Kick: The True Story of JFK's Sister and the Heir to Chatsworth
By Paula Byrne
3.5/5
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About this ebook
“Paula Byrne brings J.F.K.’s adored little sister, Kick, back to life.” —Vanity Fair
From celebrated biographer Paula Byrne, the remarkable life of the vivacious, unconventional—and nearly forgotten—young Kennedy sister who charmed American society and the English aristocracy, and would break with her family for love.
Encouraged to be “winners” from a young age, Rose and Joe Kennedy’s children were the embodiment of ambitious, wholesome Americanism. Yet even within this ebullient group of overachievers, the fourth Kennedy child, the irrepressible Kathleen, stood out. Lively, charismatic, extremely clever, and blessed with graceful athleticism and a sunny disposition, the alluring socialite fondly known as Kick was a firecracker who effortlessly made friends and stole hearts.
Moving across the Atlantic when her father was appointed as the ambassador to Great Britain in 1938, Kick—the “nicest Kennedy”—quickly became the family’s star. Despite making little effort to fit into British high society, she charmed everyone from the beau monde to Fleet Street with her unconventional attitude and easygoing humor. Growing increasingly independent, Kick would also shock and alienate her devout family by falling in love and marrying the scion of a virulently anti-Catholic family— William Cavendish, the heir apparent of the Duke of Devonshire and Chatsworth. But the marriage would last only a few months; Billy was killed in combat in 1944, just four years before Kick’s own unexpected death in an airplane crash at twenty-eight.
Byrne recounts this remarkable young woman’s life in detail as never before, from her work at the Washington Times-Herald and volunteerism for the Red Cross in wartime England; to her love of politics and astute, opinionated observations; to her decision to renounce her faith for the man she loved. Sympathetic and compelling, Kick shines a spotlight on this feisty and unique Kennedy long relegated to the shadows of her legendary family’s history.
Paula Byrne
Paula Byrne is the critically acclaimed author of five biographies, including Belle: The Slave Daughter and the Lord Chief Justice, The Real Jane Austen, and Mad World: Evelyn Waugh and the Secrets of Brideshead. She lives in Oxford, England, with her husband, the academic and biographer Jonathan Bate.
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Reviews for Kick
24 ratings4 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It seems to be the time for books about the Kennedy sisters. Recently, Rosemary: The Hidden Daughter by Kate Clifford Lawson was published and now Paula Byrne's Kick, about Kathleen Kennedy is on the shelves.Not much has been written about Kathleen, the fourth child of Rose and Joseph Kennedy, better known as Kick. She, Joe Jr. and Jack were thick as thieves growing up together. When Joseph Kennedy was named U.S. Ambassador to England, Kick began to blossom.She loved their time in England and when WWII was looming over England, the Kennedy clan returned to America much to Kick's dismay. She had fallen in love with Billy Hartington, the son of the Duke of Devonshire and Chatsworth.The Kennedys were the embodiment of good Catholics and Billy's family were from the Church of England and historically hated Catholics. Though they were madly in love, their marriage would be problematic for all.Kathleen returned home and got a job working at a Washington DC newspaper, and pining for Billy. She found a way back to England as a volunteer for the Red Cross, where she and Billy rekindled their love. Although she risked her mother's wrath, Kick accepted Billy's marriage proposal and married him outside of her deeply felt Catholic faith.They were married for only a few months when Billy was killed in combat. Kick was devastated. She had lost her brother Joe in the war and her brother Jack was nearly killed when his PT-109 boat was destroyed in the Pacific theater.She fought through the pain and eventually began a relationship with Peter Fitzwilliam, a married man. Kick and Peter were killed in a plane crash outside of Paris in 1948.The first half of the book is filled with names, so many that it made my head spin. The book came to life for me in the second half, when Kick goes to England with the Red Cross. Byrne concentrates on Kick more, and the people around her less, and that strengthens the book for me.Not much is known about Kick, or Rosemary, so these two books give us insight into these two ladies from America's most famous family. We see the strife between Rose and Kick over Kick's willingness to marry outside her faith, and Joseph's strong love and belief in his daughter to make her choice, though he disagreed with her.I also liked reading about Kick's job in DC, how she made her way as a curious, intelligent young woman. Her relationship with her brother Jack was an important part of her life, and the death of his two closest siblings just a few years apart must have impacted Jack in a powerful way.I recommend Kick for fans of the Kennedy family, as well as for anyone who likes a memoir about strong women.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Kick by Paula Byrne is a 2016 Harper publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Does the fascination with the Kennedy’s ever really fade? This larger than life family, is remembered for their unprecedented success and mark on our country and our lives, but they are also remembered for the heart wrenching tragedies the family has endured. This book is about Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy, the fourth Kennedy child, whose life ended abruptly, and shockingly, at such a young age. While I have always been very curious about the Kennedy assassination, having read many books on the subject, both fiction and non-fiction, I can’t say my interest in the Kennedy family has ever strayed beyond that. I confess to knowing very little about Kathleen Kennedy before starting this book, so for me it has been very enlightening, giving me a different perspective on the family. Kathleen appears to have been a vivacious girl, smart, funny, and full of mischief. She was close to her father, but seemed to have an especially close relationship with her brother, Jack. Despite her life being cut so tragically short, she did appear to live it with gusto, unafraid to tread into unchartered territory, break rules, and was a little scandalous, especially for the time era in which she lived, which did not always please her parents. This accounting of her life is interesting, but, the reading could be dry at times, especially in the beginning with the requisite background on the Kennedy family dynasty. But, as ‘Kick’ grew older, her personality really shined and the book does include some personal stories and excerpts from letters she wrote, which gives the reader a little insight into the type of person she was. I found the latter part of her short life, to be the most interesting and controversial. I think her death was taken very hard by the family, but it was also quickly hushed, as there were some aspects of Kathleen’s death the family would rather not have publicized. While Rose Kennedy has been dubbed, “The Forgotten Kennedy”, I don’t think Kathleen’s life has been examined all that closely either. I gleaned enough information from this book to have whetted my appetite, if you will, and I would like to learn more about ‘Kick’, and perhaps other Kennedy family members, besides JFK. I’m not sure if this book is the most comprehensive accounting of her life, but it gave me enough information and insight to get a pretty clear picture of Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy. Kathleen certainly packed a lot of living into her short life, and was ahead of her time in many ways. She is certainly an interesting figure and I am glad I took the time to learn more about her life. 3.5 rounded to 4
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5I have no time for a hagiography about a Kennedy, especially one written by a Kennedy relative. The number of inaccurate historical facts is astounding. The writer did not do her research. I will say it was well plotted and reads easily unlike some biographies.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This book was interesting (I'm obsessed with the Kennedys, to my shame) but not particularly well-written. (Sorry, Paula, but you need a better editor - Palm Springs is not synonymous with Palm Beach, for one thing, and I would have liked a carefully researched and explicated example of how Kick and Jack were, indeed, one person rather than repeating it endlessly as fact: repetition does give enlightenment.) If you're obsessed with the Kennedys, though, read on.