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Mrs. Kennedy: The Missing History of the Kennedy Years
New York Times bestselling author Barbara Leaming answers the question: What was it like to be Mrs. John F. Kennedy during the dramatic thousand days of the Kennedy presidency? Here for the first time is the full story of the extravagant interplay of sex and politics that constitutes one of modern history's most spectacular dramas.
Drawing from recently declassified top-secret material, as well as revelatory eyewitness accounts, Secret Service records, and Jacqueline Kennedy’s personal letters, bestselling biographer Barbara Leaming answers the question: what was it like to be Mrs. John F. Kennedy during the dramatic thousand days of the Kennedy presidency?
Brilliantly researched, Leaming’s poignant and powerful chronicle illuminates the tumultuous day-to-day life of a woman who entered the White House at age thirty-one, seven years into a complex and troubled marriage, and left at thirty-four after her husband's assassination. Revealing the full story of the interplay of sex and politics in Washington, Mrs. Kennedy will indelibly challenge our vision of this fascinating woman, and bring a new perspective to her crucial role in the Kennedy presidency.
Drawing from recently declassified top-secret material, as well as revelatory eyewitness accounts, Secret Service records, and Jacqueline Kennedy’s personal letters, bestselling biographer Barbara Leaming answers the question: what was it like to be Mrs. John F. Kennedy during the dramatic thousand days of the Kennedy presidency?
Brilliantly researched, Leaming’s poignant and powerful chronicle illuminates the tumultuous day-to-day life of a woman who entered the White House at age thirty-one, seven years into a complex and troubled marriage, and left at thirty-four after her husband's assassination. Revealing the full story of the interplay of sex and politics in Washington, Mrs. Kennedy will indelibly challenge our vision of this fascinating woman, and bring a new perspective to her crucial role in the Kennedy presidency.
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
146 people are currently reading
1293 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Leaming
28 books125 followersBarbara Leaming is the author of “Kick Kennedy: The Charmed Life and Tragic Death of the Favorite Kennedy Daughter” (Thomas Dunne Books, April 12, 2016). She has written three New York Times bestsellers, including her recent book “Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis”. Leaming’s book “Churchill Defiant” received The Emery Reves Award from the International Churchill Centre. Her groundbreaking biography of America's 35th President, “Jack Kennedy: The Education of a Statesman” was the first to detail the lifelong influence of British history and culture and especially of Winston Churchill on JFK. Her articles have appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, the Times of London and other periodicals. She lives in Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
January 10, 2024
3.5 Stars
Informative biography. The extent of JFK's infidelity was surprisingly worse than I had realized. However, I had hoped the focus would have been more on Jackie.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Barbara Learming, and Tantor Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
Informative biography. The extent of JFK's infidelity was surprisingly worse than I had realized. However, I had hoped the focus would have been more on Jackie.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Barbara Learming, and Tantor Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
March 18, 2022
Was it Camelot? Not for Jackie.
Barbara Leaming tracks Jackie’s White House years showing how she tried to overcome her poor self image (inculcated by her mother) by being a perfect First Lady. She carefully crafted diplomatic receptions and dinners, created cultural events and charmed world leaders to advance her husband's standing.
Her marriage was never a source of happiness or support. Being First Lady only added to its stress. As president, JFK continued his bold, determined and risky sex life. He would escort women from White House functions to Jackie’s bedroom, leaving her alone to host the guests. The women could be staff, wives of friends, government officials or general visitors. Time after time you see Jackie putting on a brave and dignified act.
She chastised him (sort of) only once about one of the relationships, otherwise she tolerated his affairs in silence. Was it due to her insecurity or perhaps her love for him or her hope that he would come to love her and put her first? Leaming does not explore the motivation. She shows how Jackie loves her husband, is not shown to consider leaving him, and continues to try to earn his love.
My takeaways, more about the Kennedy’s than about Jackie, are:
• The significance of Jack’s sister, Kick, and how her ties through marriage to Prime Minister Harold Macmillan were helpful for both Jack and Jackie.
• In relationships (even more so than the one night stands) JFK shows terrible judgment and/or significant indifference to risk: Inga Arvad may have been a Nazi spy. J. Edgar Hoover believed that Judith Campbell was planted in his life to spy for the mob. Mary Pinchot Meyer, whom he entertained at Jackie’s parties and in her living quarters planned to promote world peace by slipping LSD to world leaders. His liaison with Edith Rometsch, a Russian spy, may have come back to haunt him had he lived.
• Jackie’s love of France, its language and literature raised Kennedy’s international standing after the Bay of Pigs fiasco and spawned her lasting reputation for grace and charm.
• Kennedy knew that the Bay of Pigs and regime change in Vietnam were bad decisions not long after he made them. Was it really too late to reverse them or was this a sign that he knew he could not control his (supposed) staff?
• Jackie’s sister, Lee Radizwill, was a friend, and maybe a lover, of Aristotle Onassis
• White House life seems to be an endless cycle of receptions and dinner parties. I wonder how this constant swirl compares to today’s event schedules.
• Bobby is there at the right time and seems to be necessary for his brother and for Jackie.
