Mrs. Kennedy and Me

To my surprise this book is a love story. Not a salacious inappropriate smut filled account, but rather one with stories of growth, fun times, laughter, dedication, respect! A story of sorrow and sadness that is uplifting because of caring and friendship. This book is a warm modern portrait the Mr. and Mrs. John F. Kennedy and their children from someone who was close to them with no axe to grind. Even the sad events are presented with compassion. There's a lot of love in this book. Secret Service Agent Clint Hill begins his association in late 1960 with the Kennedy administration in a fearful place. Fearful that after a couple of years of what he believed was success on President Eisenhower's detail, he's suddenly removed from the "main action" of protecting the president. Is this a demotion he bemoans? Like any macho Secret Service dude seeking to advance, Mr. Hill naturally dreads moving to the First Ladies detail with its potential daily doses of "fashion shows and the ballet." Yet, both loving his job and having a young family to support, Mr. Hill accepts his fate and reports to 3307 N Street, Georgetown, to meet (be approved by??!!) the young First Lady-elect (she's already rejected one perspective agent!!). Disappoint quickly turns to beguilement, as Clint Hill is thoroughly charmed and enchanted by this beautiful, fun, witty, intelligent, adventurous, sporty, irreverent and yeah, a bit of a spoiled rich girl (who knows how to get her way). Heck, he even learns to not mind the occasional fashion show (so long as it features the First Lady!), ballet in New York and even personally shopping for ladies apparel in Ravello, Itally!!!! Who woulda thunk it. No, I've not overdone it on the adjectives and yeah, this isn't your typical "Kennedy" bio. Mr. Hill doesn't criticize or attack, but showers his subject with affection. He and all the agents, because of the nature of their jobs, seemingly abandon their own lives and families in their service to the first family and all who they protect. One can see how the close private contact and the enormous amount of time spent away from the agent's loved ones can lead to feelings that are deeper and more personal towards the subject of their protection. Mr. Hill (and she's "Mrs. Kennedy - she adheres to proper address at all times) not only loves the First Lady, but he also very much cares for her husband and their children too. He just plain loves the Kennedy first family period - and says that despite what's been written, they were a loving and playful family. He even is amused by the extended Kennedy clan and their friends!! Mr. Hill doesn't portend to sell more books by detailing alleged unsavory dalliances and missteps. You will find no recollections or opinions about the first couple's sex life (apart from a remembrance about some suggestive art that the First Lady picks up in India...humorous not amorous). While Mr. Hill does mention a certain controversial birthday featuring a drunken female movie star and her singing, and he does hint at a certain rat pack crooners' rather inappropriate interest in Mrs. Kennedy's personal activities (this was new to me - and I've read at least 50 bios on the K's), Mr. Hill doesn't go further than what he truly knows to be true - which is that Mrs. Kennedy never shared her feelings about either. I felt his writing in this way showed not only respect for his subjects, but a certain truth missing in most other biographies that serve rumor as fact, and seem to relish ripping their subjects apart. Well, there's no ripping here. If one reads between the lines, here is a portrait of a woman who undoubtedly loves her place in life with her powerful, public servant, handsome husband (whatever his warts), and yet thrives on the one thing that is the antithesis of his job (and perhaps his entire being) - privacy. A lady who is tough and yet wears her vulnerabilities in "her espresso-colored eyes." A lady who claims to dislike the "fish bowl" existence inherent in the White House, yet secretly enjoys reading the gossip magazines featuring herself. Topics that Mr. Hill offers an accounting: Why Mrs. Kennedy spent so much time away from the White House (Mr. Hill says she spent about eight percent of her time AWAY from the White House during one time period in 1961). Mrs. Kennedy's various vacations and partying amongst the creme de la creme of the European social set without her husband (according to Mr. Hill, usually with her SISTER - and nothing out of line - except for the time she jumps in the sports car of a very, very young Greek Count who engages Mr. Hill and his fellow agents on a high speed chase...but that was about fun - not illicit romance). Onassis! I didn't know that President Kennedy felt so strongly about Mrs. Kennedy having nothing to do with Onassis as early as her visit to Greece in 1961!!! Mr. Hill felt very uneasy about the Greek tycoon. Despite the fun and adventures, in the end, this is a story about great pain, loss and sorrow. Also, about one man's journey to learning to forgive himself. This book is a great success for no other reason than its finally allowed Mr. Hill peace of mind.

