John F. Kennedy's Only Inaugural Address: 50th Anniversary (PHOTOS)

On January 20, 1961 -- exactly 50 years ago today -- John F. Kennedy gave his one and only Inaugural Address (which you can watch in full below). Widely considered to be the greatest Presidential Inauguration speech, JFK's address lasted only a little over 13 minutes and in it he coined the line: "Ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country."

So, 50 years later we celebrate the president and his speech with books about his legacy. From the best books about his vision to the most scintillating bout his assassination, here are 9 books about JFK.

But what did we leave out? Let us know your favorite JFK book in comments section below.

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JFK: Day by Day: A Chronicle of the 1,036 Days of John F. Kennedy's Presidency

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patrickol said on 20 Thursday 2011 pm31 12:07 pm: Not true that his fortune came entirely from the Wall Street chicanery of Joe Kennedy. A lot of it came from Joe's bootlegging.

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WATCH JFK's famous speech:

Comments

[TimothyDNaegele]

11:13 PM on 01/20/2011

Kennedy was a fraud, pure and simple, as I have discussed in an article entitled, "John F. Kennedy: The Most Despicable President In American History."

See http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/john-f-kennedy-the-most-despicable-president-in-american-history/

The problem is that the Kennedy family members and sycophants have been burying the truth since his assassination, and it needs to be told. When he died, his “image” was frozen in time, but the truth is grotesque. To lionize him like his sycophants have done is a crime, and unconscionable.

The latest travesty is Caroline Kennedy's successful distortion of the truth by forcing the History Channel to drop its already-completed min-series about Kennedy and his wife, starring Katie Holmes and Greg Kinnear.

[justsayknow]

04:11 PM on 01/21/2011

So you base your OPINION on his sexual experiences? They are none of your or anyones business.
Kennedy is indeed one of the best presidents ever. He was murdered because he took back the power to print money from the private banks (Fed). And for successfully using diplomacy and blockades instead of peremptory military strikes, among other displays of greatness.

You Tim are the obvious unutterably disgusting fraud. I only have to wonder who you are shilling for.

[c-tom]

04:11 PM on 01/20/2011

The recent "Portrait of Camelot" By Richard Reeves Photographs by Cecil Stoughton proves that whole a picture is worth a thousand words cliche.

[jettymichael]

03:07 PM on 01/20/2011

He was a flamboyant man.

[jamal49]

02:59 PM on 01/20/2011

I was in 6th grade at the time. Our small elementary school, which comprised grades 1-8, had placed 3 televisions in our just-as-small gymnasium.

Before Mr. Kennedy was to take the Oath of Office, our school principal had all the students assemble in the gymnasium. It was done very quietly and orderly. We sat in neat rows upon the gym floor. Many students had to stand along the walls of the gym.

The TV screens were small, but the principal had the sound from the same station piped through the public address system, which allowed everyone to hear clearly even if they couldn't see.

The moment for Mr. Kennedy's swearing-in came. The gym went quiet. At the finish, the crowds gathered in Washington began to cheer and applaud. Some of us did, too. Then, President Kennedy began to speak.

About half-way through the speech I quickly looked around the gym. Every person was transfixed, teachers and students alike. Not even the first graders fidgeted. I even remember our school custodian. standing in the dark, glasses glowing from the reflection of the TV screens.

Then, President Kennedy spoke the words which have resonated through the years: Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You. Ask What You Can Do For Your Country.

The auditorium erupted into applause. It was so exciting. At dinner that night, this event was my contribution to the round table discussions that always took place as we ate.

[Thomas Nagano]

02:34 PM on 01/20/2011

Born and breed to be a leader, Jack Kennedy had Theodore "Ted" Sorenson, Arthur Schlesinge r, Jr and Theodore "Teddy" White to help him write books and speeches.

What a crew!! - TK

[jmichaelmunger]

01:26 PM on 01/20/2011

Almost half of this list is about JFK's assassination!

What about "The Guns of August" which he read during the Cuban Missile Crisis?
What about the man's own book, "Profiles in Courage"?!?! THAT book will give the reader keener insight into his mind better than anything else!

