That Kennedy Girl

by Robert DeMaria

This is the story of Kathleen Kennedy and her struggle to live her own life her own way, in spite of enormous pressures from her parents and the rest of the clan. She first went to England in 1938 when her father, Joseph P. Kennedy, became the Ambassador to the Court of St. James. She made her debut that year and was selected as the most popular debutante of the season. Her story falls into two parts: her forbidden marriage to the Marquis of Hartington, son of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire; and her fatal affair with Earl Peter Fitzwilliam, one of the wealthiest men in Britain, who was already married to the heiress of the Guiness Fortune. Through World War II, and a few of the post-war years, we watch the tragedy unfold.

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

For Dr. Bob, The Drugless Doctor, see Robert DeMaria

Robert DeMaria was born in New York. He studied at Columbia where he was an undergraduate in the Beat Generation. He eventually earned a PhD in modern British literature. He was an editor at Macmillan, taught writing at various universities and was the Associate Dean of the New School for Social Research. With Ellen Hope Meyer he published The Mediterranean Review (1970-73). He is the author of fifteen novels and has published short fiction and poetry in various magazines. His novels reflect his New York background and his years raising a family on the east end of Long Island. He has also spent some years in Europe in expatriate circles. These days he divides his time between Deia on the island of Mallorca and Port Jefferson on Long Island. He is working on a memoir called My Secret Childhood.

Reviews

[Erin (Historical Fiction Reader) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Find this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....

In an ideal world, book reviewers would attempt to say something nice about every book they review, but I find the most positive thing I can say about Robert DeMaria's That Kennedy Girl is that the author made an excellent choice of subject matter.

As DeMaria's work, am I bitter that I wasted my time on such a poorly written piece? Am I upset at the paper thin characterizations? Am I annoyed at the incohesive construction? Am I dismayed by the continued references to Kathleen's time in England before the war and the complete lack of information DeMaria actually gives the reader about that part of her life? Am I concerned that the book, on more than occasion, drifted to the carnal exploits of Joe Jr. and Jack rather than staying focused on Kathleen? Yes. Yes I am.

Okay, not my best commentary, but reflecting on this piece is truly upsetting and though I've given honest effort to penning something that better illustrates my experience I find I cannot subject myself to this torture a moment longer. Suffice it to say as both a reader and someone with a genuine interest in Kick, I was brutally disappointed by this book.

Obviously not something I can bring myself to recommend, but if your curiosity must be satisfied, I would strongly suggest requesting from your local library.

[Everydayreader1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

That Kennedy Girl by Robert DeMaria was a sad but also a most enjoyable read. The Kennedy family has always interested me, and I have not had the opportunity to read much about Kathleen Kennedy's life until now. Really appreciated the portrayal of her life in this book.

The book does have some typo's and words run together, and for that reason, I did not give it a five star rating.

[Dr.J.G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is a rare insight into the very famous, glamourous, and wealthy family often named American royalty - the Kennedy family - from a point of view they are rarely seen.

Most often of course, people look at things from a male-centric point of view, especially when the paterfamilias is so powerful, so driven by the aspiration to rise above the slot one is relegated to when in a minority that is looked down on and not allowed in mainstream, not quite near the top. This gets all the more so when the said paterfamilias succeeds in his plans, and so spectacularly at that. It is all the more so and even only natural when this success involves someone as glamorous, as noble, as John F. Kennedy, especially when he and his twin brother of spirit carry a nation's hopes and are assassinated so young, with world's shock and tears marking their family loss as that of their nation's, even that of the world.

But the tragedies that beset the Kennedy clan did not begin with the two more famous brothers, or even with the known tragic death in war of the eldest of the brothers, the firstborn whom the hopes of the paterfamilias were pinned on to begin with, in the second world war. There were the two sisters too, of the elder of the siblings, whose stories are not as well publicised.

One of course is the very pathetic elder daughter Rosemary Kennedy, who was subjected to terrible and terribly unfair treatment - the parents had a lobotomy performed and then had her live in seclusion in Wisconsin far away from not only the limelight the clan lived in, but also very rarely visited by most of family, including her mother Rose Kennedy who didn't visit her for decades. All this, because she was "rebellious", and a hint of some escapades that the catholic mother did not approve of and the father couldn't allow the scandals obstruct his plans for careers for his sons and himself - and the young woman was reduced to a vegetable, living life of an orphan.

This book deals with the other, lesser known story of the Kennedy daughter who died young, far away from her homes, having been estranged from her family due to the parents' - especially the mother's - harsh demands of sacrifice of happiness from the young daughter who wished only to marry someone she loved.

Kathleen Kennedy, did a little better than her elder sister Rosemary, but not much - she had to fight terrible battles only because her mother saw it as a sin when Kathleen wished to marry an Englishman, never mind he was an aristocrat and well off, William Cavendish, Lord Hartington who was eventually to be Duke of Devonshire. Joe Kennedy, the eldest brother, stood up for her and with her at the wedding where others present were the Devonshire family of the groom, and in a short span of less than a year thereafter both Joe and the newly married groom died in the war. The mother of the bereaved bride had only an offer for her of a chance to redeem herself from the sin by having her marriage annulled.

Kathleen didn't give up on life and love, and was all set to marry another British aristocrat, but both died in an air crash before they could wed. A young life so very lost, and one grieves for the unnecessary losses, sadness, and more.

But what hits one more than any other factor, reading this, is how horrible the whole imposition of sin on innocence is, so enforced by institutionalisation of guilt to rule the world in form of religious strictures that have obedience to an institution as the first condition, with no freedom of thought, much less of spirit or soul.

[PAMELA WNUK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book!

This is beautiful written story of Kathleen Kennedy last 10 years of her life . Read other books that cover her entire life. Lots of details provided to be very evocative. A must read book.

[radchick in Hercules · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is well worth the read

I feel that the author kept me mesmerized. What a story that I just could not put down. It shows how some people would rather live for love.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book quite a bit. I liked the historical narrative format and the characters seemed consistent with what I knew from scholarly books. I also enjoyed reading more about Kathleen, who often gets shorted in scholarly books since she was mostly in Europe and then gone. On the other hand, the book seemed sloppy, with spelling/grammatical errors and often I had to reread parts to determine who said what. It's worth the cheap price though, especially if you love reading about the Kennedys!

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really sure what I expected. It is a historical fiction piece that surmised what the Kennedy's said and did based upon historical events. I was hoping for a diary type autobiography piece. Not what I got. It did expose the Kathleen Kennedy and gave us a picture of her personality. Again, I was hoping for more.

[Carol Witte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. It gave me an insight of who Kathleen Kennedy really was.

I would recommend this book very good read. I have always been interested in the Kennedy's. I grew up in an era when everything the Kennedy's everyone was watching.

[Pat Marbois · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast read and an interesting topic. It gave insight into Jack Kennedy's relationship to his sister and an overview to the family and that time in history.

[Judith Colson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

This is an interesting story on one of the Kennedy's. The life of a Kennedy who goes her own way...

[Cecelia Fortney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read


This book reveals much about the Kennedy family prior to their rise to political fame and how their Catholic religion and political goals ruled their lives.

[Janice Simms · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining

Light, easy read. Some interesting insight, however I had hoped for more of a biography instead if fictional fill ins. Still fun

[Joyce Sellitti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story of the Kennedys. I have always been interested in them since I was a young girl growing up in Brooklyn, and they fascinate me.