KICK: The True Story of Kick Kennedy, JFK’s Forgotten Sister, and the Heir to Chatsworth - Softcover

Byrne

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007548141 ISBN 13: 9780007548149

Publisher: William The 4th, 2017

Synopsis

The remarkable life of the vivacious, clever - and forgotten - Kennedy sister, who charmed the English aristocracy and was almost erased from her family history. The favourite child of Joe Kennedy and favourite sister of Jack, Kick Kennedy was spirited, vivacious and legendary for her charm. When the Kenndys sailed to Britain in 1938 she was presented as a debutante amid the pre-war social whirl of the British aristocracy., Here she met a shy, tall, handsome man called Billy, and, rebelling against family, faith, and country, soon married him. He was William Cavendish, heir to Chatsworth and the Duke of Devonshire, the most eligible bachelor in England. But their days of married bliss proved short, as war would bring tragedy and loss., Uncovering her spectacular life in full for the first time, Paula Byrne depicts a remarkable woman who bewitched the Churchills, Astors and Mitfords, and yet was almost erased from Kennedy family history.

About this title

Review:

‘Byrne conjures such a vivid portrait of her enchanting heroine that one almost feels deprived never having met her’ Daily Mail, Book of the Week

‘Byrne is engagingly smitten with her subject ... Sentence by sentence, the book is a joy: a fresh take on the exceedingly well-worn theme of the Kennedy family. Byrne recounts the dramas of the end of her life with great pace and a poignancy that is all the more affecting for not being overdone’ Guardian

‘Byrne does a fine job rescuing Kick from undeserved obscurity, providing an important chapter to the story of this dazzling doomed dynasty’ The Times

‘Sparkling ... fast-paced ... transfixing’ Sunday Times

‘This absolutely enthralling biography is written by an expert hand... Her narrative is deceptively easy and fluid, cleverly belying the enormous weight and variety of her source materials’ Irish Independent

‘An exciting, heartbreakingly tense love story’ Kirkus Review

‘Written with panache ... as engaging as its subject’ Sunday Express

‘A fun-loving American charms the English aristocracy with her wit and sangfroid, overcoming prejudice to win the heart of London’s most eligible bachelor ... Paula Byrne ... recaptures her brief but fascinating story’ Vogue

‘This very sad story is at the heart of Paula Byrne's excellent biography ... supported by impressive research’ Financial Times

‘Sympathetic and faced-paced ... Byrne’s portrait of the Kennedy’s at home is transfixing’ Sunday Times

‘A compelling biography ... Byrne is to be commended for handling the formidable task with aplomb. She has produced a lively work ... allowing [Kick’s] warmth, charisma and legendary vitality to shine through’ Country Life

‘Absolutely enthralling ... Paula Byrne's narrative is deceptively easy and fluid cleverly belying the enormous weight and variety of her resource material’ Irish Independent

‘An exhilarating portrait of a woman who deserves a place in history’ Stellar Magazine

From the Back Cover:

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 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 with 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.

Paula 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.

About this edition

• Publisher: William The 4th
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 0007548141
• ISBN 13: 9780007548149
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 368