Bancroft Press
September 2025
Becoming JFK by Scott Badler explores his early path to leadership. It begins with JFK’s teenage years and ends with his successful run for Congress. What makes this book stand out from other JFK biographies are facts intertwined with fictionalized interactions and dialogue.
The author noted, “I wanted to write in the creative non-fiction genre with basic truths of JFK’s young life using fictional techniques. I think I was able to talk about his thought processes more than in a normal non-fiction book. The non-fiction part are the facts like PT-109, his trips to Europe pre and post WWII and more, while the dialogue is the creative part of it. Knowing his personality and wit I thought about what Kennedy would say. I think it added flavor to scenes.”
Readers learn how events and his family influenced him, from his success-oriented father to his emotionally absent mother, to his competition with his older brother.
The people who influenced JFK were from his family. “His father stressed that winning was everything. His mother influenced him on his relationship with women, and maintaining a detached persona. He was not an empathetic person. Another influence was his competitiveness with his brother. His short romance with Inga Arvad was another. It was the first time he was fully involved with a woman. She offered him maternal love and was smart and beautiful.”
Some of the events that influenced him were his visits to Europe, pre and post WWII, his writing of books, the circumstances surrounding PT-109, and his congressional campaign. “Being with his father when he was ambassador to the UK exposed him to diplomacy and public service. He and Joe both worked in the office. He met with all these leaders that was a fantastic experience for him. I put in the book how he got an understanding of perception, public opinion, and strategic decision making. PT-109 taught him to be resourceful, resilient, loyal, willing to take risks, able to adapt to circumstances, and a belief that triumph can happen in the face of adversity. He swam in very difficult waters.”
This book explains Jack Kennedy’s formative years and his journey to finding his voice, purpose, and resilience. People get a close look at his psyche and how he became history’s iconic figure