This book is the memoir of Clint Hill, the Secret Service agent assigned to Jacqueline Kennedy during the Kennedy administration. He's never told about his experiences publicly until this book--and it was well worth the wait. This is a beautifully written book and a wonderful tribute to Jacqueline Kennedy. It's not surprising that Kennedy seemed to prefer Hill over the other agents assigned to her. His earnestness and kindness towards her is evident throughout the book. He was insistent on giving her as much privacy and personal space as possible, something it was obvious she cherished having been abruptly thrown into the international spotlight. What's remarkable about this book is that among all the other tell-all type memoirs that have been written about the Kennedys, this one feels more personal and more intimate than any other, but does the family no injustice. There's been a million articles and books written describing the Kennedy assassination, but no account can compare to Hill's. And yet, it's clear he did not want to exploit this event for his own personal gain or to provide lurid details for a curious public. He admits that the events of that day haunted him through his entire life and his descriptions of interactions alongside Mrs. Kennedy throughout the day and the following weeks makes for a truly heartbreaking account. (If you've ever wondered who the agent was that jumped onto the back of the Presidential convertible after the shots were fired, that was Hill.) I found this book so refreshing and honest. It's not sensational, it's not exploitative--it's just straightforward and honest and actually quite beautiful.

I watched a recent TV interview with Mr. Hill, and I was reading the book a matter of minutes later. Long live the Kindle! I found the book to be a very interesting look at the "inside" of the Kennedy Administration, and it was a lively and entertaining read. I honestly came away most impressed with Mr. Hill himself, whose dedication to his work, and his unfailing loyalty to his charge, the First Lady of the United States, was both touching and admirable. Around the middle of the book, I began to sense that there was one role that Mrs. Kennedy seemed almost instictively to resist during those nearly 4 years: a high-profile role as First Lady of the United State. Page after page, Mr. Hill seemed endlessly to be preparing for Mrs. Kennedy's next escape from the White House. Whether it was to ride in Virginia's horse country, or leave for the next family vacation or retreat, or to embark on her next solo foreign adventure, she appeared consumed with guarding her privacy, and pursuing more of her many personal pleasures and hobbies. It would be interesting for a historian to tally up what portion of the time she spent at the White House, versus her absences. Mr. Hill explained that the President and his wife maintained something like 6 or 7 different "homes" (some rented, some borrowed, some owned) in the US which they regularly frequented, in the Virginia countryside outside DC, in and around Hyannis Port, in and around Palm Beach Florida, and in New York City. The routine seemed to be for the President to pop in and out of these getaway locations, while Mrs. Kennedy spent far more extensive time there, then he did. Even in the months leading up the tragic events of November 1963, she'd turned her attention to building a brand new home on suitable equestrian lands in the Middleburg, Virginia area, and just an hour's drive from the White House. This came at a time when she and President Kennedy obviously aimed at being America's First Family for an additional 4 years to come. Another revelation to me was that she embarked on one of her private adventures just weeks after the Kennedy's had so sadly lost their infant son Patrick in August 1963. Not long after that trauma, she left with only her sister, and a few White House staffers (including Mr. Hill) to spend some weeks on vacation in Greece and Morocco. A striking aspect of that story is that much of her time on that trip was spent aboard the yacht of Aristotle Onassis, with Mr. Onassis joining that entourage. This was striking, to me, because it seems that one of the many "Camelot myths" long spun by Kennedy friends and allies related to this period of time. I read Mr. Manchester's "Death of a President" recently. He makes the point that it was highly unusual for Mrs. Kennedy to join the President on the November 1963 political trip to Texas. Manchester, and others, have painted a picture of a First Lady who made the trip to Dallas as her first real "coming out" after the devastating death of her son. In fact, she first vacationed abroad, and then returned to join her husband on the fateful Texas trip. I hastened to add that I don't find fault in any of Mrs. Kennedy's actions during her husband's presidency. After all, we assess and elect presidents (not potential First Ladies, or Gentlemen) and, once they take office, we expect full time work from those leaders, of course. But, the American people and history do judge First Ladies, as well. That's natural. The Kennedy Presidency, and the Camelot stories about the man, myths and realities, will forever be intertwined...both fact and fiction. And, it appears to me that the same goes for First Lady Jackie Kennedy.

