Victura: The Kennedys, a Sailboat, and the Sea

One of the most well-written books I’ve recently read, Victura: The Kennedys, A Sailboat, and The Sea, describes the influence that the sea had and continues to have on this very public family. I found the whole concept of the book to be very creative. After all, numerous books have been written about the Kennedys, but here is a book that doesn’t just regurgitate what we already know about the Kennedys. Instead, the author gives just enough biographical history of their lives—their many tragedies and successes-- and weaves into these events a powerful tradition and love for the sea which fed their spirit to endure.

I enjoyed learning about some of the speeches made by various Kennedys in which they referenced the sea, tales from show more the sea, or particular poets. Additionally, I knew they were a sailing family, but I didn’t really know the extent of it as a family tradition and how important racing was. As a learning tool sailing taught them about leadership, competing, discipline and teamwork. But it’s the fact that they drew such strength from the sea, from the stars, from its peacefulness that most impressed me and how they found mental sustenance from it during difficult times.

It’s no wonder that anyone growing up surrounded by the sea would have an attachment to it; this is especially true of Cape Codders. In Victura the author, James W. Graham, a sailor himself, dives deeper to demonstrate that sea water actually runs in the Kennedys’ blood. I can highly recommend it. show less

If you are a sailor you will definitely like this book. If you are a student of American politics or have an interest in the life of John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States and scion of the Kennedy family dynasty of Massachusetts, you will probably enjoy it as well.

The focal point of Graham’s well-researched text is the Victura, a twenty-five foot, gaff rigged, Wianno Senior class, wooden sailboat built by the Crosby Yacht Building and Storage Company of Osterville MA. The boat, purchased in 1932, was the favorite of many owned by the Kennedy family. They kept it the longest, almost fifty years, and sailed it the most. After the original Victura was given to a museum, they bought a new Wianno Senior and called it show more Victura as well. They continue to sail it to this day.

Graham makes the case that sailing was a major influence in how the Kennedys, and John F. Kennedy in particular, thought and acted in both his private and public life. He called space the “new ocean” and as President, embraced “spacefaring”, calling for America to be the first country to land a human on the moon. Sailing also influenced how he competed, the content of his public speeches and the relationship with his family. The author suggests that sailing, and very much the Victura specifically, drew the Kennedy family together during the best of times and the worst of times that they experienced. The boat was a touchstone in their lives.

A great deal has been written about the Kennedys in the past, some of which Graham has woven into this book, but he also manages to unearth some material not covered before. He pulls no punches, portraying the family with all its warts, but conveys its human side with great feeling and an understanding that foibles and flaws are common to all humanity, regardless of background, upbringing or privilege.

As President, John F. Kennedy often drew sailboats during White House meetings, or while he was on the telephone. The day he was assassinated, the house-cleaning staff at the hotel he and the first lady had stayed in the night before found a doodle he had left in the room. It was a simple pencil drawing of a little sailboat beating through the waves. show less

"Sailing is a metaphor for life". These words, attributed to Ted Kennedy by the author, constitute the theme for Victura, an in-depth look at the childhood of John F. Kennedy and his siblings. Their father's passion and drive to succeed influenced them from a very young age. They were taught to sail, to race, and to win. Second-place was not acceptable!

The Kennedy's were a remarkable family and this is a great story. The author had extensive access to family members, so there is a very personal tone to the story.

Victura: The Kennedys. a Sailboat, and the Sea is a wonderful new look at the famous family with Joe and Rose Kennedy as patriarch and matriarch. The book goes through the trials and triumphs of the Kennedy family focusing on how sailing was a big part in shaping the lives of Joe Kennedy's sons and daughters. The volume is eye opening into the dynamics of the family from when John F. Kennedy and his siblings (Eunice, Bobby, and 8 more) were kids to the future generations when it comes to sailing. The sea and being out on a boat is what taught every generation in being a team member and not giving up no matter what the difficulties. The book is beautifully written and brought tears to my eyes with each tragedy and the family coming show more together to find strength with each other and in sailing on the sea. If you want a new way of looking at the Kennedy clan and see inside the Kennedy compound, this is the book for you and don't be surprised if you want in the end to hop on a boat yourself. show less

If the Camelot Kennedy lore doesn't appeal to you, chances are you will not like VICTURA. Although much is told of RFK, JFK and Teddy, very little is mentioned of Jackie O and their spousal relationships within the Kennedy core family. I would have liked to see these relationships included, as I consider their wives and how they are treated within the family relevant.
Although the story purports the moral values the family learned, such as loyalty to each other, those values from my reading, only extended to the Kennedy core clan and less to those of their spouses and the world around them. The story also tells how the Kennedy's were raised with a sense of serving others and the contributions they have made to this world because of show more lessons learned from Victura. To me, I had problems, because although the book tells of the moral values and good the Kennedy's accomplished, it tends to ignore their moral failings, unless they were well publicized. Upon finishing this book, I found myself wondering whether or not the Kennedy sense of servitude was merely a tool to keep them in good standing with the public. show less

Having read many books about the Kennedy family, I was unsure this book could hold my interest or add any new insights. However, placing the small sloop Victura as the center of the Kennedy family's traditions and strength over many generations made for a poignant and unique story. Recommended for anyone seeking to understand the Kennedy dynasty better.

James W. Graham, a sailor himself, tells the story of the influence of sailing and the sea on the Kennedys. The sailboat, Victura, is centrally featured in this account; it was the Kennedys' first sailboat, and the one many family members from JFK's older brother, Joe, through Teddy sailed and raced on. However, the Kennedys had other sailboats which are also mentioned in the account.

The first part of the book contains information about sailing including a detailed description of maintaining a sailboat. It also provides a history of the Kennedy family including all Jack's siblings. Both Joe Jr.'s and Jack's World War II experiences are discussed along with the deaths of Joe and sister Kathleen.

The second section of the book goes into show more more detail about the lives and sailing adventur4es of the Kennedy members who were the most noted sailors including Jack, Bob and particularly Ethel, Eunice, and Ted.

Much of the information about the lives and political careers of the Kennedy brothers has been written about elsewhere. However, the account emphasizes the influence of the sea on their careers; how all three brothers would go to the sea near Hyannis Port during times of trouble in their lives to spend some quiet time walking on the beach or sailing. This was particularly true of Bobby and then Teddy after the deaths of Jack and Bobby. Jack and Teddy would also use sea images in their speeches.

The book occasionally gets repetitious. For example, the relationship of Rosemary and Eunice, and how Rosemary's condition resulted in Eunice's efforts on behalf of the mentally handicapped is told twice. Also, the first and fourth paragraphs on page 180 are nearly identical; they provide the same information.

The book includes bibliographical notes and an index. However, a separate bibliography, a glossary of sailing terms, and a map of the sailing region around Hyannis Port where so much of the action occurs would have been helpful. show less