Kick: The True Story of JFK's Sister and the Heir to Chatsworth

The first quarter of the book is well written and interesting. When you get to Kick's time in England, which is the anticipated part of the story the author gets quite repetitive in her descriptions of Kick's personality and impact on the social scene. The overuse of ''spirited, vivacious, energetic, humour, good natured' as descriptors of Kick does her no favours. Initially, via the author's writing, Kick comes across as a pleasant, extremely privileged girl, who suffers from the sins of her family in that she has trouble with strong feelings and emotions, is not particularly intellectually engaged, and is, in her early adult life willfully sexually naive. Which goes a ways to explain what happened closer to the end of her life. Which was a pretty normal kind of reaction given her upbringing. The account of her marriage to Lord Hartington sounds happy but also of two very young, romantic people. Which you are at that age, and people were particularly during the Second World War. The last third of the book picks up again and makes for interesting, engaging reading. The agonising Kick went through prior to deciding to marry Billy made for sad reading. What a waste of time that they could have had with each other. Kick's strength of character comes into full view as Lady Hartington as she sets up her own home in London, and begins to fully live her adult life. You can hear it in the quoted letters she wrote and in the descriptions of her by her friends and family. A fascinating woman who lived a very full life even at 28. Her death was a great loss to her family and friends and to history in a way. It would have been interesting to see what Kick did, said, wrote and influenced as she got older.

This book started as a competent overview of the Kennedys., Not surprising given how 11 people plus can crowd a canvas;the board outlines had to be drawn. But I had a feeling as we moved into the meat of the story; Kick's battles to marry the two men she loved, it would focus on Kick increasingly and it did. That part onward was very well done .It became ever more compelling as the book went on. A remarkable story about an extraordinary young woman just finding herself when she lost her life...Byrne, writes touching of Kick's love for Billy, her titled husband, and his for her. When he was killed , wow one felt that. But it was also interesting how with her 2nd major love, Kathleen kicked into Joe Kennedy mode, in that it was a torching sexual driven affair, much as her father's affairs with Gloria Swanson and Dietrich.Joe was so besotted, he brought these affairs home; literally. And Kick was so in love,she was willing to burn several bridges( including a promising UK political career ) to make a married man her husband. He had a bad reputation and her friends were shocked, but you know, I wasn't. When she went off with him, Kick put aside the right /wrong cross she had hung on most of her life and the plan was to happily lived in Ireland with him. If Kick had lived to meet her father to ask for his blessing, how could he refuse it? In a sense she was following Joe's foot steps. We'll never know what the outcome of such a meeting would have been. Joe may have wondered himself what he would say. He always stood by Kick, yet while Rose turned a blind eye to Gloria Swanson, she told Joe if he sided with Kick in this , she would leave him. If Kick married the divorced and Protestant rake, Rose would be blamed in Boston...facing down Gloria Swanson was nothing compare with thatByrne, mentions Jack's sex addiction briefly,( though she says it more diplomatically than that ) She wonders if it was due to his ill health or Rose's coldness...but how about Joe's example and more, his expectations of his sons? She points out father and son shared a taste for bedding the hat check girl or waitress, but I believe Joe's influence went deeper than that. "Kennedys don't cry" was a saying in the family...and another maxim seems to be , " Kennedy men constantly bed women besides their wives." I believe Joe expected his sons to indulge in sexual conquests and to bring that keen edged competition to it that they brought to everything else ,..but I doubt Joe thought of his daughters doing so as well and yet Kick was on her way to discuss just such an affair.Byrne also covers just what happen to Rosemary Kennedy and Joe jr's passing...and how he stood by Kick as she battled to marry Billy. By 1948,of the four eldest Kennedy children, only Jack was left..I believe that created a kind of loneliness for him" Kick: The True Story of JFK's Sister " by Paula Byrne is a fine book for those who know the Kennedy's story well or those who don't. It was time this story was told . Excellent portraits of many people are drawn and it's a crisp picture of a time as well.In her acknowledgments,Byrne says it was an emotional book for her to write and one feels that

I've read several Kennedy biographies, this one was excellent. I've always been drawn to Kick. She had a hard life with a controlling father and domineering mother. They really knew how to throw the guilt at her. Money isn't everything.I truly believe she and Billy were very much in love. And am very happy that they married, even for a short time. I think, with her family turning their back on her, and her deep grief, she was unable to "resist" an affair with someone who really didn't care for her, he would have cheated, Imo, after a while. I believe she was so grief stricken by the loss of her husband that she was involved with a man just to take the pain away and forget for a while. She was very sheltered as a child, and was so young when this happened. The Duke and Dutchess of Devonshire and all the rest of the family and her friends truly loved her and cared about her. And her own family did not, even though she bent over backwards to be a "good daughter". Just tragic.The only thing I thought was different, was that this book said Joe Sr came to the funeral and wanted to bring her back to the States. I thought I read in other bios that Rose disowned Kick and the family wouldn't bring her home to be buried, or come to the funeral ( except Jack)which is why the Duke and Dutchess buried her on their estate.Former Catholic here, an remember all those rules about sin and not going to a Protestant church back in the day, confession etc, especially all the guilt they threw at you so you would tow the line.

Enjoyed it as I didn't realize there was another sister in the family.

I liked to hear more about the Kennedy's and felt saddened by one families immense losses and griefs, surely too much. The writing style was a bit Boys Own or Billy Bunter however the story had its own strength and pathos transcending the superficial. I particularly liked how the author wrote about the war and the lives and views of those swept up in it.

One of those rare biographies that reads like a wonderful tale rather than a textbook of facts and dates.Beautifully written and highly recommended!

I had a hard time putting this book down it was so interesting and well written

I love history.