Thurston Clarke's gripping account of the last months of the life of President John F. Kennedy weaves together his public and private life and addresses the most tantalizing mystery of all - not who killed him but who he was when he was killed, and where he would have led his country and the world.

This re-examination of a critical period looks at all the areas of the president's fascinating life: the progress he made towards ending the Cold War, passing the Civil Rights Act and withdrawing US troops from Vietnam, as well as his grief at the death of his infant son Patrick, his ongoing battle with ill health and his renewed determination to be a good husband and father.

The resulting portrait reveals the essence of this charismatic man, his personal transformation and the emergence of a great president. It also explains the widespread and enduring grief following his assassination, mourning the loss of his remarkable promise, which had become increasingly evident during his last hundred days.

Thurston Clarke has written eleven widely acclaimed works of fiction and nonfiction on travel and modern history including Ask Not: The Inauguration of John F. Kennedy and the Speech That Changed America. His articles have appeared in Vanity Fair, The New York Times, The Washington Post and many other publications.

''His enthusiasm is infectious . . . he entertains and illuminates, writing gracefully, and with a fine sense of irony . . . He''s funny and he''s fair and he swims well against powerful cultural cross-currents'' New York Times Book Review