Customer Reviews

Sons of Camelot: The Fate of an American Dynasty

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is a comprehensive, non sensationalized account of the lives of the younger Kennedys. The book manages to be interesting without becoming tabloidish in tone (as some of the other books have). The author appears to have made an effort to be thorough and fair in his reporting of events.

Here is the next generation of the Kennedys, warts and all. If you idolize the Kennedys, you won't be happy and if you hate the Kennedys, you won't be happy. But if you want a fairly well rounded account of the younger generation of Kennedys, Laurence Leamer's book does a good job. The sordid (the liberal use of drugs among the next generation, death of David Kennedy, the scandalous life of Michael Kennedy, etc.) and the positive (JFK Jr.'s loyalty to his friends, RFK Jr.'s rehabilitation into a leading environmentalist, Tim Shriver's teaching career helping disadvantaged children, etc.) are both discussed here. It deals in scandal, of course, but all in all is pretty even handed.

However, Leamer does not discuss some of the outstanding female members of the next generation, including Kathleen Kennedy, Lt. Governor of Maryland, Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver. Joseph Kennedy promoted his sons in public life while virtually ignoring his daughters (even old Joe admitted that if daughter Eunice "had b*lls, she'd be president."), but several of the female members of the next generation have made their mark. It's too bad that Leamer brings his book down a notch by ignoring the Kennedy women -- they deserve some mention as well.

Mr. Leamer has done a wonderful job of introducing the new generation of Kennedy sons. I just completed the book; and felt I wanted to learn even more. There are apparently too many Kennedy sons to focus on in one book. I had the feeling they all merited their own individual biographies.

While the author did offer up new information on the family; he sometimes held back in a very agonizing way. For example, he spends most of the book focusing on JFK, Jr. At the end of bk; as he describes John's last days -- he states that John had many complications in his life, espcially marriage, family and business. He briefly noted that John did not get along with Caroline Kennedy's husband, Mr. Schlossberg. He didn't give a hint of what was going on, yet many people are intrigued by Ms. Kennedy's mysterious Jewish husband. It left this reader wondering what was going on. The author knew, and he didn't care to share.

Since he did include Ted Kennedy in this volume; it would have been interesting to hear about how he and his second wife got married -- and how she interacts with the family.

The Lawford branch was given very short shift, and you can't tell me those kids don't have good stories to tell!

This book was long, but it was only an introduction. The Kennedy fans will enjoy it, but they will close the book hungry for more!

One would think that by getting to this "Sons of Camelot" bunch of Kennedys after what, 10 years of Kennedy writing, that the only thing left for Lawrence Leamer to write about would be the shell-shocked surviving generation. But the read was not like that, although he did not skirt the sad and sometimes ridiculous issues. It was tremendously well balanced and rang of a deep truth; makes you want to know Leamer just so you could learn his take on you.

It was not only up to his usual historian-level standards, but exceeded it in that there was so much more for the reader in this third book in what has become Leamer's cottage industry of Kennedy family writing. So Leamer's third trip to the Kennedy well still yielded a bucket of the finest wine.

His access to Kennedy friends and associates, especially those of John Jr., appear unprecedented. It's as if all these people knew, either intrinsically or from his other two books, that Leamer was the one who would get it all down correctly. I apprecaited the fact that there were only a couple of "anonymous" interviews, that most of the people were known, so that added to the keen veracity of this book.

Leamer has never been afraid to point out the scuffs in the Kennedy facade. In The Kennedy Men, I recall, I had never in my life seen such honesty, even when the Kennedys did not come off well, such as when Rosemary was given the shock treatments and the shame of that procedure, ordered by patriarch Joseph Kennedy, appears to haunt this family to this day and the shame is included in this book, too, through the eyes of this present generation.

In Sons of Camelot, Leamer again comes through with the essentials. But he at the same time, ever so carefully, he also documents their accomplishments -- and who would have thought there were so many?

What I particularly like about Leamer is that he isn't afraid to take on the dark side, which is all that is shown in some of the poseur books of recent genre -- such as the recent book with the fellow who claims to have had the on-going affair with Carolyn Bissette Kennedy.

(Side note: that recent bio on A&E with the underwear model was a horribly mismanaged bait-and switch event and it reached an all-time low in cheesy television viewing, even though I must admit I watched it, but only as one views a car wreck after having sat in a traffic jam for a long time.)

Leamer's enormous access to these Kennedy family sources was a magnificent achievement in itself. And the only way he could have had these multitude of interviews was that he was riding on the same train of truth from his other two books and the subjects knew it.