• Brother in law Peter Lawford as well as the president’s staff bring women to the White House for drinks and swims (in the White House pool) with the President.
Relying on primary sources, Leaming documents the political events (Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis, James Meredith, Vietnam, nuclear weapons treaty) and coordinates them with what Jackie is doing a this time.
There is a lot of speculation about emotions and motives that are not documented or attributed to a source. For a work of non-fiction, some really stand out. A good example is the description of Jack’s feelings about calling Mary Meyer during Jackie's illness and grief following the death of Patrick who died in childbirth.
This puts the Kennedy administration in a whole new light. When you see Jack’s poor political and personal judgment, and Jackie’s perfection, you wonder if the simile of Camelot is based on her work in elevating him and his office.
This book is a must read for those interested in Jackie.
I'd be interested in the view of JFK scholars about their view of how Jack is portrayed, not just the personal side, but the political and risk taking blunders... of which the trip to Dallas, with the request that secret service detail not ride aside the limo as usual, is a fatal example.
Barbara Leaming tracks Jackie’s White House years showing how she tried to overcome her poor self image (inculcated by her mother) by being a perfect First Lady. She carefully crafted diplomatic receptions and dinners, created cultural events and charmed world leaders to advance her husband's standing.
Her marriage was never a source of happiness or support. Being First Lady only added to its stress. As president, JFK continued his bold, determined and risky sex life. He would escort women from White House functions to Jackie’s bedroom, leaving her alone to host the guests. The women could be staff, wives of friends, government officials or general visitors. Time after time you see Jackie putting on a brave and dignified act.
She chastised him (sort of) only once about one of the relationships, otherwise she tolerated his affairs in silence. Was it due to her insecurity or perhaps her love for him or her hope that he would come to love her and put her first? Leaming does not explore the motivation. She shows how Jackie loves her husband, is not shown to consider leaving him, and continues to try to earn his love.
My takeaways, more about the Kennedy’s than about Jackie, are:
• The significance of Jack’s sister, Kick, and how her ties through marriage to Prime Minister Harold Macmillan were helpful for both Jack and Jackie.
• In relationships (even more so than the one night stands) JFK shows terrible judgment and/or significant indifference to risk: Inga Arvad may have been a Nazi spy. J. Edgar Hoover believed that Judith Campbell was planted in his life to spy for the mob. Mary Pinchot Meyer, whom he entertained at Jackie’s parties and in her living quarters planned to promote world peace by slipping LSD to world leaders. His liaison with Edith Rometsch, a Russian spy, may have come back to haunt him had he lived.
• Jackie’s love of France, its language and literature raised Kennedy’s international standing after the Bay of Pigs fiasco and spawned her lasting reputation for grace and charm.
• Kennedy knew that the Bay of Pigs and regime change in Vietnam were bad decisions not long after he made them. Was it really too late to reverse them or was this a sign that he knew he could not control his (supposed) staff?
• Jackie’s sister, Lee Radizwill, was a friend, and maybe a lover, of Aristotle Onassis
• White House life seems to be an endless cycle of receptions and dinner parties. I wonder how this constant swirl compares to today’s event schedules.
• Bobby is there at the right time and seems to be necessary for his brother and for Jackie.
• Brother in law Peter Lawford as well as the president’s staff bring women to the White House for drinks and swims (in the White House pool) with the President.
Relying on primary sources, Leaming documents the political events (Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis, James Meredith, Vietnam, nuclear weapons treaty) and coordinates them with what Jackie is doing a this time.
There is a lot of speculation about emotions and motives that are not documented or attributed to a source. For a work of non-fiction, some really stand out. A good example is the description of Jack’s feelings about calling Mary Meyer during Jackie's illness and grief following the death of Patrick who died in childbirth.
This puts the Kennedy administration in a whole new light. When you see Jack’s poor political and personal judgment, and Jackie’s perfection, you wonder if the simile of Camelot is based on her work in elevating him and his office.
This book is a must read for those interested in Jackie.
I'd be interested in the view of JFK scholars about their view of how Jack is portrayed, not just the personal side, but the political and risk taking blunders... of which the trip to Dallas, with the request that secret service detail not ride aside the limo as usual, is a fatal example.
June 6, 2017
As most of you should know by now I'm completely obsessed with the Kennedy's. I try to read anything pertaining to them. I find them so fascinating and Jackie is the most fascinating. The more I read about her the more I come to respect her. JFK was a terrible husband and I have my own problems with his presidency. This is one of the few books that focuses solely on Jackie's years in the White House and how she changed the role of First Lady.
I highly recommend Mrs. Kennedy to not just people interested in the Kennedy's or politics but people who want to read about a complicated but loving(in its own way) marriage .At times you hate the late President and feel extreme pity for Jackie but I think you will end the book with a better understanding of their marriage.
Popsugar Reading Challenge: Book About an Interesting Woman.
I highly recommend Mrs. Kennedy to not just people interested in the Kennedy's or politics but people who want to read about a complicated but loving(in its own way) marriage .At times you hate the late President and feel extreme pity for Jackie but I think you will end the book with a better understanding of their marriage.
