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The Nine of Us: Growing Up Kennedy
In this evocative and affectionate memoir, Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith, the last surviving child of Joe and Rose Kennedy, offers an intimate and illuminating look at a time long ago when she and her siblings, guided by their parents, laughed and learned a great deal under one roof.
Prompted by interesting tidbits in the newspaper, Rose and Joe Kennedy would pose questions to their nine children at the dinner table. "Where could Amelia Earhart have gone?" "How would you address this horrible drought?" "What would you do about the troop movements in Europe?" It was a nightly custom that helped shape the Kennedys into who they would become.
Before Joe and Rose’s children emerged as leaders on the world stage, they were a loving circle of brothers and sisters who played football, swam, read, and pursued their interests. They were children inspired by parents who instilled in them a strong work ethic, deep love of country, and intense appreciation for the sacrifices their ancestors made to come to America."No whining in this house!" was their father’s regular refrain. It was his way of reminding them not to complain, to be grateful for what they had, and to give back.
In her remarkable memoir, Kennedy Smith—the last surviving sibling—revisits this singular time in their lives. Filled with fascinating anecdotes and vignettes, and illustrated with dozens of family pictures, The Nine of Us vividly depicts this large, close-knit family during a different time in American history. Kennedy Smith offers indelible, elegantly rendered portraits of her larger-than-life siblings and her parents. "They knew how to cure our hurts, bind our wounds, listen to our woes, and help us enjoy life," she writes. "We were lucky children indeed."
Prompted by interesting tidbits in the newspaper, Rose and Joe Kennedy would pose questions to their nine children at the dinner table. "Where could Amelia Earhart have gone?" "How would you address this horrible drought?" "What would you do about the troop movements in Europe?" It was a nightly custom that helped shape the Kennedys into who they would become.
Before Joe and Rose’s children emerged as leaders on the world stage, they were a loving circle of brothers and sisters who played football, swam, read, and pursued their interests. They were children inspired by parents who instilled in them a strong work ethic, deep love of country, and intense appreciation for the sacrifices their ancestors made to come to America."No whining in this house!" was their father’s regular refrain. It was his way of reminding them not to complain, to be grateful for what they had, and to give back.
In her remarkable memoir, Kennedy Smith—the last surviving sibling—revisits this singular time in their lives. Filled with fascinating anecdotes and vignettes, and illustrated with dozens of family pictures, The Nine of Us vividly depicts this large, close-knit family during a different time in American history. Kennedy Smith offers indelible, elegantly rendered portraits of her larger-than-life siblings and her parents. "They knew how to cure our hurts, bind our wounds, listen to our woes, and help us enjoy life," she writes. "We were lucky children indeed."
195 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2016
1560 people are currently reading
2218 people want to read
About the author
Jean Kennedy Smith
6 books40 followersJean Ann Kennedy Smith is a former United States Ambassador to Ireland. She is the eighth of nine children born to Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald and is their last surviving child. Her siblings included President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Senator Ted Kennedy, and Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
Smith is the founder of Very Special Arts (VSA), an internationally recognized non-profit dedicated to creating a society where those with disabilities can engage with the arts. Smith was widowed in 1990. She has two adopted daughters and two sons Stephen Edward Smith, Jr., an attorney, and William Kennedy Smith, a physician.
In 2011, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Smith is the founder of Very Special Arts (VSA), an internationally recognized non-profit dedicated to creating a society where those with disabilities can engage with the arts. Smith was widowed in 1990. She has two adopted daughters and two sons Stephen Edward Smith, Jr., an attorney, and William Kennedy Smith, a physician.
In 2011, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 402 reviews
March 5, 2017
Light memoir written by the last surviving Kennedy sibling. In this bio, Kennedy Smith focuses mainly on anecdotes and memories of growing up in the Kennedy clan. The tragedies that befell her family are lightly touched or glossed over. The love and respect she has for her parents shines through in this one.
March 1, 2021
This book is exceedingly short. The little information that is given is repeated! It has nothing new. What you get are a few nostalgically told family stories that are scarcely memorable.
I would classify this as a hagiography.
Read these instead:
The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy
Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon
Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter
I listened to the audiobook read by Lorna Raver. The narration is clear and easy to follow.
I would classify this as a hagiography.