The anecdotal material, even, on actor Tom Hanks was obviously puerile but Leamer doesn't shy away from his subjects' antics, even if they do not come off well. Leamer isn't afraid of anyone, it seems, but especially, and most importantly, he is not afraid to tell the truth.

And the fact that he ends the book with a personal interview with Ted Kennedy is very telling. When Sen. Kennedy quotes his father, saying he had said, "'Home holds no fear for me,'" it was a heartbreaking moment and I felt I was in that senate office right there with Leamer and Kennedy.

Ted Kennedy reminisced with Leamer over the "extraordinary losses" experienced by his family but he also was quick to point out the blessings, and that could also sum up this fine book: Life is filled with tragedies and blessings for us all.

I did not want this book to end, although I guess all good things must come to an end.

With this book, Mr. Leamer may have outdone himself. His previous efforts have established his rare combination of talents for both investigation and literary eloquence. But I believe with The Sons of Camelot he has reached the top of his game. How many other Kennedy biographies can one think of written by someone outside the inner circle that the family itself has cooperated with. The answer is none. This speaks to Leamer's acknowledged reputation for fairness and his talent for the great "get." And the number of Kennedys who trusted him is even more astounding. The result is a rich and nuanced portrait of this complex brood. I recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding the true, and perhaps most valuable, legacy of Old Joe Kennedy.

This book has handsome JFK, Jr. on the cover and opens with young John-John saluting his father's coffin, and capturing our hearts. However this book is not devoted to President Kennedy's namesake. He's included here, but so are his equally fascinating -- if not as glamorous -- male cousins. Here are doomed Michael and David, ambitious Joe and a pair of gifted Bobbys (Kennedy and Shriver). There's Tim Shriver, trying to find his way within a powerful family. Ted Kennedy's sons have led particularly poignant lives, dealing with the legacy of Chappaquidick and their mother's alcoholism as well as their uncles' assasinations. I came away from this book with a renewed respect for Jackie and Eunice for their mothering skills, for their sons of Camelot were guided with surer, more attentive and imaginative hands than many of their cousins. While it was an interesting and educational read, I wish it had been longer and gone into more detail. So many of these young men were previously unknown to me and I wanted to know more. Still, I recommend it.

As per usual, Mr. Leamer produces an excellent volume of research on one of America's best known families. He is fair and empathetic.For myself ,speaking as one who has read many of his other books,Mr.Leamer is trustworthy with regard to his research sources.

This book totally suprised me. First of all, Leamer uses real, not anonymous sources, many from within the Kennedy family, to disclose previously unknown facts about all of the Kennedys. Secondly, having read the earlier "Kennedy Men" and "Kennedy Women", I didn't think there was much more to learn. Was I suprised! And this is no "Kennedy Cover-Up", nor is it a hatchet job. For those who crave authentic, objective understanding of this complex and fascinating family, Leamer is the undisputed Kennedy expert. Having worked in Washington, DC for nearly 30 years, I have a passing acquaintance with several of the events and people described in this book...and I doubted it would disclose all of the good and not-so-good facts that many in DC and Massachusetts know about several of the Kennedys. Leamer is critical yet compassionate and clear-eyed in disclosing the Kennedy weaknesses and failings...and he documents superbly their many accomplishments,public and private contributions, and the powerful potential the younger generation brings. This book totally suprised me with its insight, fairness..and bare-knuckle blunt truths. Leamer is fair...and accurate and complete, especially on those things I have some familiarity with. The interview with Ted Kennedy in the last chapter "Ripples on the Pond" is one of the most authentic and moving glimpses into the heart and mind of this last surviving brother. The younger generation of Kennedys share a difficult and rewarding legacy that Leamer brilliantly portrays. This book, "Sons of Camelot", completes the Kennedy triology Leamer has skillfully created, and is essential reading for anyone who appreciates and seeks to understand more fully our contemporary American political life, and the dominating and future influences of the Kennedy family.

I have read most books about the Kennedys, and I've
never read anything with such an intimate sense of their lives. I can understand why all the Kennedys cooperated with Leamer, because he tells the truth but he tells it in an empathetic way. I ended up caring more for these sons of Camelot and what they have gone through. I'll never forget this book. I wish I could give it ten stars.

In his third volume of his trilogy on the Kennedys, Leamer trace the journey of the family after the death of President Kennedy. The pages are full of revelations and deep insight. I finished Sons of Camelots thinking I knew personally every member of the family. The author had unprecedented access to the Kennedys and their friends, and it shows. Leamer held nothing back, good and bad.