Avec John F. Kennedy

by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

To mark John F. Kennedy's centennial, celebrate the life and legacy of the 35th President of the United States.
In 1964, Jacqueline Kennedy recorded seven historic interviews about her life with John F. Kennedy. Now, for the first time, they can be read in this deluxe, illustrated eBook.
Shortly after President John F. Kennedy's assassination, with a nation deep in mourning and the world looking on in stunned disbelief, Jacqueline Kennedy found the strength to set aside her own personal grief for the sake of posterity and begin the task of documenting and preserving her husband's legacy. In January of 1964, she and Robert F. Kennedy approved a planned oral-history project that would capture their first-hand accounts of the late President as well as the recollections of those closest to him throughout his extraordinary political career. For the rest of her life, the famously private Jacqueline Kennedy steadfastly refused to discuss her memories of those years, but beginning that March, she fulfilled her obligation to future generations of Americans by sitting down with historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., and recording an astonishingly detailed and unvarnished account of her experiences and impressions as the wife and confidante of John F. Kennedy. The tapes of those sessions were then sealed and later deposited in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum upon its completion, in accordance with Mrs. Kennedy's wishes.

The resulting eight and a half hours of material comprises a unique and compelling record of a tumultuous era, providing fresh insights on the many significant people and events that shaped JFK's presidency but also shedding new light on the man behind the momentous decisions. Here are JFK's unscripted opinions on a host of revealing subjects, including his thoughts and feelings about his brothers Robert and Ted, and his take on world leaders past and present, giving us perhaps the most informed, genuine, and immediate portrait of John Fitzgerald Kennedy we shall ever have. Mrs. Kennedy's urbane perspective, her candor, and her flashes of wit also give us our clearest glimpse into the active mind of a remarkable First Lady.

In conjunction with the fiftieth anniversary of President Kennedy's Inauguration, Caroline Kennedy and the Kennedy family are now releasing these beautifully restored recordings on CDs with accompanying transcripts. Introduced and annotated by renowned presidential historian Michael Beschloss, these interviews will add an exciting new dimension to our understanding and appreciation of President Kennedy and his time and make the past come alive through the words and voice of an eloquent eyewitness to history.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Politics, Memoir, Audiobook, American History

472 pages, Pocket Book

First published September 14, 2011

Reviews

[Jeanette (Ms. Feisty) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whatever you may think of Jack's politics or his performance as president, you have to marvel at his mastery of personal interaction.

Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. was a devoted historian with a specific agenda for these interviews. He was the orchestrator, with a list of questions to which he doggedly adhered. He wanted to know what Jack thought of this or that politician, how Jack felt during certain crises such as Cuba One and Cuba Two, and generally what life was like in the White House for the Kennedy family.

Throughout most of the interviews Jacqueline appears not to know or remember much, and requires rather a lot of prompting from Schlesinger. She would never dream of maligning her husband or sullying his memory, so don't expect any dishy stuff about their private life. If you didn't already know about JFK's dalliance with Marilyn Monroe, and the storied infidelity of the Kennedy men, these interviews might leave you with an impression of a perfect marriage to Saint Jack the Magnificent.

What does emerge from the banter between Schlesinger and Jackie is a picture of a complex, charismatic, brilliant man with a relentless will to serve his country, despite severely debilitating physical pain of which most people were unaware. He was a man who read voraciously, adored his children, and was capable of making anyone feel like they were the only person in the world who mattered in the moment when he shined his light upon them.

You may balk at Jacqueline's views of what a proper wife should be, and of the role of women in general, such as when she asserts, "I think women should never be in politics. We're just not suited to it." Shocking to our 21st-Century ears, but entirely appropriate to her generation.

I did listen to all of the interviews while reading along in the book. Unless you have a strong attachment to Jackie's voice, I suggest you skip the recordings and just read the book. It's a direct transcript of the interviews, with a wealth of footnotes explaining events discussed and key players mentioned in passing. Without the book, you'll be lost in the sea of namedropping unless you're a serious scholar of the Kennedy era.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will miss driving around in my car without Jackie Kennedy to keep me company. Not being a huge fan of audio books this one was rather unique in that Jackie was the speaker. A series of conversations she did with Schlesinger, not long after the assassination of JFK are fascinating. Jackie speaks about many of JFK's contemporaries and what he thought of them. We also get some snippets of their personal life in the White House. Although personally I would have liked more of the personal and less of the political. Between clinking of glasses and the occasional interruptions from John Jnr, Jackie's breathy voice articulates in detail the period she spent with JFK. We see many sides to her personality...she is funny, entertaining,sad and pensive. We also see for a brief moment an iron hand in dealing with her children when John Jr interrupts only to be told, none too friendly "OUT!!!" It is also heartbreaking and especially when Schlesinger asks John where he thinks his father is, is he in heaven and John says " I don't know, I don't remember."

