The Day John Died

by Christopher Andersen

Straightforward biography ...

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Biography Memoir, Politics

416 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Christopher Peter Andersen is an American journalist and the author of 32 books, including many bestsellers. A graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, Andersen joined the staff of Time Magazine as a contributing editor in 1969. From 1974 to 1986 Andersen was senior editor of Time Incorporated's People Magazine. He has also written for a wide range of publications, including The New York Times, The New York Daily News, Life, and Vanity Fair.

While his early nonfiction books veered from psychology (The Name Game) to true crime (The Serpent's Tooth) to art collecting ('The Best of Everything', with former Sotheby's chairman John Marion), he is best known for his controversial biographies. Between 1991 and 2011, he published 14 New York Times bestselling biographies. Andersen wrote Mick: The Wild Life and Mad Genius of Jagger to mark the 50th anniversary of the Rolling Stones in July 2012. The book quickly became Andersen's 15th New York Times bestseller.

Reviews

[Diane Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely read! a compelling and very informative book (paperback!)

[Mary-Lisa Russo · Rating 5 out of 5]

He was beloved.
He was adored by his doting parents, Jacqueline Lee Kennedy (Onassis) and John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 36th President of the United States.
He was America's son.
He was hope, a continued legacy, a dynamic addition to the famous Kennedy clan.
He IS John F. Kennedy Jr... beloved Prince of Camelot... and although he is not with us in body, his striking memory will continue to live on for many years to come.

After reading the first chapter of the #1 New York Times bestseller, "The Day John Died," penned by renowned author, Christopher Andersen, I immediately noted that I was on my way to reading a huge rendition of the history of the Kennedys as pertaining to John Kennedy Jr. and his family before he was born, leading up to the poignant moments of his tragic, untimely death. The book also details John's aspirations, his love life, relationships with those that graced his life and his inner struggles being a famed Kennedy. The book's title, "The Day John Died," had nothing to do with the inner contents of the book. Yes, it did expound on circumstances of John Jr.'s death- at the very end of the book. The entire, meaty portion of the book expounded on his family and upbringing. I am not sure why such a boxed-in title was chosen for a book that included a sweeping, historical rendition which was the main focus of the book.

It is very obvious that the author conducted massive research behind the writing scene, re-enacting a very detailed world that revolved around John Kennedy Jr. For someone like me, who was not born during the "Kennedy" era, this was a one-stop read for all things regarding this legendary family. I praise the author for his intense research which served well to create a strongly detailed book.

What really struck me as being tragic was that many people mentioned in the book feared John flying a plane and told him so, but ultimately, he did not heed their concerns. His mother was extremely protective of John Jr., having endured bad premonitions of John dying in a plane crash. Her fear was palpable as tragically stated in the book: "in the latter years of her life, Jackie had a recurring premonition that John would be killed piloting his own plane."

It is no secret that the Kennedys are thought to be a cursed clan, fraught with untimely death, the name carrying a legacy of tragedy that breaks anyone's heart who learns of it. Besides John Jr.'s mother, his wife, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, who tragically perished in the fatal plane crash along with her sister, was deeply anxious about John Jr. flying.

John Jr.'s sister, Caroline, other Kennedy family members and friends, who knew John Jr. were not confident about him flying a plane. His friend, Bailey, had ominously stated: "John is going to kill himself in that airplane," Bailey told his parents a few weeks earlier. "The Piper Saratoga is a faster, more complex plane than he was used to. Sometimes I got the feeling that he didn't fully appreciate that. In some ways, he was like a little kid playing with a shiny new toy."

The famed Kennedy tragedies were too much for anyone connected to them to feel confident about John Jr. flying. Add to that John's daredevil antics, fear of nothing and unwavering determination in the face of danger to the mix and that became an explosive recipe and perhaps contributed to his death as well as that of his wife and sister-in-law.

