GRACE AND POWER

InGRACE&POWER:THEPRIVATEWORLDOFTHEKENNEDYWHITEHOUSE,NewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorSallyBedellSmithtakesusinsidetheKennedyWhiteHousewithunparalleledaccessandinsight.HavinginterviewedscoresofKennedyintimates,includingmanywhohaveneverspokenbefore,anddrawingonlettersandpersonalpapersmadeavailableforthefirsttime,Smithpaintsarichlydetailedpictureofthepersonalrelationshipsbehindthehighpurposeandpoilticaldramaofthetwentiethcentury'smoststoriedpresidency.Atthedawnofthe1960s,aforty-three-year-oldpresidentandhisthirty-one-year-oldfirstlady–theyoungestcoupleevertooccupytheWhiteHouse–captivatedtheworldwiththeireasyeleganceandtheircoolconvictionthatanythingwaspossible.JackandJackieKennedygatheredaroundthemanintenselyloyalandbrillantcoterieofintellectuals,journalists,diplomats,internationaljet-settersandartists.Perhapsasneverbefore,Washingtonwassharplydividedbetweenthe“ins”andthe“outs.”Inhispubliclife,JFKcreatedaNewFrontier,stareddowntheSoviets,anddevotedhimselftohiswifeandchildren.Asfirstlady,JackiemesmerizedforeignleadersandtheAmericanpeoplewithherstyleandsophistication,creatingaWhiteHouserenownedforitsbeautyandculture.SmithbrilliantlyrecreatestheglamorouspageantoftheKennedyyears,aswellasthedailytextureoftheKennedys’marriage,friendships,politicalassociations,and,inJack’scase,multipleloveaffairs.Smith’sstrikingrevelationsincludenewinformationaboutwhatdrewJacktohisnumerousmistresses–andwhateffectstherelationshipsultimatelyhadonthewomen;abouttherivalriesandresentmentsamongKennedy’sadvisers;andaboutthepoignantdaysbeforeandafterKennedy’sassassination.Smithhasfashionedavividandnuancedportraitnotonlyoftwoextraordinaryindividualsbutofanewagethatsprangtolifearoundthem.Shimmeringwithintelligenceanddetail,GRACEANDPOWERishistoryatitsfinest.FromtheHardcoveredition.