First published 2013
Christopher Andersen reconstructs the final twelve months of John and Jacqueline Kennedy's marriage, from 1962 to November 1963. The bestselling biographer draws on interviews with family members, advisors, and political confidantes to examine the couple's private world. Andersen reveals new information about their rumored infidelities and how they worked to repair their relationship. He documents JFK's repeated premonitions about his death and his attempts to avoid the Dallas trip. The book exposes how both Kennedys became dependent on amphetamine injections and how the White House concealed the president's serious health conditions. Andersen shows how the death of their infant son Patrick triggered an emotional response from JFK that surprised those closest to him, ultimately bringing the couple together. The author presents firsthand accounts of the family's private moments both before and after the assassination. This behind-the-scenes portrait reveals the complexities of their relationship during a critical period in American history.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, biography-memoir, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Dallas, White House
Period: 1962-1963
336 pages · Hardcover · Gallery Books
Content warnings: death, mental-illness