As stated in the book: "There had already been widespread criticism in the media of John's decision to fly that night, and charges that a congenital streak of Kennedy recklessness had cost John not only his life but the lives of his two innocent passengers. It was pointed out that John not only took off under questionable conditions and without an instrument rating, but that he also did so with a severely injured foot that may have made it difficult for him to operate the rudder and the brakes."

John Jr. was definitely rash, bold and perhaps over-confident but he and his passengers did not deserve such a tragic, untimely death. No one deserves that. His death brings into question a lot of "what ifs?" What if he heeded everyone's warnings not to fly a plane? What if he was more careful and less bold when it came to decision-making? What if he had immediately set the plane on autopilot by punching the two switches to enable that? Would the plane have landed safely? Was he destined to die so young, no matter what he did in life, even if he avoided this particular disaster?

I cried reading about the crash and the frantic search that ensued after everyone learned John Jr. was missing. He and his passengers were found still strapped in their seats five days after the tragic crash in the frigid Atlantic ocean. The world knew intense "Kennedy" loss once again. The Camelot Prince had tragically slipped away into eternal sleep.

This book was very well written, details stream-lined from year to year to reflect the full, impressionable effect that was John Kennedy Jr. and his dynamic family. I give it a 4.5/5 as the title conveying that the book was just about "the day John died" was an understatement; however, I rounded that rating up to 5/5 as the book is deliciously detailed and although not what I expected in depth, it was an excellent, informative read I walked away from intellectually gratified.

(Opinion/views are all my own).

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I'm subtracting half a star simply because despite the title, the book really doesn't cover much of The Day John Died.

I bought this book a couple weeks ago but had no immediate plans to read it.....

Then Kobe Bryant his daughter and 6 other people died in a plane crash. I suddenly had the morbid need to read about another extremely famous person who lost their life in a plane crash.

The deaths of John Kennedy Jr, his wife Carolyn and her sister Lauren Bessette, combines 2 of my greatest fears flying and deep water. The plane that JFK Jr was flying crashed into the waters off the coast of Martha's Vineyard on the night of July 16, 1999.

I am terrified of flying. I have never been on an airplane and I never will be if I can help it. I know rationally that flying is safe

BUT...My fear doesn't care about what's rational.

I vaguely remember The Day John Died ( oddly my memory of Princess Diana's death is much more clear) I don't remember having any feelings about it but I do remember my mom being extremely upset. Its understandable since my mom was 5 years older than JFK Jr and he had always just been famous and around. I didn't understand this then because my mom wasn't a Kennedy fan but she wasn't a non fan either ( does that sentence make any sense?) but now I understand it completely.

I was never fan of Kobe Bryant. I'm not a Laker fan and I never will be. I'm a diehard Allen Iverson fan and my favorite team is of course The Philadelphia 76's. I grew up having a healthy hatred of Kobe and his Lakers. So imagine my surprise at just how upset I was when I learned of the death of Kobe Bryant. I didn't even like him but...he was always around, somewhere in the background of my life. I started watching basketball right around the time he was drafted and I expected to go along hating (in a healthy way) Kobe into old age.

Kobe Bryant and John Kennedy Jr don't really have anything in common other than the fact that the died horribly premature deaths. But I think the impact their deaths had on people who weren't fans is similar.

This book was a fairly good biography of John Kennedy Jr but I wanted to know more about his wife Carolyn and her sister Lauren. They were kind of pushed to the side which is understandable given its a JFK Jr biography but I just personally would have liked to know more about them.

[LIsa Noell "Rocking the chutzpah!" · Rating 5 out of 5]

I called off work for 2 days. I sat in front of the t.v. and watched. Hoping and praying that John, John was alive.
My partner, Dan thought I had lost it! But, he is 8 year's younger than me, so he didn't understand.
My Mom did. She eventually sent me this book. After. Did it help? Nope. But, it was still a great sort of goodbye.
20+ year's later? It's still just fucking awful.