Read these instead:
The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy
Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon
Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter
I listened to the audiobook read by Lorna Raver. The narration is clear and easy to follow.
November 2, 2016
This isn't what I was expecting. I suppose like many people will, I was expecting more of a tell-all about the famous Kennedy's. Some secrets revealed because Jean is the last of the nine children .....but, alas, this wasn't. And that's ok. I still enjoyed the snippets into the Kennedy lives, especially their youth. Jean recalls her family with such admiration and love that I can't help but feel the same.
May 31, 2024
Catching Up…
This is a family that typically evokes a lot of curiosity amongst people. A lot of tragedy and drama has been associated to the Kennedy family because for the most part they have lived their lives in the spotlight. Mostly by choice because they are a prominent well-known all-American family. Civic-minded, politically active.
And, many have earned our gratitude for the contributions they have made as positive public servants. But there have also been the black sheep.
So, through the years, I personally have enjoyed reading anything I could get my hands on, about the Kennedys.
This book popped up on my reader list early on when my local library displayed it. When it showed up as a donation to my Little Free Library Shed recently, well, you know what that meant…
My review…
Jean Kennedy Smith was the 8th child of Joseph and Rose Kennedy. Which meant that her brothers were the infamous, Jack (John F.), Bobby and Teddy. Besides a few more kids.
Her father, Joe made a name for himself as a banker and a Hollywood financier. In Jean’s eyes, he was devoted, and would make sure that his kids knew everything that they needed to know about world events. In reality, he was hardly home or devoted.
But Jean chose to see life with her father through rose-tinted glasses.
Other examples about her father, included Jean sharing her experience of moving to London at age 10, when President Roosevelt appointed Kennedy as Ambassador. Of course, she doesn’t explain why Roosevelt ended his Ambassadorship. If anyone remembers history well, we know that Kennedy’s closeness to Hitler didn’t bode well with Roosevelt.
There is also the lobotomy that Joe put upon his daughter Rosemary. It isn’t until the epilogue that Jean recognized how “tragically wrong” the experience was for her.
Jean ends this story book on Jack’s presidency, after introducing her college roommate Ethel to Bobby.
It isn’t really until the epilogue that we read about almost everything else…, i.e., the assassinations, her father’s devastating stroke, Chappaquiddick, Jean’s son William’s rape trail, Teddy’s brain cancer, her sister Patricia Lawford’s fight with cancer and more.
In many ways, it seemed like this story book was a bunch of fluff and pictures. Was Jean living in la-la land and we were supposed to believe in her Camelot, too? I suppose she had every right to tell her story in the way she chose. It just didn’t feel “real,” compelling or engaging, to me.
It was almost like Jean was writing a child-like dream of something maybe she would have preferred to have lived, as opposed to what it was really like living under the rule of a self-absorbed, isolationist, antisemitic, patronizing, unfaithful patriarch.
What about the TRUE effect of living under her father, and the REAL impact it had on HER? Now, that kind of story might have made for an interesting read.
Still, I can’t begrudge her the life she lived. This is the father she loved. This is the memory she chose to cherish of him. This story was published in 2016. Jean Kennedy Smith died on June 17, 2020 at the age of 92. She was the final surviving, and longest-lived of the 9 Kennedy children.
This is a family that typically evokes a lot of curiosity amongst people. A lot of tragedy and drama has been associated to the Kennedy family because for the most part they have lived their lives in the spotlight. Mostly by choice because they are a prominent well-known all-American family. Civic-minded, politically active.
And, many have earned our gratitude for the contributions they have made as positive public servants. But there have also been the black sheep.
So, through the years, I personally have enjoyed reading anything I could get my hands on, about the Kennedys.
This book popped up on my reader list early on when my local library displayed it. When it showed up as a donation to my Little Free Library Shed recently, well, you know what that meant…
My review…
Jean Kennedy Smith was the 8th child of Joseph and Rose Kennedy. Which meant that her brothers were the infamous, Jack (John F.), Bobby and Teddy. Besides a few more kids.
Her father, Joe made a name for himself as a banker and a Hollywood financier. In Jean’s eyes, he was devoted, and would make sure that his kids knew everything that they needed to know about world events. In reality, he was hardly home or devoted.
But Jean chose to see life with her father through rose-tinted glasses.
