Book Description

Peter Evans's biography of Aristotle Onassis, Ari, met with great acclaim when it was published in 1986. Ari provided the world with an unprecedented glimpse of the Greek shipping magnate's orbit of dizzying wealth, twisted intrigues, and questionable mores. Not long after the book appeared, however, Onassis's daughter Christina and his longtime business partner Yannis Georgakis hinted to Evans that he had missed the "real story" -- one that proved Onassis's intrigues had deadly results. "I must begin," Georgakis said, "with the premise that, for Onassis, Bobby Kennedy was unfinished business from way back..."

His words launched Evans into the heart of a story that tightly bound Onassis not to Jackie's first husband, but to his ambitious younger brother Bobby. A bitter rivalry emerged between Bobby and Ari long before Onassis and Jackie had even met. Nemesis reveals the tangled thread of events that linked two of the world's most powerful men in their intense hatred for one another and uncovers the surprising role played by the woman they both loved. Their power struggle unfolds against a heady backdrop of international intrigue: Bobby Kennedy's discovery of the Greek shipping magnate's shady dealings, which led him to bar Onassis from trade with the United States; Onassis's attempt to control much of Saudi Arabia's oil; Onassis's untimely love affair with Jackie's married sister Lee Radziwill; and his bold invitation to First Lady Jackie to join him on his yacht -- without the president. Just as the self-made Greek tycoon gloried in the chance to stir the wrath of the Kennedys, they struggled unsuccessfully to break his spell over the woman who held the key to all of their futures. After Jack's death, Bobby became ever closer to Camelot's holy widow, and fought to keep her from marrying his sworn rival. But Onassis rarely failed to get what he wanted, and Jackie became his wife shortly after Bobby was killed.

Through extensive interviews with the closest friends, lovers, and relatives of Onassis and the Kennedys, longtime journalist Evans has uncovered the shocking culmination of the Kennedy-Onassis-Kennedy love triangle: Aristotle Onassis was at the heart of the plot to kill Bobby Kennedy. Meticulously tracing Onassis's connections in the world of terrorism, Nemesis presents compelling evidence that he financed the assassination -- including a startling confession that has gone unreported for nearly three decades. Along the way, this groundbreaking work also daringly paints these international icons in all of their true colors. From Evans's deeply nuanced portraits of the charismatic Greek shipping magnate and his acquisitive iconic bride to his probing and revelatory look into the events that shaped an era, Nemesis is a work that will not be soon forgotten.

Reviews (9)

Credible and Entertaining
By now most people know that the JFK image was an elaborate facade that covered up and hid a more complicated situation; the real story involved a charismatic leader, a shaky marriage and much womanizing. This book fills in a few more blank spots especially about the other half - Jackie and her sister Lee.

Peter Evans has already established a fine reputation in a series of 10 prior books including "Ari". Here he tries to clean up a series of loose ends on Aristotle Onassis, his Greek associates, his wife Tina, Maria Callas, Jackie O, her sister Lee, the Kennedy boys JFK and brother Robert Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe and others

For the most part this is an interesting read but it falls a but it short of being an absolute page turner. Still it is an interesting read and mostly compelling and is based on new information and stories from people wanting to set the record straight after the fact so to speak. I will not repeat the plot in detail here.

The main focus of the book is Onassis, and he is attempting to have three or four mistresses or more - all famous women - simultaneously while at first somewhat incredibly also attempting to stay married to his wife Tina - the latter he married when she was just seventeen and he was well into his middle years. He courts both the married Jackie while simultaneously bedding her sister plus opera singer Callas who he has pried away from her husband - all according to the book. This stirs up a lot of animosity with the Kennedy brothers and we follow an interesting and a real life tale of intrigue, jealousy, and revenge. In retrospect we should not have been surprised by the marriage betwen Ari and Jackie in later years.

It is like a "tell all" with many twists and turns, rises and falls in health, wealth, and marriages. The book does not have an index but it has an excellent section of detailed notes and a nice collection of photographs.

Generally a good read and well researched. 4 stars.

Jack in Toronto

In Short There Simply Was Never Camelot
I found this book, intriguing, interesting and sad because it is so credibly written. The footnotes are at times more interesing than the book. The research, the interviews the documentation of where people where, when events occured. Facinating.

I have been an admirer of Bobby Kennedy all my life. The poise and class of Jackie Kennedy seemed so believable, undeniable. Sure many know all the stories about the Kennedy men. (I for one wonder when he had time to be president, he seems to have had so many women) Turns out Jackie Kennedy Onasis could keep pace with the darker side of Jack Kennedy and was even greedier than Joe Kennedy.

Myths die hard. The author creates the sense of being inside the unraveling of the mystery. It is amost voyeristic to read about the tradegies that these wealthy people created for themselves.

I think this book is a must read, but be prepared to be disappointed in what you learn at some level. For in short, there simply never was a happily ever after life in Camelot.

Lifestyles of the Rich, Famous and Scandalous!
This book is a fascinating and addictive read. I could not put it down, unless I was throwing it down in shock, complete and utter shock at the way our so called "American royalty" lived their lives! But everytime I threw this book down, I picked it up again and continued -- the truth hurts, but it must be read! Peter Evans has spent more than 30 years researching and writing about Aristotle Onassis (He wrote the bio "Ari: The Life and Times of Aristotle Socrates Onassis"). He has demonstrated his insider access and ability to get candid interviews, quotes and details -- it's all in the book and the footnotes!!

This author spent time with Onassis, his daughter Christina and many of Onassis's closest relatives and associates from the late 1960's on. His theory, that Aristotle Onassis paid Palestinian terrorists to have RFK killed is supported not just by rumor and circumstantial evidence -- but by the confessions/revelations of Aristotle and Christina Onassis, business associates of Aristotle and one of his many lovers. Plus scribbling in Sirhan Sirhan's notebooks (that were entered into evidence at his trial) that implicated Onassis to anyone who was familiar with his world (and apparently convinced his own son of his involvement!).

You will not believe the reckless sexual behavior of Jackie, her sister Lee, the Kennedy men and just about everyone else in their world! Or how Ted Kennedy reportedly "pimped" Jackie when her intention to marry Onassis was announced (read the footnotes!).

If you think I have told too much you really need to read this book -- this isn't even the half of it!

Very well written, researched and documented. I am already hunting down books listed in the foot and end notes. New, used, you've got to read this book!

A book that proves truth is more fascinating than fiction
I've read many books on Jack and Jackie, the Kennedys, Bouviers and Onassis. This was a page turner from front to back and showed the darker side of the triangle that existed between Jackie, Robert and Ari. The writer is rather skillful in this expose of a book where he laid out in curious detail the connection between Aristotle Onassis and the assassination of Robert Kennedy. For anyone who wants to dig deeper into the private world of these wealthy jet setters and their life style of unleashed sex, power, betrayal, corruption and murder - this book is a must. It's a believable book, which makes it all the more intriguing.

Onassis versus the Kennedys
Peter Evans has written a fascinating and well documented work which reveals the Onassis-Kennedy connection which plays out like a Greek tragedy with Americna gods. It is a good follow up to another book Jackie Ari & Jack: The Tragic Love Triangle by January Jones which conclusivly connects Onasssis to the original JFK assassination. Both books are must read for all assassination buffs who are still asking who did it? ... Read more

Amazon.com

Did the clothes make Jackie, or did Jackie make the clothes? Decide for yourself: Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years is a stunning catalog of some of Jacqueline Kennedy's most important dresses as worn during her years as first lady of the United States. As visually sleek and elegant as Mrs. Kennedy herself, the book offers a beautiful analysis of the stunning, simple outfits that typified the Jackie style and brought a breath of sleek modernity to the White House after the somewhat frumpy fussiness of previous first lady Bess Truman. Released to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Kennedy's "emergence" as a style icon, the book presents an eclectic selection of suits, evening dresses, daywear, and accessories from the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum collection. Divided into cities where each item was first worn, the gowns, suits, and dresses are first presented alone in a full-page color photo. Each is then accompanied by various photos of Jackie wearing the item and detailed design notes, history, and anecdotes behind the outfit.