[Michael Joe Armijo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get A Feel for the kind of guy JFK Jr. really was...

This was on the NY Times bestsellers list. I suppose I was curious. I wanted to read about JFK Jr. I never really read any of the MANY Kennedy books that are out there and available. It was all NEW to me when I read it here. JFK Jr. is a year younger than I. I felt I could relate to him. Now, he's gone 'to another place' like Princess Diana and my OWN mother and father. I enjoyed the book but it lacked the more profound and literary aspects that I would have hoped (but then...it's not that type of book). It was more informational and a trite gossip-filled. It did have some very good lines in the book. I enjoyed it, however, sad the ending. Lines of Interest in the book: He had a legacy and he learned to treasure it. He was part of a legend, and he learned to live with it.--Ted Kennedy, in his eulogy for JFK Jr.----- Then they discussed fate, and "how none of us knows how much time there is left."----- Jackie told friends that she worried John would become "a fruit" without the toughening influence of a father figure.----- He really wanted to know about other people's lives.----- He grew up with the notion that life has to be lived to the fullest. (Frank Mankiewicz).----- Caroline...recalled that Jackie had instilled a love of literature in both her children, and then recited Prospero's speech from Shakespeare's The Tempest, a play her brother performed at Brown in 1981. "Our revels now are ended," she quoted. "We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with sleep."

[Surreysmum · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author starts this biography of John F. Kennedy Jr. with the assertion that he was a world figure on the scale of Princess Diana, whose early death caused similar shockwaves of emotion in the general public. My response to this can only be that that (if true) can surely only be true in the U.S. Had I not been picking up subway reads at a massive speed at a church booksale, I would not have inclined to pick up a biography of such a relatively minor figure, of whose existence, certainly, I was aware, but not to the extent that I know of his much more famous father.

Judging by the notes, the author seems to have made conscientious attempts to speak with the major (surviving) figures in JFK Jr's life, and to have been successful in most of those attempts, and though certain names are conspicuously absent in the acknowledgments - chiefly Kennedy family names - yet he also says he had a number of sources who requested anonymity. However, I doubt very much whether JFK Jr's sister Caroline or his Uncle Ted (who was still living when this book was published in 2000, about a year after JFK Jr's death in a plane accident) had much to do with the content.

I found the biography moderately interesting, but only moderately, chiefly because JFK Jr was more remarkable in his circumstances than in his personal qualities. He was a rather spoiled young man in some ways, though he made conscientious efforts to improve himself in others, and the author quite rightly - though rather over-dramatically and with 20/20 hindsight - points out the pattern throughout his life of physical risk-taking and carelessness, particularly in regards to flying, that led eventually to his death, and those of his wife Carolyn Bessette and her sister Lauren. Otherwise, he seems to have been a rather ordinary, fairly bright young man with a controlling mother, a bizarre family on the Kennedy side, an unstable home life following the assassination of his father, and a frustrated desire to be an actor rather than the lawyer his family (particularly said mother) wished him to be. He was also strikingly good-looking, from boyhood to adulthood, as the little collection of black and white photos in the book prove.

Not a keeper (especially since despite the notes/bibliography/index, there's a whiff of the exploitation publication in it), but I'm not sorry to have read it.

[Glenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would call this a bit of a biography of John F. Kennedy Jr.’s life, tragic death, and legacy. Combining well-researched facts with an easy to ready narrative style, Andersen paints an portrait of one of America’s most enduring icons. The book delves into JFK Jr.’s personal life, relationships, and the events leading to the fateful plane crash in 1999, offering readers a glimpse into his humanity and the weight of his legacy.

Andersen’s writing style is engaging, and the book benefits from thorough research and interviews with key figures in John’s life. The narrative provides considerable background into John’s upbringing (including Jackie's marriages and influence), his various relationships and marriage to Carolyn Bessette, and the pressures he faced as the heir to the Kennedy name. Readers who enjoy well-written biographies will appreciate the depth and breadth of the coverage.

