Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis

The Untold Story

De: Barbara Leaming

Narrado por: Eliza Foss

The untold story of how one woman’s life was changed forever in a matter of seconds by a horrific trauma.

Barbara Leaming’s extraordinary and deeply sensitive biography is the first book to document Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ brutal, lonely, and valiant 31-year struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following JFK’s assassination. Here is the woman as she has never been seen before. In heartrending detail, we witness a struggle that unfolded at times before our own eyes, but which we failed to understand.

Leaming’s biography also makes clear the pattern of Jackie’s life as a whole. We see how a spirited young woman’s rejection of a predictable life led her to John F. Kennedy and the White House, how she sought to reconcile the conflicts of her marriage and the role she was to play, and how the trauma of her husband’s murder, which left her soaked in his blood and brains, led her to seek a very different kind of life from the one she’d previously sought.

A life story that has been scrutinized countless times, seen here for the first time as the serious and important story that it is. A story for our times at a moment when we as a nation need more than ever to understand the impact of trauma.

©2014 Barbara Leaming (P)2014 Macmillan Audio

Worth a listen

Not my favorite Kennedy book but definitely was informative and engaging. Glad that I listened

Wonderful!!

I never realized how much Jackie went through for all those years. My eyes are opened now.

Excellent read

This book deals with the previously untouched topic of Jackie's PTSD.....An unknown diagnosis until 1980.

Interesting but at times repetitive

Any additional comments?

Interesting story, in-depth research, and compelling narrative, but often repetitive, especially as it relates to the PTSD aspect. This is my first lengthy encounter with Jackie Kennedy, and, although I admire her for her perseverance, I did not find her very inspiring or likable. She comes across as canning and opportunistic. I was hoping for a strength and nobility of character, but I did not find them in this biography. I was more inspired by Catherine the Great. Eliza Foss's narration was excellent.

Excellent account of her life

Being able to understand the depth and severity of her PTSD casts everything in a new light. I'm really glad to have listened to this.

Eye Opening

I have always respected Jackie Kennedy and this only made my respect for her stronger. It disheartened me to hear of the infidelity on JFK's part. I can only imagine the hurt Jackie went through in what the world viewed as a perfect life. She was a strong, brilliant woman! Thank you for shedding more light on her life to the readers!

A good read

Would you consider the audio edition of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis to be better than the print version?

I wouldn't know - never read the print version.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis?

It makes sense that Jackie acted so neurotic given the circumstances still given all the resources at her disposal she still didn't seem to be able to find peace.

Which character – as performed by Eliza Foss – was your favorite?

Not sure.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reaction one way or another.

Any additional comments?

Jackie was a very privileged woman but certainly had more than her share of tragedies in her life. Younger people today may not be able to relate to her upbringing and life style but it was something common with the very well to do at that time in history. Some reviews mentioned the absence of her children in the book but that is understandable - I got the impression they were always in the care of nannies and others. Jackie was as hands on as she could be given her upbringing but certainly nothing like the helicopter moms we see today. Yet her insistence on good manners speaks well of her as a parent. She has always impressed me with her appreciation of foreign cultures, foreign language skills and her good manners. Nowadays these qualities are given short shrift in American society and it is unfortunate. Jackie was and will always be remembered as a lady.

Intriguing theory

This biography is based on the premise that Jackie suffered from severe PTSD as a result of JFK's assassination. I think the evidence is compelling. A couple criticisms-- first, there is very little about her relationship with her children and their upbringing, which I see as a glaring omission. Second, I found the reader to be a bit too histrionic. Overall, very good.

Details of story

I enjoyed the personal details I never knew before.which made it very interesting. The stories were very good.

A new view on Jackie

This was one of the most interesting books I have read on Jackie )and there have been quite a few)! I learned so many details about her and her life.