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Product Description
"A FRESH AND UNVARNISHED PORTRAIT OF A FASCINATING, TALENTED, AND DEEPLY FLAWED FAMILY."
—Boston Herald
Laurence Leamer was granted unheralded access to private Kennedy papers, and he interviewed family and old friends, many of whom had never been interviewed before, for this incredible portrait of the women in America’s "royal family." From Bridget Murphy, the foremother who touched shore at East Boston in 1849, to the intelligent, independent Kennedy women of today, Laurence Leamer tells their unforgettable stories.
Here are the private thoughts of Kathleen, the flirtatious debutante in prewar England . . . the truth behind Joe Kennedy’s insistence that his mildly retarded daughter, Rosemary, be lobotomized . . . the real story behind Joan and Ted’s whirlwind romance . . . Jackie’s desire for a divorce from JFK in the 1950s . . . Pat Lawford’s disastrous Hollywood marriage . . . how Caroline discovered her cousin David’s death by overdose, and more.
Tough enough to withstand the unimaginable, these Kennedy women soldier on in the name of their extraordinary family and what they believe is right.
"MASTERFUL . . . AN ENDLESSLY FASCINATING READ . . . A wealth of beautifully rendered social detail, at times reading like a realist novel by Edith Wharton . . . [A] page-turner from start to finish."
—The Dallas Morning News
—Boston Herald
Laurence Leamer was granted unheralded access to private Kennedy papers, and he interviewed family and old friends, many of whom had never been interviewed before, for this incredible portrait of the women in America’s "royal family." From Bridget Murphy, the foremother who touched shore at East Boston in 1849, to the intelligent, independent Kennedy women of today, Laurence Leamer tells their unforgettable stories.
Here are the private thoughts of Kathleen, the flirtatious debutante in prewar England . . . the truth behind Joe Kennedy’s insistence that his mildly retarded daughter, Rosemary, be lobotomized . . . the real story behind Joan and Ted’s whirlwind romance . . . Jackie’s desire for a divorce from JFK in the 1950s . . . Pat Lawford’s disastrous Hollywood marriage . . . how Caroline discovered her cousin David’s death by overdose, and more.
Tough enough to withstand the unimaginable, these Kennedy women soldier on in the name of their extraordinary family and what they believe is right.
"MASTERFUL . . . AN ENDLESSLY FASCINATING READ . . . A wealth of beautifully rendered social detail, at times reading like a realist novel by Edith Wharton . . . [A] page-turner from start to finish."
—The Dallas Morning News
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
THE TINY, gnarled figure of Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy sat in a wheelchair behind a shuttered window looking down on the 370 people gathered below to celebrate her one hundredth birthday in July of 1990. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
THE TINY, gnarled figure of Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy sat in a wheelchair behind a shuttered window looking down on the 370 people gathered below to celebrate her one hundredth birthday in July of 1990. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a hefty book, but it grabs you from page one, and never lets go, every page being of the same high standard. I only read biographies, and have previously read quite a lot about the Kennedys, but this is one of the best books I have ever read, infact I was very sorry to finish it. It is a fascinating mix of social history, combined with an indepth look into lives of generations of Kennedy women, whose contributions gradually moulded the Kennedy dynasty, but to a large extent have been overlooked and probably undervalued. If there was ever a perfect example of 'the power behind the throne' this is it, but you also come to understand the price they paid as individuals.
The title says it all, this book is a mix of triumph and tragedy, leaving the reader with an amazing insight into the lives of america's first family. I cannot accurately explain how excellent this book is. You owe it to yourself to read it....I shall certainly be reading it again!!
The title says it all, this book is a mix of triumph and tragedy, leaving the reader with an amazing insight into the lives of america's first family. I cannot accurately explain how excellent this book is. You owe it to yourself to read it....I shall certainly be reading it again!!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was inspired to read this by the recent US mini series, which despite being slated in the press I really enjoyed.I was particularly intrigued by Rose, mother to JFK,RFK and 7 other children.This book is massive not only in terms of pages but also in relation to content, at times it felt like information overload (there are a lot of them!) and several times I had to look back at the family tree or to the fantastic photos in order to check out who was who.Despite this I loved this book,I found it insightful informative and fascinating and I will probably now read The Kennedy Men by the same author.
(One little niggle was the continual reference to Rosemary the eldest Kennedy daughter as retarded, it might have been the term used then but now it is considered offensive and I felt the author could have taken this on board and used a more appropriate term ).
(One little niggle was the continual reference to Rosemary the eldest Kennedy daughter as retarded, it might have been the term used then but now it is considered offensive and I felt the author could have taken this on board and used a more appropriate term ).
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
a tale of the rise of the kennedy family, from the first kennedy to the current kennedy generation. tells the story of the many adventures of joe sr. and jfk with their women friends, and the women who supported them. absolutely awesome, and a must-read
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Kennedy Women
Was not sure about this book - how could anyone find enough about the Kennedy women to merit a book this long (800+ pages, plus the notes and indexes)? Read more
Published 9 months ago by D. A. Williams
Disappointed
I have read a great deal on the Kennedy Family, and really looked forward to receiving this book, especially after reading the reviews. However I was really disappointed. Read more
Published on 18 April 2010 by The Woozles
BRAV0! BRAVO! BRILLIANTLY DONE
"For the most part Rose grandchildren observed and respected and obeyed her, tiptoeing around her life as if she were an exquisite piece of porcelain. Read more
Published on 19 May 2004 by Heather Marshall Negahdar
Well-written, vivid, and unputdownable!
I just got the book in the late Feb. and almost finish reading it. The way the author portrayed all the three ladies is very vivid. Read more
Published on 2 Mar 2001
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