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Jackie by Josie
Follows a thirtyish graduate who unexpectedly finds herself helping a celebrity biographer research the life of Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and ends up discovering surprising parallels between her own life and that of the queen of Camelot.
Josie Trask is a thirtyish graduate student whose husband is the pet of their American Civilization Department and whose three-year-old son is the apple of her eye. But Josie has two pressing problems. Find out what in Jackie by Josie , Caroline Preston's unforgettable novel.
Josie Trask is a thirtyish graduate student whose husband is the pet of their American Civilization Department and whose three-year-old son is the apple of her eye. But Josie has two pressing problems. Find out what in Jackie by Josie , Caroline Preston's unforgettable novel.
314 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
2 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Preston
7 books270 followersAs a girl growing up in Lake Forest, Illinois, Caroline Preston used to pore through her grandmother’s and mother’s scrapbooks and started collecting antique scrapbooks when she was in high school. She attended Dartmouth College and received a master’s in American Civilization from Brown University. Inspired by her interest in manuscripts and ephemera, she worked as an archivist at the Peabody/Essex Museum and Harvard’s Houghton Library.
Preston is the author of three previous novels. Jackie by Josie, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, was drawn from her (brief) researching stint for a Jackie O. biography. Gatsby’s Girl chronicles F. Scott Fitzgerald’s first girlfriend who was the model for Daisy Buchanan.
In The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt, she has drawn from her own collection of vintage ephemera to create a novel in the unique form of a 1920’s scrapbook.
She lives with her husband, the writer Christopher Tilghman, in Charlottesville, Virginia and has three mostly grown-up sons.
Preston is the author of three previous novels. Jackie by Josie, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, was drawn from her (brief) researching stint for a Jackie O. biography. Gatsby’s Girl chronicles F. Scott Fitzgerald’s first girlfriend who was the model for Daisy Buchanan.
In The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt, she has drawn from her own collection of vintage ephemera to create a novel in the unique form of a 1920’s scrapbook.
She lives with her husband, the writer Christopher Tilghman, in Charlottesville, Virginia and has three mostly grown-up sons.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
November 12, 2018
4 STARS
I picked up this book for $2 at a local bookstore and it turned out to be a great buy. I had just read a huge biography on the women who married the Kennedys so the title caught my attention. Josie, who is married to the department's golden child, is getting bored with her dissertation and is trying to be the perfect mother. When an opportunity for a biography on Jackie O comes up, Josie accepts. Once she starts to research Jackie, she finds that she is not much different. I enjoyed the parallels between Josie and Jackie, how we are all going through the same turmoils even when it seems like we are the only ones struggle. Josie was easy to relate to and I found her inner dialogue entertaining. This was a fun book.
I picked up this book for $2 at a local bookstore and it turned out to be a great buy. I had just read a huge biography on the women who married the Kennedys so the title caught my attention. Josie, who is married to the department's golden child, is getting bored with her dissertation and is trying to be the perfect mother. When an opportunity for a biography on Jackie O comes up, Josie accepts. Once she starts to research Jackie, she finds that she is not much different. I enjoyed the parallels between Josie and Jackie, how we are all going through the same turmoils even when it seems like we are the only ones struggle. Josie was easy to relate to and I found her inner dialogue entertaining. This was a fun book.
September 8, 2018
Australian born American film actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr said:
“All creative people want to do the unexpected.”
As we read Caroline Preston’s “Jackie by Josie” we quickly come to realize that her central character, twenty-eight year old Josie Trask is indeed creative. Whether that’s her penchant for “stripping away the twentieth century” by walking down a street and visualizing it as it was over one hundred years ago, or her American Civilization dissertation subject of choice, an obscure poetess named Ada Silsbee, the “Songbird of Crowley” and a poet in the Whittier tradition.
