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All Too Human: The Love Story of Jack and Jackie Kennedy
Of all the great love stories that have had an impact on our times - Eleanor and Franklin, Winston and Clementine, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor - none has remained as shrouded in secrecy and misunderstanding as that of John and Jacqueline Kennedy. Here, for the first time, their story is told the way it was always meant to be told - with such depth and amazing detail that it sheds a whole new light on the relationship at the heart of Camelot.
For many years, Edward Klein, the former editor in chief of The New York Times Magazine, was a friend of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Drawing on his personal knowledge, major research libraries, private documents and correspondence, FBI files, and more than three hundred interviews, 'All Too Human' is an original and unprecedented work on the Kennedys - a book replete with fresh facts and information, as well as a dramatically new interpretation of the Kennedy marriage.
For many years, Edward Klein, the former editor in chief of The New York Times Magazine, was a friend of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Drawing on his personal knowledge, major research libraries, private documents and correspondence, FBI files, and more than three hundred interviews, 'All Too Human' is an original and unprecedented work on the Kennedys - a book replete with fresh facts and information, as well as a dramatically new interpretation of the Kennedy marriage.
403 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1996
12 people are currently reading
1089 people want to read
About the author
Edward Klein
35 books59 followersEdward J. Klein (born 1937) is an American author, tabloid writer and gossip columnist who is a former foreign editor of Newsweek, and former editor-in-chief of The New York Times Magazine (1977-1987). He has written about the Kennedys, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and Donald Trump.
Klein is the former foreign editor of Newsweek and served as the editor-in-chief of The New York Times Magazine from 1977 to 1987. He frequently contributes to Vanity Fair and Parade and writes a weekly celebrity gossip column in Parade called "Personality Parade" under the pseudonym "Walter Scott." (The Walter Scott pseudonym had originally been used by Lloyd Shearer, who wrote the column from 1958 to 1991.[3]) He also writes books, many of which have been on the New York Times Bestseller list.
Edward Klein
Klein is the former foreign editor of Newsweek and served as the editor-in-chief of The New York Times Magazine from 1977 to 1987. He frequently contributes to Vanity Fair and Parade and writes a weekly celebrity gossip column in Parade called "Personality Parade" under the pseudonym "Walter Scott." (The Walter Scott pseudonym had originally been used by Lloyd Shearer, who wrote the column from 1958 to 1991.[3]) He also writes books, many of which have been on the New York Times Bestseller list.
Edward Klein
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
April 19, 2021
THOUGHTS ON THE SUBJECT MATTER
Theirs was many things, least of all a love story.
In the early 1950s, John F. Kennedy (Jack to those who knew him) was a bachelor pressured by his father to find a respectable wife and form a family that would present a wholesome image to his constituents. Love was never his goal; it was the Presidency of the United States. His father, Joseph Kennedy, was ambitious, ruthless, domineering, and amoral, a man who had countless women but did not respect them as human beings. Jack learned his ways from him and expected his future wife to turn a blind eye as his mother, Rose, did with his father.
The pattern of dysfunction in Jacqueline Bouvier’s early life was eerily similar to Jack Kennedy’s; her father, John Vernou Bouvier III (nicknamed Black Jack), was also a man who viewed women as objects and cheated compulsively on his wife, Janet. Unlike Joe Kennedy, however, he was careless with money, which prompted his wife to become obsessed with it. She taught her children that wealth and social position were everything in life. Jackie was inexplicably fond of her father and went on to fall for men who reminded her of him. When things between Jack and Jackie became serious, he told the truth about his exploits, but Jackie thought she could handle it and dismissed a friend’s concerns by saying that all men were like that.
When they married on September 12, 1953, she was in love with him and he appreciated her. Jackie tried to be the political wife he needed and was with him in times of trouble, such as his almost fatal back operation in 1954. He didn’t reciprocate that devotion. No matter what anybody says, I don’t think Jack was capable of romantic love. If he had, he wouldn’t have put his wife through the pain of constant unfaithfulness. And he would have been beside her when she had a stillborn baby girl in 1956, instead of remaining in a floating brothel off the coast of France with his friends. Basic human decency should have compelled him to return to the States then, but it was the warning that he would never become president if he didn’t.
The loss of their baby son Patrick in August 1963 brought them closer than they had ever been, as Jack finally allowed himself to be vulnerable with Jackie. He also tempered his affairs, but they never stopped. I think that even if he had lived past 1963, she would have never been completely happy because they would loom over them like a shadow, as they had for the previous ten years.