Popsugar Reading Challenge: Book About an Interesting Woman.
April 13, 2017
Upon immersing myself in "Mrs. Kennedy: The Missing History of the Kennedy Years", I felt as if I were an actual witness to a marriage between 2 remarkable people, whose lives together became bound up with the politics, culture, ethos, and destiny of a nation.
At the time of their marriage in September 1953, the husband, a freshman United States Senator with budding promise of reaching the White House, hailed from a rich, prestigious Irish-American family steeped in the Catholic faith. His wife, who came from a slightly less wealthier background, was a graduate from Vassar who had studied at the Sorbonne, possessed artistic and intellectual attainments, and shared certain, profound affinities with her husband, which the author makes plain in considerable detail as the story progresses.
I have had a deep-seated fascination with JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy for many years, and this book I found hard to break away from once I began reading it in earnest. Even if you have little interest in politics or history, the book's human interest element alone makes for compelling reading. It makes alive to the reader the sensibilities of an era --- the 1950s and early 1960s --- in such a way that one almost feels as if the past has become the present. This is a book that I could read again and again, without tiring of it, despite the horrific tragedy of Dallas and its aftermath in which Jacqueline Kennedy, now a widow, struggled to re-establish a meaningful life for herself and her children.
At the time of their marriage in September 1953, the husband, a freshman United States Senator with budding promise of reaching the White House, hailed from a rich, prestigious Irish-American family steeped in the Catholic faith. His wife, who came from a slightly less wealthier background, was a graduate from Vassar who had studied at the Sorbonne, possessed artistic and intellectual attainments, and shared certain, profound affinities with her husband, which the author makes plain in considerable detail as the story progresses.
I have had a deep-seated fascination with JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy for many years, and this book I found hard to break away from once I began reading it in earnest. Even if you have little interest in politics or history, the book's human interest element alone makes for compelling reading. It makes alive to the reader the sensibilities of an era --- the 1950s and early 1960s --- in such a way that one almost feels as if the past has become the present. This is a book that I could read again and again, without tiring of it, despite the horrific tragedy of Dallas and its aftermath in which Jacqueline Kennedy, now a widow, struggled to re-establish a meaningful life for herself and her children.
Read
July 27, 2009After reading a Doris Kearns Goodwin Kennedy book, this one seemed like reading a gossip magazine. The author of this book jumps as conclusions and calls them facts, for example she said JFK chose Jackie because she reminded him of Kit, Katherine Kennedy, his sister who passed away. She attempted to prove this point through vague similiarities between the two women, when they weren't that similiar at all. That is one example of why Miss Leaming just wasn't a trustworthy storyteller. I did like it for some things that she mentioned, what an artist Jackie was at being a graceful hostess, how cultured and intelligent she was, how her knowledge of French art and history charmed Degaulle and how her abilitity to speak other languages engaged one nation after another. How, sadly, she had little time to put her self together in the air force one lavatory before she witnessed the swearing in of LBJ, that was so sad!!! Looking at a picture of that you
can see she is wearing the same outfit she was in the convertable earlier in the day, how horrible that must have been.
I don't know how true it is that JFK blatantly and serially cheated on his wife, during parties at the white house, but that is almost too ugly to believe, so I dismiss it. I do believe he was unfaithful of course but I think it is wrong that Miss Leaming wrote as if she knew what Jackie was thinking day to day from reading the secret service logs of the first families comings and goings.
I don't regret reading this but I think if you choose to, take everything in this book with a grain of salt.
can see she is wearing the same outfit she was in the convertable earlier in the day, how horrible that must have been.
I don't know how true it is that JFK blatantly and serially cheated on his wife, during parties at the white house, but that is almost too ugly to believe, so I dismiss it. I do believe he was unfaithful of course but I think it is wrong that Miss Leaming wrote as if she knew what Jackie was thinking day to day from reading the secret service logs of the first families comings and goings.
I don't regret reading this but I think if you choose to, take everything in this book with a grain of salt.
June 11, 2018
I loved the Kennedys and have always been saddened on how life treated them. How do I explain my disappointment in reading this. In the first 70 pages, the author really shows no compassion for Jackie's mental weaknesses. Is this a writing of 'gossip' or one of facts? I continue to browse through the rest of this book picking out sections historically significant. Then I get to the part on Jack's assassination, oh my, it was a bit too graphic for me albeit well done. As I love the presidential historical biographer Doris Kearns Goodwin, I think I may stick to her books.
June 2, 2024
I have lived through this time period and remember where I was when Kennedy was shot. Jacqueline Kennedy was always quite a shrouded mystery to the American public. I appreciated this author’s ability to unveil Jackie’s persona in this intimate biography. I enjoyed the description of Jack and Jackie’s personal roles in presenting a united front as ambassadors to the world.
I knew some about John F. Kennedy’s extramarital affairs but this book dimmed the aura surrounding him. In the details of his insensitivity to Jackie and his abominable lack of morals I lost my admiration for him.
As a student of history I found interesting the coverage this book gives historical events such as the Bay of Pigs incident in Cuba and the deepening part the U.S. was beginning to play in Vietnam.
