Forever Young: My Friendship with John F. Kennedy, Jr. [Paperback]

William Sylvester Noonan (Author), Robert Huber (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 2007

An intimate portrait of John F. Kennedy, Jr., from his closest friend with 16 pages of color photos

From the iconic image of a little boy saluting his father’s casket to his tragic death at age thirty- eight, John F. Kennedy, Jr., was never far from the public eye. Now the friend who John was flying to see the night he died reveals the private man behind the public myth. Billy and John shared summers in Hyannisport and formed a bond in the Kennedy compound that lasted well into adulthood. With Forever Young, Noonan offers a unique glimpse into the private life of his boyhood friend—his courtship with Carolyn, his relationship with his mother, Jackie, and his struggle with being the son of a great man he hardly remembered. Affectionate yet candid, Noonan’s deeply personal memoir ultimately emerges as the definitive portrait of the son of Camelot.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Though listeners will undoubtedly question Noonan's motive in penning this memoir-as well as his assertion that he and John F. Kennedy Jr. were best friends-Grupper's fluid, impartial delivery allows the material to speak for itself, resulting in an audio that is both easy to enjoy and easy to debate. Noonan has set out to debunk what he calls the "prince of Camelot myth" surrounding John. In its place, he draws a portrait of a flawed but intelligent individual who continually struggled under the weight of his legacy. Noonan's memoir is best at relaying anecdotes, such as the night Noonan tried to take on the paparazzi after John's 18th birthday bash, earning him the tabloid title of John's "beefy buddy." The audio isn't all fond memories, however, and at times something akin to bitterness creeps into Noonan's narrative. Though this may cause some listeners to tune out, most will take these moments-which Grupper wisely doesn't dramatize or downplay-in stride and enjoy the glimpse Noonan provides of the son of the Camelot myth.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

WILLIAM SYLVESTER NOONAN is a graduate of Boston College. He lives outside Boston and on Cape Cod with his wife and four children.
ROBERT HUBER is a senior editor at Philadelphia magazine and recently completed his first novel, Finding Carol.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Plume (October 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452288924
• ISBN-13: 978-0452288928
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #757,781 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #59 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( K ) > Kennedy, Robert

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Forever Boring, November 6, 2006

By 

M. K. Kiley (boston,ma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Forever Young: My Friendship with John F. Kennedy, Jr. (Hardcover)

I was anticipating loving this book. I am an Irish Catholic, from Boston, and a fan of the Kennedy legacy. Forever Young does not tell you anything new. The author is a megalomaniac and it comes through loud and clear in his writing. He credits his father and himself for many things that occur in JFK's and JFK Jr.'s lives. Another reviewer wrote how they were appalled about the way William Noonan treated his mother. I could not agree more. This review seems to be more about the author than the book about JFK Jr. That seems fitting, since the book is really more about Billy Noonan than the person you are interested in learning more about, JFK Jr.

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Exceptional Man, November 10, 2006

By 

R. Spell "raspell" (Memphis, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Forever Young: My Friendship with John F. Kennedy, Jr. (Hardcover)

I've never been a JFK detractor or big fan but have always admired the way JFK, Jr. carried himself. This book confirms that what the public saw in the brief moments was really exactly what he appeared to be, a well grounded, bright, loyal, compassionate man who valued his privacy but could live with the attention maybe better than anyone thus far.

Written by one of John's longest friend, Billy Noonan describes how they met on the Cape and how they lived their lives. Billy spent a great deal of time with Jackie also and gives a great perspective of her life and his respect for her. In addition, Billy lost a father at 13 and had this in common with Jr.

This book is nothing more than a tale of two Baby Boomers living in a glorious period in America. But when one of the "normal" individuals is JFK, Jr., it takes on an entirely different perspective. The incidents that happened due to this fame are interesting to read as he relays his fascination and JFK, Jr.'s frustration dealing with the problem. Unfortunately, Carolyn Bessette was not equipped to deal with this intrusion into a normal life. I remember the incident where JFK poured water on a paparazzi on the Cape intruding on Carolyn and how he later came out and talked with the photographer attempting to apologize or at least ask for space. This is what is conveyed in this book. A compassionate individual who understood much more than the world will ever know. Always willing to help others in the world and as relayed by Noonan, a deeper understanding of the world problems brought out in their debates where Noonan took on a more conservative approach.

I haven't voted Democratic and encourage you to not let your politics influence your decision to read this book. JFK Jr. is as close as this country will ever have to royalty and this book confirms what I've always felt, he wears the crown well.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Forever Sad, April 23, 2008

By 

S. J. Goldberg "scottie" (Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Forever Young: My Friendship with John F. Kennedy, Jr. (Hardcover)

I bought this book with some trepidation since Billy clearly sold his soul to write it. But, I could not resist. I was always a great admirer of JFK, Jr. - he was such a classy guy - and such an immense force to try to harness for friendship. The book lays out in vivid detail their amazing friendship and the many happy and horrifying times they shared. This book basically makes you a "fly on the wall" witnessing one of the most profound and beautiful friendships ever put to print. I could not put it down - JFK, Jr. and I are exactly the same age and passed through some of life's milestones at the same time. I found myself comparing where I was in my life as the book unfolded. I am writing this review having just now finished the book and feel an overwhelming sense of sadness - I cried so many times - the great highs and thrills always seemed to be overshadowed by the immense burden of sadness, tradgedy, disease and death that surrounds The Kennedys and those close to them. I can only hope that during my life I will share such a stong, loving, and enduring friendship with another person. Maybe John is looking down on us now laughing at all this debate - I find myself missing him during this season of politics. The world should still have John in it - he lived well, richly and fully - never squandering what he had been given. Make sure you are in the right frame of mind to read this - it may impact you more deeply than you can know.