JUST FRIENDS AND BRAVE ENEMIES

Norwalk: Easton Press. Fine. 1992. Special Edition. Leather. xi, (1), 211 pages; Bound in full navy blue leather with red leather title labels at spine; extensive gilt lettering and decorative stamping at spine and both boards; 4 raised bands at spine; pale green moire endpapers and silk ribbon place-marker; all edges gilt. In March of 1962, an editor who had worked with Mr. Kennedy during the writing of his book, The Enemy Within, was permitted to read transcripts of Mr. Kennedy's lively and provocative exchanges with students, businessmen and labor leaders during his just completed 30,000-mile round the world tour. Fascinated by the unprecedented give-and-take between the Attorney General of the United States and countless citizens of Japan, Indonesia and Berlin – and by Mr. Kennedy's Personal reflections at the end of the trip – he persuaded Mr. Kennedy to set down in a book form the story of the trip, excerpts of talks given en route (and, just as important, talks received) together with the view of the United States gained from the prospective of his travels and contacts. Mr. Kennedy's point of view is succinctly expressed in the title of this book – and at greater length in the final chapter. This book was planned during a brief Florida vacation and executed nights and weekends on trains and plains and in cars and hotel rooms as Mr. Kennedy pursued and extraordinary busy schedule. It is published in the hope that American readers may, in sharing Mr. Kennedy's experiences with the people of other lands also share something of his knowledge of, faith in and hopes for our own. .