These photos give a wonderful context to the clothes, and it's clear that Jackie's carriage and persona injected life into these garments--which sometimes appear markedly different from what one might deduce as each item's "personality" when simply viewing it alone. For example, a pale cream embroidered silk Givenchy evening gown looks dull and somewhat dowdy when seen alone, but the accompanying photograph of Jackie wearing it while cuddling a newborn John Kennedy Jr. transforms the dress into something feminine and timeless. Or a very simple, innocently pretty pink shantung evening gown by Guy Douvier becomes arrestingly sexy when she wears it with nothing but white gloves and a Palm Beach tan. Contextualizing and interpreting Kennedy's style is an important part of this book. Featured are essays on Jackie and her effect on the world of style by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., Kennedy friend Rachel Lambert Mellon, and the book's author and Vogue editor at large, Hamish Bowles. Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years accompanies an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. --Marisa Lencioni, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Jacqueline Chic
This is a "must have" book for anyone who loves the beauty, style and grace of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, fashion and history. The beautiful fashion photography with insightful essays showcases the former First Lady as one of the 20th century's fashion icons. Her clothing, simple and modern, yet classically elegant, created by major designers of the time such as Oleg Cassini and Givenchy, reflects her visionary fashion savvy. This book will make you ask do clothes make a person, or does the inner soul and outer beauty of a person, such as the former First Lady, make the clothes?

MOST EXCELLENT
Excellent EVERYTHING!!!
A must for jackie AND caroline fans...i figure she did a lot for this and chose some GREAT photos...esp. the last one, in my humble opinion.
THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHY!!!
I LOVE IT!!! and was shocked when i actually saw it after the few not-so appreciative reviews.
TOP SHELF BOOK/TOMB.
THANKS to everyone who was behind putting this out. As my grandmother would say about such a great book, "It lifts you up." (she said that about the Sotheby's Auction catalog of JBKO's Estate.
THANKS and LOVE TO ALL!!!

Quality, Youth, Beauty, Style and Culture in the White House
Caution: If you like looking at lots of photographs of early 1960s designer dresses, you will probably like this book. Otherwise, this is probably not the right book for you.

During the presidential election of 1960, Ms. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy made an immense impression on American society. At 31, she was a dramatic contrast with the vice president's wife, Ms. Patricia Nixon, and recent first ladies (Ms. Mame Eisenhower, Ms. Bess Truman, and Ms. Eleanor Roosevelt). She was much younger than these women, was pregnant with her son, John, and seemed like someone who came from another world. Ms. Kennedy was highly cultured, interested in the fine arts, attractive in a way that showed up well in photographs and on television, and wore gorgeous clothes of the sort usually only seen in the best fashion magazines.

Once in the White House, her differences from other first ladies became more apparent. A major effort to redecorate the White House with authentic pieces ensued, Lafayette Square's appearance was conserved, entertaining began to feature people from the world of fine arts, the Rose Garden was redesigned, and the clothes she wore became even more magnificent. A great deal of the sense of Camelot certainly came from Ms. Kennedy.

I was disappointed in the book. For someone who had such a wide and important influence on America, the book barely seemed to scratch the surface. It is almost as though a decision had been made to create a book about her dresses on state occasions, and to mention and show all of the other influences she had as little as possible.

This book minimally and partially captures the impact she had on our national consciousness. The best essay is found in the foreword by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. who provides a good overview of the influence of Ms. Kennedy (as described above) and her husband, the president, more broadly on the arts (including efforts that helped lead to the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and providing a temple from Egypt to the Metropolitan Museum in New York). Most of the book is visually devoted to her clothing during state occasions, with notes about those who created the clothes. A typical section has color photographs of the clothing on mannequins, Ms. Kennedy wearing the clothes at an event, and a black-and-white image of how she appeared in the context of the whole event.

The clothing captures what was called at the time, the Jackie look. Most of the dresses are by Oleg Cassini, Givenchy, Chez Ninon, and Gustave Tassell. There are also lots of examples of her hats (often pillboxes by Halston). The outfits are usually as simple and conservative as possible in solid colors, made special by perhaps one elegant bow or sash. Unfortunately, these sections have little material about Ms. Kennedy's views on these apparel, designs for the clothing, or thoughts about how to coordinate them with shoes and accessories.

What was most impressive to me was the success with which she selected outfits that fit in with the nations she was visiting. In France, the elegance of Givenchy enveloped her. In India, bright pastel shades made her look like part of the jungle flora. I'm sure the host nations were delighted to see their specialness magnified in her efforts to be an attractively dressed guest.

But these clothes are unremarkable without Ms. Kennedy. Like a well-known fashion model, she enhanced the clothes enormously with her youth, vitality, personality, and trim figure. So, for me, the book's real value was in seeing the many photographs of Ms. Kennedy. I especially liked the candid photographs, either talking with guests or playing with her children.

How can we recapture a sense of uniquely American style and good taste in ways that will bring approval?

What are the ways that the president and first spouse should set a good example for the rest of us?

An elegant blast from the past!
When I took this tome out of its mailer & began to turn its pages, I suddenly remembered my own set of formal white cotton gloves - long since discarded - so reverential was the aura emanating from this glossy artbook.

Jacqueline Kennedy kept it simple - most of her clothes were in solid colors with only huge buttons, cockades or discreet stylized bows, scarves, shawls or frogs for detail. In the Travel Chapter we see the simplicity of her wardrobe & her passion for colors.

Combining original & new photographs, this volume presents images we have rarely seen, as well as photos that have become a part of our national consciouness. The final one of the President & First Lady together in the open touring auto needs no words - we all know what happened next.

Certainly a treasure of memories - where we were, what we wore, what we wished we could wear. I never realized how Mrs. Kennedy acquired her wardrobe assuming, incorrectly, that she always wore top-of-the-line haute couture - when in actuality she wore "knock-offs", sometimes chosen by her mother-in-law.

For anyone who cannot make the pilgrimage to the 40th Anniversary Exhibition at the John F. Kennedy Library & Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York & who craves visions of those much-mimicked fashions of yesteryear.

An unexpected pleasure
After reading some of the reviews for this book stating it was dull and offered nothing of particular interest except alot of talk about A line dresses and cuts on the bias, I was apprehensive about wasting so much money on it.However having bought nearly every book published on Mrs Onassis I went ahead and ordered it anyway.Upon opening it I was pleasantly surprised. It was well set out,interesting and with many fine photos I had not seen, to illustrate the somewhat dry text.But the most facinating aspect of this book is to actually see what these dresses looked like in colour....after seeing numerous black and white photos of the Kennedy reception at the Elysee Palace and to hear the pink straw dress worn by Mrs kennedy described, it was mesmerizing to actually see it...no wonder she was described as radiant....and the most amazing thing is that Mrs kennedy dresses were sometimes even more interesting when viewed from the back...the intricate drapery and patterns.The photo of her in a backless sundress on the Italian Riveria is a revelation as it was worn in 1962 and was so ahead of its time...this book shows that Jacqueline kennedy had true style and is worthy of the mantle of fashion icon even though she would probably want to be remembered for her more substancial contributions.A very worthwhile addition to any devotee's library ... Read more

Book Description

As her own words prove well, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis could be at times funny, buoyant, candid, irreverent, and of course poignant, too. This collection of quotes shares her thoughts on marriage, family, political life and ambition, publicity, privacy, and more as she confided them to intimate friends, family, and interviewers alike.

