Kick Kennedy

A New York Times–bestselling biographer “evokes the luminous spirit of Kick Kennedy” in this account of the beloved socialite and sister of JFK (Vanity Fair).

Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy was the incandescent life-force of the fabled Kennedy family, her father’s acknowledged “favorite of all the children” and her brother Jack’s “psychological twin.” She was the Kennedy of Kennedys, sure of her privilege, magnetically charming and somehow not quite like anyone else on whatever stage she happened to grace.

The daughter of the American ambassador to the Court of St James’s, Kick swept into Britain’s aristocracy like a fresh wind on a sweltering summer day. Kick was the girl whom all the boys fell in love with, the girl who remained painfully out of reach for most of them.

This is also a story of how a girl like Kick, a girl who had everything, a girl who seemed made for happiness, confronted crushing sadness. Willing to pay the price for choosing the love she wanted, she would face the consequences of forsaking much that was dear to her.

Bestselling and award-winning biographer Barbara Leaming draws on her unique access to firsthand accounts, extensive conversations with many of the key players, and previously-unseen sources to transport us to another world, one of immense wealth, arcane rituals and rules, glamour and tragedy.

“Strikingly original.” -The Wall Street Journal

“Candidly demystifies the life of one of the least-known Kennedys and vividly illuminates the complex world of British aristocracy.” -Booklist

“The age of Downton Abbey offers fresh context for this story of American royalty and its more tradition-minded British counterpart.” —Kirkus Reviews