I found the title The Day John Died misleading. While the book does address the tragic day of John’s death, the majority of the content focuses on his life rather than a detailed analysis of the accident itself. For readers expecting a granular recounting of THAT day, the crash and its aftermath... well, they should look elsewhere.

Overall, this is a solid and respectful biography of JFK Jr. A strong 3.5 to 4 stars — a captivating read for those interested in the Kennedys, though it could benefit from a title more reflective of its broader focus on John’s remarkable life.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

So my mother saw me reading The Day Diana died (and I thought I was being so stealthy!), saw this book at a book fair (okay, she saw it at THE book fair. The Green Valley Book Fair) and picked it up for me. I love the Kennedy's almost as much as I love the royals so I was thrilled with the gift. John F. Kennedy Jr. met a tragic end, for sure. What a terrible waste of what could have been an incredible life.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slow at places, but overall, interesting and a good read.

[Clint · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title, “The Day John Died,” is a misnomer. It is a full-fledged, gossipy biography of the son of the former president, whose life was cut short in a plane crash when he was only 38. Since the book is more than 20 years old, little of what is in it is unknown, though it’s usually not contained in one place. So, for Kennedy worshippers, it is a good repository of his life, his mother’s control of much of his early life, his seemingly rocky marriage and the circumstances of his death. Surprising, maybe, are his usual down-to-earth personality, his drug use, his exhibitionism, his absent mindedness and the many warnings he had not to become a pilot.

[Ice · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Day John Died is a misleading title, because it's mostly about his life: his family dynamics, romances, dreams, and achievements. Christopher Andersen, a former Time and People editor, gives a surprisingly well rounded account of John's character--along with 73 eloquent photos and lots of the dishy details inquiring minds want to know.

The book is both trashy and classy. Though some of the inside stuff is tough to know for sure (was Carolyn Bessette really a manic druggie who denied John sex for a year?), Andersen knows more than most, having spent years researching Jack and Jackie and Jackie After Jack. We feel Jackie's power over her unstudious, scatterbrained, yet rather smart son, and Andersen plausibly sketches her brilliant job of shielding him from the worst influences of the Kennedy clan, her withering effect on his acting career, her revulsion over his stint as Madonna's boy toy, and much more. Andersen's expertise about the family makes us less skeptical of, say, his account of Bessette's wily seduction technique (she used an expertly timed cold shoulder and a hunky model-actor from Baywatch to make John jealous), or their spat over Sharon Stone.

There's gobs of drama besides the finale: John the child saved from death in a fiery Hawaiian luau pit (by the same father-figure Secret Service man who saved his mom from drowning), John repeatedly risking death by flying his ultralight into the ocean and power lines, John twice saving pals from drowning, once while diving for a pirate ship. Andersen omits no dirt (yes, JFK Jr. snorted coke from a JFK ashtray in college), yet he's fair (JFK Jr. had no real drug problem, while his dad was a chronic speed-needle freak). All in all, John comes off as a hell of a nice guy--almost the opposite of his Machiavellian father. He was about one-thousandth as promiscuous as he could've been, and all his exes remained his friends, even Daryl Hannah (the only girl he could've married for her money), who went down on one knee to propose, but was opposed by Jackie and Caroline.

[Suzyberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book for $1 at the Library...had not heard of it before. It is a well-written, behind the scenes, documented look at the day we lost John Kennedy Jr. Much of it was emotional to read, as I was a young teenager when I tearfully watched him as a little boy of 3, salute his father's caisson as it passed his mother, sister and himself. There are details of his entire life that had never been printed before and it made me sad to realize we lost someone who most likely would have gone on to serve this country in some capacity with great 'heart' and compassion. You will read about his relationships, his difficulty with learning...but most importantly you will come away with an understanding of what a loving family he, his mother and sister created. He always said, 'It was just the three of us' and what a touching and wonderful life they shared...each dealing with so much tragedy, but never alone...always a family unit. Though the book had moments of bogging down, they were few, and I would highly recommend this to all who lived through the Kennedy White House Years and the sorrow we all endured...and to those too young to have known such sorrow, so you, too, may see and feel how remarkable this era was. John is gone...Caroline, his sister carries on alone now. This book is truly a tribute to John's short, but full life.

[Gini Rainey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who has not been fascinated by one of the most famous families ever in the United States, and possibly the whole world? But most times with that fame and notoriety comes tragedy, and that was very true of the Kennedy clan. This book not only speaks of the tragic day that John Kennedy, Jr., his wife and sister-in-law lost their lives in a senseless plane crash, but also goes way behind the curtain and delves into a lot of the motivating forces throughout his life. Often mostly thought of as the brave little soldier who saluted JFKs’ casket as it passed by, that brave little soldier grew up to be a man his father would have been most proud.
Well written and extensively researched, Anderson (who also wrote The Day Diana Died) has provided the reader with a different and more human view of the Kennedys and what made them who they are. Anderson, in an easy to read and understand style, took his many sources and resources and wove them into a very interesting and personal look at not only John’s, but also JFKs, Jackie’s, Caroline’s, Bobby’s, and Ted’s lives and how they interacted with one another.
With a fairly impartial view of the Kennedy’s, Mr. Anderson has written a book that illustrates how much the Kennedy Dynasty not only impacted America, but also the people who live there. This book is definitely well worth the read.

[Ursula Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Death and an Amazing Life

This was a comprehensive, fascinating and compelling biography of JFK Jr. While framed around his untimely death, the story of his life was intriguing. I did not know much about him before this book, as I had followed Princess Diana's story. The Kennedy's do indeed seem to be cursed with a great deal of tragedy and I had just finished a book about the Kennedy curse prior to this. Jackie was an amazing mother to her surviving children and she prepared them to handle a realistic life. What is interesting to note is that she seemed to know he would be killed in an airplane accident and had forbid him from taking flying lessons. If only he had listened to her sage advice. What is amazing to note was how good of a man he turned out to be. Despite the daredevil adventure streak, he was empathetic, down to earth and approachable. His good looks and charm dazzled many, both male and female, yet he was not arrogant or condescending. Had he gone into politics, he would have made a wonderful president. He was taken far too soon. I read this book using immersion reading while listening to the audio book. Narrator Richard Poe beautifully brought this book to life. A highly recommend read.

[Lynette Lark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of us remember where we were when we heard that John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s plane was missing. I was at home certain that he would be found safe and sound--because he was so athletic, he and his passengers were probably on some stretch of land waiting to be discovered. I stayed by the TV praying. When the news came that a suitcase was washed ashore, I was still hopeful. When I subsequently heard that the plane had been located, I still hoped. When I learned the bodies were recovered, I cried for days. Although this is a short book, it covers the span from John's birth (which almost killed mother and son) to the day he flew off to his cousin's wedding. There were many things that transpired prior to the flight--things that could have made the difference between life and death had they not occurred at all. There were many signs that said "No go," but they were ignored. We have all ignored our inner voice--that gut feeling. I feel that if God is trying to say something to me, He will make it loud and clear and impossible to ignore. Or, on the other hand, it just might be Karma and only Grace can prevent that.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title implies that this book is
simply about the day JFK Jr. died.
That is not correct.

It is a complete biography of all
of JFK Jr.'s life. And also a partial
biography of his mother Jacqueline Kennedy.

The author is a really excellent writer. I find
this a very interesting book. And I was not
someone who was previously interested in
JFK Jr.

BTW, if someone is looking for dirt--what the
author says about JFK Jr. is 95% positive.
Although this is a complete biography of JFK Jr.
and the author does say a few negative things
about JFK Jr.