But the Josie Trask we’re introduced to seems to have slammed the brakes on creativity, or even anything remotely close to the unexpected. Living in Providence, Rhode Island, her biggest adventure these days is her secret smoking habit (True Menthols) which she puffs on only when parked in public parkades. She’d met her husband Peter, a California native six years before and they’ve since married and welcomed a son into their lives, Henry, who is three years old. But now Josie’s dissertation is becoming difficult to see, buried under piles of bills, baby clothes and discarded magazines. She feels her old life of creativity and academic challenge slipping away and knows she has to make a change and that this change needs to come soon.
In contrast to Josie’s doldrums, Peter’s life is moving ahead swimmingly, he’s a popular instructor at the university and every Thursday he finds time for his weekly tennis match with Monica Glass, a fellow American Civilization PhD candidate who’s become friends with Peter and Josie, but increasingly so with Peter. Josie is vaguely dissatisfied and restless with her current state of life, but looks forward to the summer months and the prospect of reigniting her passion for her dissertation. They are to move to Berkley where Peter has secured a summer teaching position. Peter’s mother, Ruth lives nearby and can care for Henry while Josie takes another run at her thesis. Josie knows that she’ll chafe under the judgmental eye of her mother-in-law, but the opportunity to finish her essay far outweighs this one annoyance.
But deep down inside, Josie has to admit that the prospect of Ada Silsbee as her muse is losing its luster. Perhaps the source of Josie’s indifference is the past difficulties she’s had finding any research material on the long dead poetess, or maybe it’s that she’s not feeling the same sense of personal connection that she felt earlier when she first dreamed up the project. Be that as it may, Josie is determined to tackle the thesis in the upcoming summer months whether she feels enthused about it or not.
It’s right about then that the unexpected happens.
Out of the blue she receives a call from the popular novelist Fiona Jones who’s writing a book on the recently deceased American Icon Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Jones is looking for a research assistant and Josie was recommended by one of her former professors, Rollins, an academic turned “Rock Star author” after the wildly popular reception for his deconstructionist treatise on Rock and Roll published a few years before. Fiona’s publisher has foisted a tight timeline on her in an effort to release the book quickly and capitalize on the “Jackie mania” that followed the great ladies’ untimely passing.
Fiona is looking for an archive focused researcher, promising Josie that she will not have to do any interviews as part of her assignment. Josie is to research the former Fist Ladies’ diaries, love letters and other correspondence and if Josie can help Fiona get the manuscript ready by the end of the summer, she’ll pay her $10,000. Josie mentally tabulates the bills the $10k would cover, including the move to Berkley and how much more exciting a Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis assignment would be over one about Ada Silsbee. She talks to Peter about it and he’s surprisingly supportive (Josie suspects he’ll agree to almost anything to see his wife find her old self again). Josie suggests that she and Henry could stay back in Providence for the summer, staying with Josie’s long divorced mother Eleanor. Josie’s mom lives alone in a “tumbledown federal mansion” that was Eleanor’s part of the settlement when her ex-husband, a “Camelot era” congressman left her for a younger woman when Josie was only eight years old. Peter agrees to the plan, telling Josie it might be good for her to take on a fresh project and maybe even give her “a break” from him and what he’s come to realize is his incessant quibbling about Josie’s apparent lack of progress with respect to her thesis.
So Josie moves in with her mother, only to find out that she’s since welcomed an ex-convict by the name of Fred to live with her. Fred is, by all accounts a gentle, considerate man who demonstrates a penchant for cooking delicious meals for Eleanor, Josie and Henry. Josie is annoyed by the way her mother acts like a “lovesick” teenage girl around Fred and she’s suspicious of Fred and his motives when it comes to her mother. Eleanor also recommends a babysitter for Henry named Allison who is generally doing a good job of caring for Henry and is slowly earning Josie’s trust until such time as she calls in sick and that same day Josie sees the girl flirting with boys at the carnival. Josie finds herself suspecting both Fred and Allison, deciding what can be done to confirm her suspicions about both.