This book is well worth your time if you want to know more about Jackie and the Kennedy years in the White House. The author writes a very informed book, unrolling events in an entertaining manner.
I knew some about John F. Kennedy’s extramarital affairs but this book dimmed the aura surrounding him. In the details of his insensitivity to Jackie and his abominable lack of morals I lost my admiration for him.
As a student of history I found interesting the coverage this book gives historical events such as the Bay of Pigs incident in Cuba and the deepening part the U.S. was beginning to play in Vietnam.
This book is well worth your time if you want to know more about Jackie and the Kennedy years in the White House. The author writes a very informed book, unrolling events in an entertaining manner.
October 8, 2008
One of my first in a long line of biographies I've read on Jackie. This one was written in a way that I truly felt as if I were shadowing her through her life and saw what it must have been like to be her. I knew very little of Jackie before reading this book and afterwards was only more intrigued. I enjoyed learning that Jackie did seem to play a large part in her husband's ideals. To an extent, he learned a great deal from her and respected her, though he wasn't faithful. Go figure.
Either way, I own the book and will probably read it again to refresh my memory about an intriguing woman of history.
Either way, I own the book and will probably read it again to refresh my memory about an intriguing woman of history.
January 13, 2024
This was not my favorite book about Jackie Kennedy. The author portrayed her as weak and insecure. It focused on the scandals of JFK’s infidelity, making it read like a gossip magazine. The author made assumptions that most of Jackie’s life decisions were centered around her wanting to do the opposite of what her mother wanted, making Jackie seem spiteful. I felt the author was putting a lot of her own thoughts & negative feelings into the biography instead of keeping it factual. Of all the things I’ve read about Jackie Kennedy, this book gives a very different interpretation of her character.
If you haven’t been introduced to Jackie Kennedy by reading other biographies, I would not recommend starting with this book. If you have read about her before, read this to get a different perspective from another author’s interpretation.
Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for the advanced release copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Audiobook releases on Jan 16, 2024.
If you haven’t been introduced to Jackie Kennedy by reading other biographies, I would not recommend starting with this book. If you have read about her before, read this to get a different perspective from another author’s interpretation.
Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for the advanced release copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Audiobook releases on Jan 16, 2024.
May 31, 2011
Not exactly groundbreaking stuff, but a biography thoroughly informed by very personal memories of Jackie from those who knew and loved her best. She was a physically and emotionally fragile woman who was very good at doing what the country needed her to do. She made the choices that seemed right at the time. The book's concise and unvarnished epilogue was something of a revelation to me, as was an assertion early in the book that explained the relationship between Jack and Jackie more than any dry history book ever could. I am not a First Ladies devotee, but for anyone who is, I would recommend giving this a read.
June 21, 2011
Intriguing, for a historical novel, it made a great beach read. I enjoyed learning about the JFK years through Barbara Leaming's unique perspective of placing Jackie as the protagonist. It really did add some color to the image I had previously understood.
February 25, 2011
“To many Americans who had seen dozens of pictures of her during the campaign, a glimpse of the hair, sunglasses, gloves would have been enough to identify her as ‘Jackie.’ To people who knew little else abut her, that was who she was. In fact, like so much in her life, the aim of her signature style was concealment. A chemical straightener disguised the naturally kinky hair she hated. The teased bouffant masked a low hairline. Kid gloves covered large, strong, mannish hands that an early boyfriend likened to those of a peasant. The cut of her suit jacket artfully concealed the breadth of her shoulders, and her muscular back and arms. The skirt disguised hips she thought much too broad. The shoes were specially cut to make large feet look smaller and more feminine. Sunglasses hid brown eyes set so far apart that her optician had to special-order a suitably wide bridge. Dark lenses had the additional advantage of guarding emotions that since childhood she had taken tremendous pains to hide.”
Barbara Leaming’s book about Jackie Kennedy during the White House years was dead on the kind of book I was looking for. When I read books about First Ladies, I am really searching for their role and their lives in the context of the Presidency. A couple of the books left out important events altogether. Leaming seems to understand that highlights of any Presidency include roles played by the First Lady as well as an effect on her.
Case in point: Bay of Pigs. Following his first major blunder on the world stage, Kennedy desperately needed to appear credible, strong and respected. Jackie understood how to set that backdrop in her decor, choice of venue, style of dinner party and the guests. She also had a flair for enchanting world leaders that her husband needed to impress.
John F. Kennedy’s Presidency took a huge toll on Jackie. Being the wife of a president is a taxing burden on any first lady, but for Jackie Kennedy it was especially difficult. First, she needed to balance being a mother of two young children. She was fierce in protecting them from the press. Second, she was a private person when she came into the first lady role. It was stressing for her to receive so much attention and be required to put herself on a stage. Third, her husband was a philanderer. He didn’t just have a few quiet affairs, no, he brought his mistresses to the White House and flaunted them in front of her. Fourth, all that stress brought on the loss of three children – one to miscarriage and two stillborn. That poor woman, it’s amazing she didn’t have a nervous breakdown. At least, not that we know of.