If anyone is looking for a good, complete biography
of JFK Jr. this would be a good choice.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, this book filled in many missing pieces of the puzzle of JFK JR and his family. How did they keep it together after his father's assassination in the first few years? What was the dynamic like between his mother, sister and the other Kennedys? How did Jackie mold her son and push him away from his dream to be an actor? The characters and their narratives are developed carefully and naturally. Although the book is much more than the title suggests, the day of his death is analyzed in detail.

[Den · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book extremely interesting. Shed light on the accident itself. However, it also gave you a deeper understanding of the other members of Camelot. As well, as the love between JFK & Jackie.

The only thing that upset or disgusted me was the fact that Jackie constantly "worried" that John was going to be a fruit. I am sick of people using that slang and passing judgement.

Aside from that, I would recommend this book to others.

[Courtney Skelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a better than average story about John; a man who appeared to have wanted to be nothing more than simple man, but when you combine the influences of his mother as well as everyone who watched him grow up, that was never going to happen. It does paint a tragic picture of what happens when unnecessary risks are taken. I never met john or even got close to him. After reading this, I wish I had done both. Good read.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was an interesting book. It told the life story from his life in the White House with his family, his father's assasination, his marriage to Carolyn Bessette, and finally his tragic death in a plane crash in 1999. For anyone fascinated with the life of JFK Jr, i highly recommend this book.

[Lorma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been a Kennedy fanatic since I was a teen. My sister-in-law got me this book for my Birthday.This was an interesting book. It told the story from his life in the White House with his family, his father's assasination, his marriage to Carolyn Bessette, and finally his tragic death in a plane crash in 1999.

[Anne Horner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A generations sadness

This book brought to life the more intimate details of the Kennedy children of Jack and Jackie. It also have insight to John Jr and how well Jackie handled his upbringing. It was a sad day when JFK Jr passed, I remember it well, this book provided a look inside Camelot and beyond.

[Victoria Wray-Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

ANOTHER GREAT BOOK

Having read several books by Christopher Anderson, I was looking forward to reading about JFK, Jr...I was not disappointed. As part of the generation that watched John grow up, it was a bittersweet journey reliving the triumphs and tears of his tragically short life. Great read!

[Mj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of curiosity and my fascination with the Kennedys, I bought this book. How can "The DAY John Died" be an entire book? It started out about that day and the next thing I knew, I was back in 1960, his parent's marriage, he and Caroline's childhoods and Jackie's craze for more money. Learned a few things and it was interesting enough to finish so that right there says it was good.

[Teresa Rossbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Kennedy tragedy.

This book is written very well. I liked how he started with the death of John, Carolyn and Lauren and then went back to the 'beginning', weaving his life story very effectively. Of course the final chapter was heart wrenching. Christopher wrote it well. I would recommend this book especially for persons intrigued by the Kennedy family.

[Dee Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like reading about the Kennedys. So much history. I bought this book. Another tragic passing and case of another one gone too soon. JFK Jr's life was always marred by tragedy. Here again, Christopher Andersen tries to recount and detail as much of the days leading up to the plane crash. There is also insight on the state of his marriage at the time. An good read.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been on a Kennedy kick since we were on vacation out east. I have never read much about the Kennedy's, so this was interesting. It wasn't only about when John John died, but a lot of history of his and Caroline's life, with some stuff about Jackie thrown in too.

[Patty Abrams · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not so much about the day John died, but about his entire life from the president's son to his mom trying to protect him. Stuff I have already read about over and over and over. Learned nothing new.

[Lisa Lacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best

I love reading about the Kennedys and was crushed like so many others when John died. Now it is even worse, since I now feel that I know him after reading this excellent book. So well written and detailed. Read it quickly as it is almost impossible to put down.

[Jenifer Kondis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little known background to very public lives

Interesting background into the private lives of public Kennedys. Tragic end to very bright futures. This book gave unknown info with a personal touch.