The Sins of the Father: Joseph P. Kennedy and the Dynasty He Founded
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Book Overview
From the New York Times bestselling author of 20 books about the Secret Service, FBI, and CIA comes the detailed account of the life and times of the ambitious, powerful, masterfully manipulative Joseph Patrick Kennedy. For all his wealth and power, Joe Kennedy was not a happy man. He also had no shame. What he cared about was having power. Through the political dynasty that he founded, he achieved that for generations to come. If he hurt and corrupted others in the process, no one had the courage to challenge him. The results are the myths that continue to enshrine the Kennedy family and maintain it as a national obsessions. This book explodes those myths. Utilizing extensive research and interviews with Kennedy family members and their intimates, speaking on record for the first time, Kessler reveals stunning details of Joseph Kennedy's enormous accomplishments and the terrible personal losses he suffered.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:0446518840
ISBN13:9780446518840
Release Date:March 1996
Publisher:Grand Central Publishing
Length:496 Pages
Weight:1.76 lbs.
Dimensions:1.6" x 6.3" x 9.3"
Customer Reviews
5 ratings
Will blow your doors off!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 15 years ago
Most of my generation takes for granted that Joe Kennedy Sr. built his empire in nefarious ways, but the depth and breadth of his corruption, exposed in "Sins of the Father," will leave you gasping for breadth. Only a serious journalist like Kessler could expose so much that was rotten about Kennedy and still do it with fairness and a surprisingly even hand. He interviewed everyone with any knowledge who would talk to him and dug deep for the paper trails. It isn't just Kennedy's bottomless greed that astounds, but his astonishing need for power and more power - over everyone including, of course, his sons who did what they were told. He was, frankly, a dangerous man and even though he's dead, it's a lesson for all of us what kind of people the glow of power will attract.
The Cruel Truth About Rosemary and Joe P. Kennedy
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
The old man had a sick, insatiable, apetite for sex. It included bedding or approaching his sons girlfriends and/dates. It was usual for them to share women. Typical example Marylin Monroe first with Jack and then transferred for Robert Kennedy use. Among all the smoke of the Kennedy mythology raises the tale of Rosemary lobotomy. The gossip among the Kennedy's intimates was that the old man first raped and frequently bedded his own retarded daughter while the mother was praying 24 hours a day. At some time the girl, a retarded creature, started to talk openly and among guests about the things that daddy was doing to her. It was then that old Joe decided to lobotomize her. To silence her.
Sins of the Father
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
SINS OF THE fATHER IS AN EXCELLENT ACCOUNTING OF TNE LIFE OF JOSEPH P KENNEDY. iT IS VERY WELL WRITTEN AND VERY UNDERSTANDABLE.
Major Contribution: Rosemary's Depression
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
Kessler's major contribution is documenting Rosemary's depression; she was a very bright but depressed person, and it was more expedient to lobotomize her and label her retarded, than to deal with the mental illness. JPK comes away here a very sick, perverted man. What Kessler doesn't answer for us is: what drove him to become this way? Kessler also exposes his 9-year affair with his secretary, Janet DeRosiers. I admire him for accomplishing so much, yet I'm saddened by his perversity.
Required Reading for Massachusetts Voters
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 27 years ago
An excellent historical look at one of the most evil and manipulative men the country has ever known. From his many extramarital affairs to the manner in which he used and abused people. While growing up in Massachusetts, I've always suspected that this family were a bunch of "scumbags" and now Ronald Kessler fills in the final piece of the puzzle for me. The father rates right up there as one of history's all time "land sharks". His inexcusable behavior has manifested itself in his son's approach to life [Mariln Monroe, Eunice Pringle, Mary Jo Kopecne, and others, etc.] and how they deal with potential problems. As Old man Joe avoided WWI, Ted "ran away" at Chappaquidick. One can only hope that Massachusetts will wake up and see this family for what it is -- a fraud, a shell with no core values!! This book gives us an excellent start -- Should be required reading for all Massachusetts voters.
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