Leaming’s details of the Kennedy assassination were gripping. Apparently she got those details from several records, including a very detailed Secret Serviceman’s report. The only fault I could find was that she often told the reader was Jackie was thinking at a particular point in time. I kept wondering, isn’t that conjecture? Leaming also went a bit far in determining why Jackie stayed in her marriage. I thought it too simplistic.
All in all, I thought it was a very good book and a good insight into Jackie Kennedy and her marriage to JFK.
Barbara Leaming’s book about Jackie Kennedy during the White House years was dead on the kind of book I was looking for. When I read books about First Ladies, I am really searching for their role and their lives in the context of the Presidency. A couple of the books left out important events altogether. Leaming seems to understand that highlights of any Presidency include roles played by the First Lady as well as an effect on her.
Case in point: Bay of Pigs. Following his first major blunder on the world stage, Kennedy desperately needed to appear credible, strong and respected. Jackie understood how to set that backdrop in her decor, choice of venue, style of dinner party and the guests. She also had a flair for enchanting world leaders that her husband needed to impress.
John F. Kennedy’s Presidency took a huge toll on Jackie. Being the wife of a president is a taxing burden on any first lady, but for Jackie Kennedy it was especially difficult. First, she needed to balance being a mother of two young children. She was fierce in protecting them from the press. Second, she was a private person when she came into the first lady role. It was stressing for her to receive so much attention and be required to put herself on a stage. Third, her husband was a philanderer. He didn’t just have a few quiet affairs, no, he brought his mistresses to the White House and flaunted them in front of her. Fourth, all that stress brought on the loss of three children – one to miscarriage and two stillborn. That poor woman, it’s amazing she didn’t have a nervous breakdown. At least, not that we know of.
Leaming’s details of the Kennedy assassination were gripping. Apparently she got those details from several records, including a very detailed Secret Serviceman’s report. The only fault I could find was that she often told the reader was Jackie was thinking at a particular point in time. I kept wondering, isn’t that conjecture? Leaming also went a bit far in determining why Jackie stayed in her marriage. I thought it too simplistic.
All in all, I thought it was a very good book and a good insight into Jackie Kennedy and her marriage to JFK.
April 14, 2010
I got this book to learn more about Jackie and her feelings about her husband cheating on her with numerous women. In the beginning, the book was depressing because I didn't know how bad the cheating really was. It made me think about my relationships in the past. Later in the book, the focus is no longer on Jackie but her husband.
There was much more on President Kennedy, his infidelities, and too much on the problems that arose during his presidency. This book is titled Mrs. Kennedy, but there was so much missing about her. I was hoping to read more about her as a person, wife, mother, and first lady. I must admit, I became rather bored with the constant accounts of Mr. Kennedy's sexual addiction and his liaisons, and Mrs. Kennedy's method of distancing herself from them. Too much like a bad soap opera.
There was much more on President Kennedy, his infidelities, and too much on the problems that arose during his presidency. This book is titled Mrs. Kennedy, but there was so much missing about her. I was hoping to read more about her as a person, wife, mother, and first lady. I must admit, I became rather bored with the constant accounts of Mr. Kennedy's sexual addiction and his liaisons, and Mrs. Kennedy's method of distancing herself from them. Too much like a bad soap opera.
September 20, 2011
Generally, I'm not a person who reads a lot of biographies or autobiographies but interested in Mrs. Kennedy's life after watching the HBO mini series The Kennedys I decided to pick up this book. I was not at all disappointed. This book reads like a novel! Lots of drama spelled out well without a lot of unnecessary details of events that did not hold much meaning. I was very impressed by this book.
Although, I was appalled and shocked at some of the major affairs, riskiness and unobliterated true brazen and carelessness the president showed towards his wife. What an ass! Seemed almost as if he started to try to turn things around at the end, but alas, his death got in the way.
This was a great read and I intend to pick up another autobiography similar perhaps to just get a different perspective.
Although, I was appalled and shocked at some of the major affairs, riskiness and unobliterated true brazen and carelessness the president showed towards his wife. What an ass! Seemed almost as if he started to try to turn things around at the end, but alas, his death got in the way.
This was a great read and I intend to pick up another autobiography similar perhaps to just get a different perspective.
November 30, 2009
Wow! Jackie Kennedy had an incredibly harrowing life as a first lady! This biography exposed details of the Kennedy marriage that I was definitely not aware existed. This gave me a whole new perspective on the pressures of being such a public figure in the midst of difficult personal situations. I think that in some ways this book was a longer and more sophisticated version of an E! news report on the Kennedy's relationship and in other ways is interesting to understanding the dynamics such an influential couple. This was not the most well-written book, I think I enjoyed it more for the information than the way it was compiled. There were some typos and it wasn't always written in a very tactful way which made me feel like I was reading dirty gossip.
June 11, 2017
Filled with hyperbole and though extensively researched, the research is a mile wide and an inch deep. The direct support for many hypotheses regarding acts and motivations of the principals is thin at best and often based on the same one or two interviewees, particularly in regard to the more personal aspects of this story.
July 23, 2018
My "I did not know" revelation of Jackie O! Wow, more deep sorrow and pain felt for her after... good details in this one!
