168-71, 176-77.

p. 45: “A gangling”: Lader, “Jack Kennedy at Harvard.”

p. 45: a “Good boy” and other quotes in reports of house applications, April 1, 1937, Box 2, PP.

p. 45: “handsome . . . gregarious”: Galbraith,
A Life,
53.

p. 45: “We are having one hell”: JFK to Billings, Sept. 29, 1936, NHP.

p. 45: “I am now known”: JFK to Billings, Oct. 21, 1936, NHP.

p. 45: “very humorous”: Blair, 49.

p. 45: “Anytime” and “Jack was more fun”: Hamilton, 204.