Oh America!: Memorial Poems to John F. Kennedy

History books only provide cold facts and details, while political analysts focus on the consequences of that terrible day. Dreamers wonder what might have been had the charismatic young president survived. All three groups have difficulty expressing the anger and grief the nation experienced as, for the first time in history, news of a presidential assassination was televised.

In Oh America! Memorial Poems to John F. Kennedy, Doris Joy Thurston uses a combination of beautiful illustrations and prose poems to share the deep sense of loss she felt when Kennedy died.

Thurston’s poems reflect more than her own grief: they mirror the feelings of a nation. The collection moves from themes of shock to anger and sadness, ultimately developing into hope as the United States joins together to overcome tragedy.

For those who experienced the Kennedy assassination firsthand, Thurston’s poems evoke poignant memories. For younger generations, the collection puts a human face on history. And for a country struggling with increasingly divisive politics, Oh America! reminds us we can unite and rise up stronger than ever.