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Joseph P. Kennedy: The Mogul, the Mob, the Statesman, and the Making of an American Myth
Advance Praise for Joseph P. Kennedy "Ted Schwarz gives us a darker, and truer, picture of the founding father (and only Kennedy to ever make any money) than the habitual family spinmeisters and hagiographers."
–Axel Madsen, author of Gloria and Joe: The Star-Crossed Love Affair of Gloria Swanson and Joe Kennedy What price glory? He is best known as the patriarch of America’s most loved, hated, and talked-about family. Long before the Kennedy name became synonymous with wealth, political idealism, and agonizing tragedy, however, Joe Kennedy was on the move. This unflinching portrait of the man who sired three major twentieth-century political figures introduces copious new information about Joseph Kennedy’s questionable financial practices, his Hollywood exploits, his tenure as ambassador to Great Britain, and his relationship with organized crime. Drawing on previously untapped sources, author Ted Schwarz provides a rare peek into Joseph Kennedy’s secret activities and public accomplishments, including:
–Axel Madsen, author of Gloria and Joe: The Star-Crossed Love Affair of Gloria Swanson and Joe Kennedy What price glory? He is best known as the patriarch of America’s most loved, hated, and talked-about family. Long before the Kennedy name became synonymous with wealth, political idealism, and agonizing tragedy, however, Joe Kennedy was on the move. This unflinching portrait of the man who sired three major twentieth-century political figures introduces copious new information about Joseph Kennedy’s questionable financial practices, his Hollywood exploits, his tenure as ambassador to Great Britain, and his relationship with organized crime. Drawing on previously untapped sources, author Ted Schwarz provides a rare peek into Joseph Kennedy’s secret activities and public accomplishments, including:
480 pages, Hardcover
First published September 5, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 3, 2015
I have to say that this book did not begin well for me. Ted Schwarz in the first dozen pages wrote such annoying twaddle concerning English history, which he termed as British. For example on p12 he wrote:-"The latter thinking changed under King Henry IV, who along with his son Henry VII, placed a permanent occupying force in Ireland." How a Plantagenet king who died in early fifteenth century can produce a Tudor monarch who came to the throne in 1485?!
The author then wrote that the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was the result of a handful of Irish Catholic fanatics led by Guy Fawkes...who had decided to bomb the leaders of the BRITISH government!!!! At this point things were beginning to look decidedly black for Mr Schwarz. He did not stop there, but writes of our old Queen Vic, "It was Victoria, who continued Britain's anti-Irish policies. She had perpetuated the hatred and oppression that their relatives endured even after their grandparents came to the United States." History for Dummies, and we are not amused.
Apart from the English history lessons, once Ted Schwarz returns to home ground, his biography of Joseph P. Kennedy is well researched. Since the late 1980's he has written other biographies on the Kennedy's, and Rose Kennedy prior to this book which was published in 2003. I have come across a number of controversial angles on family members that were new to me. For instance Jack's PT109 career and Joe Jr's suicide. As for Joe Snr., although the sub-title includes 'The Mob' I found this detail sketchy. Not that I doubt these links, but by their very nature, documental sources are not left to be found. Yet there is certainly enough evidence that shows Joe Kennedy and family to be cursed by very dark, complex and dysfunctional myth making.
The author then wrote that the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was the result of a handful of Irish Catholic fanatics led by Guy Fawkes...who had decided to bomb the leaders of the BRITISH government!!!! At this point things were beginning to look decidedly black for Mr Schwarz. He did not stop there, but writes of our old Queen Vic, "It was Victoria, who continued Britain's anti-Irish policies. She had perpetuated the hatred and oppression that their relatives endured even after their grandparents came to the United States." History for Dummies, and we are not amused.
Apart from the English history lessons, once Ted Schwarz returns to home ground, his biography of Joseph P. Kennedy is well researched. Since the late 1980's he has written other biographies on the Kennedy's, and Rose Kennedy prior to this book which was published in 2003. I have come across a number of controversial angles on family members that were new to me. For instance Jack's PT109 career and Joe Jr's suicide. As for Joe Snr., although the sub-title includes 'The Mob' I found this detail sketchy. Not that I doubt these links, but by their very nature, documental sources are not left to be found. Yet there is certainly enough evidence that shows Joe Kennedy and family to be cursed by very dark, complex and dysfunctional myth making.
August 18, 2009
Very interesting to read an real biographers perspective. I'm not sure it was entirely objective but I though it was well written.
August 30, 2023
Good book, nothing out of the ordinary that you haven't heard or read before. However, it is sad that we have honored, loved, respected, and celebrated this family/man for decades now - when his money was made from stealing, lying, cheating, robbing, and illegally. He was so wrapped up in illegal activities, but was smart enough to maintain notes and ledgers that he had dirt on every major politician and important person in business. This helped him lead the SEC and become an Ambassador to England, where he made even more millions off the American people who were struggling. He was one of the main reasons of the stock market crash, he was one of the main reasons we had to adapt the SEC and certain "inside trading rules" and was a major cog in the need for change of rules regarding campaign funding. The bood was good, sad at some points due to how he went about business, ignored his family duties while he womanized and cheated his way to a $400M empire.
July 9, 2025
You’d be hard pushed to write a fictional thriller as outrageous as this story of the man who rose to become patriarch of ‘the American Royal Family’. Hard to believe that anyone could get away with some of the strokes he pulled on his way from his Irish roots in Boston to his multi-millionaire lifestyle. Fraud , bootlegging, racketeering were all charges levelled at him but nothing seemed to stick and the treatment of some of his family belies belief. Well worth a read even if it left me wondering ‘was he really this bad?’
May 2, 2024
An engaging study of a truly awful man. I read it because Joe Kennedy's biography on some online sources seemed to have been whitewashed, then when I read Joe Bonano's autobiography where he mentioned working with Kennedy, I realized I needed to read something more authoritative on Kennedy. Well, the truth was much worse than I expected.
Still, I highly recommend it. Just be prepared - especially if you are a Kennedy clan fan. The fruits didn't fall far from the tree.
Still, I highly recommend it. Just be prepared - especially if you are a Kennedy clan fan. The fruits didn't fall far from the tree.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews