Farewell, Jackie: A Portrait of Her Final Days [Hardcover]

Edward Klein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 12, 2004

When she fell ill with cancer, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis faced death as she faced life— with all the bravery and grace of a woman who had long inspired the nation.

In Farewell, Jackie, bestselling author Edward Klein—who knew Jackie for more than a dozen years—explores the eventful last six months of her exceptional life. From the moment she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Jackie embraced a renewed spiritual life, and embarked on her final journey in the company of her children, grandchildren, and Maurice Tempelsman, the man who brought her joy and companionship.

“No other person in modern times has been so thoroughly scrutinized,” writes Klein. “And yet, the climactic moment of Jackie’s life—in which she orchestrated her own death as masterfully as she orchestrated the funeral of her assassinated husband—remains shrouded in mystery. This book lifts that veil.” Klein has unearthed revelatory material about her illness—why it took so long to diagnose, the treatments she endured, and the ones she refused. He also celebrates Jackie’s life—her accomplishments, and her hopes for John and Caroline. Farewell, Jackie is a regal tribute and an inspiring account of the last days of a woman whose legacy endures in post-Camelot America.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With so many books out there about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, one has to wonder what fresh insights might be found in this latest portrait. Klein's angle is to offer "a missing piece of Jackie's remarkable story"-her battle with cancer-on the 10th anniversary of her death. While he's billed as a personal friend of Jackie's (although admittedly not a close one), it's hard to see how his relationship with her lends nuance or depth to his writing. Klein has written a slew of books about the Kennedys (most recently the bestselling The Kennedy Curse), and this slim tome feels padded. While readers do get details about her last days, they often come from questionable sources, like her manicurist, who observes, "She liked to keep her nails and toenails natural and clean looking" and "I heard she was sick.... But I didn't know so many details." One also has to wonder why a former friend would need to resort to sources like this. Scenes of Jackie's last moments and actual death are moving by their nature. But the portrait we get-that she was strong, that she loved her family, that she died on her own terms-is nothing new. In fact, Klein stresses throughout Jackie's need for privacy, so his offering of such intimate physical detail-whatever the source-while not explicitly exploitative in tone, does come off as unseemly. What would Jackie think? B&w photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Edward Klein is the author most recently of The New York Times bestselling The Kennedy Curse. He covered John F. Kennedy’s 1960 presidential campaign and was foreign editor of Newsweek and editor in chief of The New York Times Magazine.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult; First Edition edition (April 12, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670033316
• ISBN-13: 978-0670033317
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #199,983 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( O ) > Onassis, Jacqueline Kennedy

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I can't believe I sprung for this in hardcover!, May 21, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Farewell, Jackie: A Portrait of Her Final Days (Hardcover)

I agree with the other reviewers who say there is nothing new here. Not only is this all rehash,it's not even good rehash.
Save your money, but if you must own it...buy it used...I am sure you'll have no trouble finding them.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Poorly done work, April 22, 2004

By 

ESQ - See all my reviews

This review is from: Farewell, Jackie: A Portrait of Her Final Days (Hardcover)

While I understand that author's sentiment in wanting to detail a very important and courageous aspect of Jacqueline's life, I am disappointed with his attempt to do so. I was expceting to be enthralled and engaged from the moment I picked up the book until I put it down. That was clearly not the case. I found the book to be dull and to only repeat details that have been mentioned previously in other novels. The flashbacks were often distracting and served no real purpose.I learned nothing new from this novel. All details of her sickness that were found between the pages of this book were merely repeats and could be found in any Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis book worth its salt. As a collector of Kennedy books, I feel confident enough in my discerning taste to recommend that all interested parties refrain from buying this book. Go sit and read it at your local bookstore. (Trust me, it certainly won't take long!)

37 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars "Farewell" not soon enough, June 1, 2004

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Farewell, Jackie: A Portrait of Her Final Days (Hardcover)

Edward Klein needs to find a new family to write recycled books about. After peddling such ghastly books as "The Kennedy Curse" and "Just Jackie," Klein engages in literary graverobbing with the putrid "Farewell Jackie: A Portrait of Her Final Days."

His primary focus is the final illness and death of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, of non-lymphoma cancer that seemed easily treatable. By this time, Ms. Onassis had transcended her tabloid-speckled former lives and had a good job, a man she loved, and grandchildren she adored. But when her cancer spread, Onassis tried to die with the illusion of dignity she had maintained in her life.

Reading "Farewell Jackie" is a bit like watching someone break open a grave to frisk the bones of the dead. Padding the story of Jackie's illness and death are stories of her earlier life -- primarily her second marriage, and various love affairs she had (one of which has been denied by the man involved). Dirt-dishing, anyone?

Jackie Kennedy Onassis is portrayed as downright saintly in this book; Klein glosses over the hypocrises and flaws in her personality, such as being "religious" yet ignoring tenets of that religion. Even the volatile nature of her relationship with her second husband. Oddly enough, this adoration doesn't extend far enough, especially at the end. Any semblance of dignity is shredded when Klein goes into grotesque detail about Onassis's final mental and physical deterioration.

What's more, Klein's writing is deplorable. He transcribes private conversations and moments when Onassis was alone -- all obviously faked. Not to mention that Klein is in desperate need of an editor for this book's many errors. On one page, Klein informs us, "Jackie a wreck." Verbs? We don't need no stinkin' verbs.

Farewell, Jackie. Too bad Klein had to write this book and peddle it as a memorial volume for you. "Farewell Jackie," thankfully, is clearly destined to sink into the mire of obsequious, poorly-written Kennedy books.