With John F Kennedy's father bringing controversy to his role as ambassador to Britain at the beginning of WWII, it was a great idea for a book that explored John Kennedy's relationship with Great Britain in the early '60s. While this book might be of more interest to a scholar or amateur historian such as myself, it is well researched and is nicely written. There were some things about JFK's earlier life that might not have had a great influence on his relationship with Britain that could have been left out but the author made the decision that it was relevant information. Overall, it was an easy read and was fairly unique among the many, many biographies now available on John Kennedy. ( )

In Union Jack: John F. Kennedy’s Special Relationship with Great Britain, as the subtitle suggests, Mr. Sandford focuses on Kennedy’s relationship with Britain. This includes both his personal and political relationships. Kennedy lived in Britain as he was growing up when his father, Joseph P. Kennedy, was the U.S. ambassador there, and Kathleen (Kick), his favorite sister, lived there as an adult and married in Britain (and died young). Although Joseph P. Kennedy greatly helped John financially in his political campaigns, from early on Jack had to distance himself from his father with whom he strongly disagreed politically, particularly on foreign affairs. Moreover, the older Kennedy was very unpopular in Britain. John F. Kennedy had a number of wealthy British friends; throughout his life, he identified with and enjoyed the lifestyle of the upper class in Britain.

Mr. Sandford devotes much of the book to foreign affairs. I was amazed to learn how heavily President Kennedy relied on the British during his administration. He was on very good terms with Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, communicated with him often, and had a number of meetings with him. Moreover, David Ormsby-Gore, the British ambassador to the United States, was a good friend upon whom Kennedy relied for advice. For example, Kennedy kept communicated with the British throughout the Cuban missile crisis. Kennedy did not have such a close relationship with any other foreign government, hence the term “special relationship.”

The style of the book is heavy reading. As a general reader I sometimes found it hard to follow, especially since the account switched back and forth in time. Although Mr. Sandford includes numerous endnotes, some of the sources are not very helpful, especially concerning Kennedy’s sex life. For example, one young Frenchwoman said “Had J.K. in bath-tub”, but the endnote only gives “Private source, interview of February 12, 2007” (pp. 46, 263).

Recommended for scholars rather than general public. ( )

This was a very informative book..I didn't realize the extent of JFK's travels and expiences even before being elected to Congress. One drawback was the amount of time the author spent on Kennedy,s sexual exploits. This book really fills in how past experiences led to decisions being made as President. Recommended highly. ( )

JFK is the first US President I was aware of, being born in the midst of the Eisenhower administration, and his assassination was firmly imprinted by the media on my mind as a 9 year old.

I've always been fascinated by JFK, and his family, and this book, for me, was an interesting take on his attitude and indeed 'special relationship' with the Great Britain. His father, Joseph P. Kennedy, was ambassador to Great Britain in the late 1930s in the period leading up to WW II. While Kennedy senior held steadfast to his ideas of American isolationism, his son became fascinated by British politics, and broke with his father to form his own ideas early on. Young JFK, in his early 20s, sought out politicians, and young people of the day to form his own opinions, and those opinions, along with his own life experiences during the War helped to shape him into the man he became as he entered the political area in the late 40s, and ultimately winning the presidency in the 1960 election.

I found the book to be very detailed, and well researched. While so many books have been written about JFK and his family, this one is most interesting in dealing with how young JFK's intelligence, opinions and attitudes regarding US / British relations in the prewar and wartime ear helped shape foreign affairs during his presidency. ( )

Union Jack was a very enjoyable read. It is well-written and thoroughly researched. The focus of the book is on John F. Kennedy’s long fondness for and firm attachment to England and her people. The relationships he formed in Britain as a young man when his father was US ambassador to the Court of St. James, the family connections to British aristocrats through his sister’s marriage, and the subsequent friendships developed with British politicians and leading figures through his time as President and up to his death are explored. The author discusses the divergence in thinking between Kennedy and his father on such points as Britain’s appeasement policy leading up to World War II and American isolationism, and the great admiration Kennedy felt for Winston Churchill and his leadership through World War II. Joseph Kennedy had a very different view of Churchill and America’s interests, but Kennedy emerged from the influence of his father to have his own beliefs. The book argues that Kennedy was more an English gentleman than an Irishman, despite his Irish roots and a love for his ancestral home. His close relationship with the British Prime Minister Harold MacMillan is examined, as well as his uniquely warm, almost familial attachment, to David Ormsby-Gore, British Ambassador to the US during Kennedy’s presidency. The book makes a persuasive argument that the time spent in England and the relationships formed with Britons for whom he felt a deep affinity had a very great influence on Kennedy and his outlook, policies, and decisions. It made the “Special Relationship” with Great Britain very special indeed. Highly recommend. ( )