Memories of her childhood, her love for Jack, her children and grandchildren, the Kennedys, her often misunderstood marriage to Aristotle Onassis, her years as a widow, and her later companionship with Maurice Tempelsman are all represented here, as are some rather remarkable correspondences with the Johnsons, the Nixons, and the Khrushchevs.

A sampling of her wit and wisdom:

• "I was a tomboy. I decided to learn to dance and I became feminine."
• "Well, I think my biggest achievement is that, after going through a rather difficult time, I consider myself comparatively sane."
• "When Harvard men say they have graduated from Radcliffe, then we've made it."
• "If Jack proved to be the greatest president of the century and his children turned out badly, it would be a tragedy."

Forty years ago, when the nation was coming out from under a period of mourning, Bill Adler edited The Kennedy Wit and in so doing helped the world remember a man and a president, not just a sorrowful event. To commemorate the tenth anniversary of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's death, he has edited yet another book of quotes celebrating life -- this time the life of Jackie.

The accompanying DVD documentary is considered by many to be the definitive film biography of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and was produced by CBS News Productions for Arts & Entertainment Network.

Reviews (1)

A charming book about a grand lady
Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy was without a doubt one of America's most admired first ladies and that is the major theme of this book. Although the book - a collection of quotes taken from a variety of sources, mostly interviews given by Mrs. Kennedy - spans her lifetime, a good portion is devoted to Jackie's roles as the young wife of Senator John F. Kennedy and as the Nation's First Lady.
In order to fully appreciate some of the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's comments about her roles as a woman/wife/mother and widow, it is important to bring up the historical context. The Kennedy Administration, "Camelot," took place amid turbulent times: widespread civil and racial unrest, the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis, and escalating involvement in the Vietnamese conflict. The women's movement was then in its infancy and it is against this backdrop that the Kennedy's acquired mythical, almost magical qualities.
"Jack and Jackie were America's royal couple," writes Bill Adler in his introduction to The Eloquent Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis; A Portrait in Her Own Words. The quotes provide a window into her childhood, life with JFK and her role as First Lady, then widowhood, followed by her marriage to Aristotle Onassis, her work as book editor for both Viking Publishers and Doubleday, and final years. One section deals with the assassination, "Jack was the love of my life. No one will ever know a big part of me died with him."
A common thread that runs throughout is her great love of, and reliance on, the family. Jackie's life revolved around those she loved the most, her husband and her children, Caroline and John Jr. "Raising children is the best thing I've ever done," she declared.
For those of us who lived through the sixties and are old enough to remember where we were when we heard that the President of the United States had been mortally wounded by an assassin's bullet, this tiny giant of a book will help to fan the flames of remembrance by highlighting the "beauty, grace and intelligence Jacqueline Kennedy brought to the White House," the country, and the world. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Fair and enticing: interesting and easy readI just finished
I just finished Grace and Power : The Private World of the Kennedy White House by Sally Bedell Smith, and it was a terrific read from start to finish. It reads like a very long and interesting magazine article and is, hence, not gossipy, but factual and interesting. It's a well-constructed account of the days from the election to JFK's assassination; it covers both the political and social history of JFK's brief time in the White House. Thousands of sources are called upon as the author has painstakingly pieced together her story. There is much in the book that is new information about the Kennedys and their days in the White House, though not being a Kennedy aficionado, I was not aware of what was old and what was new. I felt the book was very fair and did a wonderful job of calling forth the duality of the Kennedy panache and mystique coupled with the huge burden of tragedy that seemed to be part of their heritage. I'd highly recommend this book.

A fascinating retelling of Camelot
GRACE AND POWER gives the reader the sights, sounds and textures of the Kennedy White House. William Safire called the book "a stunning new history" (his column lead me to buy the book)) and he's right.

You feel like you are right there in the Washington DC of the early 1960s, and what a very different DC it was! The Kennedys liked to work hard and play hard, and Bedell Smith shows the rivalries, friendships and goings-on of the Kennedy's inner circle.

This is truly the first book to make Jack and Jackie human, and Bedell Smith does a wonderful job of telling both the political and social sides of the First Couple.

I read the Vanity Fair excerpt and there is indeed new material here: Jackie's intimate conversations about her marriage with Dr. Frank Finnerty, her secret therapist who helped her improve her relationship with her husband; one of JFK's lovers who speaks for the first time about their two-year affair; and most importantly, details of JFK's last days and the aftermath of the assassination from the sealde (for 40 years!) papers of historian William Manchester, who authored DEATH OF A PRESIDENT.

A historical, serious and fascinating retelling of the Camelot years.

Fascinating
Though I haven't read any other books about the Kennedy administration, and consequently cannot say if this one is better or worse than others on the same topic, this one caught my attention. The book appears to be well researched and documented and gives the reader a real feel for what the Kennedy White House must have been like, warts and all. I found the view to be balanced, presenting both the strengths and the personal foibles of the people involved.

The book is full of fascinating historical dichotomies; for example, it shows how the administration would deal with war with Russia over Cuba during the day, and then party at night. (One must maintain one's standards, even in the face of nuclear annihilation.) The reader also gets a real sense of tremendous responsibilities and burdens that go with living in the White House.

To digress a bit, what I really got from this book was a reminder of what politics in the USA used to be like, when politicians were more interested in doing what was best for the country, before the citizens of all political persuasions allowed it to become so bitterly and unproductively polarized. There used to be dialog between the political parties instead of ranting; there used to be pragmatic compromises and solutions instead of unyielding positions; and there used to be respect for the concept that reasonable minds can differ. Camelot, indeed.

That reminder alone makes this a worthwhile read.

"Camelot" re-revealed magnificently...
The essence of "Camelot" wasn't necessarily the inspiring leadership of John Kennedy (although this certainly doesn't hurt the Camelot mystique) or the seemingly serene picture of the youngest elected President and his equally youthful wife, rather it was a culture, indeed an attitude or mystique that many historians have tried to capture with heretofore moderate to little success. In this light, Sally Bedell Smith has presented her attempt at synthesizing the mystique with the well documented history of JFK's administration and has succeeded fabulously with "Grace and Power".

The perspective that Smith presents is one that many historians have missed...in a day when JFK administration books abound, Smith gives us a whole new view into the Kennedy family. Right from the beginning of this work, we delve into the personal and behavorial side of both the new President and his First Lady and see how they are in turn affected by the avalanche of the media and policy machine. JFK's full medical history (recently made public in Robert Dallek's magnificent work "An Unfinished Life") is further explained by Smith with many new nuances and she describes how these many maladies not only affected his work as President, but his family life as well. Indeed, we see JFK's covert doctor (Max Jacobson..."Dr. Feelgod") administering to Jackie as well (during periods of stress or depression) and it's this level of new information, presented not in a tawdry gossipy style, but in fair and elegant prose, that really made this work hard for me to put down. JFK's dalliances with many other women comes to be a main theme at the beginning of the story and we see how Jackie's attitude of benign acceptance at this behavior is formed over time in the White House. At the same time, Smith suceeds in presenting JFK as a loving Father and husband...further enhancing this mysterious component of JFK's behavior.

