Reviews for Coming to Terms with John F. Kennedy

“Knott’s writing is excellent throughout the book, and he makes reading about pivotal, decades-old events exciting all over again… Ideally, Coming to Terms with John F. Kennedy will be able to claim its rightful place in the Kennedy canon as public memory dims and the family’s chokehold on the late president’s image loosens.”

~ Paul D. Pearlstein, Washington Independent Review of Books

”What Knott might have to say especially intrigued me, as he had once been a JFK fan who soured on him over the years, became a Reagan Democrat for a spell, and as he grew older began to reconsider Kennedy as a man and leader...Not everyone will find Knott’s revisionist arguments convincing, but I’ve almost always found revisionism to be provocative, even when I disagreed with the author’s conclusions. In this instance, I think Knott’s approach will enable readers to see the Kennedy presidency more clearly.” 

~John Ferling, Current

“Stephen F. Knott’s revisiting of the presidency of John F. Kennedy is a masterful and judicious balancing of Kennedy’s brief and tragically unfinished presidency. It is neither an apologia nor an unvarnished critique of this president but is instead a finely nuanced analysis of Kennedy’s deficiencies and his strengths as president. I strongly recommend this book as one that is both accessible to lay readers while also fulfilling the demands of well-crafted scholarship.”

~Bert A. Rockman, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Purdue University

“It’s refreshing to witness an eminent historian think anew about one of our most popular presidents. Stephen Knott’s engaging and powerful reflections on John F. Kennedy not only illuminate our 35th president’s strengths and limitations, but also provide a model for thoughtful historical revisionism. Drawing on his personal experience and professional expertise, Knott argues that JFK’s influence continues to shape the presidency and the nation. It is an impressive work. ”

~John M. Murphy, Professor, University of Illinois and Author of John F. Kennedy and the Liberal Persuasion

“Stephen Knott’s reappraisal of John F. Kennedy’s presidency is intertwined with a personal story of his own long journey away from the Kennedy mystique and then back to his clear-eyed appreciation of a leader who did his duty and deserved better than myths. This is more than a book about JFK: it is a call to remember the inspiration for a better America.”

~Tom Nichols, staff writer, The Atlantic

“Professor Knott sheds new light on the early 1960s by placing John F. Kennedy in a larger arc of presidential history, discussing both the precedents that guided the 35th president and the legacy that forever marked the U.S. political landscape. Knott deftly weaves telling moments and decision points that help recover from decades of mythmaking a fresh, nuanced portrait of a president who remains widely misunderstood.”

~ Patrick Lacroix, author of John F. Kennedy and the Politics of Faith

“Stephen Knott has a unique vantage point from which to assess John F. Kennedy and his legacy. Infusing his analysis of the thirty-fifth president with a blend of personal recollection, deep research, and fresh insights, Knott deftly challenges conventional narratives of JFK on topics that include Civil Rights, Cuba, Vietnam, and the dark day of November 22, 1963, and forces us to reassess what we thought we knew about the man and his presidency. All readers will appreciate that there is still something original to say about one of our most consequential presidents. Scholars as well as general readers will love this book.”

~Christopher J. Leahy, Professor of History, Keuka College, uthor of President without a Party: The Life of John Tyler

“John F. Kennedy continues to hold a prominent place in American political and cultural history. His reputation and image have received much scholarly praise and scrutiny. Stephen Knott’s ‘Coming to Terms with JFK’ is a nuanced, well-balanced reflection on JFK’s legacy and its role in Knott’s own scholarly journey. Knott masterfully shows how JFK came to personify modern liberalism–the idea that the federal government can and should act for the benefit of the least fortunate. His reflections on Kennedy’s role in the expansion of presidential and federal power, as well as his views on civil rights and foreign policy are a must-read for anyone interested in American institutions and politics.”

~ Patrick Sobkowski, J.D., and contributing writer, Liberal Currents

Stephen F. Knott

Dr. Stephen Knott is an Emeritus Professor of National Security Affairs at the United States Naval War College in Newport, RI. Prior to accepting his position at the Naval War College, Knott was Co-Chair of the Presidential Oral History Program at the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. His essays have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Christian Science Monitor, The New York Post, Time, Politico, The Hill, Foreign Policy, and The National Interest. He is the author/editor of ten books dealing with the American presidency, the early republic, and American foreign policy. His most recent book, Coming to Terms with John F. Kennedy, was published by the University Press of Kansas in October 2022.