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Camelot’s Court Audiobook Summary

Fifty years after John F. Kennedy’s assassination, presidential historian Robert Dallek, whom The New York Times calls “Kennedy’s leading biographer,” delivers a riveting new portrait of this president and his inner circle of advisors–their rivalries, personality clashes, and political battles. In Camelot’s Court, Dallek analyzes the brain trust whose contributions to the successes and failures of Kennedy’s administration–including the Bay of Pigs, civil rights, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Vietnam–were indelible.

Kennedy purposefully put together a dynamic team of advisors noted for their brilliance and acumen, including Attorney General Robert Kennedy, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, National Security Advisor McGeorge Bundy, and trusted aides Ted Sorensen and Arthur Schlesinger. Yet the very traits these men shared also created sharp divisions. Far from being unified, this was an uneasy band of rivals whose ambitions and clashing beliefs ignited fiery internal debates.

Robert Dallek illuminates a president deeply determined to surround himself with the best and the brightest, who often found himself disappointed with their recommendations. The result, Camelot’s Court: Inside the Kennedy White House, is a striking portrait of a leader whose wise resistance to pressure and adherence to principle offers a cautionary tale for our own time.

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Camelot’s Court Audiobook Narrator

James Lurie is the narrator of Camelot’s Court audiobook that was written by Robert Dallek

Robert Dallek is the author of An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963 and Nixon and Kissinger, among other books. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic Monthly, and Vanity Fair. He lives in Washington, D.C.

About the Author(s) of Camelot’s Court

Robert Dallek is the author of Camelot’s Court

Camelot’s Court Full Details

Narrator James Lurie
Length 16 hours 50 minutes
Author Robert Dallek
Category
Publisher HarperAudio
Release date October 08, 2013
ISBN 9780062283849

Subjects

The publisher of the Camelot’s Court is HarperAudio. includes the following subjects: The BISAC Subject Code is Biography & Autobiography, Political

Additional info

The publisher of the Camelot’s Court is HarperAudio. The imprint is HarperAudio. It is supplied by HarperAudio. The ISBN-13 is 9780062283849.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

Tim

December 09, 2021

A very nice concise summary of Kennedy and his team during his presidential years.The highlight was the description of the Cuban Missile Crisis. This was Kennedy at his best, deploying a highly talented team with diverse opinions to counsel him, but ultimately understanding that it is his own responsibility to make decisions. Kennedy had the courage to resist the advice he was getting from the CIA and military, which were pushing him to take swift military action. Instead, he doggedly searched for alternate solutions. Kennedy was determined to not have a WWI like situation where a series of misunderstandings could lead to war. And while everyone was aware of the nuclear threat, Kennedy seemed uniquely sensitive that he had a responsibility to do everything in his power to remove this risk – shown not just in his response to the Cuban Missile Crisis but also in his efforts to promote peace and to de-escalate tensions with the Soviet Union.In other areas, Kennedy was not as impressive. His passivity on Civil Rights. His inability to develop a strategic plan to get legislation passed and not just let it wallow in the Senate. The misjudgment on the Bay of Pigs. In Vietnam, he had some good instincts that things were not going well, but he didn’t follow through. He was also indecisive about key decisions in Vietnam, which had the practical effect of allowing his advisors to effectively be the decision makers, as in the case of supporting the coup in South Vietnam. And finally, his personal behavior towards some people, such as Jackie and his girlfriends, was cruel at times.I’m not sure how to balance all of these things, but if you have “avoiding nuclear war” on one side of the ledger, that is pretty hard to offset.

Marc

September 28, 2017

Inside the Kennedy White House is a fluid tale of JFK's term written by probably the most known scholar on the subject. It gives us a look at the cabinet the same way Goodwin wrote about Lincoln's White House in "Teams of Rivals".Dallek doesn't seems to be in love with his subject and tend to focus almost exclusively on foreign policy intrigues. Mainly The Bay of Pigs fiasco, the nuclear summits with Moscow, the Berlin Wall, Laos, the Missile Crisis and Vietnam. I read the book because I was interested in knowing better key players such as Robert MacNamara, Walter Rostow, Dean Rusk, Kenneth Albright and George McBundy. The author is great at depicting how all those men were competing for the President's attention and approval.