Meanwhile, Josie begins her research at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Columbia Point Boston under the auspices of a “serious academic” who is doing research on the effects of the press on women in politics in the 1960’s. The atmosphere Preston creates, the nature of her research, the parallels between the life of the famed Jackie and Josie’s life and the friendship she strikes up as she does her research are my favorite parts of the book. She befriends a scholarly older gentleman named Roger who quickly establishes a habit of bringing an extra sandwich for Josie each day.
Josie’s “Jackie” research seems to catalyze involuntary reflections on different aspects her own life ranging from her frustrations with Peter’s flirtations with Monica (and some of his students) when researching Jackie’s frustration with her husband’s infidelities to her estranged relationship with her father Griff when researching about Jackie’s with her father John Vernou “Black Jack” Bouvier. Josie takes her lunch, reflecting on her life and finds herself regularly discussing these things with Roger, a considerate man who is also a good listener.
I’ve always liked libraries, the peaceful, comforting environment and the endless supply of stories of adventure and discovery, so in this way I found the setting of this story appealing. Also, I’ve always wanted to actually go to the JFK Library, to see the handsome exhibits, hear the stories and see Victura, the President’s sailboat up close. I also found the kindness and consideration of the character Roger to be authentic. He’s a patient man who appreciates learning, understanding and wisdom and if one is going to meet such a person, they can be found at libraries and museums in greater frequency than many other places. I also liked reading how Josie gains respect and appreciation for the former First Lady, but not due to her grand achievements, but more the way she lived as an individual citizen and as a woman.
These were among the best parts of this story.
“Jackie by Josie” was a joy to read, I recommend it.
“All creative people want to do the unexpected.”
As we read Caroline Preston’s “Jackie by Josie” we quickly come to realize that her central character, twenty-eight year old Josie Trask is indeed creative. Whether that’s her penchant for “stripping away the twentieth century” by walking down a street and visualizing it as it was over one hundred years ago, or her American Civilization dissertation subject of choice, an obscure poetess named Ada Silsbee, the “Songbird of Crowley” and a poet in the Whittier tradition.
But the Josie Trask we’re introduced to seems to have slammed the brakes on creativity, or even anything remotely close to the unexpected. Living in Providence, Rhode Island, her biggest adventure these days is her secret smoking habit (True Menthols) which she puffs on only when parked in public parkades. She’d met her husband Peter, a California native six years before and they’ve since married and welcomed a son into their lives, Henry, who is three years old. But now Josie’s dissertation is becoming difficult to see, buried under piles of bills, baby clothes and discarded magazines. She feels her old life of creativity and academic challenge slipping away and knows she has to make a change and that this change needs to come soon.
In contrast to Josie’s doldrums, Peter’s life is moving ahead swimmingly, he’s a popular instructor at the university and every Thursday he finds time for his weekly tennis match with Monica Glass, a fellow American Civilization PhD candidate who’s become friends with Peter and Josie, but increasingly so with Peter. Josie is vaguely dissatisfied and restless with her current state of life, but looks forward to the summer months and the prospect of reigniting her passion for her dissertation. They are to move to Berkley where Peter has secured a summer teaching position. Peter’s mother, Ruth lives nearby and can care for Henry while Josie takes another run at her thesis. Josie knows that she’ll chafe under the judgmental eye of her mother-in-law, but the opportunity to finish her essay far outweighs this one annoyance.
But deep down inside, Josie has to admit that the prospect of Ada Silsbee as her muse is losing its luster. Perhaps the source of Josie’s indifference is the past difficulties she’s had finding any research material on the long dead poetess, or maybe it’s that she’s not feeling the same sense of personal connection that she felt earlier when she first dreamed up the project. Be that as it may, Josie is determined to tackle the thesis in the upcoming summer months whether she feels enthused about it or not.
It’s right about then that the unexpected happens.
Out of the blue she receives a call from the popular novelist Fiona Jones who’s writing a book on the recently deceased American Icon Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Jones is looking for a research assistant and Josie was recommended by one of her former professors, Rollins, an academic turned “Rock Star author” after the wildly popular reception for his deconstructionist treatise on Rock and Roll published a few years before. Fiona’s publisher has foisted a tight timeline on her in an effort to release the book quickly and capitalize on the “Jackie mania” that followed the great ladies’ untimely passing.