[SoutheastBeast]

01:22 PM on 01/20/2011

I can't believe that Doris Kearns Goodwin's biography did not make the list. It is far and away the most complete, compelling account of JFK and his family ever written.

[temple62]

01:15 PM on 01/20/2011

JFK will always be remembered as the first womanizer-in-chief and set the bar for Clinton, Edwards, and brother Teddy!

[SoutheastBeast]

01:27 PM on 01/20/2011

Warren G Harding once famously said: "If I were a woman I'd be pregnant all the time!"

[Kierzek]

01:56 PM on 01/20/2011

lol

[Kierzek]

01:55 PM on 01/20/2011

Oh please...the above is not correct for many reasons; for one: If one is going to start mentioning different women JFK may (or may not) have been with then one would have to do it for Martin Luther King, Jr.; Clinton, LBJ, FDR, Eleanor Roosevelt and Eisenhower (affair in WWII with his driver, Kay Summersby), etc. Further, Pres. Grover Cleveland produced a child "out of wed-lock".

[babybuda]

01:14 PM on 01/20/2011

JFK and the Unspeakable, Why he died and Why it matters
James W. Douglass
Its omission from this list says alot!

[jettymichael]

12:43 PM on 01/20/2011

By far and wide the best one is
1) Hamilton, Nigel. JFK, Reckless Youth. Best-selling autobiography of the young John Kennedy.

2) Schlesinge­r, Arthur, Jr. "A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the White House"

[2tango]

12:26 PM on 01/20/2011

Ahhh, those were the days of real people. best president that this country ever had.

[SoutheastBeast]

01:28 PM on 01/20/2011

Just curious. Why do you think he was the best ever? Do you think he was better than FDR, Lincoln, George Washington? (They're my top three, that's why I ask.)

[2tango]

03:08 PM on 01/20/2011

yeah...perhaps you right. i should include FDR.

However, what make you think, Lincoln/Washington[two plantation slavers], were the best..the american-historians, and your first-grade teacher?? because if so, then you still believe that the Sun rise in the west.
But believe in what make you happier. good luck

[tomtall]

12:08 PM on 01/20/2011

That's all ya got HP? try Sins of the Father....tells it like it is...not pretty.

[ClarcKing]

11:57 AM on 01/20/2011

Jim Garrison's books, On the trail of the Assassins, etc, should be listed.

[FZliveson]

11:15 AM on 01/20/2011

I have over 250 books on President John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

The most powerful book a person can read about Kennedy and his true legacy is;

"JFK and the Unspeakable; Why He Died and Why It Matters" 
by James W. Doulass

This book is extremely well researched and tells the story of JFK's dedication to the peace process and his behind the scenes war within his own government. Anyone who reads this book will understand what "Camelot" truly stood for and why it "had to come down" in the minds of a cruel and sinister sector of the population. This book should be required reading for all seniors in high school prior to graduation.
FZLO 

[jettymichael]

12:43 PM on 01/20/2011

250 books on Kennedy? WoW!!

[jettymichael]

12:44 PM on 01/20/2011

250 books on Ken nedy? W0W!!

[messy]

12:56 PM on 01/20/2011

I'm surprised that the number is so SMALL. There are thousands of books on Napoeon, Lincoln and Winston Churchill.

[Kierzek]

11:04 AM on 01/20/2011

As one who has read and studied the major works on JFK I can't agree with the "list" as presented in total. It should have on there:
1) Reeves, Richard. "President Kennedy: Profile of Power" (1993), balanced assessment of policies.
2) Schlesinger, Arthur, Jr. "A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the White House" (1965, 2002), Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner.
I don't know who put the highly negative POV driven book: Reeves, Thomas. "A Question of Character: A Life of John F. Kennedy" (1991). It is a non balanced hostile assessment.

[HLL]

11:17 AM on 01/20/2011

Thank you. Excellent post. Happy to be your #1 fan ☮

[Kierzek]

01:57 PM on 01/20/2011

Thanks.

[SoutheastBeast]

01:29 PM on 01/20/2011

What about Doris Kearns Goodwin's biography?

[Kierzek]

02:00 PM on 01/20/2011

I have read it and it is good, overall. However, it covers the family and only until JFK's presidential inauguration. The list above was for JFK only.