Death prevented it. When those shots were fired in Dallas, John F. Kennedy was enshrined in the eyes of the world, and perhaps in Jackie’s heart as well. The assassination dulled any adverse feelings she might have harboured towards him, with depression and PTSD taking precedence. Out of love for him, she orchestrated his funeral to be like that of a fallen hero - Abraham Lincoln, with whom he had had little in common. She likened his presidency to the mythical Camelot. In death, Jack could finally be the man she wanted him to be.
THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK ITSELF
The structure in vignettes irritated me because there was no cohesion; it was more like a scrapbook clumsily put together. Still, I appreciated the novelistic writing style, which closes the distance between the reader and the subject.
In terms of accuracy, Edward Klein presents as facts things that are impossible to know for certain, like Jackie losing her virginity with John Marquand Jr. in a Parisian elevator. Such details discredit the book as mere gossip and add nothing to the main story. Besides those questionable moments, there are some valuable quotes and insights from people who knew the Kennedys personally.
I noticed, however, that there were pieces missing from this account, namely Jack and Jackie’s relationship with their children, Caroline and John. Motherhood seems to have been the cornerstone of her life, the only thing that got her through difficult times. After Jack’s murder, she confessed she would have attempted suicide if not for the children.
Perhaps the most glaring absence is her role during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Jackie refused to leave her husband’s side at a moment when nuclear war seemed imminent. The Deb, as her sisters-in-law mockingly called her, with her soft, breathy voice, showed more courage in the face of armageddon than most people. I wanted to know more about this Jackie. I guess I’ll have to find her somewhere else.
Theirs was many things, least of all a love story.
In the early 1950s, John F. Kennedy (Jack to those who knew him) was a bachelor pressured by his father to find a respectable wife and form a family that would present a wholesome image to his constituents. Love was never his goal; it was the Presidency of the United States. His father, Joseph Kennedy, was ambitious, ruthless, domineering, and amoral, a man who had countless women but did not respect them as human beings. Jack learned his ways from him and expected his future wife to turn a blind eye as his mother, Rose, did with his father.
The pattern of dysfunction in Jacqueline Bouvier’s early life was eerily similar to Jack Kennedy’s; her father, John Vernou Bouvier III (nicknamed Black Jack), was also a man who viewed women as objects and cheated compulsively on his wife, Janet. Unlike Joe Kennedy, however, he was careless with money, which prompted his wife to become obsessed with it. She taught her children that wealth and social position were everything in life. Jackie was inexplicably fond of her father and went on to fall for men who reminded her of him. When things between Jack and Jackie became serious, he told the truth about his exploits, but Jackie thought she could handle it and dismissed a friend’s concerns by saying that all men were like that.
When they married on September 12, 1953, she was in love with him and he appreciated her. Jackie tried to be the political wife he needed and was with him in times of trouble, such as his almost fatal back operation in 1954. He didn’t reciprocate that devotion. No matter what anybody says, I don’t think Jack was capable of romantic love. If he had, he wouldn’t have put his wife through the pain of constant unfaithfulness. And he would have been beside her when she had a stillborn baby girl in 1956, instead of remaining in a floating brothel off the coast of France with his friends. Basic human decency should have compelled him to return to the States then, but it was the warning that he would never become president if he didn’t.
The loss of their baby son Patrick in August 1963 brought them closer than they had ever been, as Jack finally allowed himself to be vulnerable with Jackie. He also tempered his affairs, but they never stopped. I think that even if he had lived past 1963, she would have never been completely happy because they would loom over them like a shadow, as they had for the previous ten years.
Death prevented it. When those shots were fired in Dallas, John F. Kennedy was enshrined in the eyes of the world, and perhaps in Jackie’s heart as well. The assassination dulled any adverse feelings she might have harboured towards him, with depression and PTSD taking precedence. Out of love for him, she orchestrated his funeral to be like that of a fallen hero - Abraham Lincoln, with whom he had had little in common. She likened his presidency to the mythical Camelot. In death, Jack could finally be the man she wanted him to be.
THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK ITSELF
The structure in vignettes irritated me because there was no cohesion; it was more like a scrapbook clumsily put together. Still, I appreciated the novelistic writing style, which closes the distance between the reader and the subject.