[Anca-Daniela Spataru · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️❤️

[Julie Ekkers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating! Arthur Schlesinger Jr. recorded these interviews with Jacqueline Kennedy about four months after her husband was assasinated. I think the timing is important because I thought Jackie's desire to shape JFK's legacy was very apparent in these interviews. That doesn't mean that what she says is inaccurate, only that I found her to be very much aware of what she was saying and how it could impact the image she was trying to shape that would endure. The interviews are also a timepiece in that Schlesinger rarely (if ever?) asks what Jackie herself thought of something. Instead, he asks her what Jack thought about something. Of course, Jackie was already a much-admired woman then, but she was still a woman, and she was still years from being the engmatic figure and icon whe would become. At one point, even *she* concludes some thought with "and that's why I think women should never be in politics," which I found hilarious, even given the time, considering that Jackie actually did work after graduating from college at a time when women didn't necessarily go to college, or certainly work. There is a real immediacy to these recordings. You can hear drinks being poured (think heavy crystal bottles and glasses), cigarette lighters, the kids' (?) footsteps in other parts of the house. The listener also gets a sense for the cadence of Jackie's speech. There's a voyueristic thrill to all of it. Again, fascinating history from someone who lived a lot of it, at a time when it was still very much unfolding.

[Roxanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't imagine why Caroline Kennedy published this material. Her mother gave vague instructions on these particular taped conversations with Schlesinger. In Caroline's forward to the book she indicates her reasoning as to why she decided to go ahead with the book. I think Caroline made a big mistake.

First, you have got to be an older adult (at least 60 years old) to even know who all of the people are that are discussed. Jackie's answers to questions are choppy and it is very difficult to follow the dialogue of the book. It seems as though Jackie has strong opinions, but a very poor memory. I was very irritated that Schlesing had to constantly fill Jackie in on details about her husband before she knew him, or he had to correct a name or date, or, joggle her memory.

Jackie did understand that the Schlesinger interviews were recorded with the intention that they would become public one day. She gave the interviews four months after the President's assassination. Given this fact, I cut her a little slack because her feelings towards a lot of people were probably in an altered state.


Actual book content: 95% totally boring; 5% interesting
Wish I could have the time back I spent reading this book.

I would not have had any problems of Jackie not mentioning anything about all of her hubby's affairs, but when she slams Martin Luther King for his womanizing --- talk about being in DENIAL.

I believe that Jackie changed a great deal as she grew older and she would want to take back a lot of what she said. She might have been giving off a classy and mature image, but she was anything but.

Jackie had a second set of conversations with a different author (The Death of a President) regarding the President's assassination. After she gave that interview, Jackie reassessed what she had done and then made a court settlement that the interview notes had to be sealed until the year 2067. By then, a majority of people who are interested in this particular historical event will all be dead themselves.

I think there are a lot of very interesting tidbits that we will never know about this particular Kennedy family. I repeat one final time that I really can't believe Caroline decided to publish these very unflattering interviews that her mother gave at a very traumatic time in her life.

I am disappointed that Jackie did not write her own memoir. After all, she herself worked in the literary world for a while.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Kennedy era was before my time, and I think that might be why I enjoyed listening to this book so much. Hearing Jackie's experiences and thoughts in her own voice was fascinating for me. The background noises--ice clinking in glasses, road noise, planes flying overhead and John Jr interrupting the interviews--added to the experience and the casualness with which the interviews took place.

Frustrating, though, was how often Schlesinger needed to prompt Jackie's memories, which made me question if the memories were, in fact, hers or not. Knowing these interviews began about 4 months after JFK's assassination, it is quite possible Jackie was still living in shock of her sudden change of life, so I offered her some grace.

Jackie's thoughts, views and words were shocking at times, and I can only hope that as she grew older and matured that, if she could have, she would have gone back in time and ammended some of her comments or views. She is exceptionally harsh about some people and used strong words to describe these folks. She also shared very traditional views of the marriage relationship and of a woman's role in the world. Certainly her daughter has not lived her mother's view.

I still recommend the book, particularly listening to it, to others. Oral histories are fascinating and the Kennedy era, whether you lived through it or not, is important to understand better.

Interestingly, while I was listening to this book in my car I also had "love interrupted," written by JFK Jr's assistant, on my nightstand. I enjoyed listening/reading to both during the same few days and seeing the world through different Kennedy eyes.

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite qutoes from the book by Jackie:

"He (JFK) was looking for something in books."

"He could always go to sleep, too, which I thought was so important. he could just turn it off."

"I think he found his heroes more in the past."

"(Jack believed) you must always leave the way open for conciliation. Everything changes in politics--your friends are your enemies next weed and vice versa."

"Always have impeccable manners and leave the possibility of conciliation open."

"Jack forgave so quickly."

"He always treated it (politics) so objectively, as if they were people on a chess board. It is the only way to be effective."

"He took a 45-minute nap each day while in the white house. He would undress and put his pajamas on, which I always thought was funny."

"Jack used to say that victory has a hundred fathers, but defeat is an orphan."

"Jack would say, 'someone has to do this job,' and he knew he could do it as well as anyone else, and he was delighted at least to be able to do so."

"He just had taste in every facet of his character--for people, for books, for sculpture, for furniture, for rooms, for houses."

"He really gave himself a classical education through his reading."

"He never made it hard for anyone to come back and be forgiven and go on in a new relationship with him."

"You could never really be a great president unless you were prepared to be hated or to lose on something that counted."

"There was no intrigue of who is in and who is out." (Referring to JFK's staff)

"He didn't like Nixon, and he really thought he was dangerous."

