An unfinished life shooting location11/22/2023 He covers his upbringing (the son of an extremely wealthy, ambitious, and ruthless man), his service in World War II (where he famously survived the sinking of his vessel, the PT 109), and his entry into politics (where he took the place of his deceased brother Joe as the family’s chosen flag-bearer).ĭallek provides a well-rounded discussion of JFK’s presidency, covering both the highs and lows, both of which could be staggering (for instance, the unmitigated cluster of the Bay of Pigs was followed by his adroit handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis). That is, Dallek has enough space to comment on most aspects of Kennedy’s life, both positive and negative. At 711 pages of text, it is rather weighty, and lengthy enough to be topically comprehensive. Whatever else I might say, An Unfinished Life is not a minor work. I am not going to totally disparage the good just because it was not better. Thus, if you’re looking for an easy-to-read survey that also has academic bona fides, this is a solid choice. It might not be – in my opinion – great literature, but it is solid history. Though my feelings are mixed, it’s fair to note at the outset that a general consensus seems to have arisen around An Unfinished Life as being the standard one-volume biography on JFK. I was surprised, at finishing this, to find myself so entirely unmoved. Nevertheless, these virtues also drain An Unfinished Life of anything resembling vitality, making it curiously lacking. The result is a sober-minded, judicious book, which avoids mythmaking, self-righteous personal judgments, and unprovable speculation. He seems to write in such a manner as to tamp down the wild passions on either side of the Kennedy divide. In this heated atmosphere, it is perhaps fitting that Dallek’s biography is so pointedly even-keeled. Kennedy has always drawn strong opinions, and to his detractors, he was both politically and morally compromised. Of course, for as many people who admired – even worshipped – the slain president, there was an equal number who despised him. For Kennedy partisans, it was easy to believe that – had he have lived – he would not have made the same fateful mistakes as his successors. However, as of November 22, 1963, it seemed that he was ready to put to use the hard lessons he had learned.įollowing Kennedy’s death, the United States stumbled and lurched its way forward, through the war in Vietnam, grudging progress on civil rights, and social unrest. As author Robert Dallek points out, Kennedy had stumbled early in his presidency, in both the domestic and international realms. Kennedy that stems in large part from the fact that he was cut down in his prime, at the height of his powers. Kennedy, 1917-1963Īn Unfinished Life is an appropriate title for a biography of the 35th President of the United States. Robert Dallek, An Unfinished Life: John F. It was a rush but highly recommended annnnd sorry for a novel of a post lol.“The sudden end to Kennedy’s life and presidency has left us with tantalizing ‘might have been’s.’ Yet even setting these aside and acknowledging some missed opportunities and false steps, it must be acknowledged that the Kennedy thousand days spoke to the country’s better angels, inspired visions of a less divisive nation and world, and demonstrated that America was still the last best hope of mankind…” Also pretty crazy how this is cabin is very close to farms and has to be on someone's personal property yet doesn't seem to be used in any way. It is insane at how it pretty much looks exactly like the film. I saw a few signatures on the walls of previous guests. The inside is empty besides a few buckets. However, I just kept getting this feeling an old farmer would show up at the top of the pasture, wanting us dead for trespassing. It was a beautiful day at the end of summer when we were there, very green. I had a good sense of where the cabin was and about about a 5 minute walk, you go down into a more forest setting, and bam there is the cabin all alone. We went through the barbed wire fence at an opening and the grass was up to our knees. There is a barbed wire fence along the pasture/hill so we had to park a little out of the way (I really didn't want to be suspicious). It was very nerve wracking honestly because it's in the middle of a bunch of horse farms - basically an area where the local folk can tell when someone is "out of place." With that said, I ran into zero trouble. Thanks to Paul for everything, the Google Earth image is right on the money.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |