You updated your password.

Enjoy this course and thousands of other programs with a Wondrium membership

Wondrium is the premier service for people who love to learn. It gives you hundreds of great college-level courses from The Great Courses and hundreds of high-quality documentaries and series made for lifelong learners like you.

Learn More
Start Your FREE Trial

Enjoy Anywhere!

Reset Password

Enter the email address you used to create your account. We will email you instructions on how to reset your password.

Forgot Your Email Address? Contact Us

Reset Your Password

SHOW
SHOW

Reconsidering JFK

Take an exciting new look at JFK’s presidency, enhanced by new documents, interviews, and information about this exciting period in American history.
Reconsidering JFK is rated 4.6 out of 5 by 41.
  • y_2023, m_3, d_26, h_22
  • bvseo_bulk, prod_bvrr, vn_bulk_3.0.34
  • cp_1, bvpage1
  • co_hasreviews, tv_2, tr_39
  • loc_en_CA, sid_30320, prod, sort_[SortEntry(order=SUBMISSION_TIME, direction=DESCENDING)]
  • clientName_teachco
  • bvseo_sdk, p_sdk, 3.2.1
  • CLOUD, getAggregateRating, 37.6ms
  • REVIEWS, PRODUCT
Rated 3 out of 5 by from Ambivalent I have taken several hundred Great Courses, including Michael Shelden’s “George Orwell” course (outstanding, in my opinion). This JFK course is more problematic, maybe a B+ overall—probably something akin to JFK himself. This course “covers the ground,” including both highlights (e.g., Cuban missile crisis) and lowlights (e.g., personal life, lack of depth/governance in early days of presidency). However, perhaps a bit thin on the ground in some respects. For example, i) a throwaway lecture on the Texas political tiff on why JFK made the Dallas trip (who cares?), ii) framing the racism and Civil Rights movement as largely a federal/state government “good guys/bad guys” paradigm (much more complex, as both Gunnar Myrdal and Martin Luther King would attest), iii) speculating on how Vietnam would have fared with JFK (who knows?). Regardless, I’m not sure any JFK course will satisfy the emotional valence of the baby boomer AARP generation, be it hagiography or invective. I read once that the Great Depression was such a searing emotional experience for its generation, that any dispassionate economic history of that time was incapable of being written--much less digested--until that generation had passed from the scene. Ditto JFK, perhaps. JFK is such an emotional subject for many current Great Course customers, that a truly dispassionate JFK “Great Course” probably awaits another generation. Sigh.
Date published: 2023-03-08
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Wonderful course, worth your time If you are of my generation or older you remember the day President John F. Kennedy was shot, 22 November 1963. I was in 6th grade at an elementary school in Toms River, New Jersey. It was the first time in my educational career that I had had a male teacher. He was a very tall, skinny man who I remember mainly because he was male and his reaction to the Kennedy news. When they announced over the loudspeaker that the President had been assassinated, this man cried. However, when I raised my hand after the announcement to ask a question he waved me off. Both things made a deep impression on me. Using the hindsight of 58 years, I hope he was simply too choked up to talk. As I remember it, Kennedy was popular and his wife, Jacqueline even more so. I do remember my father had comedy album – yeah that was a thing – poking fun of Kennedy and the White House. After the assassination my father never played the album again. It stopped being funny, and would have been disrespectful. Kennedy was nothing if not complex. Can imagine what the press would do with his open womanizing in this day and age? Then put the Bay of Pigs against the Cuban Missile Crisis. He totally blew it in the first instance, and may have prevented a large scale war in the second. Put his vision for putting a man on the moon with his Cold War warrior attitude that led to our involvement in Vietnam. He was a master politician who understood and used the power of the new medium of television. With Kennedy it seemed that for every yin there was yang… and not always in a positive sense. The course is taught by Michael Shelden, PhD, an absolutely amazing historian, IMHO, and a wonderful presenter in the Wondrium format. I have watched every course he has on this platform, first discovering his biography on George Orwell that was based on his book that is an authorized biography of this influential author. His George Orwell biography was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. It must have been tough competition if he did not win. I will list all his other courses at the end of this article. One very interesting topic that Professor Shelden touched on was Lyndon B. Johnson. LBJ was not happy being Vice President, especially so after wielding all the power he had as Senate Majority Leader. I strongly came away with the impression that Shelden was not a fan of LBJ on several fronts. One thing