A moment in history comes to life

Are you stumped about what to get with your bookstore gift card? Look no further, the perfect coffee table book has arrived. Portrait of Camelot by Richard Reeves highlights the photography of Cecil Stoughton, official White House photographer, andwould make the perfect addition to any gathering, opened and then passed around along with the Chex mix. I fell in love with the Kennedys during my college history classes; the family drama, the charismatic young President, the tragic ending, it was almost as good as the soaps I was watching between lectures. So whether you are an old or newfan, here are a few wordsaboutan artisitc gemthat captures the short thousand days ofofficeof a legendary President in a profoundly moving way.

The brief introduction to the 300 pages of photographsnot only provides historical context, but alsoshareswhatphotographing their lives meant to the Kennedys personally. Stoughton, a young forty year old himself, was appointed early on and captured iconic images from inaguration to assassination. Many of the pictures are in color and are outstanding quality, their sharp definition make them pop from the pages. The year of the picture is displayed on each corner page and along with the date of the picture is a short sentence or paragraph describing it. There is a wonderful mix of formal gatherings with heads of state and pomp and circumstance as well as some intimate behind the scenes moments. One of my favorites is of Caroline Kennedy sitting with her Secret Service agent sticking out her tongue at the camera.

Allowing the public into their lives is something we expect of Presidents now,heck, there is even a White House Flickr account. Stoughton was the original Twit Picker, he captured the elegance and the daily life of the Kennedys on film and gave Americans for decades to come a chance to see behinds the walls of Camelot. So when you're ready to use that gift card (or are browsing at the library), keep this treasure of a coffee table book in mind.