Joe

February 19, 2014

After winning the extremely close election of 1960, JFK was faced with the challenge of all new presidents - transitioning from campaigning to governing - the first task, naming a cabinet and forming a team of advisors. Camelot's Court premise/goal is to provide the reader a detailed view into the workings of the Kennedy White House - the personalities, discussions, differences of opinions and ultimately the decisions made, (or not made), and thus policy. If there was any doubt in your mind, this book will confirm how difficult it is being President - even with a bunch of smart and intelligent people around to help.The good news is that what is covered here - JFK's foreign policy - is done fairly well. And foreign policy in the early 1960's meant the Cold War - the USSR and Khrushchev, Cuba and Castro, Berlin and of course, Vietnam. On the flip-side the narrative concerning US domestic policy during JFK's 1000 days is at best cursory; topics such as Civil Rights or the US economy minimally covered. (And because of this it's unclear to this reader as to why this book simply wasn't "positioned" as a JFK foreign policy/Cold War book.)Back on the plus side of the ledger, Dallek, as usual, does a very good job of bringing these historical figures/players to life by utilizing a combination of biographical info, quotes, analysis and context; all without impeding the narrative. (As an aside, McGeorge Bundy does not fare well here.) If you are familiar with this period of history Camelot's Court is a nice "refresher", i.e. nothing really new here. Conversely if you are new to the subject matter, this is a great place to start.

Sunny

January 12, 2018

It's about time I finished reading this book! I will try to write this as concise as I possibly can. To begin I feel that, at times, it's a little long-winded. I'm sure the author only left the most relevant information, but I think a slight bit more editing could still be done. I also recommend a list. Yes, a list. There are plenty of names, organisations, and such, and I got lost. I wish I had wrote down who was who, and their "roles". Perhaps you are better (or read the book all at once), but at page 300 I no longer recalled who, say, Rusk was or his function.And I finish the review with the authenticity aspect. I tend to forget that, sometimes, people write "fiction", even in biographies. This book seems very true-to-fact to me. There are a lot of quotations, sources, and all of the documents/information used for the book are listed at end notes. I know some authors have "coloured" President Kennedy a little in other biographies, but this one seems well and thoroughly researched. Above all it doesn't fictionalise or "tint" history.

Ebster

March 08, 2014

This book is an examination of the Kennedy administration from a political and interpersonal perspective. It is written like a really big research paper, all the dialogue and facts have a source, and I can't imagine the amount of effort it took to do that kind of research. It's impressive. However unless you are really into history and appreciate academic-style writing, you might not like this book. (I do enjoy the style, so I didn't mind this.)In addition, a lot of the book is concerned with what certian Kennedy and/or his councilors thought of each other: "Rusk thought McCone was a big poo-poo face, but he did't want to hurt his feelings so he said, "you can plan a raid on Cuba if you think they're worthwhile."" (*Note: The preceding text has been paraphrased)Actually, its what the whole book is focused 'round. If you're not intrigued by that kind of thing I'd recommend finding a book that approaches the story from a different perspective. (I thought it was hilarious!)I was hoping to learn a lot from this book, (and I did) but mostly it made me curious. Cuz now I want to know more about Diem, Castro, and that one USSR leader who's name I can't spell. It was a really neat introduction into how these people (Not just the communists, but political leaders/advisors in general) think and behave. One thing I didn't like about the book is that it introduces a lot of people who fulfill different roles and argue with each other, and I have a hard time remembering who is who. It would have been nice to have a graph with basic information on each Kennedy-councilor.I notice a lot of people think this book is redundant because the author wrote another book on the Kennedy administration. I haven't read that other book, so I can't compare them a whole lot.