Fiona is looking for an archive focused researcher, promising Josie that she will not have to do any interviews as part of her assignment. Josie is to research the former Fist Ladies’ diaries, love letters and other correspondence and if Josie can help Fiona get the manuscript ready by the end of the summer, she’ll pay her $10,000. Josie mentally tabulates the bills the $10k would cover, including the move to Berkley and how much more exciting a Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis assignment would be over one about Ada Silsbee. She talks to Peter about it and he’s surprisingly supportive (Josie suspects he’ll agree to almost anything to see his wife find her old self again). Josie suggests that she and Henry could stay back in Providence for the summer, staying with Josie’s long divorced mother Eleanor. Josie’s mom lives alone in a “tumbledown federal mansion” that was Eleanor’s part of the settlement when her ex-husband, a “Camelot era” congressman left her for a younger woman when Josie was only eight years old. Peter agrees to the plan, telling Josie it might be good for her to take on a fresh project and maybe even give her “a break” from him and what he’s come to realize is his incessant quibbling about Josie’s apparent lack of progress with respect to her thesis.
So Josie moves in with her mother, only to find out that she’s since welcomed an ex-convict by the name of Fred to live with her. Fred is, by all accounts a gentle, considerate man who demonstrates a penchant for cooking delicious meals for Eleanor, Josie and Henry. Josie is annoyed by the way her mother acts like a “lovesick” teenage girl around Fred and she’s suspicious of Fred and his motives when it comes to her mother. Eleanor also recommends a babysitter for Henry named Allison who is generally doing a good job of caring for Henry and is slowly earning Josie’s trust until such time as she calls in sick and that same day Josie sees the girl flirting with boys at the carnival. Josie finds herself suspecting both Fred and Allison, deciding what can be done to confirm her suspicions about both.
Meanwhile, Josie begins her research at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Columbia Point Boston under the auspices of a “serious academic” who is doing research on the effects of the press on women in politics in the 1960’s. The atmosphere Preston creates, the nature of her research, the parallels between the life of the famed Jackie and Josie’s life and the friendship she strikes up as she does her research are my favorite parts of the book. She befriends a scholarly older gentleman named Roger who quickly establishes a habit of bringing an extra sandwich for Josie each day.
Josie’s “Jackie” research seems to catalyze involuntary reflections on different aspects her own life ranging from her frustrations with Peter’s flirtations with Monica (and some of his students) when researching Jackie’s frustration with her husband’s infidelities to her estranged relationship with her father Griff when researching about Jackie’s with her father John Vernou “Black Jack” Bouvier. Josie takes her lunch, reflecting on her life and finds herself regularly discussing these things with Roger, a considerate man who is also a good listener.
I’ve always liked libraries, the peaceful, comforting environment and the endless supply of stories of adventure and discovery, so in this way I found the setting of this story appealing. Also, I’ve always wanted to actually go to the JFK Library, to see the handsome exhibits, hear the stories and see Victura, the President’s sailboat up close. I also found the kindness and consideration of the character Roger to be authentic. He’s a patient man who appreciates learning, understanding and wisdom and if one is going to meet such a person, they can be found at libraries and museums in greater frequency than many other places. I also liked reading how Josie gains respect and appreciation for the former First Lady, but not due to her grand achievements, but more the way she lived as an individual citizen and as a woman.
These were among the best parts of this story.
“Jackie by Josie” was a joy to read, I recommend it.
July 11, 2008
Ethan gave me this book autographed to him by one of his English Professors...her first novel about Jackie Kennedy. It was really good, a summer read. But, it has alot of factual info and is witty.
April 30, 2025
I enjoyed this novel. It was fun seeing Jackie Kennedy as as an ordinary woman going about her life. She seemed more real to me. As a child when she was a First Lady, I was in awe of her gentle dignity and intelligence.
September 15, 2018
It was a cute light hearted romp.Engaging fluff. A fun read.
