Preface -- Prologue / October 1940 -- Contest of traditions. The Roosevelts of Hyde Park ; The Kennedys of East Boston -- Apprentices in business and politics. Patrician in the arena ; Rise of a businessman ; The businessman and the politician -- Men of the New Era. Business statesman ; Rugged individualist ; Citizens in a business civilization -- Springtime of an alliance. Nomination at Chicago ; The man of mystery ; The ways of providence ; "Set a thief to catch a thief" ; New dealer in finance -- Men of the New Deal. Kennedy and the New Deal ; Summer solstice ; The priest of the Little Flower ; "I'm for Roosevelt" and "I'm for Kennedy" ; The greatest joke in the world -- Struggle over foreign policy. Influence from London ; Kennedy for president ; The path to Munich ; Brickbats over the Atlantic ; "The end of everything" -- Turning of the leaves. Diplomatic tug-of-war ; Reprise: Kennedy for president ; "I do not enjoy being a dummy" ; Fateful return ; The greatest cause in the world -- Winter of discontent. To be and not to be ; In the leper colony ; Final reunion -- Epilogue / The denouncement. A new generation ; The uneasy alliance.