Love, Jack

Love, Jack by Gunilla Von Post 158 pages

I’m just old enough to remember that “’brief, shining moment’ before Camelot, before an assassin's bullets shattered the hopes of a nation.”  Yeah, I’ve read another book about JFK.

This one is a memoir published in 1997. The author, a Swedish aristocrat, waited until after Jackie’s death to share her romance with a handsome, wealthy young Senator from Massachusetts. She was trying to be sensitive to the president’s memory.

In 1953, Jack Kennedy was trying to evade an Italian countess who was hell bent on catching him when he accidentally met Gunilla Von Post on the Rivera. It was love at first sight. But it was a love that was not meant to be…or in better words, a love that was not allowed to blossom. 

Jack hoped to get the nod as vice president in the upcoming election, knew that a bid for the U. S. Presidency was in his future, was engaged to marry Jacqueline Bouvier, and was under the complete control of his father, Joe Kennedy, Sr. Although Jack tried to get Joe, Sr. to let him back out of his engagement, and even his marriage, Joe would have none of it.  If he left Jackie, his change to become the most powerful man in the world was at jeopardy, and he would probably lose. 

Between 1953 and 1959, Jack and Gunilla carried on a love affair. But I’m not sure that I would call it a love affair. They seldom saw each other and rarely spoke. Gunilla had letters that proved his desire and need for her, but I have to wonder. Knowing what a womanizer Jack turned out to be, after reading this book, I’m convinced that, while Jack might have been smitten with Gunilla, he was truly only interested in the chase. But then, maybe I’m wrong. The world will never know. 

“Love, Jack” receives 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.