"JFK thought Nixon was "mentally unsound, sick, sick, sick."

[Dean Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where I live, this winter has been a particularly poor one for outdoor walking, the cycle of warm weather melts followed by bone chilling deep freeze days has left pedestrians with ice rinks where sidewalks are usually present.

So, until we reach the point in the calendar where one can reliably walk outside, (probably late March the way things are going this year), I’ll be walking in circles on the track at our local fitness center. Walking outside is a delightful experience for me, the scenery changes, the fresh air, and the sense of freedom of just being outside, all of these things are diminished when walking on an indoor track.

So, in order to alleviate the tedium of indoor walking, I’ve been listening to some of my favorite albums, and more recently, picked up the audio/book set entitled, “Jacqueline Kennedy Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy.”

Each day, as I walked, I listened to the former First Lady being interviewed by historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., and since the total time of all the interviews was eight and a half hours, I was listening to this ongoing discussion for an entire week of my exercise routine. It didn’t take me long to feel that I was in close company with the two, and even came to the point when I could predict a break was coming when she whispered, “I’m getting tired,” and sure enough, a couple minutes later, Schlesinger would announce, “I think this is a good time for a break.” And as the interview proceeded, the sounds of ice tinkling in glasses, lighters being ignited, airplanes flying overhead, (sometimes drowning out her words entirely), the inhalation of smoking and glasses being set down, made the atmosphere almost cozy to the point that one almost forgot the historic significance of these conversations.

And when I picked up this set, I wasn’t completely aware of the background story to how the interviews were arranged in the first place, but soon found myself intrigued, wanting to learn more about this, mainly because of Jacqueline Kennedy’s shocking candor. I mean, this was 1964, and many of the people she was taking about were still occupying the corridors of political power in the U.S.A. and around the world. Simply put, I couldn’t see how these tapes could be released to the public with the amazing, but sometimes disturbing things that were being said.

Then after a little research, I discovered that Mrs. Kennedy stipulated that the tapes of these discussions were to be sealed for fifty years, eventually being deposited at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. I’d made this discovery early on in the recordings and after that could concentrate better on what was being said, knowing that the intent was for historians of a later generation to discover and learn from this treasure trove of 1960’s politics, world events and the people who shaped these events.

Before listening to these interviews, I thought I had a fairly good layman’s understanding of the Kennedy presidency, but afterward came to appreciate that what I’d known before was just a sliver of what really was, as if I had studied the subject using children’s encyclopedias only. There was so much depth and context given in every conversation…

For example, Mrs. Kennedy, when speaking about her husband’s relationship with foreign leaders, liked to talk about whether or not they worked well together in a public, political way, then gave greater context to these working relationships by talking about the personal relationships. For example, when asked about her husband’s relationship with British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, she first spoke of the president’s appreciation of the former prime minister, and that her husband had said, “People don’t really realize what Macmillan has done,” that he was the greatest friend of the Atlantic Alliance and that he'd committed himself to the cause of worldwide nuclear disarmament, a position that her husband deeply respected. She went on to say that in her opinion, her husband and Macmillan were the two people most responsible for the ratification of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of August 1963.

But then she would refer to the personal relationship between her husband and Macmillan, saying that when they were together in casual settings, they really enjoyed each other’s company, “Jack,” she said, “had this high sense of mischief, and so did Macmillan, so much so, that I’ve never seen two people enjoy each other so.”

That gave me further insight into why the Kennedy Macmillan relationship worked so well, and how the two leaders were able to accomplish so much together, but the tone of delight and happiness when referring to times when her husband was happy, also told me something about the kind of wife Jacqueline Kennedy was.

She went on to talk of the impressions of her husband and her own when it came to the personalities and working styles of presidents, prime ministers, kings and members of the president’s cabinet. So many of her musings, made while shouting out to one of her children, or getting up to pour herself a drink, were as spellbinding in their content as they were in the easy way in which she delivered them.

But beneath it all, I got the sense that she wanted future historians, and interested citizens to know what kind of president and man her husband really was. He was a man who devoured histories and biographies, a man who loved good conversation and the most revisited theme, a man who sought to find common ground with his adversaries, seeking to know them, and to better understand where they were coming from, (a sensibility that I believe is woefully lacking in today’s political environment).

She demonstrated this, most pointedly in her prediction of the Vietnam mess that would eventually unfold in the Lyndon Johnson Administration. She said, rather boldly, that she was not bitter against Johnson, but wanted to set the record straight that the tragedies that were to come were not events that were not historic eventualities, but rather the result of the replacement of her husband as president with the kind of President Johnson would be.

She spoke, with great affection about her husband as a father, my favorite one was when she talked about walking into the private residence to the scene of the president sitting in a chair, eating breakfast, with briefing memos, newspapers and other official business strewn across the TV trays before him. He had a child’s teacup in one hand as he was simultaneously taking part in a tea party with his five-year-old daughter Caroline, while two year old John Jr., had the TV cartoons blasting at an uncomfortably high volume. She reminisced how at ease he was in moments like this, his mind could be in so many places at once, and there was little the children could do to disturb him, in fact quite the opposite, he delighted in their presence.