The social scene at the JFK White House is comprehensively descibed...at times offering a counter-balance with what is happening in the world and I thought this added a fullness to the Kennedy story that is usually missing from many otherwise excellent JFK works. For example we see the dinners and the guests who attended them given equal importance in the book while the emotion and stress of the Cuban Missile Crisis is distracting the President. How JFK reacts at these events (i.e. away from "work") is a fascinating new look at the Crisis and Administration as a whole and is this new information that I mentioned that should be the selling point for this work. Closing out the book, Smith eloquently descibes the before and after affects of the assasination on all the participants (old girlfriends as well as close family friends) and tries to philosophize on what the tragedy meant to each.

Historians may argue that the level of scholarship pertaining to Presidential history is lacking (although, I thought Smith did an admirable job describing the events that she did cover), but clearly the focus of this work was not a historical narrative but a genuine social/historical synthesis.

Supported by many new interviews and research, Sally Bedell Smith has added immensly to the monumental amount of literature surrounding the JFK administration and given us a unique perspective that should be used by all as an emotional target for that magnificent and tragic time. A fairly quick read (about 470 pages of readable text) and lively written, I would recommend this book very highly.

A compelling read-- what the reviewers have to say
Grace and Power is a compelling read, and I highly recommend it. Instead of offering my own comments, I thought Amazon readers should hear what the professionals-- reviewers, historians, columnists and feature writers around the country-- have been saying about the book. I took these quotes from the author's website, www.sallybedellsmith.com .

Washington Post Book World (page one review by William E. Leuchtenburg, Professor of History Emeritus at the University of North Carolina): "Sally Bedell Smith has written the nonfiction beach book of the season...she is in firm command of the vast Kennedy scholarship...The book is impressively well researched and smartly written. It is rich in character sketches, anecdotes and accounts of events"

Los Angeles Times (page one review by Gary Indiana): "A gracefully written tell-all that really does tell a story worth reading...Smith's portrait of Jackie is irresistible...One falls in love with her all over again."

The New York Times (William Safire column): "A stunning new history... [written] with taste and sensitivity... prodigiously researched... The reader is placed right there in the salons of Georgetown and upstairs at the White House"

Liz Smith (syndicated columnist): "A ravishingly readable book"

Houston Chronicle (review by Fritz Lanham, Books Editor): "Smith writes neither to make idols nor to break them. She's unblinking but fair-minded in her assessment of the Kennedys and their friends, and she writes lucidly and engagingly... Grace and Power really does make you feel that you've stepped inside the private quarters of the White House"

New York Daily News (Sherryl Connelly): "Stylistic grace and authoritative reporting...the ultimate account."

The Philadelphia Inquirer (Karen Heller): "The White House that Smith presents is an elite circle of brilliant men and elegant women...In this history, Jacqueline Kennedy emerges as a more engaged, substantial and controlling presence."

The Boston Globe (Recommended Summer Reading by David Mehegan): "The background is the thousand days of the Kennedy administration, and the big events are here. But the narrative tension is in the tight circle around Jack and Jackie Kennedy... If we did not already know the ending, one might say this book reads like a novel"

San Francisco Chronicle (Carolyne Zinko): "What emerges is the complex nature of the relationship between the president and first lady, a marriage strained by his infidelity yet preserved in part by her tolerance of it; the transformation of the White House into a royal court of sorts... and the degree to which the president manipulated his advisers and the press, for good and bad."

Daily Mail (London): "Riveting history...Grace and Power paints a lively picture of this `social' White House, but though Bedell Smith captures its glamour she never falls in love with it... Throughout the book, Bedell Smith deftly manages to include the weightier events of those Cold War years without either trivialising them or lessening the fun of her lighter gossip."

Newsweek: "Smith has made a career out of turning the lives of bold-faced names into meticulously researched biographies...Smith chronicles Jack and Jackie's highs and lows, heroic diplomacy, prodigious infidelity and a sparkling intellectual and social life unsurpassed by their successors."

Dallas Morning News (Joy Dickinson): "A book that puts journalistic integrity above gossip but includes juicy details." ... Read more

Book Description

There are moments in history where events converge to create something rare and special. Jacqueline Kennedy's selection of Oleg Cassini to design her personal wardrobe as First Lady was one of those moments, not only in fashion history, but political history as well. As creator of the "Jackie look," Cassini made the First Lady one of the best-dressed women in the world and a glamourous icon of the Kennedy era.

During the thousand days of the Kennedy administration, Cassini designed over 300 outfits for Jackie Kennedy--coats, dresses, evening gowns, suits, and day wear. He coordinated every aspect of her wardrobe, from shoes and hats to gloves and handbags.

For the first time, Oleg Cassini offers a fascinating and comprehensive view of his role as Jackie's personal couturier. His international background allowed him to fit comfortably into the Kennedy poltical dynasty, and offered him unprecedented access to both Jackie and John Kennedy as a designer and a trusted friend. From the details of his long-standing friendship with the Kennedy family to his first meetings with the First lady to his thoughts on Jackie's clothes and their legacy, Cassini's recollections are far-ranging and informative.

Cassini's original sketches are accompanied by 200 color and black-and-white photographs of the First Lady as she tours India, France, England, and Italy, shows off the White House, and hosts state dinners and family gatherings. Public moments as well as private ones capture the great elegance and charm of one of the most admired and emulated women in the world.
... Read more

Reviews (12)

A Combination that Works
This lovely volume combines Cassini's memoirs of working closely with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis during her brief White House years, his fashion philosophies and ideas, and the iconography of the early 1960s style and vigor of the Kennedy years. Each piece plays the right part in the book as a whole, illustrating what must have been an enchanted time for Cassini. If one is interested in fashion and its technical aspects, the book's sketches and interesting details (letters from Jackie about to whom Cassini should send swatches for hat and glove construction for each dress), his memories of Jackie along with excerpts of her letters (photographic and in text, reproduced verbatim) along with the requisite, but lovely photographs of Jackie is his creations. It brings couture to the United States in a grand way and makes this French sensibilitiy part of our own Americana.

With all of the Jackie Kennedy products on the market, it was lovely to read such a heartfelt memoir from the man who helped to position her in our nation's consciousness as a precious and dear woman.

Top Jackie Fashion Book !
As far as I am concerned this is THE top book about Jackie's Fashions and I have either read, bought, or extensively reviewed all of them. This big coffee table book written by Oleg Cassini contains more information, better pictures and sketches than any other book about Jackie's fashions. In fact,I would say in some ways it is almost a biography of Jackie albeit a heavily illustrated one. Do not let the new influx of books about Jackie's fashions deter you from buying this book. The new books that came out around the time of the exhibit of her fashions at the Met are all ok . And Hamish Bowles book about the exhibit was the best of the three released during this timeframe. However none of these books match the lushness of Cassini's book!

An Exquisite Book Capturing an Exquisite Woman
I bought this book in 1995 when it first came out, it has held up beautifully, and is one of my all time favorite books about Jackie.

A large, coffee table book that is filled with exquisite photos from Jackie's wedding day to President Kennedy through her time as First Lady, and her later years.

Jackie has always been one of my favorite role models, and Oleg Cassini did one fantastic job in showing the sketches of clothing illustrations, as well as when and where Jackie wore them. He gives wonderful and detailed paragraphs of information that are respectful of Jackie. The book also has clear copies of the many letters of gratitude Jackie has written, as well as the many activities she was involved in.

It is a true and dignified portrait of Jackie's greatest 1,000 days, and is a timeless treasure, showing the class, dignity, heart, and soul of a woman who will forever remain eternal.
HIGHLY Recommended for the beautiful and dignified manner with which it is presented.

gorgeous book depicting the first among First Ladies
This book shows Jackie Kennedy during her truncated run as First Lady in designs by Oleg Cassini. Each entry has a photo of Jackie Kennedy at a historical event during JFK's presidency, with details of the outfit she is wearing as well as a short blurb on the time and significance of the event.

