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After having read Sarah Bradford's books on Diana, Princess of Wales, and Queen Elizabeth II, I was interested to read how the author would handle the topic of Jackie. Overall, I found this book to be enjoyable reading. The only difference is that Jackie's husband and in-laws were not in a public-relations war and encouraging bad press.
Bradford is not the only author who has played up Diana's "faults", I was a little disappointed to find that while Jackie shared many of Diana's dirty little personality traits -- compartmentalizing people, freezing people out over assumed betrayals, scheming for favorable photo sessions, encouraging good press coverage, etc., the author opted to pass over Jackie's such actions. One complaint: I would have liked more details about the food served during the White House years. Although, Ms.
Apart from this obvious bias, the author does a good job of conveying the story of Jackie's life. Diana's faults were bad while Jackie's identical behavior was presented as acceptable. In other words nothing can topple Jackie from her icon status but Diana can topple.
Jackie preferred French cooking but most of the time we only read that the food the WH guests dined on was delicious.
This was a great book - it was packed with information. Sometimes it had a little bit too much detail in certain sections and it got a little bit boring. Overall, it was really interesting and I was glad that it was so well written as opposed to a quick read that leaves you with more questions. Highly recommended.
Sarah Bradford has written a very complete story from Jackie's childhood to her death. It is a shame that she died at only 64 years old.I enjoyed reading about her life. She asked for free donations, like a valuable portrait of Ben Franklin.
The book also focuses on JFK's affairs, and how much it hurt Jackie.Even before Jack died, Jackie was determined to be free from the Kennedy family. I have no way to know how accurate this book is although the author cites a lot of other books for research. There are lots of details about Jackie, as well as her husbands, JFK and Onassis.
She enlists the help of experts.Everyone seems willing to help her, because of her charisma and her position as first lady. To separate from the Kennedy family, Jackie used her natural wit, and charm. Instead, Jackie focused on raising her children and her own interests, like the literary world and art.One of the highlights of the book for me was how Jackie restored the White House.
Jackie was a very intelligent and determined lady.
She wasn't perfect but she was Jackie. A sophisticate, debutant of the year, equestrienne, well-manner, posh Park Avenue social doyenne who intrigued the world until she died in 1994.
Her birth and upbringing in New York City, refinement, etiquette, and Olympian cool. Jackie radiated a deep mystery that remains.
Jackie Kennedy was the closest thing that America ever got to home-grown royalty. an American icon who seems both American yet not typical of the United States.
She was iconic in her need for privacy and protectiveness of it. A woman of another era who remains enigmatic and unique in her persona.
Fluent in several language, a writer of poetry, political wife, patron of the arts, native New Yorker, and poised like any Queen in Europe. America may never see another quite like her.
She then attempted a deeper tone for the male voices. My comments concern the narrator of the audio cd who felt that she had to change her voice inflection when she read quotes of various people. She talked in a soft wispery tone when quoting Jackie, however, she continued to use that same voice for any of the females quoted. Due to all the voice shifting it was disruptive and the reading did not flow. Since it was a narrative and not a play it would have been more pleasing to the ear if the narrator did the entire reading in her natural voice.
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