In Her Sister's Shadow: An Intimate Biography of Lee Radziwill

by Diana Dubois

A portrait of a woman who lived a jealous rivalry with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, a sister who was a legend, reveals patterns of sibling competition formed in childhood that influenced her entire life

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir

416 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1995

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book many years ago, and still think it is very interesting. From the time she was young, Caroline Lee Bouvier was overshadowed by her older sister Jacqueline. This book provides a view of Lee’s life as she attempted to find happiness and success away from her sister’s orbit.

[CJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. I guess we now know that the Hilton sisters weren't the first to be the spoiled, jet-setting brats of the very rich. While Jackie Kennedy is a footnote in history, her sister is a footnote to a footnote. Jumping from man to man in search of the elusive (money, fame, publicity), Lee Radziwill lived an empty life. She worked very hard to keep up appearances, but even then the drinking and spending caught up with her. I kept waiting for some sort of epiphany and none came. What a sad, sad existence.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a tough one to rate because the author did a good job making her subject particularly unlikable. Does one give a lower rating for not exactly liking the person the biography is written about, despite a strange fascination that compelled one to finish the biography? 2.5 stars.

[Linda Lipko · Rating 1 out of 5]

"I have made no provision in this my Will for my sister, Lee B. Radziwill, for whom I have great affection because I have already done so during my lifetime."

The above statement from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis sums up the close, yet adversarial relationship of these two jet setting, fashion and money obsessed sisters.

The book outlined the many ways in which Jackie found to trump her sister in both the selection of a partner and in what was deemed as successful in the world of the elite.

It was Lee who had her eyes of Aristotle Onassis, and it was Jackie who won the prize. Adrift without a purpose, Lee found her identity in the men who surrounded her.

Never quite finding happiness, no matter how many "friends" she found, Lee soon bored of them.

I finished reading the book, but cannot recommend it. After 100 pages I found it repetitive and listless.

[Lee Heffner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lee Radziwill always seemed interesting. If this book is true she is vain, shallow and difficult to empathize with.

[eileen · Rating 1 out of 5]

If only there was a way to show a zero star. I have never read a book about nothing. Nothing at all. Biographies should be written about people with some substance, an interesting life. Some honesty, insight. This was about the boring vapid life of Lee Radziwill. She really didn't do much in life except marry rich. Which wasn't rich enough for her. End of her story.

[David Allwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

It seems Lee Radziwill’s only point of interest was that she was the sister of Jackie Kennedy. And the appropriately named, ‘In Her Sisters Shadow’ by Diana DuBois leaves little doubt that Lee Radziwill was merely an empty cipher. With a passing interest in many things but with a spoiled fickleness which prevented any degree of immersion, it seems that Radziwill merely mixed in interesting circles and socialised with the rich and famous of the day, but had very little identity of her own. As such, Lee Radziwill is not an interesting study for a biography, especially by an author with an adequate but very dull writing style. This book hits all the obvious marks of its subject’s life: a loveless childhood of privilege, followed by the requisite births, deaths, and marriages - but with such an indecisive, selfish character at its centre the book is merely an historical record rather than an involving, compelling life story. Surrounded by ever changing groups of fascinating actors, writers, artists and socialites, the reader begins to contemplate reading one of their biographies, and completely avoiding the life of Lee Radziwill.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This biography of Lee Radziwill, sister of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, is not kind. In fact, it paints Lee as spiteful, self-serving, and uncaring of other peoples feelings or needs. In this book, it feels as though she has a split personality. What I didn't like about the book was the author's interviewing of Lee's AA peers. Isn't AA supposed to be anonymous? Yet, here they were (anonymous themselves) willing spilling their guts about the sister of one of the world's most famous women.

[Kara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lee lead her life hanging on to her sister's coattails & then resented her sister mightily for it. She never had the strength to do otherwise, to perhaps find her own way, to be generous to her sister. The book is okay, but reading about such a self centered, shallow, bubble-headed person was tiresome.

[Helen Carolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light and gossipy read looking at the life of Jackie Kennedy's younger sister Lee. An ok read, but not sure we learned anything from this one.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took quite a while to read. I found it very interesting.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about two very shallow women who seemed to always have the eye on the prize. In both their cases.... The prize was the almighty dollar. Both acted like they camped from money.... When really they came from a Mother who was also a gold digger who married for money. They talked bad about their husbands, they cheated openly on their husbands, but as we know Jack cheated on Jackie constantly, too, so maybe this was just a lifestyle they chose. An odd one, but if all you care about is money, then they both did quite well. I posted that I finished this book, but that was not the whole truth. I was finished with this book long before the last page. I admit a fascination with The Kennedys, but there is very little fascinating about Lee Radziwell. She bored me. At least Jackie never bored me.

[Darianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a tour de force. Lee Radziwill comes across as a greedy arriviste focussed always on money, mean and vindictive to her three husbands. You feel sorry for her children Anthony and Christina. And yet, she's such a tragic figure, always in Jackie's shadow. Gripping and sad

[Janis Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book seems to repeat everything stated in bios about Mrs Onassis. Even in a bio about Mrs Ross'own life she stands in her sister's shadow. Quick read and nothing new except infidelity is the "norm".

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story about the relationship of sisters, Lee Radziwill, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis!! Diana Dubois didn't hold back, and put all the story Out There!! If you're into Biographies, this one is a good read!!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great bio of her life. Interesting family dynamics. Worth reading.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok. Two competitive sisters who spent a lot of money and worried too much about status and social position.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lee R. and Jackie O. make the Hilton sisters look like charming, classy angels!!!

[DAVIDHAM]

WRITTEN VERY SKETCHY & SHOLLOWY. BOTH LEE BOVIER RADZIWILL AND JACQUELINE KENNDY ONASSIS ARE WOMEN OF INTELLIGENCE,EDUCATION & CLASS.THIS BOOK IS VERY VERY BITCHY, ALMOST VENGENFUL AND SHALLOW LIKE IT'S AUTHOR MUST BE, SEEMS LIKE THE AUTHOR SLAPPED TOGETHER A QUICK BOOK TO MAKE HER OWN QUICK $$$$. DIANA DUBOIS DO YOUR REASEARCH MORE THOROUGH...IF YOU HAVE AN UNBITCHY BRAIN IN YOUR LITTLE SHALLOW HEAD THAT WILL ALLOW THAT.