Chic, but pictures were rather tiny
I bought this book before all the Jackie style books came out. This is a good book, and what Oleg says of Jackie is insightful--but the pictures were secondary to the words! (And the cost!) There would be a drawing taking up the whole page, with this little picture of Jackie. Plus, it doesn't have all the clothes she wore--and--- They are not all his clothes!...This book, however, is a nice companion book to the Jay Mulveney book, or even the Hamish Bowles if you chose to buy that....If you want to know about Jackie's style, buy this or the IN THE KENNEDY STYLE by Latetia Baldridge, or especially the Jay Mulveney book. ... Read more

Book Description

From Pierre-Henri Verlhac and Yann-Brice Dherbier, the editors of the best-selling John F. Kennedy: A Life in Pictures, comes its companion, Jackie: A Life in Pictures-a visual voyage through the life of Jackie, also known as Jackie Bouvier, Jackie Kennedy, Jackie Onassis. This iconic volume features the most exquisite photographs, many of which are previously unpublished, ever taken of America's legendary First Lady, as well as a biography, personal notes, and handwritten correspondence. A sumptuous, oversized edition, this 272-page book includes over 400 glamorous, dramatic, and intimate images taken throughout her life.Bringing us into her exclusive and privileged world, Jackie: A Life in Pictures takes us from the early days of her upper class upbringing in the 30s and 40s to her courtship and marriage to J.F.K. in 1953 and her life as a politician's wife. From the Camelot years, when Jackie charmed the world with her classic style and effortless panache, we witness the public and private moments of the famed First Family. After J.F.K.'s tragic death, we follow Jackie as she finds consolation in the arms of Aristotle Onassis, and travel with her among the jet set. And lastly, we spend time with Jackie in her final years in New York City, as a book editor, proud mother, and honorary stateswoman. The book features Jackie's handwritten documents, provided by her daughter, Caroline Bouvier Kennedy, and photographs by Magnum photographers Cornell Capa, Raymond Depardon, Eve Arnold, Erich Hartmann, and Philip Jones Griffith; famed paparazzo and Jackie follower Ron Galella; J.F.K. White House photographers Abbie Rowe, Robert Knudsen, and Cecil Stoughton; and Mark Shaw, Stan Kislowski, and Toni Frissell; as well as Miss Porter's School class portraits. The ultimate volume for Jackie's admirers, Jackie: A Life in Pictures offers a rare opportunity to observe the complex and fascinating woman as her life unfolded before the world's eyes. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fresh from her well-received life of Queen Elizabeth II, the Englishhistorian and biographer Sarah Bradford turns her hand to America's own answerto royalty, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Painstakingly detailed, impressivelyfair, the result is the most definitive account yet of a woman who captured theimagination of the American public like no First Lady before or after her.Bradford seems to have interviewed almost everyone who had ever been intimatewith Onassis, including George Plimpton, Gore Vidal, Joan Kennedy, and even afew ex-lovers. Most notably of all, Jackie's sister Lee Radziwill speaks withunexpected frankness about the mixture of rivalry and affection that markedtheir relationship since childhood. Jackie-lovers, take note: this is nohagiography, and its subject certainly comes off as no saint. As gracious asthis American icon could be, she also had moments of coldness and even greed,including a particularly shocking moment by the bedside of Ari Onassis's dyingson. Yet, in the end, non-airbrushed anecdotes like these only serve to makethis most private of public figures even more fascinating. Jackie was, asBradford writes, "a complex woman of many facets, concealed insecurities andintricate defense mechanisms, a strong urge toward the limelight contrastingwith a desire for privacy and concealment.... Behind the mask of beauty and famelay a shrewd mind, a ruthless judgment of people, antennae finely turned to anysign of pretentiousness or pomposity, and a wry, even raunchy sense of humor."The figure who emerges from subsequent pages is as compelling as the heroine ofany novel, and it is to Bradford's credit that she doesn't seem to have fallencompletely under her subject's spell. Her approach is sympathetic, but neverfawning; candid, but never sensationalistic. For those who are curious not aboutJackie's glamour but about its source, America's Queen offers anunprecedented look at the flesh-and-blood woman behind the Camelot myth.--Carlotta DeWitt ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Iron Butterfly
A solid biography of a complex woman, Jackie Onassis. Bradford does her usual stellar job of peeking behind the curtain of mystery and into the lives of the rich and famous. This book makes a fine companion to her biographies of Princess Grace and Queen Elizabeth II. Bradford takes us from Jackie's earliest years as the adored eldest child of a wayward father, John Vernou "Black Jack" Bouvier; to the White House as the politically advantageous mate to an unfaithful John F. Kennedy; to Greece as the trophy wife of Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis; and finally to the freedom and excitement of New York during Jackie's later years in the 70s and 80s.

We get to see behind the Kennedy mythology-Jack was as wayward as her father, and in retaliation, Jackie spent his money. Nanny Maud Shaw was pointedly left out of the many photo-exclusives the Kennedys gave to Life magazine, even though she was the main parental figure for Caroline and John, Jr. Coexisting in the First Lady was a woman who wore glamorous gowns and wowed dignitaries with her conversational skills and self-possessed manner, and a woman who smoked incessantly, hated campaigning, bit her fingernails to the quick, and was deeply wounded by her husband's infidelities.

Bradford's interviews are far-ranging: From Gloria Steinem to Jackie's younger sister Lee Radziwill, many of Jackie's acquaintances in Greece, Gore Vidal, her cousin John Davis, and some of her former flames, the people quoted in this book give us a glimpse of a privileged and often painful life. It is frankly stated that Jackie's repeated miscarriages and stillbirths were undoubtedly due contracting chlamydia from JFK. For years after the assassination of her husband, in odd moments Jackie would confide the hideous shock of holding parts of her husband's head in her hands. She had an embattled relationship with her mother, Janet Lee, and later with her sister, who was frustratingly left in the shadow of her sister's radiant beam. Many of the society wives who moved in Jackie's circle reported how possessive and flirtatious she was with their husbands. Far from being in love with Onassis (who had been having an affair with her sister), Jackie married him primarily for the security his vast fortune could afford her. Jackie was far more interested in championing the arts (her helping to start the foundation to restore the White House, her involvement in the campaign to save Grand Central Station), than in humanitarian and charitable causes, Bradford asserts.

This book could well have been subtitled "Iron Butterfly," as Jackie repeatedly gets what she wants (money, donations of antiquities to the White House, clothing) by being manipulative and irresistible at the same time. Yet despite not being the idealized version of herself we've all recognized over the years, Jackie is a fully-realized person in this book. I felt I knew more about her and her motivations after reading it, and not necessarily liking her any less for her flaws of character. The woman who stated her ambition in her Farmington yearbook as "Never to be a housewife" certainly exceeded that goal.

A good addition to your library-my only quibble would be for more attention to detail in the editing and more pictures we haven't already seen. Objective Jackie fans will not be disappointed in what, in the end, is a well-rounded portrait of an unforgettable woman.

The Real Jackie Kennedy
I highly recommend this biography of Jackie. It is, by far, the best I've read. Bradford shows us a real woman, not a myth, and there are so many stunning details. The personality of Jackie's mother particularly shocked me. How did Jackie survive the terrible, manipulative environment of her childhood? This biography highlighted such salient details, such as: - her mother's prevention of her being escorted down the aisle by her father on her wedding day; - Jackie and her sister Lee taking a back seat in the Auchincloss step family; - Jackie's unique contribution to American history through her championing of the arts (redecorating the White House, securing the Egyptian exhibit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, preserving the Grand Central Station in NYC, and so much else) - Most of all, the strength of her marriage to JFK. Bradford did a better job than any other biographer, of explaining the complex and developing relationship between the two. I highly recommend this book!