In terms of accuracy, Edward Klein presents as facts things that are impossible to know for certain, like Jackie losing her virginity with John Marquand Jr. in a Parisian elevator. Such details discredit the book as mere gossip and add nothing to the main story. Besides those questionable moments, there are some valuable quotes and insights from people who knew the Kennedys personally.
I noticed, however, that there were pieces missing from this account, namely Jack and Jackie’s relationship with their children, Caroline and John. Motherhood seems to have been the cornerstone of her life, the only thing that got her through difficult times. After Jack’s murder, she confessed she would have attempted suicide if not for the children.
Perhaps the most glaring absence is her role during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Jackie refused to leave her husband’s side at a moment when nuclear war seemed imminent. The Deb, as her sisters-in-law mockingly called her, with her soft, breathy voice, showed more courage in the face of armageddon than most people. I wanted to know more about this Jackie. I guess I’ll have to find her somewhere else.
March 4, 2017
This book offers some interesting observations and insights into the 10 year marriage of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy (1953-1963) via what the author was able to assemble of the historical record, as well as from personal interviews with people who had close relationships with both Kennedys.
September 7, 2014
I didn't have any preconceived ideas about Jack and Jackie Kennedy. I knew that the press protected politicians, I knew that their personal lives and values were different from most middle class values of that time period, I knew that their marriage was not initially based on love as much as on Kennedy needing a wife before he ran for President.
I didn't learn a lot from this book because I have read many other similar books about JFK, the politics of the time and his assassination.
This book was more detailed in areas describing how Jack and Jackie actually began to develop a strong marriage right before his assassination. Jack found that he needed Jackie. She was more politically sensitive and was very important in his speech-writing, in his dealings with international leaders both in the US and abroad, in relating to the American public and in providing him children who stabilized his life. After having children (and losing two in stillbirth and soon after birth), his focus was more family-oriented.
He respected Jackie more, especially after she became independent enough to do things her own way, refusing to come home when he told her to, while she was flaunting a relationship with wealthy men in Europe and giving the appearance to the public of having an affair (whether she did or not is unknown). Somehow "what was sauce for the goose was not sauce for the gander"... Jack did not like the idea of his wife being idolized by wealthy men and her being away from him and able to have affairs........... even though he was the one who had been behaving this way through his entire marriage. He left her alone to be with other women. Then she began to behave the same way. I think this was a major growing-up experience for him. He was getting back what he had given to her. He expected her to be like his mother, turning a blind eye to his father's womanizing. Instead he was married to a woman stronger than he was. It was a life-changing experience for him.
If this book had been about any other celebrity couple of this time period, I would not have read it. The excessive use of drugs, excessive promiscuity, excessive recreation, excessive spending, excessive time away from the children and spouses ... all these lifestyle choices make me feel sad for the children. By reading a few of Edward Klein's books, you can see how this pattern follows from Joe to his children, including JFK and then to JFK Jr. Lifestyle choices have results. They may have thought it was glamour and Camelot. To me, it was a sad lifestyle.
JFK was not a great President. Like his brother Teddy, he had dreams of doing things to correct situations in America that badly needed changing... the monetary system, organized crime, civil rights, some aspects of unions, the nuclear threat, the space program, etc. Unfortunately, since the time of Reagan, or earlier, actual political control has rested outside the Office of the President. He was killed probably because these dreams angered too many factions at the same time. If he had lived, perhaps he could have accomplished some of his dreams; most of them were probably not attainable.
But he was the first President to get political advantage from television and Jackie was a big part of his success in the media. This book is a recounting of how a socially immature man with little idea of how to relate to women grew up to become a team member with his wife. The book is not written for any political reason; almost everyone involved is dead. It is simply an interesting historical account of two politically important people in the history of the US.
I didn't learn a lot from this book because I have read many other similar books about JFK, the politics of the time and his assassination.
This book was more detailed in areas describing how Jack and Jackie actually began to develop a strong marriage right before his assassination. Jack found that he needed Jackie. She was more politically sensitive and was very important in his speech-writing, in his dealings with international leaders both in the US and abroad, in relating to the American public and in providing him children who stabilized his life. After having children (and losing two in stillbirth and soon after birth), his focus was more family-oriented.
