Rating: 
Summary: Sobering portrait of the Kennedy women
Review: I read this book a few years ago, and I've never seen anything so sad in my life. I don't know whether to be inspired or repulsed. The Kennedys aren't cursed, they're just dysfunctional, period!A woman who stays with her husband in spite of his being more absent than not (and who has numerous affairs with other women), because the money, power and privilege are supposedly too good to walk away from; A woman who allows a religion to tell her that she shouldn't enjoy sex with her husband but use it for procreation only (thus setting up the men in the family to cheat because their wives are only doing their 'duty'); a woman who is more concerned about keeping up appearances than about the emotional well-being of her children. YIKES! I have more sympathy for Ethel, Jackie, Joan and poor Rosemary than I do for Rose. At least, with the exception of Ethel (who, like her mother-in-law, wouldn't believe that her husband was cheating on her), Jackie and Joan didn't pretend that it was okay; they just tried to distance themselves from the whole mess. Yes, times were different then; yes, divorces were frowned upon (with good reason). But Rose was the worst kind of enabler I've ever read about in my life. She could have taken the risk and left her husband, sparing her children the grief and leaving them with some sense of honor and respect for the feelings of others (which her husband failed to do when be cheated on her). Instead she, along with her husband, passed on to her children a tragic legacy of maintaining a good front, not showing emotions in public, turning a blind eye to the adultery that was right under her nose, etc. As a result, the Kennedy children have soent all of their lives trying to live up to what their parents expected of them, adversely affecting their families in the process. I'm glad that with some exceptions, the latter generation of Kennedys have more normal lives than their parents. I hope they are each getting help for their problems so that history does not continue to repeat itself. Jackie would have been proud of Caroline and her late son John; she did a good job with them. The other younger Kennedy women (Maria Shriver, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend etc.) turned out fine too. Perhaps they have learned not to tolerate the foolishness their mothers put up with. The important lesson to be learned is that family dysfunctions, when left unchecked and unresolved, can devastate that family (including the wealthy Kennedys) for generations to come.
Rating:
Summary: Sobering portrait of the Kennedy women
Review: I read this book a few years ago, and I've never seen anything so sad in my life. I don't know whether to be inspired or repulsed. The Kennedys aren't cursed, they're just dysfunctional, period! A woman who stays with her husband in spite of his being more absent than not (and who has numerous affairs with other women), because the money, power and privilege are supposedly too good to walk away from; A woman who allows a religion to tell her that she shouldn't enjoy sex with her husband but use it for procreation only (thus setting up the men in the family to cheat because their wives are only doing their 'duty'); a woman who is more concerned about keeping up appearances than about the emotional well-being of her children. YIKES! I have more sympathy for Ethel, Jackie, Joan and poor Rosemary than I do for Rose. At least, with the exception of Ethel (who, like her mother-in-law, wouldn't believe that her husband was cheating on her), Jackie and Joan didn't pretend that it was okay; they just tried to distance themselves from the whole mess. Yes, times were different then; yes, divorces were frowned upon (with good reason). But Rose was the worst kind of enabler I've ever read about in my life. She could have taken the risk and left her husband, sparing her children the grief and leaving them with some sense of honor and respect for the feelings of others (which her husband failed to do when be cheated on her). Instead she, along with her husband, passed on to her children a tragic legacy of maintaining a good front, not showing emotions in public, turning a blind eye to the adultery that was right under her nose, etc. As a result, the Kennedy children have soent all of their lives trying to live up to what their parents expected of them, adversely affecting their families in the process. I'm glad that with some exceptions, the latter generation of Kennedys have more normal lives than their parents. I hope they are each getting help for their problems so that history does not continue to repeat itself. Jackie would have been proud of Caroline and her late son John; she did a good job with them. The other younger Kennedy women (Maria Shriver, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend etc.) turned out fine too. Perhaps they have learned not to tolerate the foolishness their mothers put up with. The important lesson to be learned is that family dysfunctions, when left unchecked and unresolved, can devastate that family (including the wealthy Kennedys) for generations to come.
Rating:
Summary: "America's Royal Family" Through the Stories of Its Women...