A truly well-balanced account of an extraordinary person
This elegant biography of Mrs. Kennedy-Onassis may very well be the most insightful work to gain a hold on this elusive American legend for some time to come. Unlike the many other Jackie biographies out there, this one is neither worshipful nor excessively fault-finding with its subject. Yet, while exposing the more unpleasant sides of Jackie's character (in essence, bringing her down to earth with the rest of us), "America's Queen" takes a decidedly more sympathetic route, with numerous sentences that begin "To be fair to Jackie...", etc, that assures that her virtues are still underscored while her faults are not smoothed over. In other words, skip the Christopher Anderson/Edward Klein accounts if you opt for exhaustively researched information and intimate analyses rather than sensationalistic prose and shameless cashing-in on Jackie's fame.
I also think it is a tribute to the author as much to the subject that this book is so exceptional. I think Jackie, lover of literature that she was, would have appreciated the numerous literary passages preceding some of the chapters. Despite her distaste for exposure, I think she would have felt in fairly good hands had she known the diligence, sensitivity, and, most of all, sense of morality and balance that went into this work.

the most wonderful book
This is my ultimate favorite book. I have read it a million times just because it's so fun and exciting to read.
What a glamorous life one had! She also led the most complex and interesting life with Jack Kennedy and Onassis. Sadly she had to face too many deaths of her loved ones during her life time, but she endured it with dignity and class.
I honestly think there is no one one can compare with Jackie Kennedy concerning elegance and feminism. She truely is a symbol of intelligence, wealth, fortune. That's one reason I like her so much- not only was she beautiful but also intelligent and smart.
Sarah Bradford is one of my favorite writers. Her writing is simply elegant and honest and so detailed. It's unlike any other book I have read. I often wonder how she gathered all this information and how she managed to get these rare interviews from all these people who were very close with Jackie. Sometimes I think it's more of her writing that interests me more than Jackie's actual life.
I strongly recommend this book to everyone. It's fast paced and simply too good not to read.

Shares a variety of views on JKO
"America's Queen" was an interesting read. The first chapter on her family tree was complicated and hard to follow due to the introduction of so many names. However, as the book began to tell the story of how Jackie came to be was great because of the many different point of views that were presented by those who knew Jackie. ... Read more

Book Description

From the author of the bestselling Audrey Style

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was known by many names, but to us, she is Jackie. And whether she liked it or not, she was, and still is, the most famous woman in the world.

"No one else looked like her, spoke like her, wrote like her, or was so original in the way she did things," said her brother-in-law Senator Edward Kennedy. Her style -- what made her Jackie -- has been emulated, imitated, even occasionally reviled, but never fully examined. For the first time, this biography details the singular life that made Jackie an icon and contributed so greatly to her enduring appeal. Drawing on original interviews with Valentino, Hubert de Givenchy, Manolo Blahnik, and Oleg Cassini, as well as close friends C. Z. Guest, George Plimpton, and John Loring, and family members such as Joan Kennedy, Hugh D. Auchincloss, and John Davis, this compelling volume brings to life the private Jackie her family and friends loved.

With one hundred rare color and black-and-white photographs and sketches, and never-before-published personal letters, memos, and essays, Jackie Style re-creates not only Jackie's extraordinary history -- fashion being just one part of it -- but the world she came from, the White House she revived, the husband and children she adored, the causes she supported, and, finally, the life she chose to lead.

Reviews (31)

Jackie Style lush but lacking.
I was attracted to this book by its feel and the promise of learning more about that certain "something" Jackie radiates. After mentally debating the price, my lust for more Jackie style information won out and I purchased it. It is a substantial book in many ways but weak in others. The beginning of the book is awkward as the author describes what Jackie was thinking after her husband won the Presidency. How could the author know? The authors assumptions immediately made me question the rest of the books authenticity. As I read through the book however, the author changed tactics and began to describe the first lady using research that was factually supported. She discusses Jackie's upbringing, her role as young woman, and beyond. Though most of the information has been written about before, several aspects were elaborated on to add a new twist and make them more interesting. For example, I had read many times about Jackie winning Vogue magazines Prix de Paris competition, but never in the detail Keough gives. There are a number of photographs in the book but unfortunatly the way they are presented lacks impact. Many are black and white, others small for the page, few are new, and in general they don't have the luster that they could. For example, p.182 has a full size, black and white photograph of Jackie with flowers fully covering her face. If this is one of the never seen photographs Keough promises well I can see why. Another page is devoted to a full color photo of Ari Onasis. Since the full color photos of Jackie are few why not make it one of her? Pamela Keoughs previous book Audrey Style had a much better selection of pictures that made an impression! There are also some line sketches of Jackie in a pillbox. The sketch looks more like Anjelica Houston. The information in the book is broad. The author has obviously done alot of research and she relays the information with her fresh perspective. But many readers will wish for more information about Jackie's STYLE not her life history. For those just beginning to read about Jackie this will be a good introduction but to those familiar with her and the books about her this will be a rehash and retelling.

Oh Jackie!
Pam Keogh's clear and stunning portrait of Jackie Kennedy Onassis gives the reader aspects of this complex and intriguing woman from the inside out. It is a warm and visually beautiful view of JKO that goes beyond what she wore where. If you want a glimpse of the private Jackie, buy this book!

Nice, but nothing about Jackie's fashion.
I think it's great that there are authors like Keogh around. You can tell that she really wants to portray Jackie at her best. But the problem is that this book is written in a cut and paste way, and despite what the dustcover says, there is nothing new and revealing at all. Let me explain more.

First of all, this book is called JACKIE STYLE, but it is really just a popcorn biography. Keogh claims that she has new interviews that reveal new insights about Jackie. Well, tell me, how does the designer Cynthia Rowley saying she admired how Jackie dressed reveal new insights into Jackie, the person, the first lady, and everything that Jackie was and became??????

Then, there is the claim that there is over 100 black and white, and color, photos of Jackie that have never been seen before. Not true; with the exception of 25 or less, all have been published before. And the 25 are not of Jackie, but of her friends, or a date, or a Kennedy.

This book is written well, but is just isn't about her fashion. There are good photos in the bood, and Keogh does have an inviting writing style, even if she tends to sometimes overpraise her subjects, but it is not about Jackie's style.

This Is An Amazing Book
I am a voracious reader of all things biographical - memoirs, historical, famous people etc. This book struck me as suceeding on many levels: it is a respectful history of an American icon, it is a well-researched and thorough pictorial panorama of Jackie's life, and it is a fun romp through a period of our past with which, it is safe to say, many many people are still fascinated all these years later. Ms. Keogh has taken a subject well-known and certainly oft-discussed and written about and given it a fresh spin and a new approach. I greatly enjoyed every page of this book and will treasure it as a valuable addition to my library. Well done Ms. Keogh!!

This book is a big ZERO in my book.
I really liked the Audrey Hepburn book in this series and looked forward to the Jackie Kennedy book, but when I read it, I was annoyed by how shallow and trite it turned out to be. Where's the elegant Jackie Kennedy? The brave Jackie Kennedy? The STYLISH Jackie Kennedy?

The worst part were the stupid Jackie Kennedy Make Up tips that looked ABSOLUTELY NOTHING LIKE HER.

A big ZERO in my book. ... Read more

Book Description

She was a woman of confidence, focus, and passion, and it made her one of the world's most inspiring and influential women. She drew on a remarkable well of self-knowledge and a sense of purpose to cope with extraordinary public demands and overwhelming private difficulties.

