Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1929–1994)

I really enjoyed reading the transcripts of these conversations and I'm so glad the interviews were unedited. Started to listen to the CDs but it was faster to read. It was a walk through a time capsule. I had to keep reminding myself that she was only 34 years old and her husband had been killed just four months earlier. She was remarkably composed. I found it so interesting to hear her views on JFK and the political scene and characters of the 1960s and the footnotes were wonderful in clarifying the people and situations she was referring to. It was funny in a shocking way to hear her views on male/female relationships and feminism. Mostly I loved the history both the good and the bad .... one item that jumped out was Ike's appointment (Lyman Lemnitzer) as Chairman of Joint Chiefs who approved a classified plan for the US government to commit acts of terrorism against Miami and other US cities and blame those acts on Castro. Thankfully JFK rejected it. JFK said he thought it a disgrace that there were less than 100 people in Washington working on disarmament ... and he was upset there was no proper award for civilian achievement while there were many for military achievements so he created the Medal of Freedom. Also interesting, he had no chief of staff so ideas didn't get filtered and each cabinet head had access to him. Lots of good stuff and makes me wonder how the world might have been different had he finished his term. Depressing to compare it all to political "leaders" of today.… (mais)

I recently read the historical fiction novel "Jacqueline in Paris" by Ann Mah as well as Clint Hill’s memoir "My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy" - (I rated them both 5 stars) - so when I discovered this short book written by both Jackie (Bouvier Kennedy Onassis) and her sister Lee (Bouvier Radziwill) documenting their “special summer” in Europe of 1951, there was no question I had to read it as well.

Originally published in 1974, this was a journal/scrapbook of their trip that was a gift for their mother, created in appreciation for allowing the sisters to embark on their first trip to Europe by themselves. Lee says, “It was an ode to discovery, youth, and adventure by one very young.” Lee was 18 and Jackie was 22 during this special summer.

A combination of colored drawings, illustrations, photos, handwritten anecdotes, and poems captures the carefree attitude and witty sense of humor, or as Lee says, “a state of joy and laughter, which was our mood throughout the trip.”

The book is a time capsule of a different time period, and a different lifestyle – of the privileged upper class. At that time traveling to Europe was usually undertaken on an ocean liner, not a plane. Manners and protocol were more rigid (white gloves worn in the afternoon), but the fun-loving sisters took advantage of this trip to have a memorable adventure. We are fortunate that they documented it so cleverly, and that Lee discovered it years later in her mother’s attic and decided to publish it for us.… (mais)