The 11 Best Books About John F. Kennedy

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On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. While there are numerous conspiracy theories surrounding JFK's assassination, it was Lee Harvey Oswald who shot and killed the 35th president. In the sixty years since, there have been many evaluations of Kennedy's life and legacy, including via documentaries, history books, and so much more. (There's also a whole subgenre of science fiction dedicated to JFK's assassination.) In the past few weeks, even, it's been announced that a new Netflix miniseries about JFK's life, similar to The Crown, is in development, and a thriller, Assassination, is in the works.

Yet, if you're looking for a solid reading list that features an introduction into JFK and what happened on the day of his assassination, these 12 books are a great place to start.

JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956

Fredrik Logevall focuses in on JFK's childhood through his time in the Senate in this biography, the first in a two-part planned series. Lovegall explains, "the conceit of the book is that I can tell two stories together: the story of John F. Kennedy’s rise and the story of America’s rise. I believe we can better understand the first half of the so-called American Century through the lens of Kennedy’s life."

An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917 - 1963

Robert Dalek's An Unfinished Life uses new material (new as of 2003, we should clarify) to give a full portrait of JFK. As the publisher notes, "Dallek succeeds as no other biographer has done in striking a critical balance—never shying away from JFK's weaknesses, brilliantly exploring his strengths—as he offers up a vivid portrait of a bold, brave, complex, heroic, human Kennedy."

JFK's Last Hundred Days: The Transformation of a Man and the Emergence of a Great President

Thurston Clarke, who has authored other books on Kennedy, turns his attention to a minute-by-minute account of JFK's final days. Weaving together his public and private lives, JFK's Last Hundred Days seeks to understand the last months of his life—and who he was when he was killed.

PT 109: An American Epic of War, Survival, and the Destiny of John F. Kennedy

Before Kennedy was president, before he was a Senator, he was a lieutenant in the Navy and served during World War II. One boat he commanded, PT 109, was destroyed, and the crew was shipwrecked. He was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his actions. PT 109 details what happened during that fateful week, and how it changed the course of JFK's career. "Without PT 109, there never would have been a President John F. Kennedy," JFK aide David Powers once said.

The Death of a President: November 20-November 25, 1963

In the immediate aftermath of November 22, 1963, journalist William Manchester set out to report on what happened during, and immediately after, the assassination. The Death of a President, published in 1967, is his detailed account of the assassination. Jackie, who originally agreed to the book, filed a lawsuit to prevent its publication, and the suit was settled with Manchester reportedly removing some sections of the book that dealt with private family life.

Case Closed: Lee Harvey Oswald and the Assassination of JFK

A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, Case Closed deals with all the conspiracy theories surrounding JFK's assassination and makes the case for Lee Harvey Oswald as the culprit, and of the motivations behind Jack Ruby's subsequent shooting of Oswald.

A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the White House

A Thousand Days by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. won the Pulitzer Prize in 1966. Schlesinger was a special assistant to JFK throughout his presidency, and he brings this unique perspective from his inner circle to a look at the Kennedy administration.

Four Days in November: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Vincent T. Bugliosi, the prosecutor who tried cult leader Charles Manson, turns his attention to the assassination of JFK in Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy. This book, Four Days in November, is adapted from that—and makes the case for Lee Harvey Oswald as the sole perpetrator.

John Kennedy: A Political Profile

James MacGregor Burns, who authored a biography of FDR in 1956, ran for Congress in 1958. Though he lost, he became close friends with John F. Kennedy—and decided to write a biography of his new friend. "Without any restrictions, Kennedy granted his friend complete access to files, family records, and personal correspondence," the publisher notes. "The two men spoke at great length in Washington, DC, and at the Kennedy family compound on Cape Cod, and afterwards, Kennedy asked his relatives, friends, and political colleagues to talk openly with Burns as well." It's an intimate portrait of Kennedy before he was ever president.

Five Days in November

On November 22, 1963, after shots were fired in Dallas, Secret Service agent Clint Hill jumped onto the back of the limousine. Fifty years later, Hill told his story about the events of the day—and the days that surrounded it. He also authored Mrs. Kennedy and Me, Five Presidents, and My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy.

Profiles in Courage

Last but certainly not least, John F. Kennedy authored numerous books—including his famous Profiles in Courage, a profile of eight American patriots. He wrote it in 1955, when he was a junior senator from Massachusetts.

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