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Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy
- Narrated by: Jacqueline Kennedy, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. (interviewer), Caroline Kennedy (foreword), Michael Beschloss (introduction)
- Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins
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Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy
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Summary
In 1964, Jacqueline Kennedy recorded seven historic interviews about her life with John F. Kennedy. Now, decades later, these conversations can be heard in this digitally remastered eight-and-a-half-hour audio program. This audiobook includes the foreword written and read by Caroline Kennedy; introduction written and read by historian Michael Beschloss and the photos from the hardcover book, as well as complete annotations from Michael Beschloss, both in downloadable PDF format.
Shortly after President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, with a nation deep in mourning and the world looking on in stunned disbelief, Jacqueline Kennedy found the strength to set aside her own personal grief for the sake of posterity and begin the task of documenting and preserving her husband’s legacy. In January of 1964, she and Robert F. Kennedy approved a planned oral-history project that would capture their first-hand accounts of the late president as well as the recollections of those closest to him throughout his extraordinary political career. For the rest of her life, the famously private Jacqueline Kennedy steadfastly refused to discuss her memories of those years, but beginning that March, she fulfilled her obligation to future generations of Americans by sitting down with historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., and recording an astonishingly detailed and unvarnished account of her experiences and impressions as the wife and confidante of John F. Kennedy. The tapes of those sessions were then sealed and later deposited in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum upon completion, in accordance with Mrs. Kennedy’s wishes.
The resulting eight-and-a-half hours of material comprise a unique and compelling record of a tumultuous era, providing fresh insights on the many significant people and events that shaped JFK’s presidency, but also shedding new light on the man behind the momentous decisions.
As told by Mrs. Kennedy, here are JFK’s unscripted opinions on a host of revealing subjects, including his thoughts and feelings about his brothers, Robert and Ted, and his take on world leaders past and present, giving us perhaps the most informed, genuine, and immediate portrait of John Fitzgerald Kennedy we shall ever have. Mrs. Kennedy’s urbane perspective, her candor, and her flashes of wit also give us our clearest glimpse into the active mind of a remarkable First Lady.
In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy’s inauguration, Caroline Kennedy and the Kennedy family are now releasing these beautifully restored recordings with accompanying annotations and photos from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library as well as other sources. Introduced and annotated by renowned presidential historian Michael Beschloss, these interviews will add an exciting new dimension to our understanding and appreciation of President Kennedy and his time and make the past come alive through the words and voice of an eloquent eyewitness to history.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.
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What listeners say about Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- jeffrey
- 16-06-12
Buy this - you cannot miss this one!
The beauty of audiobooks especially biographies, is that many these days are narrated by the person its about, and no matter how much you like to read, you cannot get closer to the subject than when they tell you the story themselves. Even though Jackie Kennedy has been dead for nearly 10 years, the Schlesinger taped interviews bring her alive to help with the narration of this book. After I got over hearing her voice (not what I thought it would sound like), and the candor to which she spoke, I was captivated at this fly on the wall chance to hear her tell her story about her life with JFK in the white House. Her amazing recall and openness about the people that were involved in history is endearing. I was surprised how given the fact that her husband was recently shot down in the prime of his life, she does not shy away from any subject. I could not put it down. You may think you have heard it all about JFK, I guarantee you have not.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Stephen
- 19-07-18
Fascinating!
This is a fascinating insight into the presidential life of the Kennedy's. I have only given the the story 2 stars, as the recordings are of Jacqueline and the author having conversations over a number of months after JFK's assassination in Dallas, Texas November 22, 1963.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- David Hellsing
- 09-12-21
Absolutely beautiful.
A stunning collection of hisortically important interviews from the velvety voice of Jacqueline Kennedy herself.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- D. Zabel
- 17-02-22
Just so nostalgic...
I enjoyed this immensely, I love this era, I find these events infinitely interesting, and I know I'll listen time and time again..
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Miss Husard
- 14-12-13
HISTORIC DOCUMENTARY ON A BRILLIANT FIGURE
What made the experience of listening to Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy the most enjoyable?
These conversations with the former First Lady are spell-binding, to hear her voice again was extraordinary. My family were stationed in Germany during the Kennedy Presidency and these conversations with Jacqueline Kennedy bring that period so vividly to life. I am still working my way through this wonderful audiobook. In addition to the book there is a separate pdf with many wonderful and memorable photographs.
What did you like best about this story?
The conversations flow wonderfully well adding vibrancy to the historic events of the time.
Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favourite?
For me it has to be Jacqueline Kennedy.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
There are so many "moments" it would be extremely difficult to pick a special one.
Any additional comments?
This is a very special audiobook which for me is a living breathing history of probably one of the most powerful families in the United States and of a hugely respected President and First Lady at a critical point in history.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 02-02-13
Brilliant
This book is very, very interesting.I never knew what Jacqueline Kennedy sounded like and I was very suprised. She is so gentle, slow and careful in the way she speaks. I cant decide if she was naive or very clever in pretending not to know about things that happened. Its brilliant to hear her in her own words and the part where JFK Jr talks is very touching considering his father had only been killed a few months previously. Jacqueline Kennedy did lots of things during her time as The First Lady that I did'nt know about so I have learned new things from this book. I would recommed this book to anyone especially history fans.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Ms. L. Murphy
- 26-09-18
Dry History
I found much of this book to be long, tedious, disjointed conversations about people I've never heard of. While I enjoyed some insights, such as family life in the White House, much of it was just too dry for my tastes. I imagine for die hard history buffs it'll be a great treat, but a disappointment for me. Audio could also be iffy at times too, words mumbled or blocked out entirely by outside noises, like planes overhead.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- H. L. Mason
- 08-09-14
VERY DISAPPOINTING
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
More interesting content would have elevated this very pedestrian and repetitive waste of time
What could Caroline Kennedy (foreword) and Michael Beschloss (introduction) have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?
She could, perhaps, have set the bar a lot lower for one's expectations. Her emphasis on the great historical value of the interviews, and her decision to publish them as some sort of historical contribution to the world was plainly absurd.
What didn’t you like about the narrators’s performance?
Appalling sound quality meant that I couldn't understand half of what Mr. Schlesinger said. Going by the answers it seems that I didn't miss much.
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
Disappointment at the utterly banal level of conversation in which very little of interest or importance was revealed. Goodness knows why anybody went to the trouble to record this drivel, let alone why Mrs. Kennedy imposed a 50 year ban on its release. Pity they didn't lose the key!
Any additional comments?
History is not served by this dreadfully recorded, uninspired, over promoted empty vessel.
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