May 11, 2020
I love this book. First read many years ago and recently found another copy.
February 3, 2024
I had it so I read it. Somebody is looking for something to read this is not what I would probably tell them to get. Too many good books to really want to read a mediocre
May 20, 2016
Ok, it's a first novel, so noted. But as mentioned before, I've read a number of first novels which were way more polished and much better, "The Help", "To Kill a Mockingbird", "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone", "A Rather Lovely Inheritance", to name a few. You've probably never heard of the last. I definitely recommend it, C A Belmond. A mystery-romance, of sorts, stumbled on the series accidentally back in my day of buying everything I could on clearance when Borders went under a few years ago. Oh wait, another really good one I read recently, "The Language of Flowers" by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Highly recommend that one as well.
Back to Josie though. I did give it an honest effort, as it wasn't nearly the worst thing I've read, and I liked that it took place near me. But I can't understand why it was written in third person, when it was entirely from Josie's perspective. The [thought] progression of the novel made little sense to me, it was a rather disjointed story. I have no problem with flashbacks, but this would spend ages on one day, flash back to the past, then suddenly it's like a month later and I'm super confused.
I read it in like two weeks, but couldn't remember stuff that later felt like it should be significant, like what happened to Peter's father, and the buildup of certain relationships. Not that it mattered, but I was curious if Peter was a different race, as she seemed to spend a lot of time calling Henry and Peter's skin brown, versus her own pale white skin and blonde hair.
Also, Josie's like around 30, I believe, another one of those things I can't even remember, but she acts like she's stuck in some arrested development. The way she meddles, and her immaturity and how she's quick to jump to conclusions and hate other people, but could use a little help herself. You obviously want a flawed character, but I found her overly irritating. She hates someone, she loves him, she can't forgive him and is nasty and then back again to happiness.
I would rate this 1.5, if I could, but I can't, so it went down, though I usually round up. I have a skewed mental rating system, where like 60% of things go into 3 stars because for me it encompasses a wide range of pretty good/enjoyable/well enough done/run of the mill of the genres I enjoy; but at the same time I'm skeptical of books given fewer than 3.75 stars if they have hundreds or thousands of ratings on Goodreads.
Basically, despite the intriguing title and inside flap bit, I give "Jackie by Josie" a "Don't Bother". But I trudged through, as it had (almost) redeeming bits, or at least I thought so until the ridiculous cop-out climax/resolution and the final chapter, which should have been an epilogue.
Back to Josie though. I did give it an honest effort, as it wasn't nearly the worst thing I've read, and I liked that it took place near me. But I can't understand why it was written in third person, when it was entirely from Josie's perspective. The [thought] progression of the novel made little sense to me, it was a rather disjointed story. I have no problem with flashbacks, but this would spend ages on one day, flash back to the past, then suddenly it's like a month later and I'm super confused.
I read it in like two weeks, but couldn't remember stuff that later felt like it should be significant, like what happened to Peter's father, and the buildup of certain relationships. Not that it mattered, but I was curious if Peter was a different race, as she seemed to spend a lot of time calling Henry and Peter's skin brown, versus her own pale white skin and blonde hair.
Also, Josie's like around 30, I believe, another one of those things I can't even remember, but she acts like she's stuck in some arrested development. The way she meddles, and her immaturity and how she's quick to jump to conclusions and hate other people, but could use a little help herself. You obviously want a flawed character, but I found her overly irritating. She hates someone, she loves him, she can't forgive him and is nasty and then back again to happiness.
I would rate this 1.5, if I could, but I can't, so it went down, though I usually round up. I have a skewed mental rating system, where like 60% of things go into 3 stars because for me it encompasses a wide range of pretty good/enjoyable/well enough done/run of the mill of the genres I enjoy; but at the same time I'm skeptical of books given fewer than 3.75 stars if they have hundreds or thousands of ratings on Goodreads.
Basically, despite the intriguing title and inside flap bit, I give "Jackie by Josie" a "Don't Bother". But I trudged through, as it had (almost) redeeming bits, or at least I thought so until the ridiculous cop-out climax/resolution and the final chapter, which should have been an epilogue.
