This story is part of the 海角社区app Book Report series written by Terik King. Read more of that coverage here.听
For decades, John F. Kennedy has remained one of America鈥檚 most scrutinized presidents, with thousands of books chronicling his politics, scandals and assassination. But bestselling author J. Randy Taraborrelli says his new biography seeks to move past the mythology to uncover the man himself.
鈥�,鈥� published by St. Martin鈥檚 Press, is the sixth book Taraborrelli has written about the Kennedy family 鈥� and his first to focus squarely on the 35th president. The book quickly became an instant New York Times bestseller and was named one of Amazon鈥檚 best books of July.
鈥淭his book is about a man鈥檚 journey, an imperfect man who, through trial and error, worked toward becoming a better person,鈥� Taraborrelli told 海角社区app in an interview for The Book Report. 鈥淗e figures out that in order to be a great leader, he needed to first become a great man 鈥� and he does both of those in tandem.鈥�
Drawing from 25 years of research, Taraborrelli weaves together oral histories, taped interviews, FBI and CIA files, and documents from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.
He said the most surprising discovery came from an interview with Janet Des Rosiers, Joe Kennedy鈥檚 longtime secretary, who revealed she also acted as his surrogate wife with Rose Kennedy鈥檚 knowledge. That revelation, Taraborrelli said, sheds light on JFK鈥檚 own troubled marriage.
Her story informs who JFK was as a husband to Jackie, according to Taraborrelli. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e raised in a family (like that), then what do you bring to your own marriage?鈥� asks Taraborrelli.
The biography also introduces readers to Joan Lundberg, a little-known woman who carried on a three-year relationship with Kennedy during a low point in his marriage. Taraborrelli said their bond, which resembled therapy more than romance, helped Kennedy eventually reconnect with his wife.
The author emphasizes that his book is not a salacious 鈥渢ell-all.鈥� Instead, it explores the relationships that shaped Kennedy鈥檚 conscience 鈥� a conscience Taraborrelli said both burdened and motivated him.
鈥淲hen you have a conscience, your behavior, if it鈥檚 unconscionable, really hits you hard,鈥� he said. In Taraborrelli’s narrative, Kennedy was tormented by some of his choices, and over time, he learned to take accountability 鈥� with Jackie and with the country.
Taraborrelli points to Kennedy鈥檚 response after the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion as a defining moment. Rather than shift blame for the fiasco 鈥� inherited from the Eisenhower administration, Kennedy accepted responsibility. The decision boosted his approval ratings to 85%.
鈥淎ccountability (is) what people want from their leaders,鈥� Taraborrelli said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 a hopeful story to tell in these really fractured times 鈥� that kind of hope, I think, is needed right now.鈥�
The subtitle, 鈥淧ublic, Private, Secret,鈥� mirrors Taraborrelli鈥檚 . He said it reflects the three sides of Kennedy鈥檚 life: the public figure, the private man and the “secret” self only a few ever saw.
“Jackie told me face-to-face one time, ‘What’s the point of a biography if it doesn’t tell a person’s secrets?'” Taraborrelli recalled of his time working with the former first lady when she was an editor at Doubleday Publishing.
“My job as a biographer (is) to invade my subjects’ privacy. If you want to do a good book, you have to be revealing and honest. And I try to do that along with being empathetic.”
鈥淚t鈥檚 not always an easy read,鈥� Taraborrelli said. 鈥淏ut if you stick with it, you鈥檒l get a lot out of it. You do see the full picture of a man as he grows into himself, and maybe that might help someone else do the same thing.鈥�
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