By the end I found myself amazed at this incredible woman. She’d restored the White House, contributed massively to the arts and culture of America and had helped her husband to be the best president he could, but mostly she referred to herself in the roles of wife and mother, the greatest tone of satisfaction coming when she spoke of herself in these two aspects.

Lastly, I found myself reflecting on the gift she’d given us by agreeing to these interviews. How she’d set aside her grief and exhaustion in the months when she lost her husband in a most tragic way, then had to uproot her household, and finally shut herself off from the pressing crowds who all wanted a glimpse at the grieving widow and her children.

I felt changed after hearing this interview, gaining a new perspective on a history I thought I knew.

[KOMET · Rating 5 out of 5]

This illustrated book and CD Set is a priceless gem for anyone with a deep interest in the era when President and Mrs. Kennedy bestrode the world stage like few other 'power couples' before or since. Listening to Jacqueline Kennedy herself, just a few months after her husband's assassination, speak about her husband and some of the impressions he had formed of the various personalities with whom he dealt as President, as well as hearing her own thoughts about the people who served in the Kennedy Administration and a host of other matters, makes one feel part of a series of intimate conversations with a close friend who was also a much respected and admired public personality.

This is a set I could listen to again and again, all the while gaining fresher insights into a historical period when - despite the struggles and challenges therein - all things good, noble, wise, and wonderful seemed possible that held the promises of a better and safer world for humanity.

[janet Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book and 8 cd collection of Jacqueline Kennedy's historic interview with historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. that took place in January, 1964, just a couple of months after JFK's assassination, and were locked away for 50 years until their release this year. Without going into great detail about this book/cd collection, which would take pages of writing, I will just say that I was very surprised by just how informed and involved Mrs. Kennedy turned out to be. In spite of her own claim that she was not political and that she was a sort of "Victorian wife", Jacqueline Kennedy was in fact very astute and involved, with strong opinions that I believe her husband often relied upon. The book is comprised of the transcripts of the interviews, as well as an introduction by Caroline Kennedy and forward and annotation by Michael Beschloss. I found the annotation invaluable as I used the book to follow along with the audio interview.

These interviews were restored to perfect clarity and left unedited, which not only provides a very interesting peek at the person Jacqueline Kennedy was at the time, but gives an almost eerie feeling of being transported back in time into that room - with the sounds of ice clinking in glasses, cigarettes being lit and smoked and children interrupting! The 8 1/2 hours I spent with these recordings was well worth every minute. This is a valuable piece of history.

[Linda Appelbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listening to Jackie Kennedy's breathy, whispery voice reminisce about her life with her husband was like being a fly on the wall! She was such a private person that hearing her talk for hours was startling! The questions and proddings by Mr. Schlesinger were rather banal and not terribly interesting when you think of all the questions he could have asked like what did Jackie think of this person or that event as well as what her husband thought. What I learned was that we really was a lady, something so rarely seen today. I also realized that the President was a pretty decent human being despite his womanizing, which I have come to believe was a diversion from the daily stress he experienced. He seemingly didn't hold grudges or speak badly of anyone behind their backs. He loved being a homebody, loved his kids and being with them, was in pain a great deal of the time and adored his wife. Sometimes she seemed to ramble and her voice would disappear into a barely audible whisper but I loved hearing the background noises - frequent cigarettes being lit with a match, John's voice in the background as he ran around playing, the clink of ice in glasses, sounds of footsteps on a wood floor. I guess the times were just to genteel then to ask some of the burning questions we would be asking today such as did she know about his playing around, his Marilyn affair, and what she thought of the events surrounding her husband assignation.

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

Shortly after JFK was assasinated Arthur Schlesinger interviews Jacqueline Kennedy on her husbands career. I found the book boring. To do justice to the book I tried to listen to the CD's that came with book. I went back to the book after the second CD because the sound quality is poor. The book to me is more gossipy then historical. JFK never discussed politics with his wife. Her response was always,"Oh I wasn't there" or "Bobby knows more about that then I do." The best part of the book is the everyday life in the White House with the President and her children. I guess I was looking for more from this book, it disappointed me.

[Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hello! I just finished my first ever audiobook! It might be my last one too. Lol. I find listening just a heck of a lot harder than reading words on a page. I literally could not do one thing else while listening EXCEPT drive or cook.

Walking the dog? Out of the question! Listening while my husband was in the same room? It would have resulted in ugly shush words! The bathtub perhaps? Nope fell asleep!

BUT KEEP READING to learn about this stunning audio:

I am simply amazed that less than one year after JFKs death, that Jackie could be so composed on these tapes. It attests to her utter belief that JFK had lost his opportunity to write about his presidency and it fell upon her to provide the oral history before it was forgotten. She never again talked about the presidency after this.

Jackie put this in the vault until she died. Good idea. This lady spared no one her real feelings on this audio. Apropos for MLK day, this includes the great reverend himself. Oh my.

Her regret for JFK was that if this horrible thing had to happen that she wished he would have had an opportunity to see some of his work come to fruition.

This was another book that brought me to a slower place in my life as I listened to the interviews realizing there were no phones or google for her to prompt her recollections.

I’ve come away with the idea that both JFK who loved to read and read a lot and Jackie were incredibly well educated intellects.

