the remainder of the account and Kennedys role in it (406). This use of direct quotes lends an air of presence to the text that might otherwise be lacking as well as allowing a more solid character reference to be built in the mind of the reader, and for that the book gains strength. Hanson presents states that Schlesinger excels at providing the illuminating stray quote or odd fact that firmly fixes a character in the readers mind (109). Thus if a fleshed-out and true rendering of the zeitgeist of the time was one of Schlesingers goals, as it seems to have been, it seems to have brilliantly hit the mark. In one of the more moving and engaging sections of the book, Kennedy is dealing with the fallout of the Civil Rights movement and the specter of integration that many of his fellow democrats from the south were vehemently against. His concern for the blacks plight is demonstrated when is quoted, What seems terribly important is to get, and keep, as many Negro children as possible in schools It is too late to get equality for their parents but we can still get it for the children when only a few moments earlier stating that he felt Dr. Martin Luther King Jrs march in Birmingham mistimed (971). This juxtaposition of attitude shows a three-dimensional figure throughout the book and allows the reader to see the flaws or cracks in the veneer of Kennedys Camelot. Roche likens this approach of reporting events, mixing direct facts with perspective, to the art of monastic chronicling. He describes this format a being a composite of perceived truth based on firsthand observation, hearsay from trusted friends, and a variety of rumor (117). This keeps the reader engaged and feeling as if he or she is walking through a characterized and fictionalized version of the past while remaining the integrity of the events and their timbre. This approach of so-called monastic chronicling makes for fascinating and powerful reading that leaves li...