that I did not know before was the reason Kennedy was in Texas. It was due to some the shenanigans of LBJ that were threatening the lost of Texas for Kennedy in the upcoming presidential election. Of course, LBJ is another “complex” American president. I have often wondered about the psychology of many of the folks that have sought after so much power. To me, it often seems less than healthy. Today the memory of Kennedy seems to be in two dueling camps. In one he is stuff of mythology and legend. In the other he is a deeply flawed individual who made far too many mistakes and accomplished little. One thing that I had forgotten was that it was Jackie, his wife, who pushed the Camelot analogy. She worked hard most of her life to protect his legacy. As in most of these things, the truth, in all likelihood, lies somewhere in the middle. Professor Shelden hopefully will shield a little light for you on this very interesting American president that was only in office a short time. A fantastic course, by an incredible historian.
Date published: 2023-01-31
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Reconsidering JFK This is the second course i've taken with Prof. Shelden. I learned more about this topic than I knew! I was just 13 when Pres. Kennedy was killed. This added perspective to my knowledge of his presidency. Prof. Shelden speaks with clear and precise statements; It seems as though he is giving each lecture to me! Thank you for offering this course. BTW, the other course I took taught by Prof. Shelden was the Beatles. I hope he continues to provide additional courses in the future.
Date published: 2022-12-19
Rated 4 out of 5 by from A wonderful look back. If you like a well-researched perspective on twentieth century history, this a worhtwhile course.
Date published: 2022-11-25
Rated 5 out of 5 by from I Remember JFK I was fifteen years old and on the way to my last period High School World History class when upon entering the class room door a classmate named Andy informed me that JFK had just been shot in Dallas. I was stunned and unable to react. As the news quickly became apparently accurate I went home and along with my family sat glued to the TV all weekend long. The news surrounding the assassination was all the was on all of the three major networks CBS, NBC and ABC. Obviously cable news would not become available until some thirty plus years or so into the future. It was so sad for everyone everywhere. Then on Sunday afternoon Lee Harvey Oswald while he was being transported by numerous law enforcement personnel was murder at close range by Jack Ruby a Texas local night club owner. Now Oswald's testimony would forever remain undisclosed for the American public's discernment. The talk shows of the day such as Alan Burke, Joe Pyne and David Susskind featured regular guests especially book authors and other theorists about what had actually happened. The government's Warren Commission had concluded that Oswald was the lone assailant. Research and speculation based on both facts and logic said otherwise. Two books I remember titled Rush to Judgment and Whitewash plus the so called magic bullet theory said otherwise to the Warren Commission's conclusion. All of this and much more came flooding into my mind as I listened to Professor Sheldon's concluding lecture. I have enjoyed watching all of Professor Sheldon's Great Courses. While they are all very good, especially the Winston Churchill course this course, in my opinion, is Professor Sheldon at his best. I highly recommend this course. Whether you were alive when JFK was president or if you only know about him and his tragic death from books, media commentaries or history lessons, you will be informed, persuaded and deeply moved upon concluding this course. Professor Sheldon concludes the course with, in my opinion, a compelling quote from Wernher Von Braun that is worth waiting for as an eloquent statement the summarizes the legacy a JFK for posterity.
Date published: 2022-11-22
Rated 4 out of 5 by from I was in ninth grade when Kennedy was assassinated. I wanted a broader perspective on the man and his presidency. This course delivered. Time and research have allowed us to better understand that pivotal time in history.
Date published: 2022-10-15
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Johnny, we hardly knew ya Really great updated information! JFK has become such a myth, it's hard to sift through it all and find the facts and this course has been refreshing and informative.
Date published: 2022-10-10
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Loved it! He is an excellent teacher, he speaks clearly and gives a lot of interesting (and previously unknown to me) anecdotes. Well done!
Date published: 2022-10-07
  • y_2023, m_3, d_26, h_22
  • bvseo_bulk, prod_bvrr, vn_bulk_3.0.34
  • cp_1, bvpage1
  • co_hasreviews, tv_2, tr_39
  • loc_en_CA, sid_30320, prod, sort_[SortEntry(order=SUBMISSION_TIME, direction=DESCENDING)]
  • clientName_teachco
  • bvseo_sdk, p_sdk, 3.2.1
  • CLOUD, getReviews, 4.9ms
  • REVIEWS, PRODUCT