Listening to her light cigarette after cigarette and her ice clinking in her glass was oddly calming to me.

THE VERY BEST OF THE WHOLE TAPE:

She’s answering a question in her soft, feminine voice until the kids come running into the room. And then I can envision her head turning to the kids, her finger pointing and out of her mouth comes the most motheresque: OUT!!! And then without another word of explanation she continues her answer in her sweetest voice. I was absolutely one with Jackie in that very moment.

[Christene Nemetsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was prompted to read (listen) based on passage of power. It was free and on Audible. So what the hell right? I feel badly for Jacqueline Kennedy becoming a widow so young but it’s obvious she was molded by her environment and while she tried to break free she was still cautious about what she did and said. Spend your time and money on something more enjoyable. Unless it’s free.

[LindaJ^ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been in my audio library for 12 years. It being November and a month in which I try to read a lot of non-fiction, I decided it was time. It was a trip to my youth. JFK was assassinated in November 1963. I was in the 7th grade. Suddenly in the early afternoon, all the teachers left their classrooms and went to the teachers room (a most unglamorous place with the zerox machine taking up most of the room) to listen to the radio. When they returned, we were told the President had died and that the buses were on their way to take us home. At home, my older sister and I were glued to the TV (black & white 9 inch, which by moving the rabbit ears around you could get the only 3 channels then in existence). I remember watching Ruby shoot Oswald and John John saluting his father as the hearse passed. JFK was elected when I was in the 4th grade. Mock elections were always held during Presidential election years. I was one of 4 students in a class of 24 who voted for JFK. He was distrusted because he was Catholic and no one wanted the Pope telling the President what to do.

So I was very interested in hearing what Jackie had to say about JFK and about their family life. I have to say I was taken back by her opinions of a wife's role. She said she never voiced her own opinions about political issues to JFK because her role was to support his position. It seemed a bit much from a college-educated woman who worked as a reporter before marrying JFK. But the times were just starting to change.

It was interesting to listen to the unedited tapes and hear all the background noises -- kids playing, planes flying over, drinks being made, etc. It was also interesting that Jackie was only asked about what JFK thought and felt about the big events such as the Cuban Missle Crisis, choosing a VP, etc. While she condemned MLK Jr as a womanizer (based, interestingly on J Edgar Hoover's investigations), you would never have known that JFK was also so inclined.

While I know JFK had serious health issues, her relaying his use of a wheelchair at home and the constant pain he was in was new to me. I enjoyed hearing what homelife was like and how life at the White House was so pleasant because the family could have breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. Jackie downplays how useful her ability to get on with foreign dignitaries was. She was as much an icon as her husband.

Overall it was an enjoyable listen, especially in light of all that has happened in the years between the making of the tapes and their release and then the 12 years the audio spent on my shelf!

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the audio 8 CD interview/conversations that Jacqueline Kennedy had with historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., in 1964,4 months after the assassination of her husband. The book is the transcript of that historical recording. You really need to hear Jacqueline Kennedy telling the story rather than just reading what was said. I gave the audio oral history 5 stars because it felt just really "amazing". I don't think the written recollections would give me that special personal insite....although the pictures are nice to see. Probably doing both together would be optimal. Don't get bogged down because you don't know who the character is that is being talked about. It doesn't realy matter and you can google it later if you feel the need. (Which a couple of times I did and was amazed... again!)

I also think that the forward that Caroline Kennedy presents before she gives us her mother's unedited recollections and opinions are important to the historical value of the presentation as well as the introduction (and in the book, annotated parts) by renowned presidential historian Michael Beschloss. Can you imagine the value of something like this from the Lincoln era?! Actually, even the recordings of my family done during the 60s and a later interview with my mother are precious insites into those times and the people. A good reminder to give and take oral histories.

Although a very private person, Jacqueline Kennedy found the strength for the sake of posterity to begin the task of documenting and preserving her husband's legacy. Such an new forum for passing on and for learning History. For the rest of her life Jacqueline Kennedy steadfastly refused to discuss her memories of those years. Her recollections are astonishingly detailed and an unvarnished account of her experiences and impressions as the wife and confidante of John F. Kennedy. She is an inspiration to us, who as we grow older, find it difficult to remember what happened yesterday let alone the names of everyone we came in contact with. Also, since our opinions may change over the years, it's important to remember the whole context of the specific time that we are remembering.

Jacqueline reminiscences, "He just had taste in every facet of his character--for people, for books, for sculpture, for furniture, for rooms, for houses." and "He really gave himself a classical education through his reading." and "I think he found his heroes more in the past."
These conversations can add an exciting new dimension to our understanding and appreciation of President Kennedy and his time and make the past come alive through the words and voice of an eloquent eyewitness to history. It definitely gave me a new understanding and appreciaation of Jacqueline Kennedy.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the White House years of the Kennedys, recorded in March of 1964, mere months from the tragic death of the President. The interviews are conducted by Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. and he does quite a lot to fill in names, dates, and details for Jackie to help propel the story forward. I was quite impressed by so many of her observations and what she thought of so many of the historic figures of the day. It's hard for us in some ways today to understand the role women played in society then, especially in the world of politics. She strongly felt that it was her job as a wife to make her husband's life as smooth sailing as she possibly could and she really did perform that role to perfection. They were such a dynamic couple and brought a new style and breath of fresh air to the White House yet still had quite a full plate of issues to contend with during that time.