May 22, 2024
〝to many americans who had seen dozens of pictures of her during the campaign, a glimpse of the hair, sunglasses, gloves would have been enough to identify her as 'jackie'. to people who knew little else about her, that was who she was.〞
★★★.5
thank you to tantor audio and netgalley for providing me with this audiobook arc.
drawing from recently declassified top-secret material, as well as revelatory eyewitness accounts, secret service records, and jacqueline kennedy’s personal letters, bestselling biographer leaming answers the question: what was it like to be mrs. john f. kennedy during the dramatic thousand days of the kennedy presidency? leaming’s poignant and powerful chronicle illuminates the tumultuous day-to-day life of a woman who entered the white house at age thirty-one, seven years into a complex and troubled marriage, and left at thirty-four after her husband's assassination. revealing the full story of the interplay of sex and politics in washington, this book will indelibly challenge our vision of this fascinating woman, and bring a new perspective to her crucial role in the kennedy presidency.
I knew basically nothing about the kennedy's before going into this book so I found all of this immensely interesting. for a nonfiction, it was very accessible and it brought a lot of facts to light that I had no idea about. if I had read it I probably would've liked it a lot more but the audiobook was sadly lacking. the narrator was a bit too monotonous and slow even when the story itself was at it's climax. the sound level was also a bit shaky and the narrator also sounded hoarse a lot of the time. it even got so bad at times that it was hard to listen to.
if you know nothing about the kennedy's; this is a great start. I can't judge how "groundbreaking" or how much new information this includes but it was really interesting and painted the whole situation in a new light different from the minimal knowledge I had previously and the reputation they had. I would however not recommend the audiobook.
ig: @winterrainreads
★★★.5
thank you to tantor audio and netgalley for providing me with this audiobook arc.
drawing from recently declassified top-secret material, as well as revelatory eyewitness accounts, secret service records, and jacqueline kennedy’s personal letters, bestselling biographer leaming answers the question: what was it like to be mrs. john f. kennedy during the dramatic thousand days of the kennedy presidency? leaming’s poignant and powerful chronicle illuminates the tumultuous day-to-day life of a woman who entered the white house at age thirty-one, seven years into a complex and troubled marriage, and left at thirty-four after her husband's assassination. revealing the full story of the interplay of sex and politics in washington, this book will indelibly challenge our vision of this fascinating woman, and bring a new perspective to her crucial role in the kennedy presidency.
I knew basically nothing about the kennedy's before going into this book so I found all of this immensely interesting. for a nonfiction, it was very accessible and it brought a lot of facts to light that I had no idea about. if I had read it I probably would've liked it a lot more but the audiobook was sadly lacking. the narrator was a bit too monotonous and slow even when the story itself was at it's climax. the sound level was also a bit shaky and the narrator also sounded hoarse a lot of the time. it even got so bad at times that it was hard to listen to.
if you know nothing about the kennedy's; this is a great start. I can't judge how "groundbreaking" or how much new information this includes but it was really interesting and painted the whole situation in a new light different from the minimal knowledge I had previously and the reputation they had. I would however not recommend the audiobook.
ig: @winterrainreads
April 11, 2011
This was a completely different book from the other factual books I've read about JFK. This one is written from the POV of Jackie's life in the White House and you can't help but be horrified by the dreadful way that her husband treated her. I knew he was unfaithful but this book was shocking in showing how many women he cheated on her with-prostitutes, friends, several long term affairs at the same time, almost every female staff member, campaign workers and of course the infamous fling with Marilyn Monroe. Jackie's humiliation is made worse by everyone else at the White House knowing exactly what her husband is doing.
Another shocking thing about this book is the amount of illegal drugs that Jack and Jackie were taking to cope with their physical and mental pains. Having the President high on speed while running the country and meeting other leaders was really frightening and you can see how it affected his decision making.
The book has a good mixture of the major political events in this Presidency-Vietnam, Civil Rights, Bay of Pigs, Cuban missile crisis, mixed in with the Kennedy family's own tragedies and the miserable personal life of Jackie. It is a must read for anyone who is interested in the Kennedy family. The book is written using interviews with the friends of the family and Secret Service agents who witnessed the events, and written records/personal letters. And a lot of this book forms the basis for the current mini-series on the History Channel.
Another shocking thing about this book is the amount of illegal drugs that Jack and Jackie were taking to cope with their physical and mental pains. Having the President high on speed while running the country and meeting other leaders was really frightening and you can see how it affected his decision making.
The book has a good mixture of the major political events in this Presidency-Vietnam, Civil Rights, Bay of Pigs, Cuban missile crisis, mixed in with the Kennedy family's own tragedies and the miserable personal life of Jackie. It is a must read for anyone who is interested in the Kennedy family. The book is written using interviews with the friends of the family and Secret Service agents who witnessed the events, and written records/personal letters. And a lot of this book forms the basis for the current mini-series on the History Channel.
