Verso University: The President and His Hero: John F. Kennedy & Winston Churchill

Monday, November 16 | 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm | Komansky Room | Registration Fee: FREE

About This Course

What happens when one of history’s greatest leaders becomes the obsession of another?

John F. Kennedy’s fascination with Winston Churchill is one of the most surprising and underexplored stories in modern political history. A young Kennedy first fell under Churchill’s spell in the late 1930s — and from that moment, his life was never quite the same. The political principles that defined Kennedy’s presidency, the rhetorical techniques that made him an icon, the very way he understood leadership: all of it bears Churchill’s unmistakable influence. And yet, despite the astonishing depth of that fascination, the relationship between the two men has remained largely unknown.

Joel Nelson, author of Kennedy’s Only Hero, joins us to reveal the full story — the unlikely bond between an American president and his British hero, and how it colored every dimension of Kennedy’s life and legacy.

About the Author

Joel Nelson is a British writer and historian whose career has taken him from the halls of Oxford and Cambridge to the corridors of Washington, D.C. He has served as an advisor to the Secretary of State for International Development, an editor at Foreign Affairs, and a Director of European Policy at an AI think-tank. A Kennedy Scholar at Harvard, Nelson holds a first-class honours degree in History from the University of Oxford and an MPhil from the University of Cambridge. Kennedy’s Only Hero is his first book.

About Verso University

• Classes are usually structured as a consecutive series.
• Class size is often limited.
• Each series has a one-time registration fee covering all classes in the series.
• Registration is mandatory.
• The Westport Library wants to ensure that all interested students are able to participate in Verso University courses. If the registration fee is a barrier to entry for you, please contact JConnon@westportlibrary.org.

Verso University is the Library’s lifelong learning and education initiative, serving up year-round offerings of classes, workshops, and lectures designed to further education and learning. Offerings run the gamut of educational opportunities, ranging from one-time lectures to ongoing courses to classes that meet weekly or perhaps monthly.

Verso University programs are made possible by the generous support of the Nancy J. Beard Lifelong Learning and Education Fund.

Library Refund Policy

Programs, prices, and dates are subject to change. Tickets are non-transferable between events but may be passed along to another attendee. All sales are final. Refunds are issued only if The Westport Library cancels an event outright. In the case of a postponement or reschedule, refunds are not guaranteed provided the event takes place within 12 months of the original date. Refunds, when applicable, are issued in the original form of payment.