Rick

March 05, 2014

As if the reader is in the room with the advisers...Dallek prioritizes diplomacy over domestic affairs, perhaps because that is his specialty and because the latter is so dramatic. The takeaway is that a leader must listen to advisors and then make up his or her mind independently, and that even the best and the brightest are usually going to argue with one another, leaving the president no more certain than before. Kennedy's native instincts saved the world from nuclear holocaust but led to an ambivalence on Vietnam that was only relatively less disastrous. if you believe that personalities make history, this book is for you.

Tom

May 16, 2014

Now fifty years since JFK's tragic passing, Dallek may be the first of the "fair and objective" historians to turn back the clock to those seemingly more innocent days. While clearly an admirer of the late president, Dallek wields his pen fairly, noting both the flaws and strengths of this enigmatic man. Most of all, Dallek illuminates the men around Kennedy and their roles in the New Frontier. A very useful piece of scholarship which one and all will enjoy!

Howard

May 26, 2021

“In short there’s simply not.. A more congenial spot..For happy , ever-aftering than Camelot..As sung by Richard Harris, Lerner and Loew envisioned Camelot as a fanciful place, perfect for happy ever aftering. Camelot’s Court, the 3 year residence for John Kennedy and staff, was anything but. Plagued by a constant onslaught of foreign crises with an underlying domestic racial crisis bubbling, there was no happy nothing in this Camelot. Post Eisenhower, Kennedy was elected into a world dominated by Cold War and the Russian threat. McCarthy was railing in Congress. Castro was beating the Russian drum in Cuba. An inexperienced politician like Kennedy was catapulted into the White House. He had Lyndon Johnson for VP, but never liked him and disregarded him. Around himself though he hired “ the best and the brightest”, from left and right, liberal and conservative. Dalleks very intense book focuses on these densely packed, 3 years highlighting the roles of numerous Kennedy advisors. There was no scarcity of reasons to seek advice during this 1000 days. The ongoing Vietnam war, the status of Cuba-US relations leading to the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban missile crisis and the longstanding racial divide in the country all left Kennedy seeking counsel. The book details the counsel in impressive detail. Maybe too impressive as it’s hard to maintain control over who said what. Kennedy is described as taking all these opinions in and attempting to plan a course, usually with brother Robert. The problem was that the opinions were frequently on the opposite side of Kennedy’s thinking. War hawks dominated and a case is made for Kennedy holding down the fort of peace despite numerous aides ( esp military) pushing for heightened combat.,Things change but maybe they stay the same too. People on the left see Kennedy with a nice glow. We didn’t know about the extensive womanizing ( only alluded to here as it is not the focus) or the significant health issues (Addisons on chronic steroids, chronic pain, spastic colon, urinary infections). We don’t really think of him being at odds with the press but there was a constant battle to stop the negative press the Vietnam war was getting.Kennedy even discussed a reporters work with the NYTimes editor.It’s work to read this book. I was 11-14 during these years, so I wasn’t fully aware of things but living next to the US in those days I heard and saw the news and it was a tense time. Detailing who said what during this period is a huge job, but Dallek gamely tries to do just that. There is only so much you can take in however until Sorensen becomes Schlesinger or Rusk and Rostov become the same person, and don’t even ask about the generals. What jumps out mostly is how charged these 3 short years are. There is so much going on, and Kennedy ( and Bobby) hover in the middle continually bouncing off these “court” members. Remarkably they generally seem to have developed the best course , resisting the hawks.Obviously neither John or Bobby got their happy ever after, but this well documented book shows they fought for us while they were here. Docked a point because it’s a real slog to get thru.,

