The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life And Turbulent Times Of Joseph P. Kennedy (2012) - Plot & Excerpts
John Kennedy was assassinated when I was in fourth grade. Until the death of Ted Kennedy, I had never known an era without a Kennedy as a major political force. What I didn't experience was the force that was Joseph Kennedy Sr.And this book took me there in great detail and with clarity. Joseph P. Kennedy was beloved by his family bu disliked by many, many others. He was ambitious, overconfident, brave, pessimistic, fearful, forceful, domineering, generous, a bully, focused, chauvinistic, fun, volatile, a philanderer, shrewd, successful, and a failure. As I read the story, I never felt I liked Kennedy. In fact, his antisemitism was upsetting. But I also didn't end up despising him as I would have expected. Perhaps it was out of grudging respect for his accomplishments or knowing those of his children.There is no doubt that he lived a full life and was intertwined with so much of 20th century history that his story is well worth reading. I really enjoyed reading this 900 page (maybe 80% text) biography of old Joe Kennedy. The author is not afraid to discuss Joe’s faults and shortcomings. Are having an affair with a famous actress, making a lot of money, taking care of your children, or opposing war (e.g., his appeasement efforts as US Ambassador to Britain before and beginning of WW II) faults?Joe had 9 children. He outlived 4 of them. Shortly after Jack’s inauguration (1961) Joe had a massive stroke. He lived another 8 years as an invalid who could not talk or walk, but he was aware and communicative. He wept long for both Jack and Bobby. My impression is those 8 years were among the highest % of time he and Rose were together. During much of their life, while together often, more often they vacationed separately.Beginning about 1914 Joe made money by shorting stocks (based on insider information, which was legal until in the 30’s when he started the SEC), investing in liquor import business, movie industry deals, oil and gas deals, and real estate. The mother lode source of cash flow to them may have been the Chicago Merchandise Mart which he bought highly levered in the 1940’s and the Kennedy family held in various trusts and forms for 50 years. Citations indicate by the time Jack was running for Congress in MA in the 1950’s Joe’s wealth was top 10 in the US.Joe made the money so his sons could do public service. They knew from early ages that was their duty. Joe made sure they not only got into Harvard and graduated, but he would line up long international trips for Joe Jr, Jack and Bobby when they were like 20 to go to Europe and meet world leaders. Joe pulled out his check book for Jack’s various runs for office hiring top advisors, paying for polls, and he worked the phones and media to get favorable exposure for Jack (and later Bobby and Ted).Joe’s life about 1944-1960 would be villa S of France in summer, Hyannis Port end of August to about Thanksgiving, Palm Springs until about April, back to Hyannis. Lots of trips to NY in between. His daily routine was almost scripted with swim or horse ride early, breakfast, golf, lunch, nap, another swim, cocktail hour (he seldom drank), dinner, TV or radio. His payroll must have been huge with cooks, nannies, butlers, masseurs, accountants.
What do You think about The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life And Turbulent Times Of Joseph P. Kennedy (2012)?
Honest and telling account of the life of a very interesting man.
—destiny
BEST BOOK I READ LAST YEAR AND PROBABLY IN A LONG TIME
—caro181292
It is a 5 star bio--still not a David Halberstam.
—Eruruu