He respected Jackie more, especially after she became independent enough to do things her own way, refusing to come home when he told her to, while she was flaunting a relationship with wealthy men in Europe and giving the appearance to the public of having an affair (whether she did or not is unknown). Somehow "what was sauce for the goose was not sauce for the gander"... Jack did not like the idea of his wife being idolized by wealthy men and her being away from him and able to have affairs........... even though he was the one who had been behaving this way through his entire marriage. He left her alone to be with other women. Then she began to behave the same way. I think this was a major growing-up experience for him. He was getting back what he had given to her. He expected her to be like his mother, turning a blind eye to his father's womanizing. Instead he was married to a woman stronger than he was. It was a life-changing experience for him.
If this book had been about any other celebrity couple of this time period, I would not have read it. The excessive use of drugs, excessive promiscuity, excessive recreation, excessive spending, excessive time away from the children and spouses ... all these lifestyle choices make me feel sad for the children. By reading a few of Edward Klein's books, you can see how this pattern follows from Joe to his children, including JFK and then to JFK Jr. Lifestyle choices have results. They may have thought it was glamour and Camelot. To me, it was a sad lifestyle.
JFK was not a great President. Like his brother Teddy, he had dreams of doing things to correct situations in America that badly needed changing... the monetary system, organized crime, civil rights, some aspects of unions, the nuclear threat, the space program, etc. Unfortunately, since the time of Reagan, or earlier, actual political control has rested outside the Office of the President. He was killed probably because these dreams angered too many factions at the same time. If he had lived, perhaps he could have accomplished some of his dreams; most of them were probably not attainable.
But he was the first President to get political advantage from television and Jackie was a big part of his success in the media. This book is a recounting of how a socially immature man with little idea of how to relate to women grew up to become a team member with his wife. The book is not written for any political reason; almost everyone involved is dead. It is simply an interesting historical account of two politically important people in the history of the US.
November 8, 2019
Wirklich gut geschrieben, sodass es sich wie ein Roman liest, jedoch wurden manche Aspekte aus JFKs Amtszeit kaum behandelt, zum Beispiel die Kubakrise, die nur auf einer Seite beschrieben wird. Ich hätte mich sehr interessiert, welche Auswirkungen diese auf ihre Beziehung hatte. Denn das wird nur kurz erwähnt.
Im Buch werden persönliche Gefühle beschrieben bei denen ich mir oft unsicher war, wie man dies genau wissen kann. Das hat mich auch ein wenig gestört.
Im Buch werden persönliche Gefühle beschrieben bei denen ich mir oft unsicher war, wie man dies genau wissen kann. Das hat mich auch ein wenig gestört.
September 16, 2015
The writing was not what I expected from an author with the credentials of Mr. Klein. However, it is a compelling read, full of details. A real glimpse into the lives of two extraordinary people. Extensive notes and bibliography.
July 11, 2019
Very easy to read and lots of facts I didn't know before. Lives of the rich and famous are so completely different from normal Americans. Do all rich people act this way? I wouldn't want their lives.
February 3, 2008
i am totally mesmerized by the idea of camelot. the problme was, nobody knew the innocence of the time until after it was over. kind of like our realization after 9/11. it's time to read this again.
August 8, 2024
I will never skip an opportunity to learn more about the Kennedy’s. Such an amazing book that allowed me to learn a lot more about Jackie and Jack on a personal level as opposed to all of the information being related to the assassination.
Read
November 11, 2008Just finished enjoyed because I LOVE jackie O
November 16, 2023
This is a well-done look at the Jack and Jackie relationship, using the lens of their marriage but set within the events of history. It's not a newly published book (I think it's from the 90s) but it's well-researched and reading it over 25 years later, it stands the test of time for insight and accuracy. Both Jack and Jackie come across as well-rounded and very human characters who grow and change. Of course, their time together was cut very short (she was only 34!) and one wonders how they may have progressed together had Jack not been killed at age 46 (and showing indications of emotional change following the death of baby Patrick and his father's incapacitating stroke).
April 12, 2023
"All Too Human: The Love Story of Jack and Jackie Kennedy" is the love story of Jack and Jackie Kennedy. Although it probably got close in that regard near the end however, it wasn't as such in the earlier years, with Jack keeping an aloof attitude towards her for most of the marriage and even failing to show for the stillbirth of Arabella.
It at times read like a trashy novel and I am a bit wary as to where some of these stories came from, but it is an interesting read nonetheless.
It at times read like a trashy novel and I am a bit wary as to where some of these stories came from, but it is an interesting read nonetheless.
