In October of 1962, U.S. jetfighters took off from bases in Florida and headed south on airborne alert. Should Cuba decide to react militarily, they were prepared to respond with force. After John Fitzgerald Kennedy's fateful 17-minute address, the entire country was about to become involved in the most dangerous event the world had ever experienced.

From October 15-28, the world teetered on the brink of nuclear war. Thirteen Days/Ninety Miles recreates the events of that time and examines the personalities of the major characters, especially John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev. Using recently declassified information, Norman Finkelstein traces the missile crisis from its origins down to a breathtaking finale.