Rosemary

The Hidden Kennedy Daughter

De: Kate Clifford Larson

Narrado por: Bernadette Dunne

They were the most prominent American family of the 20th century. The daughter they secreted away made all the difference.

Joe and Rose Kennedy's strikingly beautiful daughter, Rosemary, attended exclusive schools, was presented as a debutante to the queen of England, and traveled the world with her high-spirited sisters. And yet Rosemary was intellectually disabled - a secret fiercely guarded by her powerful and glamorous family.

Major new sources - Rose Kennedy's diaries and correspondence, school and doctors' letters, and exclusive family interviews - bring Rosemary to life as a girl adored but left far behind by her competitive siblings. Kate Larson reveals both the sensitive care Rose and Joe gave to Rosemary and then, as the family's standing reached an apex, the often desperate and duplicitous arrangements the Kennedys made to keep her away from home as she became increasingly intractable in her early 20s. Finally, Larson illuminates Joe's decision to have Rosemary lobotomized at age 23 and the family's complicity in keeping the secret.

Rosemary delivers a profoundly moving coda: JFK visited Rosemary for the first time while campaigning in the Midwest; she had been living isolated in a Wisconsin institution for nearly 20 years. Only then did the siblings understand what had happened to Rosemary and bring her home for loving family visits. It was a reckoning that inspired them to direct attention to the plight of the disabled, transforming the lives of millions.

©2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc. (P)2015 Blackstone Audiobooks

Illuminating and moving.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Fascinating true story, good writing, excellent narration. Yes!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Rosemary?

Too numerous to describe here. Perhaps the most notable was Rosemary's birth. Clearly neglect if not outright malpractice caused brain damage in the poor baby and thus altered many lives in the process. The second most memorable moment was when Rosemary's father opted to have his daughter lobotomized years later, in an effort to make her placid and controllable, without consulting his wife--tragic.

Which scene was your favorite?

The prom where Rosemary was accompanied by her soon to be famous brother--a magical and loving moment.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. I wanted to keep listening, not for the sake of suspense but because I had become a witness to a deliberately obscured yet very significant side of Kennedy family history, and I wanted to stay on that ride until its completion.

Any additional comments?

First, I appreciated hearing Rosemary's story, about which I had known very little. Second, I realized this is just as much Rose Kennedy's story. I discovered that Rose suffered all her life from the controlling men in her life and the decisions they made without considering her needs and desires. Decades ago, I thought Rose was a stiff, old-school Catholic matron, but now I know why she seemed to be so overly devout and full of denial. As for Joe Kennedy, he came across as a self-centered dictator, as he did in every telling of Kennedy family history. Nevertheless, between Rosemary's condition and the loss of their three sons, Rose and Joe suffered more than most, and deserve sympathy for that. The main blessing from Rosemary's life is that her condition, and lack of proper treatment and protection of her rights, led her siblings to champion the cause of the developmentally delayed. The result is our current system of care, which, while still a work in progress, is hugely better than the nothing that existed for Rosemary herself.

Interesting!

Went fast and learned alot how the Kennedys dealt with major issues back in a different time.

Camelot Revisited

The curtain on Camelot was pulled back.... a different perspective on a fabled family.

Rosemary, directly, and the Kennedy family indirectly, were failed by the medical profession starting with the process of her birth, thru the lobotomy, thru a physician that may have shorted her on rehabilitative services but not dulling medication.

Informative, but lacking color

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is a pretty good book to listen to if you're not looking for something gripping. It's informative and covers a lot of ground about the Kennedy family, keeping Rosemary at the central theme.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

While Rosemary is the hub of the book, she's not the only focus. I was surprised that so much attention was given to her parents and siblings, given that they already have so much written about them. I know they were discussed because they did influence things in Rosemary's life, but I feel the book would have been much more enjoyable if it had been more about her instead of her family in general.

Have you listened to any of Bernadette Dunne’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't, but I think she did well. There wasn't a lot of emotion to her reading, but I don't know if it was necessary for a book like this. It felt like a rather dry performance, but the book itself was pretty dry. Honestly, there are no real complaints.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A factual display of the events surround Rosemary Kennedy's life.

Any additional comments?

Worth a read, but don't expect this to change your world. You may really love this if you are a Kennedy buff. Even not being one, I still found value in the book. I just wish it had been a little more lively.

Be Ready to not like Old Joe Kennedy, SO MUCH.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

None of my friends would be able to stomach this story. This sickened and saddened me to my core.

Would you ever listen to anything by Kate Clifford Larson again?

I don't think I would....I'd be reminded of the unholy lives they led. Just because they could.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I didn't read the whole book.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When old Joe made his plans to have his daughter compromised, and her own mother wasn't even consulted. As a mom...his decision to do that, without her mother's warm and loving presence to be there with her, when she came out of surgery....broke my heart.

Any additional comments?

Yes....why do people glorify those who do bad things just because they can get away with doing them. If you ask me, that was the downfall of the Kennedy family. "It's yours if you want it, so TAKE IT." Where do you learn that as a child?8