Other examples about her father, included Jean sharing her experience of moving to London at age 10, when President Roosevelt appointed Kennedy as Ambassador. Of course, she doesn’t explain why Roosevelt ended his Ambassadorship. If anyone remembers history well, we know that Kennedy’s closeness to Hitler didn’t bode well with Roosevelt.
There is also the lobotomy that Joe put upon his daughter Rosemary. It isn’t until the epilogue that Jean recognized how “tragically wrong” the experience was for her.
Jean ends this story book on Jack’s presidency, after introducing her college roommate Ethel to Bobby.
It isn’t really until the epilogue that we read about almost everything else…, i.e., the assassinations, her father’s devastating stroke, Chappaquiddick, Jean’s son William’s rape trail, Teddy’s brain cancer, her sister Patricia Lawford’s fight with cancer and more.
In many ways, it seemed like this story book was a bunch of fluff and pictures. Was Jean living in la-la land and we were supposed to believe in her Camelot, too? I suppose she had every right to tell her story in the way she chose. It just didn’t feel “real,” compelling or engaging, to me.
It was almost like Jean was writing a child-like dream of something maybe she would have preferred to have lived, as opposed to what it was really like living under the rule of a self-absorbed, isolationist, antisemitic, patronizing, unfaithful patriarch.
What about the TRUE effect of living under her father, and the REAL impact it had on HER? Now, that kind of story might have made for an interesting read.
Still, I can’t begrudge her the life she lived. This is the father she loved. This is the memory she chose to cherish of him. This story was published in 2016. Jean Kennedy Smith died on June 17, 2020 at the age of 92. She was the final surviving, and longest-lived of the 9 Kennedy children.
December 7, 2016
Like most people, I have had a curiosity about the Kennedys. JKS was the eighth child of nine born to Joseph P. Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. At 88 she is the last surviving member of the family.
JKS primarily focuses on her youth and growing up in a large family. She says her childhood was happy and full of laughter. I was most interested in her discussion about her mother, Rose. She said she was the disciplinarian and was extremely organized. Her mother advocated education to the children and included music, art and languages, whereas, her father pushed sports on the children. Smith says her family played lots of quizzes about what the child would do if confronted by—the parent would present a problem sometimes the problem would be political. The time frame of the story is the 1920, 30s, and 40s. She says Rose was a devout catholic and went to church daily. Smith tells of the visit to their home by Cardinal Eugenio Pucelli who became Pope Pius XII. Smith was the Ambassador to Ireland from 1993 to 1998.
I read this as an audiobook, but I understand that the book format has photographs. The book is short but well worth the read and presents a simpler and gentler time in family life.
Loma Raver does a great job narrating the book. Raver is an actress and multi-award winning audiobook narrator. Raver is an older woman which the perfect voice for this book.
JKS primarily focuses on her youth and growing up in a large family. She says her childhood was happy and full of laughter. I was most interested in her discussion about her mother, Rose. She said she was the disciplinarian and was extremely organized. Her mother advocated education to the children and included music, art and languages, whereas, her father pushed sports on the children. Smith says her family played lots of quizzes about what the child would do if confronted by—the parent would present a problem sometimes the problem would be political. The time frame of the story is the 1920, 30s, and 40s. She says Rose was a devout catholic and went to church daily. Smith tells of the visit to their home by Cardinal Eugenio Pucelli who became Pope Pius XII. Smith was the Ambassador to Ireland from 1993 to 1998.
I read this as an audiobook, but I understand that the book format has photographs. The book is short but well worth the read and presents a simpler and gentler time in family life.
Loma Raver does a great job narrating the book. Raver is an actress and multi-award winning audiobook narrator. Raver is an older woman which the perfect voice for this book.
November 21, 2023
This is less a true memoir rather than an affectionate collection of anecdotes, from the then last living Kennedy sibling, about a very formative and historically loaded period of time for her as a person, her siblings and her parents teachings as Basis for the Kennedy family we would later become acquainted with.
February 10, 2017
Mother And Dad Were Destined To Have A Gaggle Of Children
THE NINE OF US is a story about a family--and a BIG one, at that. Keep in mind that this is not a book about politics or government--it's a book about a family. Naturally, government service is mentioned, but that's not really the central message of this book. The central theme is the joy and love found within a family--their struggles together, the high points, and the low points.