What Jackie Taught Us offers Jackie's lessons about living life with poise, grace, and zest-including wisdom about image and style, courage and vision, men, marriage, motherhood, and motivation-and how to apply those lessons to the way each one of us lives. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

A MUST HAVE FOR YOUNG WOMEN
Growing up as a young woman in 2004 with "role models" such as Britney Spears, Lil' Kim and Janet Jackson, is not very promising. What Jackie Taught Us is perfect for my generation and obviously older generations who followed Jackie through her days at the White House and beyond. For me, it was wonderful to read about a woman with such strength, courage and knowledge as well as an unbeilvable sense of style--an image of grace and dignity-something you don't see very much today. It was not only a history lesson but I was able to take so many of Jackie's life lessons and I've already started thinking about how I can change to enhance my own life by her example. Tina Santi Flaherty has organized this information in such a way that it was a true self-help guide. Any ladies in thier 20's--you have to get this book to learn what a true icon is all about.

What Jackie Taught Us: Lessons from the Remarkable Life of J
This book is not only interesting but it teaches the reader things about Jackie Kennedy Onassis that makes her real and human. I loved this book. It has lessons in it that are easily applied to everyday life. This book is a must read! I carry it with me wherever I go. I feel like it is an instruction manual for how we should all strive to live our lives. Jackie was not just a character in a fairytale, she was a real person with faults that she overcame with grace and skill. Mrs. Flaherty truly captures the essence of the woman who was...Jackie Kennedy Onassis. I cannot wait for Mrs. Flaherty's next publication. But until then I will keep reading and re-reading this fantastic book!

I sure wish I'd gotten it from the library instead
I collect Kennedy books so when this one came out I bought it and couldn't wait to get it home. I wasn't satisfied. First,Tina Santi Flaherty didn't actually know Jackie and makes some conclusions that even Mrs. Onassis's friends and colleagues did not make in their books. That made me "trust" the book less. I think buying Leticia Baldridge's book or the Eloquent Jacqueline Kennedy would be better bets for the money. In the universe of Kennedy books this is a lesser light.

I gave this book to three ladies for Mother's Day . . .
. . . and they loved it too. Thanks to the author for distilling the essence of a woman who touched all our lives with her grace. The slimness of the volume and the clarity of the message mirrored Jackie Kennedy's style: simplicity and self-confidence are trump cards in life. No thoughtful person could help but gain from reading this book. I highly recommend it.

What a great book!!!!
I thought this book was an absolute delight! It was a perfect, light-hearted text. As a college student I have a limited amount of time to read for pleasure so naturally I didn't. When recieving the book from my Mother, Stephanie, I fell in love with it! I found myself in the airport, returning from Palm Beach,FL, totally head on in the book. I was so happy I finally found a book so enjoyable! Around campus and Boston I find myself reading and trying to get people to notice what and who I was reading about... I was so proud to be a young lady reading a display of Jackie O's life. I wanted people to see this great book and go and buy it!!! Its a great read, and I may read it again and again....Yey Tina!!! Is #2 coming soon? HOPE SOOO!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

The Definitive Report on an American Icon
A WOMAN NAMED JACKIE is the definitive biography of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, a woman who shaped her time every bit as much as she symbolized it.

For those who remember well the 1960's, author C. David Heymann does a remarkable job of reporting the memorable moments. And those who do not remember the 60's will be well-informed by this book, not only about the woman who is its focus, but also about her impact on that era of expectation and optimism. As much as any single person, she created the energy of a decade which we now realize in hindsight was a watershed in modern life. The influence of Mrs. Onassis lasted long after that tragic day in 1963.

Today, the very name of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis is symbolic that all that is fine, and her memory reminds us of that very special time that she, herself, referred to as "Camelot."

A WOMAN NAMED JACKIE is her definitive biography.

All the Gossip You Need
This author may be the male version of Kitty Kelly. Basically the book is a history of Jackie Kennedy that has a good amount of scandalous details about her married life to both of the famous men she caught and a few bits after she is widowed the second time. We also get some bits about her family and JFK's family thrown in for good measure. Of course we get to learn a lot about her relationships with JFK and Onassis, but I also liked the details about her relationships with RFK and LBJ. The reason I read this book was I wanted a better understanding of her White House years, her relationship with JFK. The book does touch on these two topics, but not in the kind of depth I was looking for. To be fair I should have really found a book that just dealt with these topics solely so I can not mark this book down too far on this issue.

The book did cover the Onassis relationship, which I found very interesting. They really seamed to have a marriage of convenience. It looked like an interesting game they played with each other. The other interesting relationship detailed was between her and LBJ. Overall the book was interesting if not a little on the gossipy side. It is a good overview of her life and some added info on the family's she was married into. It is easy to get through and the author does a good job with some of the less exciting topics.

read anything other than this
There are so many other books about jackie kennedy. The best are "Mrs. Kennedy: The Missing History of the Kennedy Years". It gives such great insight into the marriage of Jack and Jackie Kennedy. It has many excellent interviews with white house insiders who knew both very well. Another is America's Queen. These two books do an excellent job of not focusing on simply retelling the stories of Jackie's life but examning her life and the choices she made. The books I just mentioned are not puff pieces and they are not dedicated, like this book is, to showing the "dark side" as if these two peolple were only pitiful, sad people. Jackie Kennedy Onassis was a extreemly complex person, something this book simply does not express enough.

Utterly Boring
There is precisely ONE interesting chapter in this long-winded tome: the day JFK was assassinated. The rest is so trivial that it defies belief. One cannot help but wonder how a person can live such a shallow, superficial life without committing suicide out of sheer boredom.

Jacquie's entire existence was a seemingly endless round of shopping, cocktail parties, and lavish holidays. She comes across as thoroughly despicable, as a person totally consumed by acquiring every petty object she lays eyes on. It makes for very DULL reading - you keep waiting for something to happen, but nothing ever does because her life was meaningless.

What is most outrageous, is this enduring myth that she was a great mother, devoted to her son and daughter. Infact, she shipped them off to boarding school at heartbreakingly young ages, spending what amounts to a few months out of an entire year with either of them. How she has managed to maintain this aura of respect and awe is beyond me - all she ever did was shop and take vacations. Despite her millions, she was decidedly ungenerous, contributed almost nothing to any worthy cause, and lived a self-centered, self-absorbed life.

If JFK hadn't been killed, she would have gone done in history like any other rich, country-club wife of a former president. This is hands-down the most boring biography I've ever read.

Good but somewhat slanted
Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis is as fixed as an American landmark, as the beautiful and refined wife of one of the most inexplicably popular presidents of all time. But how much of "Jackie" did the public see, and how much was real?

We travel from the beginning of Jackie's life to near its end (though the biography stops short of her death, or that of her son): a girl raised between the ultra-womanizer Black Jack Bouvier, and ruthless social-climber Janet Lee Bouvier Auchincloss. Jackie became accomplished, admired, beautiful, and eventually married into the politically ambitious Kennedy family, a now legendary marriage. It chronicles her time in the White House, the death of her husband, her loyal campaigning for Robert Kennedy, her marriage to the wealthy Greek businessman Aristotle Onassis, her second widowhood, her career as a publishing editor, and the early adult lives of her two children.

Heymann avoids some of the pitfalls of many Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis biographies, such as excessive fawning on Jackie herself, and excessive speculation on her inner state. He doesn't avoid all of them; there is a great deal of information on not only Jack's raunchy extramarital affairs, but those of Jackie's father, Joe Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, and Ari Onassis. He does, however, provide equal information about relevent "supporting players," such as Jackie's sister Lee Radziwell and Onassis's tragic daughter Christina.

