Bobby and Jackie: A Love Story

A real turn pager. This is one book that you can't put down. This is a superb book which harkens back to the mid-twentieth century when life was lived differently. One juice story after another.

The book begins with the JFK motorcade in Dallas on Friday, November 22, 1963, and takes the reader through details of the assasination, Jacqueline Kennedy's time with her dying husband, the death of the President, and the swearing in of Lyndon Johnson. After the death of her husband, Jackie becomes depressed and begins to lean heavily on John Kennedy's brother, Bobby, who is also dealing with his own deep grief and guilt. Even though Bobby is a married man, these two devastated people find solace in each other and start a long-time physical love affair. The author names and quotes numerous people who personally knew the two lovers and gives detailed accounts of their relationship. Jackie and Bobby were obviously two needy people who had romantic dalliances with many, even though they seemed to continually come back to each other. After reading the book, I have come to the conclusion they were "soul mates" and deeply in love, although they understood they could never have a normal life together. The book ends with the shooting of Bobby Kennedy, his lingering in the hospital as his family deals with the end, and Jackie's response. The author seems to be a reliable source and offers extensive documentation.

I read through this book quickly and although there've been some doubts by various Kennedy apologists and people who STILL hate to believe that celebrities and politicians are HUMAN, it seems clear that Jackie and Bobby were extremely close and loved each other. What exactly they did behind closed doors is perhaps not essential to the tragic tale of the Kennedy family but I certainly found it interesting to explore the possibility that these two, who survived the death of a man they loved dearly, came together briefly. It was a love with serious limitations since one of the lovers was married and had a large family. It was also short-lived since Bobby died not long after his brother, making this tale even sadder. But in reality, Jackie needed someone to confide in and be with and why would anyone find it so hard to believe that she might rely on her late husband's beloved brother? This has happened over and over in history and literature. The book was well written and a quick read. I couldn't put it down. Jackie was a woman like no other, although she was human, too. What a story!

I literally couldn't put this book down, it was so rich with juicy details about a relationship that has generated so much speculation over the years. It takes considerable courage (I presume) to write truthfully about the Kennedy's, to expose what members of this family so famously try to suppress. C. David Heymann writes with courage and exceptional skill to bring to life this relationship, making it at the same time understandable and dishy yet without being outright trashy. A really great read!

This book was a quick and entertaining read. I particularyly found interesting how the personal relationship of Jackie and Aristole Onassis was put on hold for Bobbys political ambitions. There are tons of indisputable and juicy tidbits to this book that add up to a summer beach book best seller. Hats off to C. David Heymann