An Unfinished Love Story

A Personal History of the 1960s

By: Doris Kearns Goodwin

Narrated by: Doris Kearns Goodwin, Bryan Cranston

Length: 17 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Narrated by Doris Kearns Goodwin with the star of Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston! The audio edition also includes archival recordings of John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Robert F. Kennedy.

The #1 New York Times bestseller from “America’s historian-in-chief” (New York magazine)

An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s by Doris Kearns Goodwin, one of America’s most beloved historians, artfully weaves together biography, memoir, and history. She takes you along on the emotional journey she and her husband, Richard (Dick) Goodwin embarked upon in the last years of his life.

Dick and Doris Goodwin were married for forty-two years and married to American history even longer. In his twenties, Dick was one of the brilliant young men of John F. Kennedy’s New Frontier. In his thirties he both named and helped design Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society and was a speechwriter and close advisor to Robert Kennedy. Doris Kearns was a twenty-four-year-old graduate student when selected as a White House Fellow. She worked directly for Lyndon Johnson and later assisted on his memoir.

Over the years, with humor, anger, frustration, and in the end, a growing understanding, Dick and Doris had argued over the achievements and failings of the leaders they served and observed, debating the progress and unfinished promises of the country they both loved.

The Goodwins’ last great adventure involved finally opening the more than three hundred boxes of letters, diaries, documents, and memorabilia that Dick had saved for more than fifty years. They soon realized they had before them an unparalleled personal time capsule of the 1960s, illuminating public and private moments of a decade when individuals were powered by the conviction they could make a difference; a time, like today, marked by struggles for racial and economic justice, a time when lines were drawn and loyalties tested.

Their expedition gave Dick’s last years renewed purpose and determination. It gave Doris the opportunity to connect and reconnect with participants and witnesses of pivotal moments of the 1960s. And it gave them both an opportunity to make fresh assessments of the central figures of the time—John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Kennedy, Eugene McCarthy, and especially Lyndon Johnson, who greatly impacted both their lives. The voyage of remembrance brought unexpected discoveries, forgiveness, and the renewal of old dreams, reviving the hope that the youth of today will carry forward this unfinished love story with America.

©2024 Doris Kearns Goodwin (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

Inspiring

I now understand the excitement and agitation of the adults in my childhood, This narrative echoes the names, events, and policies incomprehensible to my siblings, playmates, cousins, and myself with the same young intensity of our parents’ political discussions which we heard but couldn’t comprehend. This book allows a late Boomer to vividly relive the 60s and actually understand what all the excitement was about.

Loved the story and the times discussed.

Loved everything about this book. Doris is such a wonderful writer. She brings back so many memory of the 60s that I feel I am back there when hope and energy for goodness prevailed.

Love it!

Helps put a time line on history for me. Gave me a clear knowledge of who actually writes the speeches for the presidents.

Love at its finest!

This an excellent overview of things that shaped our country in the ‘60s and the pain that ripped at our very fabric during both the Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King assignations. Skillfully wrapped in a love story not only for each other and the service to their country, a life fully lived is revealed in a memorizing story.

My Love Story

Reminded me of our love story . As important, the memories of the 60s during which I was in my 20s working in WDC . It was wonderful to remember those historical days. It was a very memorable part of my life.

The details of the story! Her weaving of the details to make a compelling narrative!

I enjoyed the behind the scenes detail of Dick Goodwin’s work with JFK, LBJ, and RFK.

A Love Story to a Spouse and a Decade

This is not only a love song to a spouse but a love story to the ‘60s. It is particularly enjoyable because it contains audios of some of the most memorable speeches of that decade. It brings back memories both joyful and bitter sweet, and in these troubled times, a hope for the future.

An outstanding presentation of a critical time in our country when politics played such a crucial part in progressive changes.

How momentous and relevant the sixties were and still are today! It seems the desire and need for change is hardly worth the effort and yet we must continue to try. Listening to original recordings of iconic figures was powerful and moving. What a special life spent right in the middle of all the turmoil and hope. Loved this memoir and I pray you’re well.

Another Great Kearns book

this is best listened to. an intimate portrait of the sixties. lived history from an astute, discerning historian

Poignant story beautifully told

Everyone should read this book.
An engrossing story of such an important part of history with relevance for today woven through a beautiful story of these amazing two people and their remarkable lives.
The audio book provides a bonus with actual recordings of historical relevance. Just a wonderful book.