February 11, 2009
An entertaining, occasionally laugh-aloud funny, story about academics, young marrieds and ... the late Jackie Kennedy Onassis. This novel also manages to touch on real issues like criminal justice, pop-culture's passion for celebrities, broken families, substance abuse and postpartum depression. Throughout, Jackie's life manages to shed light on the life and family of Josie Trask, whose work on her dissertation has come to a screeching halt. In the meantime, she gets a paid gig researching Jackie for an unauthorized tell-all. Jackie even gets some credit for an assist when Josie finds documents that will allow her to resolve her dissertation dilemma. Caroline Preston begins each chapter with quotes from or about Jackie. Chapter 18 has Jackie musing about her son: "I want John John to be a fine young man. He's so interested in planes, maybe he'll be an astronaut or just plain John Kennedy fixing planes on the ground." The book came out two years before his death in a plane crash. Creepy. Preston's style is breezy and easy. It's a quick read and a fine first novel.
May 3, 2008
Despite a slow start, this book becomes a page turner as several story lines are deftly woven together.
Josie & Peter--grad students finishing dissertations. Josie working as a researcher for an author writing about Jackie O.
Eleanor & Fred: Josie's mother & new friend, an arsonist
Leslie: Josie's sister so defined and restricted
Some events & quotations of Jackie O's life are woven throughout and tied up neatly at the end.
Josie & Peter--grad students finishing dissertations. Josie working as a researcher for an author writing about Jackie O.
Eleanor & Fred: Josie's mother & new friend, an arsonist
Leslie: Josie's sister so defined and restricted
Some events & quotations of Jackie O's life are woven throughout and tied up neatly at the end.
December 17, 2013
We can't all fall in love with a guy who foots the bill for our shopping habit while we lunch in a high glam, low paying pr job. So I say three cheers for Josie, a practical chick lit heroine who solves her problems with practicality instead of fairy tale.
The true stuff we learn about JKO is great, too. An original idea to include a comparison of the ideal of Jackie Kennedy to who she really was, and what the main character learns from it.
The true stuff we learn about JKO is great, too. An original idea to include a comparison of the ideal of Jackie Kennedy to who she really was, and what the main character learns from it.
August 14, 2016
Really enjoyed this book, due to it's well-developed characters and the way the author explores 2 different married relationships. One is the marriage of JFK and Jackie, and how the protagonist's marriage parallels some aspects of it. The protagonist notes how so much of her life "just happened" instead of being planned and how she struggles with ways to resolve it. Very well-written, and entertaining
December 28, 2010
An enjoyable read. The characters are believable and the story moves quickly. I thought the most endearing part of the book was the relationship between Josie and her husband as she struggles to trust his loyalty.
February 18, 2008
Fun, fluffy book.
July 30, 2008
An easy summer read/good beach book.
September 20, 2010
Adorable!
March 18, 2012
I think it's my favorite book since I re-read it every few years.
June 21, 2012
I have no idea why I liked this book so much, but apparently I did at that time. I'll have to re-read it to see if it lives up.
April 13, 2024
I love this book! I love, love, love, LOVE this book! It makes me happy whenever I re-read it. I've sent copies to friends who are feeling down, they love it too.
December 30, 2012
This was a good book with a nice gentle story about a woman who is insecure about her husband's feelings for her. Her research about Jackie O. finds many parallels to her own situation.
January 31, 2013
This was a fun read - really enjoyed it!
April 23, 2013
Some parts required knowledge of the Kennedy clan/history ... and not being brought up in the USA and too young to remember much it was a bit confusing at times
Read
March 5, 2012Really enjoyed. Had a hard time putting book down.
July 18, 2009
Had more substance and was more entertaining than I thought it would.
October 20, 2017
not gonna write a synopsis. very clever detailing but not bogged down in historical fact. character development was extensive but a predictable ending. the setting was well developed and imaginative and the plot was strangely captivating.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews