Summary
An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin combines personal reflections with insights into a revolutionary decade in America. In this blend of memoir, biography, and historical narrative, Doris Goodwin pays tribute to her late husband, Richard (Dick) Goodwin, a speechwriter and political advisor to John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Robert Kennedy. She offers insights into their life together against the backdrop of a period of significant political and social change. Shaped by both the author’s lived experience and expertise in American history, An Unfinished Love Story emphasizes the power of love and shared activism as well as the importance of legacy.
Plot
In An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s, Doris Kearns Goodwin blends historical reflections with a tribute to her late husband, Richard (Dick) Goodwin, and their mutual activism during a pivotal decade in America. The memoir begins with Doris grappling with grief after Dick's death in 2018. In an attempt to find peace, she starts a lecture tour but returns to the "Sixties boxes." These boxes, over 300 in all, contain letters, diaries, documents, and memorabilia collected by Dick during his career in politics, serving as a link to the couple’s shared past as well as a record of important events during a pivotal decade in America.
An Unfinished Love Story combines highlights from Dick’s professional life with insights into the Goodwins’ partnership. It details his work as an advisor and speechwriter during significant periods in US history, including his contributions to the Kennedy campaign and President Lyndon Johnson’s "We Shall Overcome" speech. Dick's interactions with notable figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Che Guevara illustrate his influence on the civil rights movement and US foreign policy.
The memoir explores Richard’s personal challenges, especially his fight with cancer, as well as his renewed sense of purpose and partnership with Doris. An Unfinished Love Story is both a deeply personal farewell and a tribute to Richard Goodwin’s lasting legacy.
Themes
The intersection of personal and historical narratives
An Unfinished Love Story examines the intersection of personal and historical narratives. Doris Kearns Goodwin focuses on her life with her husband, Richard (Dick) Goodwin, a notable political figure from the 1960s.
The narrative addresses how personal relationships intertwine with significant historical events. Revisiting "Sixties boxes" containing political memorabilia, Doris Goodwin links her emotional journey to a turbulent era. She aligns personal and collective memories.
Dick Goodwin's role as a presidential speechwriter and advisor underscores the impact of political involvement on identity and shared experiences. His contributions to civil rights speeches are not only historical milestones but also essential elements of their life together.
These themes extend beyond a traditional memoir. They present the connection between individual lives and broader historical currents.
Personal journey to creation and legacy
An Unfinished Love Story marked a personal journey for Doris Kearns Goodwin. She drew on memories and the activism she shared with her late husband, Dick Goodwin. She drew on more than 300 boxes of letters, diaries, drafts of speeches, and assorted memorabilia Dick collected during his role as a political advisor to John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Robert Kennedy. This process allowed her to revisit the 1960s and reflect on her husband’s contributions.
Writing the memoir and biography fulfilled a promise Doris had made to Dick before his death in 2018. An Unfinished Love Story affirms the couple’s renewed purpose and secures Richard Goodwin’s legacy.
Quick facts
An Unfinished Love Story was inspired by over 300 boxes of letters, diaries, documents, and memorabilia of the 1960s collected by Richard (Dick) Goodwin, the author’s husband.
Doris Kearns Goodwin completed the book after her husband’s death, fulfilling a promise to him.
Dick Goodwin worked closely with prominent historical figures such as John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Robert Kennedy.
An Unfinished Love Story integrates personal and historical narratives, intertwining memories with significant events such as the civil rights movement.
Dick Goodwin was influential in crafting important speeches, including JFK’s inaugural address and LBJ's “We Shall Overcome” speech.
Dick Goodwin was noted for coining the phrase “The Great Society” during LBJ’s presidency.
The memoir acts both as a biography of Dick Goodwin and a reflective journey through American politics and society of the 1960s.
The Briscoe Center will host an exhibition featuring documents from the Goodwin Papers.
An Unfinished Love Story highlights struggles for social justice during the 1960s, drawing parallels with contemporary socio-political issues.
Doris Kearns Goodwin previously served as a White House Fellow and assisted Lyndon Johnson on his memoirs post-presidency.
The Goodwin family donated their book collection, creating the Goodwin Forum for community engagement.
Historical context
The 1960s in America featured rapid societal reforms and political turmoil. During this period, Richard (Dick) Goodwin played a significant role in politics, serving as an advisor and speechwriter for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson as well as Senator Robert F. Kennedy. He contributed to iconic speeches such as JFK’s inaugural address and LBJ's "We Shall Overcome" speech, which marked significant moments in American political rhetoric. He also influenced key legislative achievements, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Dick Goodwin helped shape Kennedy's "New Frontier" and Johnson's "Great Society," advocating for social justice and economic improvement.
Dick Goodwin initially supported Johnson but later became disillusioned, particularly with the escalation of the Vietnam War, which he believed threatened domestic progress. The decade reflected Goodwin's major professional achievements and personal experiences in politics and policy, providing insight into leadership and transformative events of the era.
Film adaptation
Producers Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman of Playtone, along with Barbara Broccoli from Eon Productions, are planning a film adaptation of An Unfinished Love Story. The project aims to accurately portray Richard Goodwin's role in the transformative 1960s. The adaptation will explore the interplay between personal experiences and major historical events of the era. Doris Kearns Goodwin and her partner Beth Laski will participate in the production to maintain the memoir's integrity.
About the author
Doris Kearns Goodwin is an American author and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian. Her collaboration with President Lyndon Johnson on his memoir The Vantage Point sparked her interest in presidential history. Her works include the Pulitzer Prize-winning No Ordinary Time: Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II and Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, which inspired Steven Spielberg's film Lincoln. Goodwin also worked as a producer for a History Channel docuseries about US presidents. An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s combines her personal reflections and a tribute to her late husband, speechwriter and political advisor Richard Goodwin, with historical events.
