The Patriarch

The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy

De: David Nasaw

Narrado por: Malcolm Hillgartner

Celebrated historian David Nasaw brings to life the story of Joseph Patrick Kennedy, in this, the first and only biography based on unrestricted and exclusive access to the Joseph P. Kennedy papers.

Joseph Patrick Kennedy - whose life spanned the First World War, the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, the Second World War, and the Cold War - was the patriarch of America’s greatest political dynasty. The father of President John F. Kennedy and Senators Robert and Edward Kennedy, 'Joe' Kennedy was an indomitable and elusive figure whose dreams of advancement for his nine children were matched only by his extraordinary personal ambition and shrewd financial skills. Trained as a banker, Kennedy was also a Hollywood mogul, a stock-exchange savant, a shipyard manager, the founding chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and ambassador to London during the Battle of Britain. Though his incredible life encompasses the very heart of the American century, Joseph Kennedy has remained shrouded in rumor and prejudice for decades.

Drawing on never-before-published material from archives on three continents, David Nasaw - the renowned biographer of Andrew Carnegie and William Randolph Hearst - unearths a man far more complicated than the popular portrait. Was Kennedy an appeaser and isolationist, an anti-Semite and Nazi sympathizer, a stock swindler, a bootlegger, and a colleague of mobsters? Did he push his second son into politics and then buy his elections for him? Why did he have his daughter Rosemary lobotomized? Why did he oppose the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, the Korean War, and American assistance to the French in Vietnam? What was his relationship to J. Edgar Hoover and his FBI? How did he influence his son’s politics and policies in the White House?

In this groundbreaking biography, Nasaw ignores the tired old answers surrounding Kennedy, starting from scratch to discover the truth behind this misunderstood man.

Though far from a saint, Joseph Kennedy in many ways exemplifies the best in American political, economic, and social life. His rags-to-riches story is one of exclusion and quiet discrimination overcome by entrepreneurship, ingenuity, and unshakable endurance. Kennedy’s story deserves to be told in full, with no holds barred, and Nasaw’s magnificent The Patriarch is the first book to do so.

©2012 David Nasaw (P)2012 Penguin Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

One of the New York Times' Ten Best Books of the Year

One of Kirkus' Best Nonfiction Books of the Year

"Riveting.... The Patriarch is a book hard to put down.... As his son indelibly put it some months before his father was struck down: 'Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your county.' One wonders what was going through the mind of the patriarch, sitting a few feet away listening to that soaring sentiment as a fourth-generation Kennedy became president of the United States. After coming to know him over the course of this brilliant, compelling book, the reader might suspect that he was thinking he had done more than enough for his country. But the gods would demand even more." (New York Times Book Review)

Interesting but sounds sanitized

Any additional comments?

The many ways he made his money are well covered. So are his politics and misadventures as Ambassador to England. His strengths as a father are nicely recounted. His understandable frustration with the Catholic Church's failure to support JFK's 1960 candidacy is the biggest revelation.

Much better than it had to be

I cannot complain about Nasaw's writing: he is generous and understanding. I liked Joe Kennedy going in, and he didn't suffer much on the way. Nasaw disposes of the "bootlegger" lie handily; it is too bad he had to bother with that at all. A little more on the Hollywood years would have been appreciated here, but there is only so much you can squeeze into a fat biography.

My reservations are mainly about the narration, which does not seem to have suffered any decent editor's fine hand. The narrator does not know what he is talking about sometimes, continually pronouncing the Astors' Cliveden House as Clyve-den (it's 'Clivdin'); he also repeatedly mispronounces the name Cadogan (as in the Irish surname, the peer and the multiple placenames in London) as Ca-dough-gin when it is of course Ca-duggin. He turns Noroton, Connecticut into Norritin (rather than 'Nor-O-tin'). And so on. These are not minor quibbles. If one is going to speak of the 'Cliveden Set' many times, one should at least know how to pronounce it.

Magnificent

One of the best - and most gripping - biographies I have ever read. The reader is excellent - even his approximation of various accents is good and not distracting.

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How little I knew or understood of the life of JPK!

David Nasaw’s work as a biographer is masterful. Truly a great book, and a must read.

Excellent Narration

I loved learning about Joe Kennedy. Fascinating man fixated on building a kind of wealth & influence for his family even more than for himself. The narrator was excellent.

Excellent biography of a great American

Would you consider the audio edition of The Patriarch to be better than the print version?

Yes - since I listen to audiobooks while exercising and riding my bicycle.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The vivid and emotional descriptions of Mr. Kennedy's learning of the deaths of his three eldest sons; juxtaposed to this brilliant, very tough, ruthless and narcissist businessman.

Any additional comments?

I disagree with Mr. Nasaw's conclusion that Joseph Kennedy was an anti-Semite. My prospective, I'm Jewish and a supporter of Israel. It is easy to attempt to look into Mr. Kennedy mind retrospectively, judge him anti-Semite from the recited stated reasons in the book. My conclusion is that Joseph Kennedy was an isolationist motivated in large measure in his belief that in a world war that the death and destruction would destroy the world economy and there would be no winners, include the United States first and foremost. Mr. Kennedy also was concerned about losing one or more of his sons in battle and of course his personal fortune. The fact he made anti-Jewish comments, in my view does not brand him an anti-Semite. I enjoyed very much and appreciated the research and work that went into tell this story of an incredible man who left a lasting contribution to the United States of America.

Interesting detailed account of the Kennedy Family

I thoroughly enjoyed learning about this family's success, along with all the challenging tribulations and life-changing events. It is an amazing detailed account of each family member.

Very well done, but a bit slow at times

I have always been interested in the Kennedys and found this book to be fascinating, however the author goes into so much detail that at times I found myself skipping a few parts. I'm also interested in history, so believe me, it had to be a LOT of detail to turn me off a bit.

Otherwise extremely well done, I'd recommend it to my friends.

Amazing

I absolutely loved this book. I’m not an historian, though I generally do appreciate biographies. I was just curious about the senior Kennedy… mostly because of the courageous work RFK Jr is currently doing. This biography is phenomenal, as is the life of Joseph P Kennedy. I am so, so glad I took the time to listen to his life story. It’s a very long book, but consistently packed with details and conversations and emotional highs and lows. You get a wonderfully clear portrait of this extraordinary man.