Rose Kennedy's Family Album: From the Fitzgerald Kennedy Private Collection, 1878-1946

At the start of this personal, unique album of family pictures is a typed note from Rose Kennedy asking her children to stop removing photographs as if they don't, "it will not be interesting" to people. It's hard to imagine that this rare collection could be less than fascinating, but thank heavens Rose wrote it when she did. This album, which begins with childhood pictures of Rose and Joseph P. Kennedy and ends with JFK's congressional campaign is more than the sum of its parts. Though the book is filled with comments, quotes, letters and snapshots, it's the continuity and the passage of time that fascinates.Here, for example is Rose, smiling wide with her tiny children. Here's another of her skating with her husband and looking like a teenager, though she has five or six children. These pictures are so strikingly different from the dignified icon we saw in later years. Early pictures of Joseph, with his small children are equally surprising. He's handsome, and for the first ten or twelve years of their marriage he is there a lot, on the beach, sitting on the steps of a beach rental.Later as time goes on, it's Rose's daughters who look carefree, and Joe is not around so much. But there are touching notes from him to his wife, and funny pictures with pets,lots of pets. Everyone wears wonderful clothes. Pictures of little girls in perfect matching hats. In most old photos from the twenties mens's suits look rumpled, many women look dumpy. Not these women! Not these suits.The Kennedys had great cameras. Many if these pictures, taken a hundred years ago, look crisp and bright, as though they were shot last week. The letters and notes add a lot as does the introduction and comments by Caroline Kennedy.Apparently this album is one of fifty owned by the Kennedy library. I completely enjoyed it. I hope that more of the collection is published someday.

I'm enjoying this book, lots of interesting close-up pictures of a clan whose egos embraced the camera. You can tell that lots of time and effort went into picture-taking in this family. The children all seem posed and dressed for the camera, even at play on the beach. They are perfectly groomed. It's as if they had their own hair-stylists and make-up artists on call 24/7.When I read the captions that accompany this pictures, I feel the presence of a very strong and conceited Rose Kennedy. She was obviously a caring mother, very goal oriented. . ..those kids had such structured lives, I wonder if they ever had any time to just "hang out" and de-stress. The parents were somewhat successful in raising high achieving kids who thrived on competition. But where is the love and affection here? It seems that the children knew they had better attain the high standards their parents set up for them. This is not an example of "unconditional love", quite the opposite.In Caroline Kennedy's narration, she expresses affection for her grandmother and seems to enjoy spending time with her. Still, in spite of her granddaughters high regard, Rose comes across as very stiff and formal. Her visits with the grand-kids seem ritualistic, the "special" walks around the Hyannis Port Estate whereby the kids were rewarded with a mint candy from her purseher control of dinner time discussions whereby the grandkids, just like their parents, were expected to be "policy wonks" at age 9 and above.For some reason, I just do not like this woman. She is so smug and self-righteous.

I haven't quite finished "Rose Kennedy's Family Album" but I am really enjoying it. I have seen a handful of the photos before but I think 80% of them I have not. There is also a nice narrative that accompanies the pictures and copies of handwritten letters. It is more detailed than I thought it would be which is a nice bonus. I have read at least a dozen Kennedy biographies but I have still gleaned some new information from the basic biographical information. I bought the Kindle version after much debate. The Kindle version is well formatted - nice surprise! I can definitely see the merits in owning the hardcover copy but I have a small house and have been downsizing my book collection anyway. The less expensive Kindle price made it easier to rationalize my guilty Kennedy pleasure, too! If you're a a true fan of all things Kennedy, this is a can't miss - buy the book. If you have even a passing interest, check it out of the library when it becomes available. Caroline Kennedy doesn't need the money...lol :)

I was young during the time of JFK and didn't care much about the Kennedy family. Now, 50 years later, I find them fascinating. I got this book at the library and couldn't stop reading it. I knew I had to have my own copy. It's a beautifully created book, filled with wonderful pictures along with an insightful narrative. Each photograph can be studied on its own, and I felt thoroughly involved with the family after going through the book. It can be read and re-read, and it evokes many different types of emotions--even for people who knew nothing about the family. For anyone studying sociology or history, this book would be appreciated. For those who love the Kennedy family, it would be valued. For people who want to study a longitudinal cross-section of a unique American family, it's a treasure.

It's hard not to use only superlatives in describing this book. The Kennedys were all for one and one for all in their family bond, and that devotion is evident in so many of the photos and their letters to one another. The children were entrusted by Joe and Rose to go out and serve their country, and they did in a myriad of ways.To those who loved them, this is a superb chronicle. To those who hated them, this might be an eye opener for reconsideration.

A wonderful personal and informative book about the Kennedy family from the perspective of the matriarch

Una vera sorpresa! Foto stupende, soprattutto quelle di fine ottocento per me inedite, un libro ben fatto e ben curato come qualità della carta e dei particolari, ci sono didascalie ovviamente tutte in inglese, tra l'altro rispetto al prezzo originale di 45 dollari l'ho pagato nemmeno 20 euro..

First class service, excellent book- thought it was brand new..thanks..

The book is lovely, and many of the photographs we had not seen before. Beautiful keepsake and perfect coffee table book.

New Pics. Beautiful book. Unseen photos. A beautiful cover made out of a nice material . Nice Nice Nice Book

第35代合衆国大統領ジョンフィッツジェラルドケネディの家族写真集です。ケネディ一族の写真集です。なのでジャクリーン夫人は出ておりません。1878年から1946年までの家族写真集でいっぱいいっぱいです。皆一人一人活き活きとして最近撮影したかのよう。時代が時代だけに白黒写真ですが、見応えあります。九人兄弟の最後の生存者ジーンアンケネディスミスが2020年6月17日に亡くなった。92歳でした。ケネディと言えば暗殺本ばかりなので、此のような素晴らしい本が邦訳されたら良いのですが．．．。