The House of Kennedy

 Shirley J.               Adult Non-Fiction             The story of every Kennedy since Honeyfitz to present

The House of Kennedy by James Patterson and Cynthia Fagen   432 pages

Brilliantly told biographies and histories of every American Kennedy, yes THE Kennedys, since their forebear Honeyfitz.   All the political aspirations, all the scandals (well, at least all the public has been privy to), the good they have done and the foibles within their characters and the damage and damage control over the years.   Excellent sharing of inside information, intimate details of the relationship between Joe Kennedy and Gloria Swanson and how Rose Kennedy dealt with the affair though it was right in her face, details of the affairs with Marilyn Monroe (both John and Bobby), Chappaquidick details that occurred that night and afterward.   Teddy's career and loss of Presidential candidacy, the later generations of the Kennedy Grandkids and Great Grankids.   Jackie and Joe's close family bond, Rose's girlhood and how she came to be Mrs. Joseph Kennedy, and her time campaigning for her family members, her reaction to losing so many of her immediate family.    There are so many good things about this book I cannot recommend it enough.   The glaring mistakes are not glossed over but are addressed head on and the successes and underworld ties are examined, too.   Well done James Patterson and Cynthia Fagen.   I recommend this book to Kennedy supporters, to history buffs, to highschool students on up.