Kenneth Sydney Davis (1912–99) was an American historian, journalist, and biographer, known for his detailed studies of U.S. presidents and historical figures. His work combined rigorous research with engaging storytelling, earning critical acclaim.
Born in Salina, Kansas, he graduated from Kansas State University (1934) and earned a master’s from the University of Wisconsin–Madison (1936.) He worked as a journalism instructor, war correspondent, and speechwriter, contributing to historical scholarship and political discourse.
Davis authored influential biographies, including Dwight D. Eisenhower: Soldier of Democracy (1945,) the first major Eisenhower biography, and The Hero: Charles A. Lindbergh (1959,) examining Lindbergh’s legacy. The Politics of Honor: A Biography of Adlai E. Stevenson (1967) explored Stevenson’s political career.
His most celebrated work was his Franklin D. Roosevelt biography series, beginning with FDR: The Beckoning of Destiny, 1882–1928 (1972,) winner of the Francis Parkman Prize. Subsequent volumes include FDR: The New Deal Years, 1933–37 (1986,) FDR: Into the Storm, 1937–40 (1993,) and FDR: The War President, 1940–43 (2000.) He also wrote Kansas: A Bicentennial History (1976) and Experience of War: The United States in World War II (1965,) reflecting his deep engagement with American history.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Kenneth S. Davis
Any life truly lived is a risky business, and if one puts up too many fences against the risks one ends by shutting out life itself.
—Kenneth S. Davis
Topics: Danger, Risk
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