Hostage to Fortune: The Letters of Joseph P. Kennedy [Hardcover]

Joseph P. Kennedy (Author), Amanda Smith (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 4, 2001

The previously unpublished written legacy of America's most famous patriarch that sheds new light on his public and private persona.

Joseph P. Kennedy remains one of the most enigmatic and controversial figures in American history. From his humble beginnings as the son of Irish immigrants to his meteoric rise to statesman, diplomat, and finally to First Father, he has been both beloved and vilified. In Hostage to Fortune: The Letters of Joseph P. Kennedy, Amanda Smith has unearthed an extraordinary treasure of her grandfather's correspondence and several previously unseen photographs in a collection that reveals his metamorphoses. It is not only a living history of Kennedy's life, but also a revelation of his vision of his own family as the embodiment of the American dream.

In the only firsthand record of his life, Hostage to Fortune begins in 1914, with the honeymoon of Joe and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy in Atlantic City and ends in 1961 with Joe's disabling stroke. In between, we see the public and private Kennedy-father, husband, film producer, and New Deal government official. The correspondence between his wife and nine children is a completely loving one that too often ends in loss and grief. His relationships with the great figures of the age-Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Neville Chamberlain, Pope Pius XII, and Charles Lindbergh-show him courting friendships but also fighting for his beliefs, a trait that would ultimately end his public career. At once a fitting tribute to her grandfather, a great historical work, and a chronicle of America's greatest family, Hostage to Fortune will engage American history lovers as well as a public who continues to be fascinated by the Kennedy family.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This volume--covering the life of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. as a family man, businessman and ambassador to the Court of St. James--does not limit itself to letters written by the progenitor of a political dynasty. It also includes much correspondence from his wife, Rose, and his children through nearly five decades (1914-1961), along with carefully chosen entries from his journals, which Smith--a Kennedy granddaughter--claims preserves, as much as possible, an accurate account of the private and public man. The journals, like the letters, have up to now been embargoed by the family, and generally unavailable to scholars; therefore this volume is welcome. More discerning readers, however, aware of Kennedy's well-documented (by Richard Mahoney, Ron Kessler and others) business skulduggery, political opportunism, anti-Semitism and cowardice in the face of Nazism, will find that this collection offers a sanitized, whitewashed image. Smith allows Kennedy's blatantly untrue, disingenuous and self-serving statements to stand unchallenged. The journal accounts concerning meetings with FDR, for example, flatly disagree with the published records of other participants, not to mention with FDR's own secret Oval Office tapes. Still, for the record, these documents are worth having; for the reader familiar with the Kennedy literature, they do much to fill out a portrait of a fascinating clan and a fascinating man. (Jan.)Forecast: First serial rights have been sold to the New Yorker, and the book will be supported by a four-city author tour. There does seem to be an insatiable hunger for Kennedy books, but this one is not likely to have the kind of sales that Sarah Bradford's American Queen is enjoying.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Access to the private letters of Joseph P. Kennedy at the John F. Kennedy Library has been restricted to all but a few authors; others have had to locate his letters among the papers of those with whom he corresponded. As noted by Smith, his granddaughter and a graduate student at Harvard, this situation has created an incomplete and unbalanced picture of the man. In editing this collection, she draws largely on material in the Kennedy libraryDexcept for some letters she herself uncovered in an abandoned garret on Long IslandDin an effort to create a more balanced picture of her grandfather. The result has significant strengths and weaknesses. For the first time, readers can see an orderly presentation of the words of one of the most enigmatic Kennedys as he operates largely behind the scenes and eventually sees his son rise to the presidency. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of these letters is the extent to which Joseph P. Kennedy's public and private lives were inextricably linked. Unfortunately, as in any collection of this sort, the editor's family ties have added insight but may have blinded her to opportunities a less subjective expert might have explored more effectively. Despite its shortcomings, this book will be a useful addition to all libraries with readers who want to know more about the Kennedy family. Since the Kennedy family seems intent on carefully guarding access to these papers, the sample here will be extremely useful to scholars.DCharles K. Piehl, Minnesota State Univ., Mankato
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 800 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult (January 4, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670869694
• ISBN-13: 978-0670869695
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.9 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,241,720 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HISTORICAL MISSIVES - A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN, April 19, 2001

By 

BeatleBangs1964 (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Hostage to Fortune: The Letters of Joseph P. Kennedy (Hardcover)

Famed patriarch Joseph Kennedy Sr.'s granddaughter, Amanda Smith (she is the daughter of Jean Kennedy Smith) did an extraordinary job of collecting missives written by various family members over a period of nearly half a century. The years 1914-1961 are meticulously laid out in militarily neat precision; it is through these letters that readers glean insights into the dynamics of a famous family.

My favorite parts in the book were the letters to, by and about the late Senator Robert Kennedy. Third son and seventh child of patriarch Joseph Kennedy, readers are treated to witness his growth and development, almost from the beginning. A composition he wrote at age 13 describing himself and his preferences is enlightening. One can smile at the boy who strove to keep up with his older siblings revisited in the man who achieved leadership status. From all accounts, Robert Kennedy was a diligent worker; the boy who sought to make himself heard by his siblings and by Joe, Sr. became the man who served as the voice for many. In adult life his voice was one that was very much heard and resounded throughout history. In reading this, it was impossible not to cheer his progress and feel encouraged by what he accomplished in his lifetime.

This is a delightful "peek behind the curtain" into the dynamics of generations of Kennedys.

I loved it.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb Book!, January 4, 2001

By 

Erin Esposito "esposito" (Rochester, New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hostage to Fortune: The Letters of Joseph P. Kennedy (Hardcover)

I have read countless books on the Kennedys and I've got to say this is, by far, one of the most valuable books I've read.

Amanda Smith, who is Joseph P. Kennedy's grandaughter, did a phenomenal job gathering correspondences between Joe Kennedy and family members, dignitaries, colleagues and friends during the years of 1914-1961. The manner in which Smith compiled the letters allows for a smooth and enjoyable read of the book.

I am quite impressed (and thankful!) that Smith meticulously documented and made footnotes of the individuals who were either the recipient or author of a letter or are mentioned in the correspondence - as it provides the reader with a much better understanding of the context of the letter.

I've always had a strong appreciation and interest in reading original documents and writings. Amanda Smith truly did a fantastic job editing the letters and showing a new side of Joe Kennedy which I never saw before.

Definately well worth the cost of the book and most certainly recommended with the highest regard for those who enjoy reading about the Kennedys, political science, or correspondences.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The life of Joseph Kennedy in his own hand., January 8, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Hostage to Fortune: The Letters of Joseph P. Kennedy (Hardcover)

What a nice surprise to see a book about the Kennedy family based on fact. Smith's choice of letters help the reader visualize Joseph Kennedy as father, businessman, and ambassador. These letters are as historically important as they are touching. Smith's work has given us first hand accounts of many great historical events of the 20th century. This book will prove to be an important resource for biographers as well as a wonderful gift to Smith's own family. Highly recommend.