Norton was a Harvard-educated lawyer, journalist, and Boston City councilman and a friend of JFK’s beloved maternal grandfather John “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald and JFK as a boy met him through this connection.
Norton was predisposed to look kindly on young Jack and supported and encouraged his love of books and history. Many years later, Norton told the story of seeing JFK about the age of ten on the street outside of the Athenaeum in Boston. Apparently, JFK asked what Norton was doing with an armful of books. When Norton replied that he was going to read the books and then write about them, JFK reportedly asked for and received a copy. Over the years, Norton continued to send JFK book summaries.
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[WP, Boston City council]