Customer Reviews

Jack and Jackie: Portrait of an American Marriage

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've read tons of information and have researched into Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis' life and found Anderson's book to be almost fiction at times. He starts the book in a dialogue format and continues to use dialogue throughout the BIOGRAPHY. I found myself asking, "How does he know the exact words that Jack and Jackie said to each other when they were in private". The book is narrated many times and it just didn't seem to be authentic. It was a good story, however and it would be nice if the book was 100% accurate. I just like to know that when I'm reading a biography, I'm reading Non-fiction...not FICTION!

As someone who was born in 1977, all that I know of the "Camelot" era has come to me second and thirdhand. This book was great at setting to rest some of the myths surrounding this famous couple and also presented some information I hadn't seen anywhere else about their private lives in the White House. I discovered many things about Jackie's life growing up that I did not know previously, and how those events factored into her decision to marry JFK.

Sometimes the author's narrative style can be jarring ("'And what would be wrong with,' she asked coyly, 'that?'") but I do not find the dialogues related to be unrealistic. It was rather like reading a transcript of an extra-long episode of A & E's "Biography" television show. The book is an engaging account of a typical high-society marriage with a tragic "what might have been in this marriage" twist resulting from Mr. Kennedy's assasination so soon after the death of their baby brought the two much closer together.

An intimate look at the parts of Jack and Jackie Kennedy that were not visible to the American public. Author Christopher Andersen presents a well-researched, balanced, and sensitive portrait of Jack and Jackie. This is not a mean-spirited book, but it is honest. Don't expect Camelot. A book loaded with anecdotes that you will want to share with your friends

This is a little light and PEOPLE magazine-y in parts. But every now and then the author slips the needle in and lets you know he knows more than he's letting on. The catty remarks by Gore Vidal spice things up. I particularly liked the account of Kennedy's personal physician, Dr. Max Jacobson -- the legendary "Dr. Feelgood." Four times a week, right up until the assassination, the Doc was shooting Kennedy up with a special concoction; 25% vitamins and 75% pure dexedrine. Isn't it nice to know we had a speed-freak tweaker in the White House with his twitching fingers on The Button? (Funny how they didn't teach me these stuff in 6th grade History class.) Beneath Jack Kennedy's "vigorous, youthful" facade was a sickly man. And the same can be said for the whole shiney, air-brushed "Kennedy myth" and the rot just underneath the surface. They don't call it "the Kennedy curse" for nothing. Truly, the Kennedys are one of the sickest families to ever inflict themselves on the American body.

I just thought it was a well written book about two very fascinating people. I would recomend it to anyone interested in the Kennedy presidency and the background of their lives. Also, we get an insight to what made their children the people they grew to be.

This book brought to light so many things that I never really knew. Concerning, love, drugs, children and affairs. It was a great book, but I found the last 20 pages or so to be the most captivating. This book left me with a sad feeling, because the Kennedy's were finally beginning to truly love each other when JFK was shot. This just goes to show that life isn't always fair. This was a great book that I would recommend for anyone to read.

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end; and I could hardly put it down!!! I have read alot of material on the Kennedys, but there was a great deal of information in this book that I had never come across. Excellent!!!!

It was very good and I thought I was watching it right before me. But one thing I didn't like was the pictures. I have read other books about Jack and Jackie Kennedy's marriage and they had better pictures and more pictures than they did in this book. But overall, the book really good and good information. I wonder how long it took to write the book.

A fast read. Many details and secrets that probably would not have been published if either of them were alive.

A fabulous account of the childhoods and marriage of Jack and Jackie Kennedy. Fantastic pictures of the famous couple. A Wonderful read!!!! FOR QUESTIONS OR DICUSSIONS ON JACKIE ONASSIS, PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT MellissaLD@aol.com. HPOE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!!!!!!!!