This is a book mostly about children and how they grew up together. The author has mostly fond memories of her big family. She also credits her parents, Rose and Joe, for their diligence: "I am so grateful to our parents for being so focused in their child rearing" The author explains that she wanted to tell the real story about her family: "I wanted to remember them, and my brothers and sisters, as they really were." THE NINE OF US tells the story of 9 kids and two loving--but sometimes strict, parent. The author notes that she was fortunate to be encouraged to keep a journal; that habit becamse very useful in telling this story.
The Kennedy household was a busy household. The father set the example: "Even as a child, Dad was never not working." Hard work and diligence was stressed in the Kennedy household. The values from the parents were traditional Yankee values--hard work, diligence, faith: “To whom much is given . . .”
From the earliest age, all the children were required to "use our talents and gifts for the good of others and of our country." The parents made it clear that there was “No Whining in This House." The parents also made it clear that "we were not the center of the universe."
The father emphasized responsibility. During World War II, the father gave this advice to young Bobby: “It is boys of your age who are going to find themselves in a very changed world, and the only way you can hold up your end is to prepare your mind so that you will be able to accept each situation as it comes along. So
THE NINE OF US contains lots of delightful stories about each of the Kennedy children. The stories are mostly light and cheerful, but of course, there was tragedy as well. The first child to be lost was Joe, during WWII: "Fate determined that our family would never be whole again when the news arrived, one hot August day in 1944, that Joe had been lost."
Perhaps the saddest part of THE NINE OF US is the story of befell Rosemary. The parents hoped a surgical procedure would help her, but the results were devastating: "Little could we understand as well the sadness that befell our beloved Rosemary . . . It is still not clear what happened. Rather than finding relief through the procedure, Rosemary lost most of her ability to walk and communicate. We had been so hopeful, and were devastated." The patriarch of the family "remained heartbroken over the outcome of her surgery for the rest of his life."
All in all, I found THE NINE OF US to be a tender story--but also a bittersweet story. Having grown up in a large family myself, I appreciate all the wonderful things that a big family offers. The author sums up this story nicely:
"Mother and Dad taught us to be thankful to those who came before us and to give back to our fellow man and country. They taught us to never take anyone or anything for granted. I wanted to remember them, and my brothers and sisters, as they really were, and I am grateful to all those who helped make that possible.
Advance Review Copy courtesy of Edelweiss.
For more views like this, see: https://www.bassocantor.com
THE NINE OF US is a story about a family--and a BIG one, at that. Keep in mind that this is not a book about politics or government--it's a book about a family. Naturally, government service is mentioned, but that's not really the central message of this book. The central theme is the joy and love found within a family--their struggles together, the high points, and the low points.
This is a book mostly about children and how they grew up together. The author has mostly fond memories of her big family. She also credits her parents, Rose and Joe, for their diligence: "I am so grateful to our parents for being so focused in their child rearing" The author explains that she wanted to tell the real story about her family: "I wanted to remember them, and my brothers and sisters, as they really were." THE NINE OF US tells the story of 9 kids and two loving--but sometimes strict, parent. The author notes that she was fortunate to be encouraged to keep a journal; that habit becamse very useful in telling this story.
The Kennedy household was a busy household. The father set the example: "Even as a child, Dad was never not working." Hard work and diligence was stressed in the Kennedy household. The values from the parents were traditional Yankee values--hard work, diligence, faith: “To whom much is given . . .”
From the earliest age, all the children were required to "use our talents and gifts for the good of others and of our country." The parents made it clear that there was “No Whining in This House." The parents also made it clear that "we were not the center of the universe."
The father emphasized responsibility. During World War II, the father gave this advice to young Bobby: “It is boys of your age who are going to find themselves in a very changed world, and the only way you can hold up your end is to prepare your mind so that you will be able to accept each situation as it comes along. So
THE NINE OF US contains lots of delightful stories about each of the Kennedy children. The stories are mostly light and cheerful, but of course, there was tragedy as well. The first child to be lost was Joe, during WWII: "Fate determined that our family would never be whole again when the news arrived, one hot August day in 1944, that Joe had been lost."