April 16, 2025
Found on the side of the road and picked it up because the idea of it made me giggle. But damn! this was so juicy and full of decadent descriptions of how the 1% lived in the 1950s and 60s. Worth a read and I learned they were both completely crazy freaks but freaks in love I think? Nobody can say for sure but gosh.
December 7, 2025
This book was left over from an estate sale. I never would have bought it myself. And boy would I have missed out! This was a fascinating read. I said to a friend, it’s like a gossip rag in book form that I can’t put down. The main title All Too Human was spot on. The book ended abruptly, just like the life of President Kennedy. Would definitely recommend this book.
May 28, 2020
This book really opened my eyes to the married life of JFK and Jackie. The secrets they had were not known at the time of his presidency, but they are verified in this book by those who knew them at the time.
May 12, 2017
Captivating and fascinating. I couldn't put the book down.
November 10, 2020
I'm not sure I'd call it a "love story". I found some of the revelations startling though not entirely surprising.
Read
January 7, 2024I thought it was very interesting. I learned alot of things I didn't know about Jack and Jackie Kennedy. I liked that it was written by someone who knew them and had close contact with them.
March 3, 2024
Just a fun read and provides a bit more insight from people that were there.
October 3, 2025
excellent story of Jack and Jackie Kennedy's relationship. not sure how she put up with all his philandering.
May 21, 2023
disrespectfully, this is kennedy family fanfiction.
August 14, 2014
I'm obsessed with the Kennedy's, the idea of Camelot, and all of the things revolving around John F. Kennedy's presidency. While I definitely do not subscribe to the idea that his presidency was some sort of idyllic paradise, because all facts contradict that idea. While I do call it Camelot, only because while some would say it's not fitting, I could see it as an apt name for his presidency. That's a conversation for another time though. This book, I loved it. It's that simple, really. I absolutely loved the book. Their marriage was the farthest thing from perfect, but no one's marriage or relationship could be called perfect. I think to assume anyone's relationship with someone else is something that no one should do. I think it's dangerous to assume perfection about anyone, or any relationship. And when we talk about history that's doubly so. We need to face the facts when it comes to history, and when it comes to the history of Jackie and Jack Kennedy it's the farthest thing from perfect. So many people like to think it was, but we shouldn't do that. You can still like their relationship, his presidency, and all of the stories and intrigue, while also maintaining that JFK was a complicated man, just like every single person on this planet. That, of course, is an oversimplification of the situation, though. Everyone is complicated and makes mistakes, but when you're the most powerful person in the world and from one of the most powerful families in the US, your mistakes and complications have a lot more of an effect on the world around you. That was definitely the case for JFK.
I think that the title of this book is very good, All Too Human is the perfect way to describe Jack and Jackie's relationship. That is to say, that they were humans just like all of us. They made mistakes, just like us. They were flawed, just like us. Not more so, not less so. That being said, their flaws, their mistakes, meant more because of their position in life and because of their families. They came from a world of power, and that power of course played a big part in their relationship.
I've read the Dark Side of Camelot, and many other books about JFK and his presidency. While I have no qualms about the man that JFK was, and the way he lived his life, that doesn't change my obsession over him, his family, or his presidency. I don't have any qualms about his relationship with Jackie, but that doesn't stop me from getting upset when I see pictures of them. Nothing about the dark side of all of this, changes the fact that when I see the assassination of JFK I still get teary-eyed.
This book was very good, and I'd recommend it to everyone. If you have even the slightest interest in Jack or Jackie, this is a great book to read.
I think that the title of this book is very good, All Too Human is the perfect way to describe Jack and Jackie's relationship. That is to say, that they were humans just like all of us. They made mistakes, just like us. They were flawed, just like us. Not more so, not less so. That being said, their flaws, their mistakes, meant more because of their position in life and because of their families. They came from a world of power, and that power of course played a big part in their relationship.
I've read the Dark Side of Camelot, and many other books about JFK and his presidency. While I have no qualms about the man that JFK was, and the way he lived his life, that doesn't change my obsession over him, his family, or his presidency. I don't have any qualms about his relationship with Jackie, but that doesn't stop me from getting upset when I see pictures of them. Nothing about the dark side of all of this, changes the fact that when I see the assassination of JFK I still get teary-eyed.
This book was very good, and I'd recommend it to everyone. If you have even the slightest interest in Jack or Jackie, this is a great book to read.