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was an intimate look into the lives of five generations of Kennedy women, from the first who immigrated to America in the mid-1800s to the Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver we know today. I found it fascinating to read about the women behind the great political men of recent decades, and how these women actually shaped events more than we know. I was at times shocked at the attitudes of Rose and her daughters to their husbands' excesses, choosing to turn the other way rather than face reality. The evolution of generations of one family of women is, in part, a look at how all women from the early days of our country have advanced and flourished. This book is also written quite well; it is a joy to read what is almost a novel, yet still learn so much about our history. Bravo, Mr. Leamer!!
Rating:
Summary: Fair and Fascinating Account of the Kennedy Women
Review: Leamer's meticulous research and lively writing style combine to make this a great read and an absorbing glimpse into the lives of women who seem to have had everything. He shows us their strengths and weaknesses and remains compassionate where others have been judgmental. You get to know these amazing women and realize how badly some were treated by some equally amazing men. It's a long book, and even so, the reader doesn't want it to end. A postscript: It does make one grateful for a faithful spouse!
Rating:
Summary: Fair and Fascinating Account of the Kennedy Women
Review: Leamer's meticulous research and lively writing style combine to make this a great read and an absorbing glimpse into the lives of women who seem to have had everything. He shows us their strengths and weaknesses and remains compassionate where others have been judgmental. You get to know these amazing women and realize how badly some were treated by some equally amazing men. It's a long book, and even so, the reader doesn't want it to end. A postscript: It does make one grateful for a faithful spouse!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: The virtues of THE KENNEDY WOMEN comes from its examination of the supporting players in the cast of the family. Author Laurence Leamer fills in many holes in our collective knowledge of the sisters of President Kennedy, and in our awareness the wives of his brothers. Joan Bennett Kennedy, first wife of Senator Edward Kennedy, and Ethel Skakel Kennedy, widow of Senator Robert Kennedy, finally get their share of the attention in this book. So, too, does the late--and tragic--Kathleen Kennedy, who basically was disowned by her mother for eloping with the Marquis of Hartington, heir to the Duchy of Devonshire. His family is considered to be among England's leading Protestants, which was in sharp contrast to Rose Kennedy's devout Catholicism. This is an important work, filling in the holes in our knowledge of these women who have mothered the current generations of the Kennedy family.
Rating:
Summary: Absorbing and On-Target
Review: This is a terrific book about the Kennedy women. Factual, fascinating and will keep your interest until the last page. Provides a lot of insight into what makes the Kennedys' tick. Not always flattering but very enlightening. I found this a much better read than Randy Tamborelli's book "Women of Camelot." Highly recommend!
Rating:
Summary: The Kennedy Women -- Saga of an American Family
Review: This is not a tabloid tale, but rather a psychological unravelling of America's Royal family. Far beyond the better known stories of Jack and Jackie, the Kennedy Women explores the lives of other lesser known family members and stories, from the relentless determination and success of Bridget Murphy of County Wexford, Ireland; to the untimely deaths of Joe Jr. and Kathleen, (also a member of England's Royal Family). The choices made by each generation and their individual willingness to accept accountability, clearly demonstrate that all families experience lives that are a complex tapesty comprised of the consequences of their decisions, the challenges of their generation, and the seemingly random joys and sorrows that touch us all. Even at nearly 900 pages, I couldn't put it down!
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding family saga
Review: This is the book that really got me into the Kennedy clan. Leamer tackeled an immense project by chronicling the lives of 5 generations of women and is met with great success! It is not often that an author can find sympathy for both Jackie Kennedy and Rose Kennedy (the 2 women had conflicts and were quite different!), but Leamer allows both to be understood in new light. My favorite parts were the ones that introduced the reader to JFK's ill fated sister, Kathleen ("Kick") Kennedy. She is truly a fascinating woman who has been largely forgotten. This is a true page turner that manages to be both fun and scholarly! It is easily one of the best Kennedy books on the market today!
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding family saga
Review: This is the book that really got me into the Kennedy clan. Leamer tackeled an immense project by chronicling the lives of 5 generations of women and is met with great success! It is not often that an author can find sympathy for both Jackie Kennedy and Rose Kennedy (the 2 women had conflicts and were quite different!), but Leamer allows both to be understood in new light. My favorite parts were the ones that introduced the reader to JFK's ill fated sister, Kathleen ("Kick") Kennedy. She is truly a fascinating woman who has been largely forgotten. This is a true page turner that manages to be both fun and scholarly! It is easily one of the best Kennedy books on the market today!
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