Perhaps the saddest part of THE NINE OF US is the story of befell Rosemary. The parents hoped a surgical procedure would help her, but the results were devastating: "Little could we understand as well the sadness that befell our beloved Rosemary . . . It is still not clear what happened. Rather than finding relief through the procedure, Rosemary lost most of her ability to walk and communicate. We had been so hopeful, and were devastated." The patriarch of the family "remained heartbroken over the outcome of her surgery for the rest of his life."
All in all, I found THE NINE OF US to be a tender story--but also a bittersweet story. Having grown up in a large family myself, I appreciate all the wonderful things that a big family offers. The author sums up this story nicely:
"Mother and Dad taught us to be thankful to those who came before us and to give back to our fellow man and country. They taught us to never take anyone or anything for granted. I wanted to remember them, and my brothers and sisters, as they really were, and I am grateful to all those who helped make that possible.
Advance Review Copy courtesy of Edelweiss.
For more views like this, see: https://www.bassocantor.com
November 15, 2016
If all parents took child-rearing as seriously as Joe and Rose Kennedy did, the world world be a much better place. That being said, if all parents had a nanny, a cook, a maid and a chauffeur, they would have much more time to focus on their children's development... But I found Rose Kennedy fascinating--supremely organized and disciplined, she dedicated herself to motherhood as it was a career. Lots of advice and insight from her sprinkled throughout the book.
I enjoyed this remembrance of the early years from the only living Kennedy sibling, before the family was plagued by sorrow and scandal.
I enjoyed this remembrance of the early years from the only living Kennedy sibling, before the family was plagued by sorrow and scandal.
April 23, 2017
This is a very rose colored glasses look at the Kennedy family written by the last remaining sibling of John F Kennedy. My heart breaks for her having to go through the loss of every one of her immediate family. For that reason I completely understand her need to focus on only the most positive aspects of her life with her family.
September 18, 2019
When I was a kid, the news was always full of the glamourous Kennedys. I grew up in a Catholic household and my Mum adored Jackie Kennedy. I can remember the day that JFK was shot and watching the drama play out on TV, I was only little but it has stayed with me. 3 years ago we went to the States and I was keen to go to Cape Cod, not just because it is lovely but because it was where lots of famous people from my youth went to holiday, amongst these the Kennedy Family. As expected it was lovely but the weather was foul and we were shorebound. When I saw this book was available at the public library I leapt upon it. Written by a member of that famous family, about her childhood and early life and including lots of stories of Cape Cod and the family's life there every summer.
It is a lovely book, you can tell that the author is getting on in years and she looks back and remembers the golden times of her youth. I loved the stories of how the household worked, their exciting lives in various locations as their father Joe Kennedy moved from position to position. There is a lot of focus on the parents of these 9 children and they must have been quite formidable a force.
If you are interested in finding out about the early life of these famous siblings and you want a light and gentle read this is great. I really did want a bit more detail of the nitty-gritty of how they made their money in the first place. You get the feeling that Joan wanted to tell a particular kind of story about the Kennedy lives, a rosy view that yes, includes a fair amount of tragedy, but that also has lots of love all through it.
It is a lovely book, you can tell that the author is getting on in years and she looks back and remembers the golden times of her youth. I loved the stories of how the household worked, their exciting lives in various locations as their father Joe Kennedy moved from position to position. There is a lot of focus on the parents of these 9 children and they must have been quite formidable a force.
If you are interested in finding out about the early life of these famous siblings and you want a light and gentle read this is great. I really did want a bit more detail of the nitty-gritty of how they made their money in the first place. You get the feeling that Joan wanted to tell a particular kind of story about the Kennedy lives, a rosy view that yes, includes a fair amount of tragedy, but that also has lots of love all through it.
November 6, 2016
The Nine of Us: Growing Up Kennedy is what it is. Its written by Jean Kennedy Smith the last surviving member of the OG Kennedy's looking back with fondness on her family & upbringing. There's no juicy tidbits no tales of adultery or scandal but I didn't really expect that. I still enjoyed it but as I've stated before I'm a Kennedyophile & will read anything about them. I would recommend this book to people like myself who are deeply fascinated with the Kennedy's.
March 5, 2017
I've read countless books on the Kennedys and I dare to say this one is the memoir I was waiting for. An enchanting tale that I couldn't get enough of.
March 25, 2018
Enjoyable read.
More of a reminiscence of the one remaining Kennedy than a biography of a family. Includes many family pictures.