One thing that I learned was that I have been saying Jackie's name incorrectly all of my life. It is pronounced Jackeleen (rhymes with gasoline). I have huge admiration for her incredible efforts to restore the White House and bring all of the historic items and knowledge into systematic order to be enjoyed for all Americans. It wasn't redecorating I don't believe like it was portrayed by so many but a serious attempt at documenting the history of the White House.

My very favorite parts of these recordings were when I could hear Caroline and John playing or talking in the background. On one occasion John John burst into the room and she went from this breathy, soft spoken, genteel woman to her Mom voice and shouted "Out!" and he asked "Why" and then you hear the tape pause/stop. So precious, and the normalcy of this family moment moved me deeply.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

These candid and "off-the-record" interviews done only four or five months after JFK's assassination offer not only an incredibly intimate glimpse into the perspective of Jacqueline Kennedy, but also a second-hand glimpse into the President's own perspective. While her own opinions about the issues of her husband's presidency and about the many individuals surrounding are very interesting, I found the moments in which she spoke of her husband's private opinions even more fascinating. (For example, JFK did not fear Goldwater as an opponent in '64, but he did fear Romney! Romney Sr. that is!)

I've heard that many of the reviews have pointed out that Jackie didn't seem to like too many people. I don't think this is accurate. She had lavish praise and esteem for many of the people who worked with her husband, but they were usually people out of the public spotlight. Many of the famous people from the 50's and 60's that people of my generation would recognize were indeed objects of her contempt, disapproval, and occasional loathing: Eisenhower and Mrs. Eisenhower, the Nixons, Adlai Stevenson, Dean Rusk, L. B. Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr., etc.

There are some really gripping moments as when she writes about the days of the Cuban Missile Crisis and of how close we came to the brink.

Throughout the conversations, Mrs. Kennedy really came across as extremely intelligent and knowledgeable and also almost slavishly devoted to her husband. I'd recommend listening to these interviews for anyone wanting an intimate memoir of the JFK presidency.

[False · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the book and didn't listen to the tapes. The book had footnotes on the bottom of each page, which was helpful when you are discussing lesser known (or forgotten) people of the past.

I understand her wish to remember while the memories are fresh, but I wish in her lifetime she had gone back and amended or added to, given the wisdom of time and age.

Her more interesting comments were on the personal quirks of people, and her understanding of her role as "wife." She had little respect for feminists--then. She did alter her view--later.

There are a lot of photographs, many never seen before, and those will be of value to Kennedy historians.

They were both so young. It's hard to remember what odds they faced in getting elected to office, and fulfilling the role of First Lady.

Mamie Eisenhower comes across and a ripe old bitch. Martin Luther King, Jr.--a womanizer. And she holds him in contempt for that...but what about her own husband in her own bed in her own home?

[Dee Kridel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really bittersweet reading experience for anyone my age who remembers the excitement, hope and optimism of the years of the Kennedy administration. I expected to love it and I did.

This is a priceless gift from Caroline Kennedy and her family. I'm sure there were passages her mother would have winced at becoming public (hilarious opinions on some public figures, especially Lyndon Johnson and Charles de Gaulle), but Mrs. Kennedy's insights into the campaigns and actual governing are invaluable tools to better understand the President and his era.

It is probable that Mrs. Kennedy felt the weight of posterity on her shoulders as she answered Arhur Schlesinger's questions, but her answers are candid, fresh and often funny. She seemed to enjoy the opportunity to talk about her life with the President and shared a vision of him colored by respect, admiration and love.

I was sorry when the conversations came to an end.

[Hayley Kemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gives a very interesting perspective to the Kennedy years in the White House. Arthur S. and Jackie discuss meetings with world leaders, what the environment was like in the White House during the Cuban Missile Crisis, their marriage and daily routine as the first family. This interview took place a few months after Kennedy was assassinated. I listened to the audio and felt like I was in the room with them. The recording picks up Jackie lighting her cigarette, exhaling smoke, ice cubes in her drink, planes flying over head, John Jr. interrupting the interview. Highly recommend it!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Liked listening to Jackie talk about her life- not so much all the politics, though. Just liked the history and her life with Jack.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recorded 4 months after JFK's assassination. Very interesting to hear what Jackie has to say about him, his policies, their children, all the other world leaders at that time and more...

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this. Hearing Jackie talk about her life and her take on President Kennedy's life. It's great, could have been a bit more personal, but it was trying to get as much documentation on the life of a recently assassinated President. I can appreciate that.

And this shouldn't be a spoiler, because, well... Duh.

[Eryn Mikulicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

really interesting read and super accessible because it’s so conversational. the interviews paint jfk in a different, more human light, which i enjoyed, and they definitely gave me some perspective on the american presidency in general. some parts were difficult to read just because 1. i felt really bad for jackie and 2. jackie was pretty sexist (not sure what i was expecting, since this was the early 60s). but other than that, i’d recommend!

