JOHN F. KENNEDY: A Sense of Purpose

A reportorial account of the first hundred days of President Kennedy's administration. There is some attempt on the part of the authors to capture the spirit of Roosevelt's first hundred days, but at no point is the admirable objectivity of their book subrogated to the desire to gain emotional support for the new president. The authors quite intelligently do not try to analyze the impact of these first hundred days on the course of future events; they are content to describe the political, economic, and social crises that have arisen, and the background of these disputes. Distinguishing between campaign promises and propaganda and political expediency, the authors discuss the political appointments of the new president, the personality of the new administration, and the action taken in the crucial areas of Cuba, Laos, and armaments. This book is worthy of close study by all those interested in public affairs.