More of a reminiscence of the one remaining Kennedy than a biography of a family. Includes many family pictures.
July 14, 2017
A slim listen about the Kennedys by the lone survivor of JFK and RFK's siblings. Jean Kennedy Smith was the eighth of the nine children of Joe and Rose Kennedy. There are vignettes of the entire family eating a meal and being quizzed by their mother, but, with the addition of 3 cousins who became orphans, there were too many to sit at one table. So, there was one table for "adults" and one for the younger children. Jean's stories include more about Teddy, Bobby, Eunice, and Pat since the first four were more than a decade older.
Easy read.
Easy read.
November 19, 2016
So much about a life of service, love, and graciousness can be learned from this book. I know that Goodreads is not a political forum but I can't help but say that I would like each family member of a certain President-elect's family to read this.
December 31, 2016
This was highly superficial, inequitably favors the happy times, and a bit eye-roll inducing.
November 8, 2020
This was an enjoyable and quick audio book. Jean Kennedy Smith didn't share too much that I wasn't already aware of, but it was interesting to hear it from her perspective. The stories about growing up in the Kennedy household, the different things they were exposed to and her interactions with her brothers were especially interesting. I loved the excerpts from the Kennedy family letters. Full review to come.
January 8, 2017
I thought this was an excellent first person account of "growing up Kennedy". The story moved fast and it felt like all the characters were right there with me. I've done A LOT of reading on the Kennedy family, so it was interesting to see how the scholarly, historical books compared to Jean's personal recounting of her family. There were more differences that I expected, which was a surprise. It was clear in many places Jean was glossing over the truth; in other places I wondered if she just had a completely different experience than Jack did (this would be unsurprising given their sizable age difference). I'd say you should read this book, but also read the scholarly books so you get a full picture of this talented, interested, imperfect, REAL family.
November 13, 2016
Yep, I literally devoured this memoir this afternoon.
November 16, 2016
4 Stars...Jean the last of the original Kennedy family shares memories mostly happy ones. A sweet book and a nice look back at times no more.
March 9, 2017
Another super random choice for me to fulfill a square in book club bingo (this one was "has a number in the title", I was going to read Joe Hill's NOS4A2 but it's approximately 10,000 pages). I'm not one of those people super interested in the Kennedy family, but I thought this book was so charming and interesting. This book was written by the last surviving child of Joseph and Rose Kennedy, the eighth of their nine children, and she really focuses on (as the subtitle says) "growing up Kennedy." So we hear their parents' backgrounds and their philosophies on family and what specific actions they took to raise their children in their beliefs. For example, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy read the newspaper every day, clipped relevant articles, pinned them to her dress, and each morning read them to her children at the table, and asked them questions related to the article. I loved best that the children covered such an age range (on average I think there were about two years between each one), but their parents and the children found ways to be close--Joe was Jean's godfather and Jack was Teddy's godfather, Rose copied the childrens' letters and sent them to all the others at their various colleges and boarding schools, they always traveled at least in pairs if not in bigger groups, they sailed as a crew, etc.
I finished this book and asked Husband if maybe we shouldn't have more kids...? We are NOT having more kids, but I loved reading about these siblings. I was really sad when the book quickly wrapped up (we zipped through the time in England, then we heard about JFK's election and presidency a bit, and a wrap-up on everybody). I had to remind myself that this book never promised to give me more than this, so I can't be mad at that, but it still left me disappointed and wanting more. I think I need to find another good Kennedy book, maybe focusing more on Rose because that woman went through a lot, losing four children in very tragic ways as well as Rosemary's lobotomy that left her forever altered and handicapped.
To end on a happier note, I loved the included photos. Teddy was adorable.
I finished this book and asked Husband if maybe we shouldn't have more kids...? We are NOT having more kids, but I loved reading about these siblings. I was really sad when the book quickly wrapped up (we zipped through the time in England, then we heard about JFK's election and presidency a bit, and a wrap-up on everybody). I had to remind myself that this book never promised to give me more than this, so I can't be mad at that, but it still left me disappointed and wanting more. I think I need to find another good Kennedy book, maybe focusing more on Rose because that woman went through a lot, losing four children in very tragic ways as well as Rosemary's lobotomy that left her forever altered and handicapped.
