by Edward Klein
First published 2004
Edward Klein, who knew Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis for over twelve years, examines the final six months of her life after her diagnosis with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Klein reveals why her cancer took so long to diagnose and details the treatments she accepted and rejected. The book shows how Jackie embraced a renewed spiritual life during her illness, surrounded by her children Caroline and John, her grandchildren, and Maurice Tempelsman, who provided her companionship in her later years. Klein argues that Jackie orchestrated her own death with the same skill she brought to planning President Kennedy's funeral after his assassination. He uncovers new material about her medical care and celebrates her accomplishments while exploring her hopes for her children. The book presents Jackie's approach to dying with the same grace and courage she displayed throughout her public life, from her years as First Lady through her role as a symbol of American resilience.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, biography-memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: biographical-fiction, death, illness
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
240 pages · Hardcover · Viking Adult
Content warnings: death, terminal-illness