[NFBV-Potomac-Announce] June Book Club

Sat May 23 14:58:57 UTC 2026

Greetings friends and colleagues,

The Potomac Chapter book club is meeting June 3 at 7:00 PM by Zoom.

Below find information  about the book, discussion questions and our Zoom information.

John

June 3, 2026: Countdown 1960: the behind-the-scenes story of the 312 days that changed America's politics forever DB125433<https://nlsbard.loc.gov/bard2-web/search/DB125433/?prevPage=search_books&from=%2Fsearch%2Fresults%2F%3Ftype%3Dbook%26initialFormat%3Dall%26search%3Dcountdown%2B1960%26initialLanguage%3Den>
Authors: Wallace, Chris, Weiss, Mitch
Reading Time: 14 hours, 14 minutes
Read by: Dylan Baker, Chris Wallace
Subjects: Government and Politics, Biography, U.S. History, World History and Affairs, Bestsellers
Downloaded: 10/14/2025
"It's January 2, 1960: the day that Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy declared his candidacy; and with this opening scene, Chris Wallace offers readers a front-row seat to history. From the challenge of primary battles in a nation that had never elected a Catholic president, to the intense machinations of the national conventions--where JFK chose Lyndon B. Johnson as his running mate over the impassioned objections of his brother Bobby--this is a nonfiction political thriller filled with intrigue, cinematic action, and fresh reporting. Like with many popular histories, readers will be familiar with the story, but few will know the behind-the-scenes details, told here with gripping effect."-- Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.
[New York, New York] : Penguin Random House, [2024]

Here are a few questions for "Countdown 1960: the behind-the-scenes story of the 312 days that changed America's

1. What surprised you most about the 1960 election after reading this book?

2. How does Wallace portray the  personalities of John F. Kennedy and  Richard Nixon?

3. The book emphasizes the role of  television. How did TV reshape the  election?

4. What did you learn about the  behind the scenes campaign staff and  strategists?

5. How does the book depict the role of the  Cold War in shaping voter fears and  campaign rhetoric?

6. What ethical questions arise from the  tactics used by both campaigns?

7. How does Wallace handle the razor thin  margin of victory?

8. What role did religion - particularly  Kennedy's Catholicism - play in the  campaign?

9. How does the book portray the influence of the press?

10. Which behind the scenes moment felt  most pivotal to you?

11. What parallels do you see between the  1960 election and modern campaigns?

12. After reading the book, do you think the  1960 election truly "changed America's  politics forever"? Why or why not?

Thank you Sue for finding these questions.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/8297256345?pwd=IxBkHB29q0XT0lucFjOe3vrA9ViSOU.1&omn=98155870236

Meeting ID: 829 725 6345

Passcode: 20201940

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