To end on a happier note, I loved the included photos. Teddy was adorable.
July 31, 2017
I wish Jean Kennedy Smith had written this book 20 years ago, when I was raising my son. Nine of Us: Growing up Kennedy is like nothing I’ve read about the Kennedy family before. And yet exactly like I would’ve expected. Each chapter contains immensely valuable parenting words of wisdom from Joe or Rose Kennedy. This just could be the best guide for raising smart, thankful and devoted kids!
Jane Kennedy Smith grew up thinking her childhood was unexceptional. Her brothers and sisters were all her playmates. They played, and laughed and argued over the last piece of chocolate cake. She had no clue they would turn out the way they did. The family was distinctive perhaps because they were so large, and their parents influence was profound but subtle.
As grandchildren of Irish immigrants, Rose and Joe wanted to make sure their children appreciated how much they had to be thankful for. They wanted to make them understand that they had an important obligation to give back. And that the gift of being in this world is a responsibility. The nine children were compelled to do their best and complaining was strictly forbidden. Joe’s rule of “No whining in this house” are words that we could all raise our families on today.
The book gives us and intimate look into each of the nine siblings. Smith details what each were like, what they liked to do, their special interests and even the times they got into trouble. Can you imagine Teddy sitting in his mom’s closet surrounded by her dresses, shoes and hats, for “time out” for breaking a window. Or what about Bobby in a typing class.
How fun it sounds to have a grown-up as a Kennedy, with the dinner table as the family hub and discussions of current events as the main course. How fun to have played tennis with Eunice or sailed with Jack or rescued animals with Bobby.
Growing up Kennedy is a delightful look into the young lives of the family who, each in their own way, has had a profound impact on this country. The values Rose and Joe instilled and the often unique way in which they instilled them, continues to be relevant. A great read for anyone raising a family today!
Jane Kennedy Smith grew up thinking her childhood was unexceptional. Her brothers and sisters were all her playmates. They played, and laughed and argued over the last piece of chocolate cake. She had no clue they would turn out the way they did. The family was distinctive perhaps because they were so large, and their parents influence was profound but subtle.
As grandchildren of Irish immigrants, Rose and Joe wanted to make sure their children appreciated how much they had to be thankful for. They wanted to make them understand that they had an important obligation to give back. And that the gift of being in this world is a responsibility. The nine children were compelled to do their best and complaining was strictly forbidden. Joe’s rule of “No whining in this house” are words that we could all raise our families on today.
The book gives us and intimate look into each of the nine siblings. Smith details what each were like, what they liked to do, their special interests and even the times they got into trouble. Can you imagine Teddy sitting in his mom’s closet surrounded by her dresses, shoes and hats, for “time out” for breaking a window. Or what about Bobby in a typing class.
How fun it sounds to have a grown-up as a Kennedy, with the dinner table as the family hub and discussions of current events as the main course. How fun to have played tennis with Eunice or sailed with Jack or rescued animals with Bobby.
Growing up Kennedy is a delightful look into the young lives of the family who, each in their own way, has had a profound impact on this country. The values Rose and Joe instilled and the often unique way in which they instilled them, continues to be relevant. A great read for anyone raising a family today!
July 5, 2017
I found a treasure recently at a nearby Little Free Library that I frequent on bike rides: a new copy of The Nine of Us by Jean Kennedy Smith.
I brought it home, and since I liked its historical promise and it was short as well (250 small pages with wide margins and lots of photos), I decided it would be a book I'd read to those at home after dinner.
Jean Kennedy Smith reminds us that she is now the last living member of her immediate family, which must be a very lonely feeling. She wrote this book last year, when she was 88.
"Does she talk about Chappaquiddick?" asked a family member. Well, NO. Think about it: if you were reminiscing about your early days of growing up with your family, wouldn't you want to remember the good parts? Would you want to throw any family member, now departed, under the bus? Probably not, and so you won't find any bombshell confessions or salacious gossip in this book. It's an idyllic look into Jean's memories growing up in the famous Kennedy family.
I also enjoyed the book as a look back to a time past. The Kennedys were definitely well-to-do: Jean mentions delicious meals prepared by cooks, an audience with the Pope, a mother who had a driver to take her here and there. And sometimes the prose is a bit cloying (she says of Teddy, "He preferred loving to hating and laughing to crying."). But I blinked back tears when she described some of her siblings' deaths, and when she described sister Rosemary's struggles. I absolutely loved the many vintage photos -- most of which I'd never seen before.
