White House by the sea A century of the Kennedys at Hyannis Port

Members of the Kennedy family, both individually and in various combinations, have been the subjects of books for decades. It's pleasantly surprising to find an offering that offers new perspectives on twentieth-century America's anointed First Family. Here, in the able hands of investigative journalist and Rolling Stone editor Storey, the "Big House"--the multistory, many-roomed seaside "cottage" first purchased by Joseph and Rose Kennedy in the 1920s--almost becomes its own character. As Storey documents the comings and goings of the ever-expanding family, the political triumphs, and exuberant touch football games, along with tragedies, scandals, lawsuits, and too many untimely deaths, it becomes apparent that the Big House was the family touchstone. It was the welcoming, safe meeting place where everyone returned each summer--a celebratory site for reunions and weddings as well as a sanctuary in times of grief. With no sensationalizing or hypothesizing, Storey's reporting is engaging and factual, capturing personal nuances and relaying intimate anecdotes that often stand in contrast to predominant, media-created perceptions. Coverage spans the Kennedy family over the past century, incorporating celebrity sightings ranging from Gloria Swanson to Taylor Swift. Readers will come away with new insights and due appreciation for this uniquely American dynasty.

Journalist Storey debuts with an immersive behind-the-scenes history of the Kennedy family viewed through the lens of their summer home in Hyannis Port, Mass. Malcolm Cottage, built in 1904, became known as the Big House after Joseph Kennedy bought it in 1928 for $25,000. He doubled its footprint to accommodate his nine children, who started bringing their own families in the 1950s, when "it seemed every new year brought a new Kennedy." It was at the Big House that Rose and Joe Kennedy learned that their eldest son, Joe Jr., was killed in action during WWII; decades later, John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife, and her sister died in a plane crash off the coast of nearby Martha's Vineyard. Storey enriches her history in interviews with more than 120 sources--including Kennedy family friend Nancy Tenney, who was "like one of the children"--and sheds light on Joseph Kennedy's affair with actress Gloria Swanson, the bad behavior of Robert Kennedy Jr. and other members of the "Hyannis Port Terrors" in the 1970s, Ted Kennedy's final days spent battling a brain tumor at the Big House, and more. Full of vivid profiles and intriguing asides about the history of Cape Cod, this is a compassionate portrait of America's most famous political dynasty. Agent: Susan Canavan, Waxman Literary. (June)

The latest book about one of America's most famous families presents a novel approach to a well-charted course. Storey, senior features editor for Rolling Stone, creatively compiles the last century of Kennedy family history through the lens of their residence in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, purchased by Joseph P. Kennedy in the 1920s. Part of the uniqueness of this book are the insights gleaned from personal interviews with--and subsequent descriptions of--heretofore unknown Hyannis Port neighbors (friendly and otherwise) and the social evolution of the small Cape Cod village that the family put on the world stage. The text is a treasure trove of interesting, amusing, and poignant stories and anecdotes of the dynamic, tightknit, and consequential clan, yet many have been told in countless books by Kennedy family members, Laurence Leamer, Barbara Leaming, and numerous other authors. As such, much of the content will be familiar ground for Kennedyphiles. Storey does well not to overlook the well-publicized and multigenerational foibles and flaws of the family, including Joseph parading his paramour, film superstar Gloria Swanson, around Hyannis Port; the death of Mary Jo Kopechne at Chappaquiddick and the subsequent attempts at damage control; and a revealing conversation that Rose had with a local friend about her husband's unilateral decision to lobotomize their eldest daughter, Rosemary. The author presents the family's many triumphs, heartbreaks, and attempts at redemption (particularly arranging Rosemary's return visits to Hyannis Port) matter-of-factly and mostly without judgment but with a decidedly soft focus. This is perhaps best illustrated in Storey's description of the circumstances surrounding Ted Kennedy's infamous interview with Roger Mudd conducted at Hyannis Port, during which he was unable to articulate exactly why he wanted to be president. Appropriately enough, the book makes for great beach reading, as breezy as the summer air off Nantucket Sound. A light yet thoroughly researched book that will appeal to followers of the Kennedy family and celebrity culture. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.