Overview

"For almost six decades, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis has fascinated people worldwide. The subject of numerous books and thousands of articles, her life has probably been documented in millions of words. And yet, there has always remained something mysterious, something private about this very public woman. With extraordinary skill and great sensitivity, Barbara Leaming explores the seemingly magical world of Jackie's youth, her fairy-tale marriage to a wealthy and handsome Senator and Presidential candidate and her astonishing transformation into a deft political wife and unique First Lady. This spirited young woman's rejection of the idea of a ""safe marriage"" as the wife of some socially prominent but utterly predictable man led her to JFK and international fame. But the trauma of her husband's murder, which left her literally soaked in blood and brains, would damage her far more than has been known. Until now. This is the first book to document Jackie's brutal, lonely and valiant thirty-one-year struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In heartrending detail, we witness a struggle that unfolded at times before our own eyes, but which we failed to understand. While the life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis has been examined and scrutinised countless times, it is only now that we can truly discover the woman behind the facade, the untold story of this iconic woman."

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9781250070258

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Reviews

Praise for Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis Provocative.... Recast in this light, Jackie's post-1963 actions make a new kind of sense.... With a diagnosis of PTSD in mind, incidents once criticized as selfish or at least self-indulgent can be reassessed. -- USA Today An intimate and revealing look at one of the 20th century's most remarkable--and misunderstood--women. -- Kirkus Reviews Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis provides suggestive evidence that her subject suffered from the clinical symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, including flashbacks, insomnia, numbness, avoidance, fear, depression, and anger. ... Her documentation -- which includes Jackie's remarks to intimates, as well as her behavior -- is compelling.　Interpreting the post-assassination life through the lens of PTSD turns out to be a fruitful way of making sense of Jackie's sometimes odd-seeming choices. -- The Boston Globe Barbara Leaming offers a startling and fascinating look at Jackie's life. ... Sensitive and stylish, intimate and insightful.... At once harrowing and humane, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis stands as a deeply moving narrative. -- Richmond Times-Dispatch Both refreshing and uniquely insightful. -- Maclean's Successfully provides a fresh perspective on the widow of assassinated U.S. president John F. Kennedy.　Award-winning biographer Barbara Leaming's take on Kennedy Onassis is well-written and thoroughly researched. ... Leaming's new biography brings her back to life in an important new light. -- Winnipeg Free Press Barbara Leaming makes a strong argument, based on original research, that Jackie suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) at a time before the condition had been diagnosed. -- Bookpage Praise for Barbara Leaming The depth and drama of her storytelling deserves especially high praise. -- The New York Times Book Review on Katharine Hepburn Leaming's narrative soars.... Masterful. -- Washington Post Book World on Jack Kennedy Engrossing...Restores Marilyn's humanity...A gripping and corrective book. -- The New York Times on Marilyn Monroe A fascinating work. -- The New York Post on Mrs. Kennedy Bona fide new material ... meticulous research ... achingly moving. -- The Washington Post on Mrs. Kennedy Leaming paints a moving portrait of Jackie as she tried valiantly to make her marriage work and find a place for herself and her gifts. -- USA Today on Mrs. Kennedy It makes both Kennedys seem utterly human, flawed, and some of it will break your heart. --Liz Smith, New York Post on Mrs. Kennedy A fabulous success... the first book to plumb Jackie's marital horrors in such heart-stopping detail. -- The Philadelphia Inquirer on Mrs. Kennedy An absorbing and enjoyable book. -- New York Times Book Review on Jack Kennedy History improves on itself! I never thought I'd want to read a book about JFK again.... reads like a high-society thriller. -- The New York Post on Jack Kennedy A fine biography of John F. Kennedy. --Jon Meacham on Jack Kennedy The great merit of Barbara Leaming's new book is to demonstrate how dependent the young Kennedy became upon a charmed circle of British noblemen, and also how obsessed he became with the need to match himself with that greatest of Anglo-American aristocrats, Winston Churchill. --Christopher Hitchens on Jack Kennedy I am astounded at Barbara Leaming's almost uncanny perception of the workings of his mind. --John Julius Norwich on Churchill Defiant

"The New York Times and USA Today bestseller that ""offers a startling and fascinating look at Jackie's life."" Richmond Times-Dispatch"

Author Information

Barbara Leaming is a New York Times bestselling author. Three of her biographies have been New York Times Notable Books of the Year. Her most recent book, Churchill Defiant, received the Emery Reves Award from the International Churchill Centre. Leaming's articles have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, The Times of London, and other publications. She lives in Connecticut.

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