June 18, 2009
I have recommended this book to a number of people and they all have loved it as much as I did. It is a great blend of personal story and political history. Some of the details are almost unbelievable. If JFK had been president in current times, he would not have been able to get away with almost any of the behavior from his personal life -- both while on the campaign trail and especially while in office. Also, there is such a mystique about the Kennedys and the Kennedy presidency. If he had lived, I'm not sure that would have been sustainable. His personal choices were a powder keg waiting to happen.
January 18, 2011
Fascinating detail about Jackie Kennedy's life during the White House years. Overall, it's impressive how someone so famous managed to remain so private. And it's clear why she wanted it that way. Many aspects of her life are just so heartbreaking... even beyond the trauma of seeing her husband killed. I think a lot of this book shows just how hard she worked, and how smart she was, and how often she was taken for granted.
January 10, 2017
It would be a good idea to read this before seeing the movie "Jackie" as it explains how adept she was at creating the "image" of a great president. GOOD pictures of all the key players and of the houses/boats would have been very helpful. I would also like to read the book by Clint Hill who was her body guard.
April 8, 2015
What can I say, I'm a fan of everything Jackie.
April 15, 2015
different view of the Kennedy presidency. was interesting....read at thousand trails in orlando/clermont florida
August 25, 2016
Interesting, but way too much detail about politics. Much more detail about JFK's frolics than I've ever seen elsewhere. Jackie put up with a LOT of frolicking. I still admire her greatly.
November 24, 2016
A compelling book meticulously researched. The complex partnership/ marriage of the Kennedys makes for riveting reading.
March 17, 2024
In this 2001 biography of Jackie Kennedy, Barbara Leaming asserts that she is revealing an untold aspect of Jackie's story—one that emphasizes the critical role she purportedly played in the Kennedy presidency. The book has likely gained renewed attention due to a 2024 audiobook adaptation, for which I received an ARC from Tantor Audio for review.
Elizabeth Wiley narrates with the poise of a traditional newscaster, which lends the book an air of prestigious journalism. However, this impression is misleading, as the book leans more toward celebrity gossip than serious journalism. As someone who enjoys audiobooks, I appreciate the adaptation of older works, but this particular book might be better left in the past.
Now nearly a quarter-century old, the book's dated misogynistic perspective when portraying its main subject is somewhat understandable, but it doesn't excuse Leaming's near-omniscient insights into the characters' minds. The book appears well-researched, yet it often suggests a depth of knowledge that seems impossible without direct conversations with the subjects.
The book becomes engaging when it ascribes clear motivations and feelings to its characters. Were it a biographical film, creative liberties would be expected and perhaps enjoyable. But higher standards must apply to nonfiction to avoid the risk of spreading misinformation. Leaming's book is riddled with speculation and gossip, with historical facts relegated to the background, used merely as a stage for promoting her thesis of marital affairs and emotional turmoil. This approach claims to be necessary for telling Jackie's story, yet it comes off as patronizing rather than empathetic.
Leaming focuses on how John's infidelity affected Jackie, effectively making John the defining feature of her existence. The narrative feigns kindness toward Jackie, but beneath this façade lies a demeaning attitude. Jackie is reduced to the role of John's wife and mother, with her most significant achievements seemingly limited to maintaining composure under stress—a viewpoint that mirrors the outdated societal attitudes of the 1960s rather than providing a fresh perspective on her role as First Lady and beyond.
The book is narrowly concerned with a specific portrayal of Jackie's life. The final hour (of the audiobook) covers JFK's assassination, his funeral, and her remarriage before passing away in her 60s. Occasionally, Leaming touches on societal sexist standards, but only in the most evident scenarios. Despite its dated perspective, the book could have been given some leeway if it contained substance. Yet any substantive content is overshadowed by speculation, blurring the line between evidence and narrative fabrication.
Ultimately, the book is best forgotten, and I would recommend exploring other biographies. If none exist, new ones should be written. Examples of exemplary journalism on the overlooked roles of First Ladies include Susan Page's "The Matriarch" on Barbara Bush, which candidly examines Bush's complex stance on feminism while respecting her contributions, and "Lady Bird Johnson" by Julia Sweig, which, despite not resonating as strongly with me, still stands as a well crafted biography.
Elizabeth Wiley narrates with the poise of a traditional newscaster, which lends the book an air of prestigious journalism. However, this impression is misleading, as the book leans more toward celebrity gossip than serious journalism. As someone who enjoys audiobooks, I appreciate the adaptation of older works, but this particular book might be better left in the past.
Now nearly a quarter-century old, the book's dated misogynistic perspective when portraying its main subject is somewhat understandable, but it doesn't excuse Leaming's near-omniscient insights into the characters' minds. The book appears well-researched, yet it often suggests a depth of knowledge that seems impossible without direct conversations with the subjects.
The book becomes engaging when it ascribes clear motivations and feelings to its characters. Were it a biographical film, creative liberties would be expected and perhaps enjoyable. But higher standards must apply to nonfiction to avoid the risk of spreading misinformation. Leaming's book is riddled with speculation and gossip, with historical facts relegated to the background, used merely as a stage for promoting her thesis of marital affairs and emotional turmoil. This approach claims to be necessary for telling Jackie's story, yet it comes off as patronizing rather than empathetic.
