An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s

Fascinating and heartfelt history of the turbulent 1960s as seen through the eyes of bestselling historian Doris Kearns Goodwin and her late husband. Dick Goodwin, who died in 2018, had an amazing career as speechwriter/advisor to John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Robert Kennedy (also, briefly, 1968 presidential candidate Edmund Muskie). Dick's contributions informed and promoted JFK's New Frontier and LBJ's Great Society, leading to landmark legislation like the Civil Rights Act and the creation of Medicare. A true 20th century liberal (before that word became an anathema to both Right and Left), Goodwin lived his mission to “close the gap between America's ideals and the reality of its citizens' daily lives.”

The presidents and candidates come alive, flaws and all, as Dick describes his interactions with them. He had an especially complex relationship with the mercurial LBJ; Goodwin was one of the strongest supporters of Johnson's domestic policies but broke bitterly with him over the president's escalation of the Vietnam war. Doris saw a kinder, gentler side of Johnson late in his tenure during her one-year White House fellowship. As a result, the Goodwin marriage frequently included heated arguments over Johnson's relative accomplishments and legacy (in contrast, most of my marital spats concern dirty dishes left in the sink).

I came away with a better understanding of these iconic men (and Muskie), and by the last page I was in awe of (and slightly in love with) Dick, a unique political strategist and a true mensch. It was always a treat to see Doris on The Colbert Report and other late night news/comedy shows in the early aughts. But it might have been even better to interview this illustrious power couple together. Does the “unfinished love story” refer to America's unfulfilled promises, or Doris losing Dick after 42 years of marriage? I'm not sure which one was the greater tragedy.