Harold and Jack: The Remarkable Friendship of Prime Minister Macmillan and President Kennedy

Sandford (Masters of Mystery) provides a glimpse behind the sheen of diplomacy with this examination of the relationship between Harold Macmillan and Jack Kennedy. Personal letters and telegrams, private communications during extreme political crises, and even birthday greetings show that there was a “special relationship” between these two heads of state, and perhaps this relationship served the world well during a time of unmitigated anxiety and potential for destruction. One would think that three years is a short time to document, but considering the volumes of correspondence, reports, and the vast cast of characters involved gives a better idea of the scale of the job. Since Kennedy did not live to write his memoirs, readers come away with a better understanding of Macmillan than of Kennedy. The far-sightedness of both is brought to the fore, and the reader sees that, in fact, Macmillan defied his physical image of a “figure out of P.G. Wodehouse.” Interesting personal glimpses, and the difficulties that figures such as de Gaulle created for Macmillan, enliven a narrative that sometimes gets bogged down in details. Those with an interest in Cold War history will find this perspective intriguing. Agent: Andrew Stuart. (Aug.)