“…I do think that some of the ugly stories about Carolyn that emerged later were the result of her war against those she considered false friends.”
– Rob Littell, a friend of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s
Overview: Who was Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy?
Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy became famous in the 1990s for dating, and eventually marrying, John F. Kennedy, Jr. At the time, she was seen by people everywhere as the luckiest woman in the world, who landed the most coveted bachelor in the world.
From the time their relationship landed on the media’s radar to her tragic death in 1999, Bessette-Kennedy was hounded by the press relentlessly. The public was intrigued by her air of mystery. But the fact that she rarely spoke publicly inadvertently drove the press to pursue her with even more determination. She died tragically young, in a plane crash with her husband, John, and her sister, Lauren.
What will you will learn?
Bessette-Kennedy has made a resurgence in the media over the last couple of years. She has evolved as an icon of 1990s fashion. People that did not know her mainly remember her as a glamorous, if reluctant, symbol of the era’s popular culture. But this book provides a well-researched deep dive into her personal history. Beller allows people who actually knew her to share their experiences as her neighbors, friends and colleagues. People from every phase of her life share stories of their time with her, and shed light on her true personality.
So many people who contributed to this book described how warm and loyal she was to her friends. They described her distinct gift for forming and nurturing bonds with people. The author interviewed people from every stage of her life. It is remarkable how vividly people from her early childhood remember Bessette-Kennedy and recounted the specifics of their time together.
Bessette-Kennedy was highly accomplished for someone so young. Her work in sales at Calvin Klein was mentioned in the press at the time, but the extent of her influence within that organization and on Calvin Klein himself was commonly understated. Colleagues of her husband’s at his magazine, George, also explained how influential she was on its style and how instrumental she was in securing valuable business connections and financing.
The media frenzy took a serious toll on her well-being. Although she was an extrovert who thrived on interaction with others, the constant invasion by the media into her personal space frightened her. While the public assumed marrying JFK Jr. opened up the world for her, her life actually shrank under the intense scrutiny.
“…it is a shame she is remembered as a fashion icon because there was so much more that was important about her…her energy, the charisma that heightened and lit up everything, and everyone, around her.”
– Colleen Curtis, Bessette-Kennedy’s friend
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed learning about Bessette-Kennedy while reading this book. Although it provides a mainly sympathetic perspective of her life, the author dispels the one dimensional profile of a glamorous 90’s fashionista that so many associate with her legacy. Elizabeth Beller likely provides the truest account of her real story that the public will ever be able to learn.
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