An Unofficial 'The Rest Is History' Reading List

393. JFK: Cuba, Camelot and the Cold War (Part 2)

November 28, 2023

Description

By the late 1950s, John F. Kennedy was a rich and handsome Democratic senator with a beautiful wife and young family, heading for the White House despite his Catholicism, his affairs and his...
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Books Referenced

The World Crisis

Author: Winston Churchill

Context:

Mentioned when discussing JFK's reading habits as a teenager and his interest in foreign affairs - 'In the first episode, we talked about him reading Winston Churchill's book, The World Crisis.'

Biography of Duke of Marlborough

Author: Winston Churchill

Context:

Referenced as another book JFK read, mentioned alongside The World Crisis when discussing his interest in international relations - 'He read a biography of Duke of Marlborough.'

While England Slept

Author: John F. Kennedy

Context:

Mentioned as JFK's book based on his thesis about British politics in the 1930s, which defended Stanley Baldwin - 'defended Stanley Baldwin in his book While England Slept.'

Summits

Author: David Reynolds

Context:

Explicitly described as 'a brilliant book by David Reynolds' discussing the Vienna summit between Kennedy and Khrushchev, noting Kennedy was on heavy painkillers during the meeting.

Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Author: Vincent Bugiosi

Context:

Referenced as a massive book (2,500 pages long) examining every conceivable JFK assassination conspiracy theory. The hosts discuss how it covers all theories including aliens, though briefly and dismissively.