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t read this book, get the audible version so you can hear Jackie herself telling the story of her life with JFK. Maybe a little boring for some, but I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

In all honesty, "Jacqueline Kennedy..." is not a book. It is an interview, transcribed into bound pages with annotations that are indeed necessary--but shouldn't spend so much time defending Mrs. Kennedy's words, which is what they often do. The audio version is much more take-your-breath-away--for it is uncut, the outside interruptions at the ear.

The fact is that the interviews are so often criticized for what Jackie happens to say. She's rarely "PC" by modern standards, trashing LBJ and MLK and... Wisconsin. The interesting thing is that we also seem to understand that she was fully aware of her public image. She knew that she was held to a higher standard, a sort of American goddess-hood, particularly after her husband's assassination. The fact that she is so honest makes her decision to wait fifty years to have the interviews unsealed all the more believable. Jackie knew, surely, that the times would have changed by now. She also knew that what she had to say was history.

The fact is that people are upset by the fact that these interviews shatter the image of Jackie--she is not the saintly, beleaguered wife of a great but flawed man; she is not a drugged out trophy on the arm of a philandering phony; she is not a girl ahead of her time, suppressed by contemporary standards. She is human, and in a way she is so normal by her day that it hurts. She is catty, and she does look down on women like Indira Ghandi and Clare Luce. She does everything she can to preserve the image of her husband, and by extension his family, that they worked so hard to cultivate--though sometimes she's so overzealous in glorifying "Jack" that it became quite clear to me that she was still in that idolatry phase of grief. People shouldn't criticize Jackie for worshiping him in this interview, but look back and realize... Oh. This is four months after she witnessed his brutal murder. This woman still refers to her husband in the present tense for much of the interview, still catches herself saying "on his--I mean, what would have been his forty-seventh birthday".

It's decades ago for us, long before many of us were born. But for Jackie, this was a moment when the feeling of her husband's blood and brain matter on her hands would have been fresh in her mind. Did she have political thoughts in mind when she critiqued people like President Johnson? Oh, of course. Jackie and Schlesinger even make mention of Robert F. Kennedy running in '68--as was Jack's plan, perhaps. They were the Kennedys. Whether Bobby had any such plans so early or not is uncertain. Personally, I believe that Bobby's personal feud with Johnson affected much of Jackie's perspective on the president. She knew too much of Johnson's somewhat off-putting demeanor and hamminess (so uncouth for the reserved Kennedys), and as we all know, she did turn to her brother-in-law quite a bit after Jack's death. Bobby and Jackie were so close after the assassination that it's no surprise that he gets a lot of the adoring treatment as well, LBJ the shaft. (Though the annotations make it sound like LBJ and Jackie eventually made up and became bridge partners. I think we all know that that wasn't the case.)

Does she remember everything? No. Is she at times petty? Yes. Does she perhaps gloss over the darker side of Camelot? Of course. But I came away with the stamp of a piece of history. If you ever wonder what would have happened had Jack lived on a purely personal level, I feel that these interviews reveal a lot in that respect as well. You can call it spin all you want. But listening to Jacqueline Kennedy's voice, I, a cynic, was left with no doubt that she loved her husband--and for all his infidelity, no doubt that he returned the feeling. Their marriage--and their relationships with their children and extended family, the true gems of the interview--will never be fully understood, I think. But it was a marriage--not a business deal. I felt the love, which was so weird and heart-wrenching and almost ghostly. Call me sentimental, but I adored this in every way.

[John Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

My being born in 1947, I had a vague understanding of the hero as President in General Dwight Eisenhower. I would sometimes see him speaking to the nation on the tiny black-and-white T.V. as my Grandpa watched Walter Cronkite report the news. We didn’t have a T.V. at our house until I was about age 14, so it was always a treat to visit Grandpa and watch T.V. with him, even if it was “boring” politics. And oh how Ike would drone on!

Politics became exciting for me when John Fitzgerald Kennedy decided to run for president in 1959. The family of “Camelot” showed up on T.V. almost nightly, if not for their elegance, then in their controversy. Jackie in her elegant gowns and fashionable hats, so gracious, vivacious and well-spoken. JFK, the controversial Catholic. I didn’t understand. What was so horrid about a Catholic as president? I’d have to study up on that.

I read JFK’s bio, the story of “PT 109: An American Epic of War, Survival, and the Destiny of John F. Kennedy.” I saw the movie. I read his book “Profiles in Courage.” And Theodore White’s 1961 book “The Making of the President 1960.” I collected news articles, stories of his family in Look and Life magazine. I was inspired by his “Ask Not What . . .” inaugural speech. I even wrote a report on JFK for a history class while in high school. I intimately remember the announcement on the school PA system on November 22, 1963, “The President has been shot! School is dismissed. Go straight home.” I was sitting with my lab partner for the day, Celia Darby, in a junior Biology class. Classmates were crying as we filed out of the classroom.