Leaming focuses on how John's infidelity affected Jackie, effectively making John the defining feature of her existence. The narrative feigns kindness toward Jackie, but beneath this façade lies a demeaning attitude. Jackie is reduced to the role of John's wife and mother, with her most significant achievements seemingly limited to maintaining composure under stress—a viewpoint that mirrors the outdated societal attitudes of the 1960s rather than providing a fresh perspective on her role as First Lady and beyond.
The book is narrowly concerned with a specific portrayal of Jackie's life. The final hour (of the audiobook) covers JFK's assassination, his funeral, and her remarriage before passing away in her 60s. Occasionally, Leaming touches on societal sexist standards, but only in the most evident scenarios. Despite its dated perspective, the book could have been given some leeway if it contained substance. Yet any substantive content is overshadowed by speculation, blurring the line between evidence and narrative fabrication.
Ultimately, the book is best forgotten, and I would recommend exploring other biographies. If none exist, new ones should be written. Examples of exemplary journalism on the overlooked roles of First Ladies include Susan Page's "The Matriarch" on Barbara Bush, which candidly examines Bush's complex stance on feminism while respecting her contributions, and "Lady Bird Johnson" by Julia Sweig, which, despite not resonating as strongly with me, still stands as a well crafted biography.
April 30, 2018
I wanted to know more about Jackie Kennedy and although there were bits and pieces I found interesting overall I thought the book was poorly written and poorly edited. It seemed as though the author had spent a lot of time researching Jack and Jackie’s movements in the White House according to recently declassified documents and based her book on assumptions made as a result of the research. I shouldn’t have been surprised that this book wasn’t going to help me get to know Jackie because she was a very private person. Instead I found myself annoyed that the author spent so much time mentioning JFK’s adulterous behavior especially with Mary Meyer and speculating on the impact that would have had on Jackie. I was surprised to learn about Dr. “Feel Good” giving the president and his wife drugs that are now illegal and I’m curious if Jackie had drug dependencies later in life. Here’s an example of the poor editing that I found irritating: on page 213 the author writes that “ Jackie’s Secret Service detail had learned to watch for the telltale widening of her eyes when she felt her space being threatened. Such was the case tonight…” and then just a few pages later that tidbit is used again about her eyes widening. One of the passages I found interesting was the description of her time in Paris. I was reading this at the same time that Melania Trump was preparing to receive the French president and his wife and I thought the parallels were interesting in terms of the public warming to the First Ladies in these cases. I finished reading (well, I skimmed over a lot of the political or historical parts) but I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone else. I feel like I wasted my time with this book.
January 22, 2024
This biography focuses on Jackie Kennedy’s life during the thousand days of JFK’s presidency. So many books and biographies have been written over the decades about Jackie, JFK and the other Kennedys so it becomes a rare thing to learn something new about this American family and I found this book to be refreshing in this respect. I wasn’t aware that JFK wasn’t that well respected by some of the world’s foreign leaders and that it was Jackie that charmed these prime ministers and presidents and helped facilitate better relations between the USA and some European and Asian countries. I also wasn’t aware that due to her diplomacy and statesmanship that after Jack’s death she was offered an ambassadorship to any country that she wished – France was offered because it was well known that Jackie loved all things French but she wanted a life away from politics and decided not to pursue that route. It is really unfortunate that when you think of Jackie and JFK, one of the first things that comes to mind is his infidelity which was described in great detail in this book. It was almost hard to wrap my head around because it went beyond being unfaithful – there were so many women that it had turned into an obsession and addiction. If JFK hadn’t been assassinated, it would have been interesting to see if Jackie would have eventually left him as each liaison that she learned about had devastated her. I listened to the audio version of this book read by Elizabeth Wiley and is now available for purchase. I gave this 4/5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tantor Audio for a review copy of this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tantor Audio for a review copy of this book.
July 19, 2025
I liked listening to this book, and learned more than I wanted to know about the Kennedy family. The explanations the author proposes to explain the behavior of Jack and Jackie separately and as a couple are too simplistic. Human behavior has more than one causative factor. Jack Kennedy was on the verge of dying more than once. He had a disease that was complex and debilitating, which was the greatest threat to his life and his biggest secret. Both Jack and his wife were the products of upper class mores, with parents who were both under-involved and selfish. Jack worshipped his nasty father, and hated his cold mother. Jackie's father was a reprobate; her mother a cold fish who criticized Jackie for her appearance. How to grow up straight and strong when parented by the likes of Rose and Joe Kennedy and Janet Auchincloss? And yet, the author argues that there was good Jack Kennedy in spite of his repeated errors of judgment in private and public life. In this telling, Jackie was the brains of the outfit, the girl who tried to please until she collapsed from the effort. Jack the selfish bastard who refused to give her the support she desperately needed.
I think this may come closer to the truth of the matter than the bios that deify both husband and wife, but I'm still slightly uneasy about how the author came to her conclusions.
I think this may come closer to the truth of the matter than the bios that deify both husband and wife, but I'm still slightly uneasy about how the author came to her conclusions.
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