The author was Jacqueline Kennedy's personal secretary for several years -- before Jack Kennedy became President and while he was in the White House. She accompanied the Kennedys to Texas when Jack Kennedy was assassinated. She was one of Jack's secretaries before she became Jackie's. This book is her account of those years.
This book did not paint a flattering picture of Jackie. But it also did not paint a flattering picture of the author, Mary Barelli Gallagher. She clearly adored Jack Kennedy and did not have a single complaint about him (could she not have been aware of his sexual exploits?). Jackie, on the other hand, was presented as a spendthrift who bought copious amounts of clothing and was obsessive about fashion but who was unwilling to pay her staff a decent wage even though she worked them to the bone. She also described Jackie as aloof to Jack's family and to her obligations as a First Lady.
Many of this may be true. However, there was no credence given to the fact that Jackie was unwillingly thrust into this international role at a very young age and that every article of her clothing was scrutinized by the world, so no wonder she carefully cultivated that aspect of her life, especially since that was an area she understood and enjoyed. Even when her newborn Patrick was born prematurely and died two days later, the author made sure to mention how Jackie called her in for dictation shortly afterwards -- and did not surmise that she was doing so to help her with her grief. I guess it seemed that the author never looked at things from Jackie's point of view. So even when Jackie had a temper tantrum months after Jack's assassination, Gallagher took it very personally and even after Jackie apologized she only half-heartedly accepted the apology and made sure to put the tantrum in the book without any consideration of how stressed Jackie must have been at the time. Most importantly, Gallagher felt like a very important player in the Kennedy story but was hurt and insulted when it became clear that she wasn't as valued by Jackie as she thought she was.
To be fair, Gallagher is not a professional writer so her style, while easy to read, may not have adequately expressed her observations. And it has been well documented that Jack Kennedy had a lot of charisma, so he was easier to like than Jackie and his flaws were easier to overlook. However, I finished this book feeling more sympathy to Jackie than indignation at her faults, even though I don't doubt them, and I wished that Gallagher had had better advice when she wrote the book because I think she came across as disdainful of Jackie and with an inflated opinion of herself. ( )

Mary Gallagher worked as a secretary for Senator John F. Kennedy, as well as, Jackie Kennedy's mother. This memoir focuses on Mary's White House years as Jackie Kennedy's personal secretary. She reveals the First Lady as a real person rather than an icon. Mary's sons and the Kennedy children shared the same pediatrician and frequently played together at each other's homes.

Jackie could be generous and gave Mary clothing, as well as, gifts; however Mary made a modest salary for long hours of work which included nights, holidays and weekends. Mary negotiated a raise which was granted only when Mary threatened to quit.

I wonder if writing this book gave Mary Gallagher a feeling of personal validation, as well as, profit for her years in Camelot . I found this book credible and a great read! ( )

an excellent book to tell the truth about a Kennedy, rather than just the hyper things of the press. the author isn't negative and tells some insider's things about what has already been told. But reading between the lines, one can see how conceited Jackie was, how she lived the life of the rich and wasn't willing to pay this employee her just wages. I liked the book, because I have never been one to think the Kennedys are the elite of the world; only privileged people who still demand privileges. ( )