Come to the Edge

A Memoir

By: Christina Haag

Narrated by: Christina Haag

Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

When Christina Haag was growing up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, John F. Kennedy, Jr., was just one of the boys in her circle of prep-school friends, a skinny kid who lived with his mother and sister on Fifth Avenue and who happened to have a Secret Service detail following him at a discreet distance at all times. A decade later, after they had both graduated from Brown University and were living in New York City, Christina and John were cast in an off-Broadway play together. It was then that John confessed his long-standing crush on her, and they embarked on a five-year love affair.

Glamorous and often in the public eye, but also passionate and deeply intimate, their relationship was transformative for both of them. With exquisite prose, Haag paints a portrait of a young man with an enormous capacity for love and an adventurous spirit that drove him to live life to its fullest.

A haunting book, Come to the Edge is a lasting evocation of a time and a place - of the indelible sting of the loss of young love, and of the people who shape you and remain with you, whether in person or in spirit. It is about being young and full of hope, with all the potential of your life as yet unfulfilled, and of coming of age at a moment in New York’s history when the city at once held danger, magic, and endless possibilities for self-discovery. Rarely has a love story been told so beautifully.

©2011 Christina Haag (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Despite her intimate view, Haag is careful not to exploit the Kennedy clan; instead, she simply returns them to human form. An honest, heartfelt account of love, politics and tragedy." ( Kirkus Reviews)

" Come to the Edge perfectly captures what it feels like to be young and in love - the giddiness, the lunacy, the madcap swings between exhilaration and despair…. Haag is a beautiful writer, and the book [is] full of wonderfully vivid descriptions." ( Entertainment Weekly)

Wonderful, heartfelt , respectful & honest

This is a great memoir ; heartbreaking and a lovely tribute not only to JFK Jr and his mother but also to Martha’s Vineyard and the life they enjoyed together , time frequently spent on MV , with loving attention to MV details , it’s history, lore, and geography.

Thoroughly enjoyed Come to the Edge

I recently downloaded this book on Audible. I loved it. I confess that my intention for buying the book was for some gossipy tidbits about JFK, Jr. I had been an avid People subscriber for most of his adult years and had feasted on information about him (how many times was he on the cover??).

The book didn’t disappoint in the area of heretofore unknown information about John. But...what fascinated me most was Christina’s story, her life, while alongside John. How does the girlfriend of a celebrity gain and maintain a private, authentic life while in the actual and reflected glare of the famous person’s life? This was the gold in this book. Christina was a girlfriend who had her own goals and aspirations that sometimes were in sync with John’s and sometimes not, both directionally and geographically. It must be as challenging to be with a famous person as it is to regretfully let go of a relationship with them. Christina’s story is as interesting and intriguing as John’s. I got the sense that the beauty of their relationship wasn’t the galas, the photo shoot worthy events they attended together, but the times sitting on the grass somewhere anonymously, discussing poetry, theater or art. I loved hearing the book on tape because it was read by the author so I could pretend she was on my couch, recounting her story just for me.

Brilliant

A true love story… A must read! I couldn’t put this down! So Beautiful bravo

Such a beautiful study

This is such a great love story. Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I think John and Christina would have been a very happily married couple.

There is so much we didn’t know…

There is so much we didn’t know of the story of John’s time with Christina… The author provides more than a glimpse, a full view into her time with John and the deep friendship and love they shared. The story is written with beautiful detail and read in a way that allows you to not only hear but feel the memories. Thank you for sharing Christina.

A tender love story

Poignant story about the author’s life with JFK, jr. I really enjoyed the book. She is a very beautiful writer and her voice is very calm and soothing. I enjoyed listening to her adventures with John and their sweet love story! He really was an adventurer! The story is very well written and the stories about her life growing up and her time with John are very interesting. She even had a sweet connection with his mother Jackie. Christina is very respectful of John’s memory. I highly recommend this book!

Beautiful

I loved listening to her memoir. A beautiful love story that sadly had no happy ending. It’s intimate and tender and raw. I was entirely absorbed and loved her voice and narration.

Beautiful, touching portrait of young love

Christina and John (and many in their circle) lived extraordinary lives and beyond this being a fascinating inside look into life with that type of privilege and access from a young age, their story was remarkably normal. Young friends who danced with the line between the platonic and romantic and grew in love together. Beautifully written and narrated by Christina herself. John sounds every bit the gentle, free and adventrrous man he’s often described as. They were both so lucky to grow together.

So beautifully written. I was completely mesmerized by Christina’s telling of her story.

Loved this book! What a beautiful tribute to her longtime friendship and relationship with John. I only wish that she had become his wife.

Emotional

This memoir is written exquisitely! Christina's emotions are without veil. She shares her tenderness without extreme detail.