June 9, 2015
I have been interested in Jackie Kennedy for a while and I wanted to know more about the dignified woman in the pink suit, so I decided it was time to read up on this. I am glad I did because this book has ignited an interest in 1950’s and 1960’s America.
I found the changing dynamic between Jack and Jackie fascinating, and I think Klein explored this well throughout the book without imposing his opinions on the relationship he simply pieces together what people have witnessed.
Jackie’s growth from a background figure into someone who became instrumental in JFK’s presidential success whilst balancing family matters was great to explore. She always did her duty and on occasions outshone her husband, notably on a trip to Paris where crowds were calling her name. While growing into her role she remained humble with a reluctance to be called the first lady. There were moments when my heart was breaking for Jackie when I just wanted Jack to be there for her, but she seemed to handle all the challenges that life and her relationship threw at her in her stride.
I feel like I got an impression of what Jackie would have been like during this time. I guess that’s the problem with biographies there’s always that feeling of distance. Klein has evidently talked to a great deal of people who knew or worked with the Kennedy's and Klein pieces together what must have been a tangle of information together effortlessly.
This was an interesting book to read, written compassionately and with a good pace. There are beautiful photos included as well. The book is well researched and includes comments from people close to the Kennedy’s. Klein also allows you to make up your own mind about people you are reading about through writing a seemingly objective account that is simultaneously filled with emotion.
I found the changing dynamic between Jack and Jackie fascinating, and I think Klein explored this well throughout the book without imposing his opinions on the relationship he simply pieces together what people have witnessed.
Jackie’s growth from a background figure into someone who became instrumental in JFK’s presidential success whilst balancing family matters was great to explore. She always did her duty and on occasions outshone her husband, notably on a trip to Paris where crowds were calling her name. While growing into her role she remained humble with a reluctance to be called the first lady. There were moments when my heart was breaking for Jackie when I just wanted Jack to be there for her, but she seemed to handle all the challenges that life and her relationship threw at her in her stride.
I feel like I got an impression of what Jackie would have been like during this time. I guess that’s the problem with biographies there’s always that feeling of distance. Klein has evidently talked to a great deal of people who knew or worked with the Kennedy's and Klein pieces together what must have been a tangle of information together effortlessly.
This was an interesting book to read, written compassionately and with a good pace. There are beautiful photos included as well. The book is well researched and includes comments from people close to the Kennedy’s. Klein also allows you to make up your own mind about people you are reading about through writing a seemingly objective account that is simultaneously filled with emotion.
August 23, 2016
Jack and Jackie Kennedy are arguably two of the most well-known public figures in American history. But how well does anyone truly know the story of this power couple; the daily rhetoric of their relationship; the sordid details of moments made famous by rumor?
In All Too Human, Edward Klein sets out an intimate, detailed portrait of the love story of Jack and Jackie Kennedy, pieced together by first-hand accounts from family, friends, and associates of the couple.
Beginning with their early lives, through their first arranged meeting, their public marriage, and JFK's assassination, the book takes the reader on a journey of love, loss, betrayal, and forgiveness. It comes across as an honest look at a husband and wife, both with an equal share of strengths and flaws. By the end of the book, I began to see Jack and Jackie as ordinary people with regular life struggles, albeit magnified by their public positions. I think the ability to see such icons of American history as people as regular as your neighbors is a testament to how well this book is written.
The only negative of this book, for me, was the elevated detail of material things, such as wardrobes and household designs. I was more interested in the relationships than the details of clothing or White House decor.
In All Too Human, Edward Klein sets out an intimate, detailed portrait of the love story of Jack and Jackie Kennedy, pieced together by first-hand accounts from family, friends, and associates of the couple.
Beginning with their early lives, through their first arranged meeting, their public marriage, and JFK's assassination, the book takes the reader on a journey of love, loss, betrayal, and forgiveness. It comes across as an honest look at a husband and wife, both with an equal share of strengths and flaws. By the end of the book, I began to see Jack and Jackie as ordinary people with regular life struggles, albeit magnified by their public positions. I think the ability to see such icons of American history as people as regular as your neighbors is a testament to how well this book is written.
The only negative of this book, for me, was the elevated detail of material things, such as wardrobes and household designs. I was more interested in the relationships than the details of clothing or White House decor.