Leew49

February 26, 2020

"His time in the White House underscored for him that there are no experts in public policy--only men and women, with the best of intentions, guessing at what would work."Brilliant, charismatic, and backed by the wealth of a prestigious New England family, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was nevertheless a flawed human being. Kennedy's meteoric political career depended in part on his ability to conceal his many health problems and his philanderous propensities. A mixed record during his tragically short time in the White House was glamorized by the Camelot metaphor put forth by his widow Jackie, his brother Bobby, and the historian and friend Arthur Schlesinger.Although JFK made an effort to surround himself with the best and the brightest--minds of the first order from both government and academia--his administration had to function within the context of the Cold War and a segregated America. Russia, Berlin, Cuba, Viet Nam, desegregation, and nuclear test ban talks were defining moments during his tenure. There were some mistakes, such as the Bay of Pigs invasion, some triumphs, notably the Cuban Missile Crisis, and a sizable number of problems, such as our growing involvement in Viet Nam, which were left unresolved for future administrations to deal with. Presented with drastically conflicting points of view and advice from hawks and doves, Kennedy was often frustrated by the limited relevance of all those fine intellects. Once, receiving polar opposite reports from two trusted sources on Viet Nam, he asked them in frustration if they had visited the same country. Sadly, Kennedy was still learning at the time of his assassination, and it is impossible to say how a second term might have played out.Dallek does a fine job of discussing the issues of the times and the personalities who had influence during the Kennedy administration. My one small criticism is that the book has no index, so I was not always able to look back and review a character's background.

Dan

May 08, 2020

I've read several biographies of John F. Kennedy and his short presidency. Most center on the man with all his weaknesses and strengths. This book, however, by Robert Dallek concentrates more on the advisers around Kennedy and how poorly they served the president. One expects in any presidential administration advisers will take opposing views leaving the president to choose a course for the nation. However, in this case most of Kennedy's advisers appear to be more interested in their own egos which prohibited them from seeing what was really happening especially in foreign affairs. What I see as unbelievable is the role Lyndon Johnson played in the Kennedy administration. Dallek makes it clear Kennedy had little use for Johnson and sidelined him on many issues. However, when it came to the Vietnam War, Johnson offered a clear and unequivacal opinion - don't get involved. Johnson is quoted as saying "Before we take any such plunge we had better be sure we are prepared to become bogged down chasing irregulars and guerrillas over the rice fields and jungles of Southeast Asia while our principal enemies China and the Soviet Union stand outside the fray and husband their strength."Kennedy disregard that advice and set the stage for one of the most ruinious and divisive wars in U.S. history. Incredibly, Johnson himself disregard his own advice when he assumed the office of president, however, by that time the U.S. had already invested too many lives and too much money to turn back in the failed effort. Yes the Kennedy assassination was tragic but the bigger tragedy as Dallek points out was the failure of so many bright, talented individuals to make the right decision for 58,000 Americans who died in Vietnam.

Chad

July 19, 2021

Well-researched intimate portrait of the 1,000 day presidency of JFK. Through a tumultuous era that included the failed Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis, and the early years of Vietnam, JFK’s brilliant brain trust of advisors—McNamara (SecDef), Dean Rusk (SecState) and McGeorge Bundy (NSA)—were underutilized and shunted relative to brother Bobby’s advice. Historian Robert Dallek reveals something else in detail other biographers miss—the extent and depth of Kennedy’s health, hidden from the public, and which could have ended his presidency even before it began. Suffering from colitis, Addison’s disease, thyroid issues and on and on, he somehow was able to govern and portray youth. Very good read!

Steve

December 19, 2021

Robert Dallek is an acclaimed historian who has written a very fine account of John F Kennedy's primary advisers and the issues confronting them during his presidency. Although the book is tangentially about JFK's advisers it is primarily focused on the three main foreign policy issues facing the administration: Cuba, Berlin and Vietnam. Dallek gives short shrift to domestic issues especially civil rights. However, Dallek gives a great account of how Kennedy utilized his advisers and how decisions were made that are still impacting the US and the world to this day.

Robin

June 04, 2017

Well written, well researched. Not sure I can recommend, I was one of those who thought highly of the John Kennedy presidency, now not so much. The Kennedy sex escapades are a little too explicit for my taste., although that was a very small part of the book. What is clear to me is that we elect a human being as President. They each do their very best they can. Their success or failures exist in their humanity and that of their advisors.

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