Coming to Terms with John F. Kennedy offers a nuanced assessment of the thirty-fifth president, whose legacy and impact people continue to debate to this day.  Knott examines Kennedy through the lens of five critical issues:  his interpretation of presidential power, his approach to civil rights, and his foreign policy toward Cuba, the Soviet Union, and Vietnam.  Knott’s book also explores JFK’s assassination and the evolving interpretations of his presidency.  

Stephen F. Knott is professor of national security affairs at the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.  Having spent his life grappling with the legacy of President John F. Kennedy, the first president he remembers, Knott worked for Ted Kennedy’s Senate campaign in 1976 and later he worked at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston. After being a strong Kennedy fan, Knott’s views changed and he eventually became a “Reagan Democrat.” The Trump presidency led Knott to revisit JFK and reconsider his views.