Hatless Jack

"Not so long ago, we were a country of hat wearers. Hats were tipped, raised, handed, tossed, snapped, passed, checked, waved, and eaten (metaphorically, at least). Many believe the end of this way of life was precipitated by the presidential inauguration of a bareheaded John F. Kennedy; suddenly desperate American hatters were convinced that persuading the young, charismatic new leader to wear a hat would save their declining business. Author Neil Steinberg uses January 20, 1961, as the jumping-off point for uncovering a near-forgotten slice of American history. Using a cast of famous men…