Overview

Although so much ink has been spilled about JFK, recent years have seen the public release of documents and interviews, shedding new light on this most charismatic president. In Reconsidering JFK, Professor Michael Shelden of Indiana State University delivers 12 captivating lectures to transport you back in time for a fresh angle on a multi-faceted, always fascinating American president.

About

Michael Shelden
Michael Shelden

There is much yet to discover, and lessons we can learn to help us chart a better path forward.

INSTITUTION

Indiana State University

Michael Shelden is a Professor of English at Indiana State University, where he has won the top award for excellence in scholarship, the Theodore Dreiser Distinguished Research/Creativity Award, three times. He earned his PhD in English from Indiana University. He is the author of six biographies, including Orwell: The Authorized Biography, which was a New York Times Notable Book and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. His other Great Courses include How Winston Churchill Changed the World; George Orwell: A Sage for All Seasons; and England, the 1960s, and the Triumph of the Beatles.

By This Professor

How Winston Churchill Changed the World
854
George Orwell: A Sage for All Seasons
854
England, the 1960s, and the Triumph of the Beatles
854
Reconsidering JFK
854
Reconsidering JFK

Trailer

JFK Reconsidered

01: JFK Reconsidered

Who was John F. Kennedy? So many people had a view of him, but as you will discover in this opening lecture, JFK excelled at compartmentalizing his life so that few—if anyone—truly knew him. Settle in to investigate the life of this charming, courageous, and multifaceted personality.

31 min
1956: Vice President Kennedy?

02: 1956: Vice President Kennedy?

In the 1950s, Kennedy was a sickly and relatively obscure senator, but his star quickly rose in the 1956 Democratic convention, when he mounted a spirited campaign to win delegates for the vice presidency. Gain an inside look at the backstabbing, backroom deals of a party that expected the young politician to pay his dues.

30 min
JFK’s Pivotal Choices to Win the Presidency

03: JFK’s Pivotal Choices to Win the Presidency

After losing the nomination in 1956, JFK understood he had a narrow window to catapult him to the highest office. As you will see here, 1960 was the year, and television was the medium to showcase his strengths to the American public. Survey his campaign against the seasoned politician Richard Nixon.

29 min
Unearthing JFK’s Public and Private Lives

04: Unearthing JFK’s Public and Private Lives

Handsome and charming, Kennedy was a well-known playboy, which was something of an open secret in Washington during his time in office. While the press of the day considered his peccadillos too lurid for publication, new testimonies and interviews have come to light, shedding a different perspective on the president’s pastimes.

27 min
Kennedy’s New Approach to the Presidency

05: Kennedy’s New Approach to the Presidency

With his inexperienced background and his youthful vigor, JFK brought an intriguing new dynamic to Washington. After setting the stage of the foreign and domestic challenges Kennedy faced when entering office, Professor Shelden reflects on the role of speechwriters and aides in shaping Kennedy’s approach to the job.

30 min
1961: The Education of a President

06: 1961: The Education of a President

JFK entered office optimistic but naïve. Not only did he thread some political challenges, such as the split in the Democratic party between progressive New Englanders and southern segregationists, but he also confronted aggressive Cold Warriors who wanted to incite a war via the Bay of Pigs invasion.

31 min
Promising the Moon

07: Promising the Moon

In the wake of the Bay of Pigs, Kennedy asserted his own approach to the Cold War and the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. In an attempt at a political reset, JFK looked to outer space and avowed the United States would send a man to the moon. Here, examine America’s fledgling space program.

29 min
Before and during the Cuban Missile Crisis

08: Before and during the Cuban Missile Crisis

Kennedy’s presidency involved one crushing challenge after another. While 1961 was a difficult year, 1962 was among the hardest any American president has faced. See how the president dealt with negotiations at home (against US Steel) and abroad (when the Soviets placed nuclear warheads in Cuba).

30 min
Kennedy’s New America

09: Kennedy’s New America

The peaceful end to the Cuban Missile Crisis marked a new era for the Cold War, in which all sides understood the threat of nuclear annihilation. Fortunately, President Kennedy was savvy enough to manage the nuclear age—and was able to turn his attention to the civil rights movement. Here, delve into the world of segregation and political activism.

30 min
Kennedy’s Strategy in Vietnam

10: Kennedy’s Strategy in Vietnam

President Kennedy fought the Cold War on multiple fronts. Although we may associate the Vietnam War with the Johnson and Nixon administrations, the seeds of war were planted under JFK. Dive into the world of palace intrigue, grand strategy, domino theory, and an unofficial coup in South Vietnam.

31 min
The Fateful Visit to Texas

11: The Fateful Visit to Texas

Much has been written about JFK’s assassination, but Professor Shelden takes a different approach to this tragic story. Why was Kennedy in Dallas in November 1963? As you will discover, the world of Texas politics had split—and threatened his reelection bid. Get a front-row seat in the petty political dramas that preceded the shot from Lee Harvey Oswald.

30 min
The Mythos of Camelot

12: The Mythos of Camelot

In this final lecture, reflect on the legacy of President Kennedy as a flawed King Arthur in a mythical Camelot. After the shooting, the actions of Lyndon Johnson and Jacqueline Kennedy prepared America for the next chapter of history. The course ends by revisiting the beginning and the question that intrigues us still: Who was John F. Kennedy?

32 min

This program is restricted from being viewed in your country. This is due to restrictions from the creator of the program.

Please choose another of our wide variety of programs to enjoy!