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Loading... The Kennedy Curse: Why Tragedy Has Haunted America's First Family for 150 Years (original 2003; edition 2004)by Edward Klein
Work InformationThe Kennedy Curse: Why Tragedy Has Haunted America's First Family for 150 Years by Edward Klein (2003)
   None No current Talk conversations about this book.   ) olumba72 | Oct 25, 2016 |  Rather than a curse what the book strongly suggests is that the Kennedy's seem to have a propensity for "high risk behaviors" many of which are chronicled. It seems evident that their various misadventures strongly suggest, first, that they really do not understand the nature of risk, and secondly, that they have no sense of the nature of their behaviors and their impulsivity in approaching risk that seems to underlie them. Is "cluless" a more appropriate descriptor than say, hubris, or vainglory, or just plain stupidity? In reviewing John Jr's poor decision making and subsequent demise it would certainly seem so. Anyone who has any experience with flying can readily see that what he was attempting to do was virtually suicidal, especially so, with respect to his limited training, or lack of, and experience with, for him, a high performance aircraft. Putting political orientations aside, if that is possible, it would seem this family characteristic of hubris, or vainglory, or "undue and self destructive risk taking" or however you choose to characterize it, would automatically disqualify any of these people for the responsibilities of high level political offices they spent so much time seeking, and in some cases attaining. The issues associated with a dynamic, ever changing world require far more circumspecction and other leadership characteristics than the profiles presented here suggest that these people could ever provide. (  ) polo9 | Sep 24, 2009 | ) beckylynn | Jan 2, 2008 | no reviews | add a review
Distinctions
Death was merciful to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, for it spared her a parent's worst nightmare: the loss of a child. But if Jackie had lived to see her son, JFK Jr., perish in a plane crash on his way to his cousin's wedding, she would have been doubly horrified by the familiar pattern in the tragedy. Once again, on a day that should have been full of joy and celebration, America's first family was struck by the Kennedy Curse.In this probing expose, renowned Kennedy biographer Edward Klein-a bestselling author and journalist personally acquainted with many members of the Kennedy family-unravels one of the great mysteries of our time and explains why the Kennedys have been subjected to such a mind-boggling chain of calamities.Drawing upon scores of interviews with people who have never spoken out before, troves of private documents, archives in Ireland and America, and private conversations with Jackie, Klein explores the underlying pattern that governs the Kennedy Curse.The reader is treated to penetrating portraits of the Irish immigrant Patrick Kennedy; Rose Kennedy's father, "Honey Fitz"; the dynasty's founding father Joe Kennedy and his ill-fated daughter Kathleen, President Kennedy, accused rapist William Kennedy Smith, and the star-crossed lovers, JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Each of the seven profiles demonstrates the basic premise of this book: The Kennedy Curse is the result of the destructive collision between the Kennedy's fantasy of omnipotence-an unremitting desire to get away with things that others cannot-and the cold, hard realities of life. No library descriptions found. |
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 Google Books — Loading...GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)929.20973History and Geography Biography, genealogy, insignia Genealogy; Heraldry Families Families Geographic Treatment (Families) North America (Families) United States (Families)LC ClassificationRatingAverage: (3.17)
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