July 14, 2014
Wow, so much more behind the scenes that we have never been privy to. I won't spoil it for you, but new revelations almost every page, from very personal to political. A Hollywood PR campaign if there ever was one, even to each other, never mind the nation. With all the social and communication media today, I don't think it would be possible for them to have produced Camelot as they did then. The Clintons had a hard time weaving the tale and Obama is not being successful either in hiding their inadequacies and twisted un-American beliefs. A truly amazing story that should be followed with "Bobby and Jackie: A Love Story" by C. David Heymann to get the total picture.
Even though you know how the story ends, and even with all the cavorting, or maybe because of it, it is still a very, very sad story. They didn't have a chance to make it all right. Author Edward Klein said that even today (I guess meaning when he wrote it) people were reluctant to come forth with the truth. Even the JFK Presidential Library was more interested in 'protecting the myth" than with producing the facts. Now that Teddy is gone, maybe even more truth will come out. Poor Caroline.
Even though you know how the story ends, and even with all the cavorting, or maybe because of it, it is still a very, very sad story. They didn't have a chance to make it all right. Author Edward Klein said that even today (I guess meaning when he wrote it) people were reluctant to come forth with the truth. Even the JFK Presidential Library was more interested in 'protecting the myth" than with producing the facts. Now that Teddy is gone, maybe even more truth will come out. Poor Caroline.
September 14, 2016
Shortly after the 50th anniversary of JFK's death, I decided to read one of the many books I have on the Kennedys. All Too Human is a very appropriate title for the biography of Jack and Jackie Kennedy's love story and marriage. I enjoyed the book very much because Mr. Klein wrote extensively about their childhoods, families, courtship, marriage and the White House years. Whether everything he wrote about is really true, it gives a glimpse into many aspects of their lives that I had not read about before. I had no idea of the depth of pain he endured from his early years, the extensive "womanizing" that went on, the rich and famous who were part of their lives. I'm a fan of memoirs and biographies and this one was a fast and interesting read for me.
February 18, 2017
In spite of remembering Kennedy's election and assassination, which occurred during my childhood, I hadn't read much about the personal lives of Jack and Jackie Kennedy. This book furthered my opinion/generalization of politicians and the rich. They seem to be self-centered and without a conscience. However, there were poignant moments related, and in the end, I think that the Kennedys did have a kind of love.
The chapters of this book were short and gave brief glimpses into certain events of Jack and Jackie's lives. I wonder how Kennedy's legacy would have changed had he lived and governed longer. I also wonder how the Kennedys would have coped with today's tabloid society.
The chapters of this book were short and gave brief glimpses into certain events of Jack and Jackie's lives. I wonder how Kennedy's legacy would have changed had he lived and governed longer. I also wonder how the Kennedys would have coped with today's tabloid society.
January 12, 2013
I would like to state that this book was very well done and deserves four or possibly even five stars, but for me to say I loved it is to lie- the reality of the relationship of Jack and Jackie was deeply depressing. Perhaps the average person wouldn't find it so grim, presuming they have prior knowledge of the nature of their union. I did not, and it was heavy as hell to read.
The subject aside, it was rather brilliantly written with a truly impressive amount of research clearly done to craft such detail. The author managed to stay objective throughout, which is far more than I could have done. I tip my hat to Edward Klein for this book.
The subject aside, it was rather brilliantly written with a truly impressive amount of research clearly done to craft such detail. The author managed to stay objective throughout, which is far more than I could have done. I tip my hat to Edward Klein for this book.
March 26, 2015
Kennedy bashing by a Journalist! Klein posts 3-4 line comments about a rumor or famous anecdote, from varied sources.I was not impressed at all, but I think that was his original intention. Poor Caroline! I was dismayed that in a supposed "love story" I was subjected to comments about female genitalia and where sexual encounters took place. There was no story to this, just disjointed paragraphs like he had scribbled down some random thoughts. I am embarrassed to say that I read this book! Read Manchester, White, or Goodwin for some well written more historical and reverent writing.
March 6, 2015
This story is beautifully written and is possibly my favourite book ever! Edward Klein captures one of the most dramatic love stories in history perfectly. I would recommend this, probably the best book about the love story of John F Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier.
Confession: I love it so much, I have read it six times to be exact.
Confession: I love it so much, I have read it six times to be exact.
July 21, 2016
If you have ever been curious about the Jack/Jackie story, you will probably enjoy this book. The author wrote what I think is an unbiased look at these two very famous people and the evolution of their relationship from the time they met until JFK's assassination. It's certainly not a real life fairy tale!
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