JACK KENNEDY Elusive Hero

John F. Kennedy shifted his views a lot as he shaped the positions he would take to the White House. Author Chris Matthews, who comes from a Republican family, also has made some political shifts. Matthews's admiration of JFK comes through loud and clear in Holter Graham's reading of this biography, which comes complete with a spot-on Kennedy impression. Among those who influenced Kennedy were his heroes, who included Winston Churchill. Still, the account reveals Kennedy as a human being—often flawed but never boring. He comes across as a sad person who was often in pain from illness yet was a bold politician. The biography's strength is its subject—who was a complex, fascinating person. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2012]