If you're an admirer of the Kennedys, or if you enjoy history, I think you'd like The Nine of Us.
I brought it home, and since I liked its historical promise and it was short as well (250 small pages with wide margins and lots of photos), I decided it would be a book I'd read to those at home after dinner.
Jean Kennedy Smith reminds us that she is now the last living member of her immediate family, which must be a very lonely feeling. She wrote this book last year, when she was 88.
"Does she talk about Chappaquiddick?" asked a family member. Well, NO. Think about it: if you were reminiscing about your early days of growing up with your family, wouldn't you want to remember the good parts? Would you want to throw any family member, now departed, under the bus? Probably not, and so you won't find any bombshell confessions or salacious gossip in this book. It's an idyllic look into Jean's memories growing up in the famous Kennedy family.
I also enjoyed the book as a look back to a time past. The Kennedys were definitely well-to-do: Jean mentions delicious meals prepared by cooks, an audience with the Pope, a mother who had a driver to take her here and there. And sometimes the prose is a bit cloying (she says of Teddy, "He preferred loving to hating and laughing to crying."). But I blinked back tears when she described some of her siblings' deaths, and when she described sister Rosemary's struggles. I absolutely loved the many vintage photos -- most of which I'd never seen before.
If you're an admirer of the Kennedys, or if you enjoy history, I think you'd like The Nine of Us.
November 8, 2016
I found the stories in this book so touching, particularly when you think that the author is the last surviving member of one of America's most notable families. This is a woman who has to be in her 80s or early 90s looking back to a charmed childhood that so many people have speculated about but none of us lived. I don't know if today's nasty political climate or tell-all culture contributed to my reaction to this book, but I found myself escaping so happily and with such nostalgia into its pages. You can see these children growing up together and loving each other - it really comes across how close they were. And their parents were in charge - and the kids respected them! It's so different from the lives we live today. It would be a good read about an ordinary family, but is made all the more interesting because you know the characters involved and what they became. I recommend it - enjoyed it thoroughly.
April 29, 2018
The Kennedy memoirs I have read have dealt more with the political side. This is just about their growing up years and how their parents raised them. It is light and upbeat and mostly positive. The sad times are only touched upon briefly. She makes it sound like a fairly tale. I wish I had read this when I had little ones. Who knows, maybe they would have grown up to president of the United States. It was a little sad at the end when she talks about how she is the last surviving child of Joe and Rose. Only Teddy was younger and the author is 90 years old now. There is lots of pics in this book and when I read it on Kindle I was able to enlarge the pictures. I wish there would have been a recent pic of the author but I was unable to find one even with google.
March 7, 2017
I have read a number of Kennedy books, but Jean Kennedy Smith's perspective made this book unique and extremely personal. Her childhood anecdotes were humorous and poignant; the losses she experienced were emotional to read even though readers are already aware that she has outlived all of her siblings. The book is short and easy-to-read. The focus is on family life, with world history in the background. One of the few books that I laughed out loud in one chapter and blinked away tears in the next. The book also serves as a wonderful reminder to keep a journal and written correspondence. Added to my favorites shelf!
February 2, 2017
This book focuses on the childhoods of all the Kennedy children. It was a very flowery, "our family was/is perfect" presentation of the Kennedy family by the lone surviving child, Jean Kennedy Smith. I did gain respect for how Rose Kennedy raised her family and the values they tried to instill in their children. I am unsure if Jean was unaware of all the Kennedy scandals or just chose to only focus on the achievements of the family. It was an easy, quick read, but one that left me wanting more, or at least some semblance of the truth.
November 28, 2018
There's a sucker born every minute, and when it comes to the Kennedy family, that sucker is me. This isn't a bad book, it wafts over details of a much more interesting life than the author would have you believe. It's the sort of book a grandmother would write for her grandchildren: sunshine, flowers, and childhood perfection. I can't exactly fault it for that, and I wasn't really looking for salacious details, but a more completely picture would have been much more interesting.
October 26, 2016
really enjoyed the book!
November 11, 2016
This book could have been another 1,000 pages. Great book.
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