Fans of Jackie might not like this book; Heymann does not gloss over Jackie's many flaws, and utilizes many testimonies to back himself up. Jackie is revealed as a shopaholic who spent money without restraint, was quite manipulative, and often acted in a very cold, unfeeling manner. Yet he also emphasized her very real sorrow when Jack died, and how it affected her for a long time after. Readers will find themselves unable to sympathize at all with Jack, given the behavior chronicled in here. In fact, Heymann seems to be either showing the harsh, brutal truth about both of them, or is slanted away in sympathy. However, he uses the same treatment for every person, ranging from Marilyn Monroe to Frank Sinatra. Readers will have to judge for themselves what is the correct portrayal.

Heymann does a very good job chronicling other people's opinions of Jackie in this book, from prominent people such as Gore Vidal down to Grecian store clerks. Rather than painting a picture, he puts together a mosaic of very small pieces, interview snippets, sightings, and so forth. His writing style is pleasant and well-ordered, not stiff or difficult at all.

Heymann's biography is a nice gossipy read, if you don't mind reading a few very long chapters on Jack's extramarital activities. Pleasantly written, well-researched, with either a dislike of the subject or a very impartial eye. You be the judge. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Not my kind of role model
In terms of writing, this book is full of run-on sentences and obscure phrases such as "ran her homes like a seventeen-jewel Swiss clock." If one focused on the subject, one would find a bitter and disillusioned woman, whom I think is really more beautiful and more stylish than the late Jacqueline Onassis was. Sadly, someone who has gone from one professional disaster to another, as Lee Radziwill has, is not worth writing about. Here is a woman who never learned her lesson - that success comes with hard work. Diana DuBois shows that perhaps Lee was too conscious of who Jackie was that she could not pull herself together, even for her own ambitions' sake. One more catastrophe, as shown by the book, is Lee's relationship with her children, that her maternal love "came in spurts." Now, even in that regard, she does not measure up to her sister. I think, I would not have known who she was if she had not been Jackie's sister in the first place...but that does not mean she was not capable of carving a separate niche for herself. Lee Radziwill, as depicted in the book, is a portrait of what a woman envies (for being beautiful and stylish and elegant) and what a any human being would not want to be (still lost in the middle age)

Overshadowed
If Lee Radziwell is ever referred to, it is usually in minor passages in Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis biographies; a minor character in the overblown legend of the Kennedy dynasty. Yet "In Her Sister's Shadow" offers a new view of Lee Radziwell and the parallels to her more famous sister.

The book covers Lee Radziwell's three marriages, two children, and multiple careers ranging from an author to an interior decorator to an actress. It also covers the unspoken rivalry between her and Jacqueline Kennedy. Though Lee was often considered the prettier and more interesting of the two, her sister became an internationally beloved figure. Lee's quest for happiness, glamour and fame is the central focus of this biography.

Upon finishing this book, it is easy to see parallels between Jackie and Lee: both married powerful men, both were reputed to be difficult to get along with, both thrived in glamour and fashionable circles. Yet Lee often seems to be the more interesting of the two, simply because she did not have the "Camelot" myth and the Kennedy aura paving her way. She stumbled and fell more often than Jackie, and her repeated attempts to pick herself up make her a more real and interesting person.

The writing style is somewhat gossipy, though not as explicit as is usual in Kennedy-related biographies. When love affairs and marriages are referred to, the references are usually tasteful and discreet, except for the description of an obscene art exhibit made by Truman Capone. The photos are excellent, displaying Lee in a variety of places and settings and in the different stages of her life, as well as ones of her children and ex-husbands.

Overall this is an intriguing read about an interesting woman who has been overshadowed for years by her sister. While readers may not truly like Lee when they are finished, it is difficult not to admire her.

Fabulous!
lee may not have been as famous as her sister, jackie, but her life in ways was more fascinating than that of her sister. lee took risks, and lived life to its fullest, not really caring what others thought. i hope there are more book about her in the future, and i hope some she write her autobiography. excellent read.

Dissappointing Book
As a rabid fan of these sisters I rushed to order this book the minute I heard it was available. I was never so dissapointed in a book. The pictures of Ms. Radziwell are all of the hazy, far off stare variety. Little or nothing of her famous sister. No new information here. I returned the book the same day I received it. Author strives so diligently to protect her privacy that she ends up telling nothing which is of any real interest.

How much is really true?
I have read several biographies on Jacqueline Kennedy and I was intrigued when I heard that one had been written about her sister, Lee. I read this book and enjoyed the gossipy details about the 1960s jet set and Camelot. However, this biography begins with Lee's first visit to AA in 1981 but never mentions her drinking again until more than halfway through. Then there's a brief chapter about her problem drinking and then it's dropped again. It just seemed to me that the author used the AA story line to snag the reader when that was unnecessary. Ms. Radziwill had/has a fascinating,privileged life. That is reason enough to read the book. Some of the stories were so bitchy that one must discount them at least partially. But there's enough there which rings with truth to keep you entertained. ... Read more

Book Description

She was America's sweetheart; the embodiment of grace, elegance, style, charm, and-as the world discovered in late 1963-bravery.And though much has been written about the most famous woman of the 20th century, no biography has revealed the true Jackie; none has successfully separated the truth from the lies, or portrayed the Queen of Camelot in all her complexity-until now.With access to Jackie's own writings, the archives of the John F. Kennedy Library, and those who knew her best, bestselling celebrity biographer Donald Spoto illuminates Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis and the sixty-five years of her life with candor, compassion and compelling detail.Readers will discover:

* The early years: a privileged but lonely childhood that shaped Jackie's resilience and poise, working as a photojournalist for the Washington Times-Herald, and meeting a handsome congressman named Kennedy
* Life as the first lady: dealing with Jack's infidelity, adjusting to life in the spotlight, and her influence on the policies of the Kennedy Administration
* Mrs. Onassis: life after Jack, marrying the Greek tycoon, her accomplished career as a book editor, her final days, and much more
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Reviews (18)

A Serious Account of a Significant Life
At age 31 Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy became the First Lady and thus the most recognized woman in the world. Three years later, at age 34, she witnessed the bloody murder of her husband on that dreadful day in Dallas. For the next four days this young woman shared her private loss in a very public way, as she "showed the country how to grieve." If she did nothing else with her life Jackie Kennedy would still be remembered as a very remarkable person. But, thanks to Donald Spoto's serious, yet warm and sympathetic biography we have a fuller picture of Jacquelie Bouvier Kennedy-Onassis long before Dallas and for the remaining thirty years of her significant life.

This book is not for those interested in the dirt and dish that so mistakenly is perceived as fact when writing about the Kennedys. There is none of that here. Rather, Spoto approaches his subject with a desire to understand the person by searching for the purpose and meaning she gave to her experiences, as recounted by those who knew her best. He writes in a style that is gaceful and respectful, mirroring his life as a monk, as well as the way Mrs. Kennedy-Onassis tried to live her life.

With all her wealth, opportunity, and experiences, Spoto emphasizes that her greatest accopmlishement in this extraordinary life was simply that she was a devoted and loving mother to her two children. A complex task for us all, made more difficult by having to parent under the constant glare of public curiosity.

Perhaps the most telling passage of the book, one that speaks to the truer character of JBKO, is when she was asked why she never chose to respond to the tabliods, the critics, or myriad of others who fed off her celebrity status. In other words, to just give her side of the story! Her reply was that the dirt and gossip would continue, she could not control that, but she faithfully believed that "they can never steal my soul." Therefore, no explaination, clarification or defense was necessary.

Those who admire Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis and seek to explore the depth of her life beyond the myths, you will find this book worth reading. For those l