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Title: Sons of Camelot : The Fate of an American Dynasty by Laurence Leamer ISBN: 0-06-620965-X Publisher: William Morrow Pub. Date: 16 March, 2004 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.07 (14 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Sons of Camelot Even Better than The Kennedy Women
Comment: One would think that by getting to this "Sons of Camelot" bunch of Kennedys after what, 10 years of Kennedy writing, that the only thing left for Lawrence Leamer to write about would be the shell-shocked surviving generation. But the read was not like that, although he did not skirt the sad and sometimes ridiculous issues. It was tremendously well balanced and rang of a deep truth; makes you want to know Leamer just so you could learn his take on you.
It was not only up to his usual historian-level standards, but exceeded it in that there was so much more for the reader in this third book in what has become Leamer's cottage industry of Kennedy family writing. So Leamer's third trip to the Kennedy well still yielded a bucket of the finest wine.
His access to Kennedy friends and associates, especially those of John Jr., appear unprecedented. It's as if all these people knew, either intrinsically or from his other two books, that Leamer was the one who would get it all down correctly. I apprecaited the fact that there were only a couple of "anonymous" interviews, that most of the people were known, so that added to the keen veracity of this book.
Leamer has never been afraid to point out the scuffs in the Kennedy facade. In The Kennedy Men, I recall, I had never in my life seen such honesty, even when the Kennedys did not come off well, such as when Rosemary was given the shock treatments and the shame of that procedure, ordered by patriarch Joseph Kennedy, appears to haunt this family to this day and the shame is included in this book, too, through the eyes of this present generation.
In Sons of Camelot, Leamer again comes through with the essentials. But he at the same time, ever so carefully, he also documents their accomplishments -- and who would have thought there were so many?
What I particularly like about Leamer is that he isn't afraid to take on the dark side, which is all that is shown in some of the poseur books of recent genre -- such as the recent book with the fellow who claims to have had the on-going affair with Carolyn Bissette Kennedy.
(Side note: that recent bio on A&E with the underwear model was a horribly mismanaged bait-and switch event and it reached an all-time low in cheesy television viewing, even though I must admit I watched it, but only as one views a car wreck after having sat in a traffic jam for a long time.)
Leamer's enormous access to these Kennedy family sources was a magnificent achievement in itself. And the only way he could have had these multitude of interviews was that he was riding on the same train of truth from his other two books and the subjects knew it.
The anecdotal material, even, on actor Tom Hanks was obviously puerile but Leamer doesn't shy away from his subjects' antics, even if they do not come off well. Leamer isn't afraid of anyone, it seems, but especially, and most importantly, he is not afraid to tell the truth.
And the fact that he ends the book with a personal interview with Ted Kennedy is very telling. When Sen. Kennedy quotes his father, saying he had said, "'Home holds no fear for me,'" it was a heartbreaking moment and I felt I was in that senate office right there with Leamer and Kennedy.
Ted Kennedy reminisced with Leamer over the "extraordinary losses" experienced by his family but he also was quick to point out the blessings, and that could also sum up this fine book: Life is filled with tragedies and blessings for us all.
I did not want this book to end, although I guess all good things must come to an end.
Rating: 5
Summary: The best book I have read on this subject
Comment: In his third volume of his trilogy on the Kennedys, Leamer trace the journey of the family after the death of President Kennedy. The pages are full of revelations and deep insight. I finished Sons of Camelots thinking I knew personally every member of the family. The author had unprecedented access to the Kennedys and their friends, and it shows. Leamer held nothing back, good and bad.
Rating: 4
Summary: A tasty appeteaser
Comment: Mr. Leamer has done a wonderful job of introducing the new generation of Kennedy sons. I just completed the book; and felt I wanted to learn even more. There are apparently too many Kennedy sons to focus on in one book. I had the feeling they all merited their own individual biographies.
While the author did offer up new information on the family; he sometimes held back in a very agonizing way. For example, he spends most of the book focusing on JFK, Jr. At the end of bk; as he describes John's last days -- he states that John had many complications in his life, espcially marriage, family and business. He briefly noted that John did not get along with Caroline Kennedy's husband, Mr. Schlossberg. He didn't give a hint of what was going on, yet many people are intrigued by Ms. Kennedy's mysterious Jewish husband. It left this reader wondering what was going on. The author knew, and he didn't care to share.
Since he did include Ted Kennedy in this volume; it would have been interesting to hear about how he and his second wife got married -- and how she interacts with the family.
The Lawford branch was given very short shift, and you can't tell me those kids don't have good stories to tell!
This book was long, but it was only an introduction. The Kennedy fans will enjoy it, but they will close the book hungry for more!
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Title: The Other Man: A Love Story by Michael Bergin ISBN: 0060723890 Publisher: Regan Books Pub. Date: 30 March, 2004 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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Title: Farewell, Jackie: A Portrait of Her Final Days by Edward Klein ISBN: 0670033316 Publisher: Viking Press Pub. Date: 12 April, 2004 List Price(USD): $23.95 |
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Title: Grace and Power : The Private World of the Kennedy White House by SALLY BEDELL SMITH ISBN: 0375504494 Publisher: Random House Pub. Date: 04 May, 2004 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
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Title: Sweet Caroline : Last Child of Camelot by Christopher Andersen ISBN: 006621369X Publisher: William Morrow Pub. Date: 21 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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Title: The Kennedys: America's Emerald Kings by Thomas Maier ISBN: 0465043178 Publisher: Basic Books Pub. Date: 03 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
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