THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING KENNEDY

TITLE: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING KENNEDY
AUTHOR: LAURIE GRAHAM
Pages: 326
Date: 16/08/2007
Grade: 4.5
Library

The story of the Kennedy family, told by their (fictional) nurse maid, Nora Brennan.
Nora is taken on by Joseph Kennedy and his wife in 1917, five years after she's arrived in America from Ireland. She's there when every one of the nine children is born and witnesses Joseph's rise and the families strategies aimed at raising Joe junior to become the first Catholic President of the USA.
She bears witness as the families' whole existance is geared towards reaching this goal, and any individual desires the children may have are sacrificed on teh alter of the higher purpose.
Twenty two years later the outbreak of World War II finds Nora and the Kennedy's in London. When the family returns to the US, Nora stays behind to get married but stays involved with the older Kennedy Children and watches how Kick disregards all the families' scheming by marrying a British Protestant, and when Joe junior gets himself killed in the war, it's up to second son, Jack to fulfill the families' ambitions.
Fascinating book, especially because I assume a lot of the family life as described is based on fact, which makes me feel very sad for those children, although none were depicted as unhappy in the book.
Nora, as a narrator was very observant and gives great insights into family life as it may well have been for them.
An easy and comfortable but very fascinating read.