Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women Of Camelot (2000) - Plot & Excerpts
Dozens of books have been written about Jacqueline Kennedy, the stylish wife of the late president. At least this one has some new information -- J. Randy Taraborrelli also explores the other Kennedy wives in "Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women of Camelot." The problem is Taraborrelli's talent for making stuff up.Jackie was a confident debutante who impressed (or irritated) people with her charm and refined sensibiltiies. Ethel a religious, exuberant gal who fit in with the rough'n'tumble Kennedy family. And Joan was a fragile, confidence-free waif who was troubled by alcoholism and her perpetually philandering husband Ted.Taraborrelli explores their childhoods, early relationships, marriages and lives with their husbands, which peaked in the glory years of the so-called "Camelot." Then everything went downhill: Jackie and Ethel's husbands were assassinated, Joan's was permanently disgraced, and the three women went through nightmares of publicity, family deaths, miscarriages, remarriages and alcoholism.The Jackie stuff in here is nothing new, nor does Taraborrelli have any new spins on it. In fact, she seems a bit dull beside the vibrant Ethel and tragic Joan, both of whom are revealed in all their tarnished glory. In fact, it's the information about those two ladies that keep this book from being a total loss.Unlike prior biographers have done, Taraborrelli seems interested in the many facets of Ethel and Joan's personalities: Ethel was both ruthless and compassionate, utterly loving and very rough. Rather than portraying the forceful woman as a harpy, as others have done, Taraborrelli focuses on her complexity. And Joan is shown as a sweet, almost ideal girl who succumbed to a family disease as she was humilated in front of the entire world.So long as he sticks to the facts, Taraborrelli is a capable biographer. Unfortunately, he launches into obviously fictional anecdotes and conversations, scuppering much of his credibility, and often fiddles with the facts to make the Kennedys seem like one big happy family, despite all the cheating and infighting. Since when was everyone so fond of the prudish, cold Rose?The information about Ethel and Joan Kennedy is outstanding, and actually makes these underrated ladies seem more interesting than their legendary sister-in-law. But Taraborrelli's little "conversations" should have been saved for a novel.
“Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot” by J. Randy Taraborrelli paint a biographical picture of the famous wives of JFK, RFK, and Ted Kennedy—along with the many twists and turns of their fortunes. Jackie was the most famous of the three, though enough time is spent covering Ethel, RFK’s gradual widow, and Joan, Ted’s wife of two decades, as well. The book starts as all the family is gathered around the Kennedy compound celebrating JFK’s election to presidency, and goes off from there—with some flash-backs to how the family got to this point, to the ultimately tragic developments that led to Jackie and Ethel becoming widows. Events are covered in such a way, that one can barely feel that he is reading a historical account instead of a novel. Infidelities by the Kennedy men, including JFK’s and RFK’s alleged trysts with Marilyn Monroe, heavily impact the lives of the Camelot women, as do the assassinations of both men, the transition from the White House, Jackie’s rebuilding-of her life through Aristotle Onassis, Joan’s marital problems with Ted, and much more. I read this book following Taraborrelli’s “After Camelot” and both books complement each other—if “After Camelot” is life after JFK and RFK, covering the twilight of the Kennedy dynasty, this book is the peak of the Kennedy dynasty. It was ultimately Jackie who described JFK’s presidency as Camelot, and this book really delves into this period of time—with all of its glory and tragedy. Overall, an interesting look at an era gone by—full of gender inequality , discreet media, decadence, big egos, and assassinations which forever changed the landscape of American politics, spiced up by private conversations, scandals, revelations, and backroom antics.
What do You think about Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women Of Camelot (2000)?
I usually lean on skepticism when choosing biographies to read. There are many publications and literature out there that are based not on fact but somewhat misguided sources and this has made me wary about the genre in general. But sometimes you come across a rare gem. This book had me hooked from the first page to the last page of the notes section. Riveting, captivating, easy writing but more importantly it's about a fascinating group of people who despite their many shortcomings and challenges rose above each and every hardship. Hat's off to Taraborrelli for bringing the Kennedy stories to an even wider audience and warm applause for the family that makes the impossible possible.
—Apple
Of all the books about the Kennedys I've read over the years, this is one of the most revelatory and personal that I've yet read. Jackie and Ethel Kennedy I had known about largely through the supportive roles both played for their husbands in the prime of their political careers. Then there was the "Jackie O" phase and Jackie Kennedy's later career as an associate editor for Doubleday in New York. Ethel Kennedy, for her part, became the keeper of her husband's legacy following his murder in 1968. And as for Joan, the wife of Senator Ted Kennedy, prior to reading this book, I knew very little about her. Of the 3 women, she was, by far, the most modest, shy, and self-effacing. The book is well-researched and contains 68 pages of 'Acknowledgements and Source Notes.' I highly recommend it for any reader with an interest in the life and times of a family who had such a profound and lasting impact on the U.S. cultural and political landscape in the latter half of the 20th century.
—KOMET
I loved this book! I grew up in the Kennedy era so as I looked at the pictures and outfits, and I remembered seeing them on the television or Life Magazine in those outfits. The book gave many behind the scenes accounts of life as a Kennedy and particularly as a wife of a Kennedy. If you want some juicy details about the family and like history, you'll like this book. ""Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women of Camelot" is a perfect read....historic and informative while being entertaining and glitzy. By the way, the chapters about the wives' dealings Marilyn Monroe alone are worth the price of admission" ( review on Amazon)
—Julie