ジャクリーン・ケネディ・オナシスの一面が垣間見える一冊。 ホワイトハウスに必要な「クラス」を持った稀有なファーストレディだったと思う。 邦訳版も出ているが、彼女の正確なセリフが掲載されている原書をお勧めしたい。 世間で思われているスキャンダラスなイメージとは違った彼女の人柄が滲み出ている。 ゴシップ的な意味を期待している読者には本書は合わない。

Extremely well written account of a mans experiences with the First Lady, and his loyalty to a woman he was assigned to protect... The sacrifices he had to make with his own family in order to fulfill his duty in the Secret Service, as well as the trauma he experienced in the aftermath of the presidents assassination... It was during a time when Postraumatic Stress Disorders were not in vogue, and the critical counseling required to deal with such horrific circumstances were not readily available ... Clinton Hill is an amazing man to survive it all, and to share with us 'his story'... His experiences had no doubt had disasterous affects on his marriage and the rest of his life. An excellent read!

What a fascinating read. I've read tomes about the Kennedys and always think I must know all about them now, and then another book is released and (sometimes) I learn I don't at all. This is one of those times. I've waited over a year for this to become more affordable for me so was delighted when the price finally dropped from its £14+ inception cost !! I am a big fan of the Publisher's Font used in this as well. It's a really nice and very readable one. Wish my Kindle had one the same. It's written so well and he brings Jackie to true life better than any other writer has.....it was nice to hear of her lighting up a cigarette (I did use the f word here but Amazon bounced it back to me) in the backseat of the car with him and other mischief she caused.....he had his work cut out for those years but I would hazard a guess those were his favourite years of his illustrious career at the White House. It was nice to see some photos I hadn't seen before as well. The Secret Service certainly scrimp on their operatives....for all his time with her he only ever had one fulltime person with him and at times did the job on his tod which I found pretty staggering !! I was also shocked to read that Texas in November 1963 was the first and only time Jackie ever accompanied JFK on a domestic political trip !! This I found a poignant passage and I shed a few tears: "Three shots had been fired in Dealey Plaza. And the world stopped for four days." I was drawing some parallels with Princess Diana reading this.....compare the difference of JFK joking about accompanying Jackie Kennedy to Paris to Prince Charles' po-faced chops when crowds went wild over his lovely wife.....and there was the Al Fayed spectre in her life whereas Jackie had Onassis wanting to make a name for himself. I'd not realised that Jackie had done the solo Taj Mahal photo first, either, on the same spot, although looking happier. I did have the odd snivel again reading about JFK's last birthday and how Clint referred to it. I spotted the odd apostrophe mistake along with these hyphen mistakes.....comprehen-sion and father-inlaw and Aaron Copeland is spelt like this and Aga Khan not Agha....but that was it, which is pretty good going. I plan to get hold of his other book set in these same times, too. It's also written with Lisa McCubbin so I am sure will be as interesting as this one was.

Livre arrivé très rapidement et en excellent état!. Ce livre raconte, la vie de Jackie Kennedy, avant et pendant son séjour à la Mason Blanche: toujours avec beaucoup de respect. J'ai vraiment adoré ce livre et je le conseille vivement à tous ceux qui aiment les Kennedy.

Das Buch war wirklich toll. Ich könnte es gar nicht mehr weglegen und musste mich am Ende echt bremsen, um es nicht zu schnell fertig zu haben. Clint Hill ist einfach ein bemerkenswerter Mann, der viel miterlebt hat und bei vielen geschichtlichen Events dabei war. Ich hätte nicht gedacht, dass mir das Buch so gefallen würde, aber es ist eines der besten, die ich je gelesen habe. Ganz klare Empfehlung!