I was excited to discover this CD set at a thrift store, a bargain for one dollar, a treasure, to me, of education and entertainment, one more kernel in the history of JFK and the time of Camelot. Six months after the assassination of JFK, Jacqueline overcomes her grief and ends her silence to meet with Pulitzer Prize winning author and historian, Arther M. Schlesinger, Jr., to record and insure her husband’s legacy. Over five months in 1964, they conduct seven recorded, unscripted and unedited conversations. With questions and prompting from Schlesinger, Jackie recalls their early marriage, Jack’s temperament, his personal impact on those around him and the world leaders that he meets. His reading habits, his childhood interests and heroes and his relationship with brothers Ted and Robert. She recalls Boston politics, his campaigning for the Massachusetts Senate, his 1956 Vice Presidential nomination, his Presidential aspirations and the 1960 campaign.

People: Lyndon Johnson as his running mate; Nehru and Indira Ghandi; Charles de Gaulle of France; Dean Rusk, Averall Harriman, Chester Bowles, J. Edgar Hoover, other staff and friends. Supreme Court appointments. JFK and the children.

Crisis: the Bay of Pigs invasion; the Cuban missile crisis; nuclear disarmament and clashes with Russian Prime Minister Nikita Khrushchev; the Berlin crisis and U.S.-German relations; Civil Rights; Vietnam.

Throughout the conversations, Jackie was elegant and gracious, much as I remembered her. She was obviously very devoted to Jack perhaps, in light of today, a little too much so. She said, “I would never stoop to counter Jack. I would vote the way he told me.” “Women should never be in politics. It’s a man’s world.” I found her somewhat peevish too, talking of her disdain for Clare Booth Luce, Mrs. Ghandi and others, even discrediting LBJ and his presidency as obviously inferior to JFK’s after only months following his succession.

If nothing else, the conversations raise the question, “What if . . . .?” Sadly, we will never know. He was a very inspirational man, a profile in courage.

[Leah K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, interviews by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.

★ ★ ★ ★

These interviews took place only months after the assassination of JFK. But you won't hear about the assassination in these interviews (the interviewer chose to steer away from that since she was also doing the Manchester interviews at the same time which did focus on the assassinations. The interviewer had no urge to make her relive the horrific day more than once). Instead, you'll get a candid, very intimate and personal look into the lives of Jacqueline and John Kennedy. Everything from their marriage, to political policies, to kids, to the little things (such JFK's sensitive stomach and napping habits). So beautiful in so many ways.

I am usually content with either the audio version or the paper edition of a book. This is one of the few times I must say that having both is a must. The paper book is much easier to sift through and the pictures are amazing. The book is made to make it easier to read so all the “uh, ah”, mumbling, background noises (planes, walking, etc) and interruptions are obvious taken out. Also, a lot of people are mentioned in the audio version – and are actually explained as footnotes in the book on who they are (and unless you are extremely knowledgeable in 1950s and 60s politics, there will be questions of who these people are) . However, listening to the actual recording of, what I think, is one of the greatest women ever was absolutely awe-inspiring. And when John Jr. walks in, hearing his 4 year old voice saying he knows his dad “has gone to Heaven” was so heart crushing. The emotions and the voices are something the book can't hold.

My only complaint is I wish Jackie would have delved a little more into their personal life and her own. There was a lot on JFK's political policies and how he and Jackie felt about every political person of the period. But given that John Kennedy was a politician, it seems logical. And I've heard people complain that Jackie's thoughts on marriage and the role of the wife is dated. Well..obviously people. It was an interview by a woman born in the 1920s and married in the 1950s. Putting today's thoughts and standards on history's thoughts just doesn't work. I enjoyed the book but it wasn't one I could sit down and go through in one sitting. I could only handle a little bit at a time.

[Nolan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series of tapped interviews was done with Jacqueline Kennedy by Arthur Schlesinger shortly after JFKs assassination, so I have to give her some allowance for grief. I will also applaud Mrs. Kennedy for her work restoring the White House and the publication of the guidebook that she helped create. The purpose of the interviews was to preserve her husband memory and legacy, which I think she does accomplish, to some degree, but in a very propagandist style. She had the tapes locked in a vault for fifty years and I’m sure a lot of people speculate that there was some earth shattering or salacious secrets that were being stored in them. In reality the reason (I believe) she had them locked away for fifty years is because of all the disparaging remarks she makes about everyone she ever met (except for JFK and Bobby). No one is spared her insults of character, intellect or accomplishments. There is no doubt she didn’t want to have her comments revealed to those people during her (or they’re) lifetime. Her knowledge of events and life with JFK are also either absent or heavily coached by Schlesinger during the interviews, especially in the first five interviews of the series. She does recall some events, especially how things were mishandled by others. Her moral indignation at Martin Luther King comes across hypocritical, given what is known about JFK today, including his affair in the White House with a college intern (Read “Once Upon a Secret: My Affair With President John F. Kennedy And Its Aftermath”). Most events she says she wasn’t around or that she didn’t have any knowledge of because she didn’t talk to him about politics or current events because her place was to provide a peaceful home environment where he could forget about his day. It’s also disappointing to hear her say that JFKs religious beliefs were merely superstitions that he practiced - not that he believe in God, but just to hedge his bets in case God is real. Jacqueline’s voice on the recordings sounds, ironically, very Marilyn Monroe-ish and is difficult to listen to. In all sincerity, I did get a sense of JFKs skill as a politician and great leader. He was able to work with people and did not allow things to personally offend him and affect his work. He seemed to have great compassion and truly was motivated to serve his fellow man.