Book Notes | ‘An Unfinished Love Story’
Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin turns personal in this illuminating memoir of the unparalleled 1960s as she and her husband, Richard “Dick” Goodwin, in the year he turned 80, go through the myriad boxes of letters, diaries, documents, and memorabilia that he saved for more than 50 years.
Focusing on Dick Goodwin’s intimate relationship as speech writer and confidant of John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Robert F. Kennedy, and her own close working relationship with Johnson, the author gives the reader an intimate look at the Goodwins’ 42-year marriage, their passions, and the hopeful idealism of JFK’s New Frontier and LBJ’s Great Society.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, immigration reform, Medicare, Medicaid, and the first federally funded aid program for higher education were products of this extraordinary period. Unlike other books written about the 1960s, Kearns Goodwin’s book delves into the closeness of her husband to the Kennedys and Lyndon Johnson, and her equally close relationship with LBJ, creating competing loyalties throughout their marriage.
As Dick Goodwin nears the end of his life, they spend countless hours analyzing these relationships. In many ways, it seemed Dick Goodwin had the good fortune be in the right place at the right time. His intelligence and passion for helping those who were less fortunate, along with his unswerving energy gave him the skill to be intimately involved with the most important defining social and political movements of the time.
Our book club members, in high school or college during the events of this period, enjoyed reflecting upon their personal experiences and recollections as well as learning much about the role of presidential speech writers. The majority really liked the book. One member, who was younger at the time, was not as excited about the book as the others, but liked the descriptions of the author’s relationship with her husband.
Despite the hopes and strides of the 1960s, America is still grappling with the same issues, as Kearns Goodwin calls “an unfinished love story.”
—Mary Jane Towle, UMRA Book Club 1
Book Club I in November
Fri, Nov 21, 2025, 2pm
Book Club I will discuss An Unfinished Love Story by Doris Kearns Goodwin. The book is a poignant memoir that intertwines personal reflections on love and loss with significant historical events of the 1960's. It focuses on the author's life with her late husband, Richard Goodwin.
Email Pat Tollefson at [email protected] to learn more.
Upcoming Events
The UMRA Photo Club will next meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony branch library in the small shopping center at New Brighton and St. Anthony Boulevards in St. Anthony, just north of the Twin Cities. For those interested in lunch, meet at the nearby Great Dragon Buffet at 11:30 a.m.
Please join the UMRA Family History Interest Group meeting on Wednesday, March 11, via Zoom, when Michelle Casey will present “DNA Testing and Analysis Using 23andMe, Ancestry, and MyHeritage.”
Public health is extremely important—and right now it is very confusing. Join us to ask questions and share your thoughts and concerns about the current state of our public health system.
UMRA’S March workshop will explore how to transform your memories, including those that have faded with time, into lively true stories. It will also show you how to reflect on them, how to express how you felt, and how to connect your stories to the values and beliefs you want to pass on.
Join fellow UMRA members for “Third Wednesdays in the West Wing" lunch at the Campus Club in Minneapolis. This is a pilot program for spring 2026.
UMRA’s Book Club I will discuss The Bohemian Flats by Mary Relindes Ellis when it meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 20. Jim Lewis will lead the discussion.
University of Minnesota General Counsel Douglas Peterson will be the featured speaker for UMRA’s March 24 luncheon forum. He will speak about how the University is addressing its latest challenges and opportunities involving law.
'Seabiscuit' by Laura Hillenbrand
Join fellow UMRA members for a morning hike in Theodore Wirth Park to celebrate the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, Monday, April 6.
Chris Gade, VP for University marketing communications, will join UMRA members on Tuesday, April 7, for the first in a new series of informal “Campus Conversations” to be held at the Campus Club in Minneapolis.
This month's theme is mountains, valleys and canyons.
"Third Wednesdays in the West Wing" is a pilot program for spring 2026.
UMRA’s Book Club I will discuss Rin Tin Tin by Susan Orlean when it meets via Zoom on Friday, April 17. Diane Madson-Kay will lead the discussion.
Bev leads a hike along Old Cedar Avenue.
Under Terry Straub's leadership, Hennepin County/UMN Extension has created the most ambitious master gardener program in Minnesota. His visit with us will feature the topic of lifelong gardening and how gardens can evolve with us and our life cycles.
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Ever wonder what goes on behind the shiny walls of the Weisman Art Museum on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus?
Family history with Craig Moody. A tale with many dead ends.
Pete leads this hike at the Arboretum.
Third Wednesdays in the West Wing" is a pilot program for spring 2026.