Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations

Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life With John F. Kennedy
Interviews with Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., 1964
Introduction and Annotations by Micheal Beschloss; Foreword by Caroline Kennedy

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy's voice has been absent form the thousands of books written on John F. Kennedy's presidency. But now, in these 7 never-before-heard interviews with Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., which were conducted soon after President Kennedy's assassination, Mrs. Kennedy's thoughts, feelings, and opinions on the previous decade of her life are laid bare. These interviews were previously locked away, but now, 50 years later, Caroline Kennedy and the Kennedy family are making them available in their entirety. For the first time, these interviews can be heard and read in this deluxe, illustrated book and 7-hour, 8-CD set. The accompanying transcripts revise scene after scene of the history of the late 1950s and early 1960s that we thought we knew, and make the past come alive through the words and voice of an eloquent eyewitness to history.  Hardcover, 400 pages; 8-CD set; 85 black & white photographs throughout.

Museum Provenance

So extraordinary, the world still knows her by her first name. So stylish, her fashion choices—oversized sunglasses, glass pearls, statement jewelry, a simple tank watch—are as on-trend today as in the heyday of Camelot. Many of Jackie’s personal items, including gowns and her signature faux pearls, are part of The First Ladies, an exhibit at the National Museum of American History.

Every Smithsonian purchase will arrive with a museum provenance card explaining how it is adapted from or inspired by an object or objects in our collection.