The Kennedy Curse

Death was merciful to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, for it spared her a parent's worst nightmare: the loss of a child. But if Jackie had lived to see her son, JFK Jr., perish in a plane crash on his way to his cousin's wedding, she would have been doubly horrified by the familiar pattern in the tragedy. Once again, on a day that should have been full of joy and celebration, America's first family was struck by the Kennedy Curse. In this probing expose, renowned Kennedy biographer Edward Klein--a bestselling author and journalist personally acquainted with many members of the Kennedy family--unravels one of the great mysteries of our time and explains why the Kennedys have been subjected to such a mind-boggling chain of calamities. Drawing upon scores of interviews with people who have never spoken out before, troves of private documents, archives in Ireland and America, and private conversations with Jackie, Klein explores the underlying pattern that governs the Kennedy Curse. The reader is treated to penetrating portraits of the Irish immigrant Patrick Kennedy; Rose Kennedy's father, "Honey Fitz"; the dynasty's founding father Joe Kennedy and his ill-fated daughter Kathleen, President Kennedy, accused rapist William Kennedy Smith, and the star-crossed lovers, JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Each of the seven profiles demonstrates the basic premise of this book: The Kennedy Curse is the result of the destructive collision between the Kennedy's fantasy of omnipotence-an unremitting desire to get away with things that others cannot-and the cold, hard realities of life.

Kennedys were always taught to win at all costs. And they did -- but the price they paid was unimaginable... Across decades and generations, the Kennedys have been a family of charismatic adventurers, raised to take risks and excel. Their name is synonymous with American royalty. Their commitment to public service is legendary. But, for all the successes, the family has been blighted by assassinations, fatal accidents, drug and alcohol abuse and sex scandals. To this day, the Kennedys occupy a unique, contradictory place in the world's imagination: at once familiar and unknowable; charmed and cursed.

Now with an all-new bonus chapter—in the bestselling The House of Kennedy, “James Patterson applies his writerly skills to real-life history . . . re-telling the political clan’s rise and fall and rise again (and fall again) with novelistic style” (People). The Kennedys have always been a family of charismatic adventurers, raised to take risks and excel, living by the dual family mottos: "To whom much is given, much is expected" and "Win at all costs." And they do—but at a price. Across decades and generations, the Kennedys have occupied a unique place in the American imagination: charmed, cursed, at once familiar and unknowable. The House of Kennedy is a revealing, fascinating account of America's most storied family, as told by America's most trusted storyteller.

The Kennedys rose from the slums of Boston to become one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the United States, but their journey had not been an easy one. Of Joe Kennedy's nine children, two were killed in plane crashes, two were assassinated in public office, one was institutionalised and one had his political career ruined by an accident that resulted in the death of a young campaign worker. These and other tragedies have given rise to the legend of the "Kennedy Curse," but this book aims to show that there was no curse at all. We look at each of these events in some detail and in context with one another and we see that they follow the simple rule of cause and effect. Most of the tragedies that have befallen the Kennedy family were borne out of Joseph Kennedy's obsessive desire for wealth and political power. He drove his children hard and many achieved great things, but they made a lot of dangerous enemies along the way. The Kennedys were raised to believe that they were better than anyone else and that the normal rules of life did not apply to them. They were ruthlessly ambitious and would stop at nothing to get what they wanted and they pursued Joe Kennedy's dream with the passion of a crusade. But there would be a heavy price to pay and old Joe could only look on as one after another of his precious children were either taken from him or ruined. He witnessed almost all of these tragic events as they unfolded and as he saw the pain and misery the family had endured, he must have wondered if it had all been worthwhile.

The Kennedy curse: why America's First Family has been haunted by tragedy for 150 years/Edward Klein-1st. ed.

Explains why the Kennedy's have been subjected to such a mind-boggling chain of calamities. Explores the underlying pattern that governs the Kennedy Curse.Ó Offers penetrating portraits of the Irish immigrant Patrick Kennedy; Rose Kennedy's father; the dynasty's founding father, Joe Kennedy, & his ill-fated daughter Kathleen; Pres. Kennedy; accused rapist William Kennedy Smith; & the star-crossed lovers, JFK Jr. & Carolyn Bessette. Each of the 7 profiles demonstrates the basic premise of this book: the Kennedy CurseÓ is the result of the destructive collision between the Kennedys' fantasy of omnipotence -- a desire to get away with things that others cannot -- & the cold, hard realities of life. Black & white photos.

From New York Times bestselling author J. Randy Taraborrelli comes The Kennedy Heirs, his most revealing Kennedy book yet. A unique burden was inherited by the children of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and his celebrated siblings, Senators Robert and Ted Kennedy. Raised in a world of enormous privilege against the backdrop of American history, this third generation of Kennedys often veered between towering accomplishment and devastating defeat. In his revelatory new book, acclaimed Kennedy historian J. Randy Taraborrelli draws back the curtain on the next generation of America’s most famous family. John Kennedy, Jr.’s life in the public eye is explored, following the Kennedy scion as he faced the challenges posed by marrying his great love, Carolyn Bessette. Riveting new details are shared about the couple’s tragic demise—and why Ethel Kennedy advised Carolyn not to take the trip that would ultimately end her life. John’s sister, Caroline Kennedy, had her own complicated relationships, including a marriage to Ed Schlossberg that surprised her mother, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and an unexpected bond with her mother-in-law, Mae Schlossberg. Additional stories, many shared here for the first time, illuminate the rest of the Kennedy dynasty: Kara Kennedy, Ted’s daughter, and her valiant battle against lung cancer; how Ted’s wife, Vicki, introduced a new era of feminism to the Kennedy family; the lifelong struggles with addiction faced by Bobby Kennedy Jr. and Patrick Kennedy; the unexpected way pop star Taylor Swift helped Conor Kennedy heal after the death of his mother, Bobby’s wife Mary; and Congressman Joe Kennedy III’s rise to prominence. At the center of it all is the family’s indomitable matriarch, Ethel Kennedy—a formidable presence with her maddening eccentricities and inspiring courage. Based on hundreds of exclusive first-hand interviews and cultivated over twenty years of research—including numerous Oral Histories from the JFK Library and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute—The Kennedy Heirs is an epic drama of ambition, scandal, pride and power.

A meticulously researched chronicle of five generations of the Kennedy dynasty explains how their Irish-Catholic roots informed their lives and political beliefs and reveals how the immigrant experience shaped both their remarkable success and many tragedies. 100,000 first printing.