Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    Kick: The True Story of JFK's Sister and the Heir to Chatsworth
    Unavailable
    Kick: The True Story of JFK's Sister and the Heir to Chatsworth
    Unavailable
    Kick: The True Story of JFK's Sister and the Heir to Chatsworth
    Ebook517 pages7 hours

    Kick: The True Story of JFK's Sister and the Heir to Chatsworth

    By Paula Byrne

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    Listen to the audiobook instead

    About this ebook

    “Paula Byrne brings J.F.K.’s adored little sister, Kick, back to life.” —Vanity Fair

    From celebrated biographer Paula Byrne, the remarkable life of the vivacious, unconventional—and nearly forgotten—young Kennedy sister who charmed American society and the English aristocracy, and would break with her family for love.

    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 as the 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 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.

    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.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateJul 5, 2016
    ISBN9780062296290
    Author

    Paula Byrne

    Paula Byrne is the critically acclaimed author of five biographies, including Belle: The Slave Daughter and the Lord Chief Justice, The Real Jane Austen, and Mad World: Evelyn Waugh and the Secrets of Brideshead. She lives in Oxford, England, with her husband, the academic and biographer Jonathan Bate.

    Read more from Paula Byrne

    Related to Kick

    Related ebooks

    Women's Biographies For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Dynasty Of Grief And Greatness

      Sep 11, 2019

      Dynasty Of Grief And Greatness
      7 min read

    • Article

      DYNASTY Of GRIEF And GREATNESS

      Sep 11, 2019

      On the evening of Friday, August 2, some 30 members of the Kennedy family gathered around a firepit in the grounds of their famous compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. On the Saturday and Sunday they sailed and swam in the blue waters off Cape Co

      7 min read

    • Article

      Dazzling Duchess

      May 5, 2020

      Dazzling Duchess
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Last Kennedy

      Apr 21, 2019

      The Last Kennedy
      16 min read

    • Article

      Carolyn BESSETTE-KENNEDY

      Jul 3, 2019

      Carolyn BESSETTE-KENNEDY
      6 min read

    • Article

      Jean Kennedy Smith, Last Surviving Sibling Of JFK, Dies At 92

      Jun 18, 2020

      Jean Kennedy Smith, a former ambassador to Ireland and champion of artists with disabilities who was the last surviving sibling of President John F. Kennedy, has died, her daughter confirmed to the New York Times. She was 92. Smith died Wednesday at

      5 min read

    • Article

      Nancy Sinatra Sr., First Wife And Early Muse Of Frank Sinatra, Dies At 101

      Jul 14, 2018

      Nancy Sinatra Sr., the first of Frank Sinatra's four wives and the mother of the legendary singer's three children, died Friday. She was 101. Sinatra's daughter, pop singer Nancy Sinatra, who had a 1966 hit with "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'," co

      3 min read

    • Article

      Diverse Trio

      May 3, 2021

      Diverse Trio
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Queen Of The World

      Sep 8, 2022

      The Queen Of The World
      14 min read

    • Article

      Before WALLIS

      Sep 7, 2018

      Before WALLIS
      5 min read

    • Article

      Jenny Boyd as Jennifer Juniper

      Apr 27, 2020

      One of the best parts of writing for Goldmine is that I get a chance to write about an era that I not only grew up in but whose music, and the people involved in its creation, remain indelibly etched into my DNA. The sudden upheaval of the coronaviru

      6 min read

    • Article

      'She Was Lying In Wait': Police Say Woman Killed Her Husband's Lover, Then Herself

      Apr 25, 2018

      Pennsylvania authorities said Jennair Gerardot found out her husband was cheating on her and then gunned down Meredith Chapman before turning the seven-shot revolver on herself.

      3 min read

    • Article

      As Her Family Home Has A Starring Role In A New Television Series Karen Lowther Shares The Fascinating Stories Behind One Of Britain’s Most Historic Houses

      Jan 27, 2020

      As Her Family Home Has A Starring Role In A New Television Series Karen Lowther Shares The Fascinating Stories Behind One Of Britain’s Most Historic Houses
      6 min read

    • Article

      Bird Of Sorrow

      Jun 8, 2018

      Bird Of Sorrow
      3 min read

    • Article

      Swan Dive

      Sep 20, 2021

      Swan Dive
      3 min read

    • Article

      A Hollywood Mystery

      Aug 14, 2020

      A Hollywood Mystery
      9 min read

    • Article

      The Richest Girl In The World

      Aug 12, 2020

      The Richest Girl In The World
      10 min read

    • Article

      Diana’s One True Love

      Jan 22, 2021

      Diana’s One True Love
      4 min read

    • Article

      Cresting the Wave

      Oct 28, 2021

      Cresting the Wave
      12 min read

    Reviews for Kick

    3.5/5

    24 ratings4 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      It seems to be the time for books about the Kennedy sisters. Recently, Rosemary: The Hidden Daughter by Kate Clifford Lawson was published and now Paula Byrne's Kick, about Kathleen Kennedy is on the shelves.Not much has been written about Kathleen, the fourth child of Rose and Joseph Kennedy, better known as Kick. She, Joe Jr. and Jack were thick as thieves growing up together. When Joseph Kennedy was named U.S. Ambassador to England, Kick began to blossom.She loved their time in England and when WWII was looming over England, the Kennedy clan returned to America much to Kick's dismay. She had fallen in love with Billy Hartington, the son of the Duke of Devonshire and Chatsworth.The Kennedys were the embodiment of good Catholics and Billy's family were from the Church of England and historically hated Catholics. Though they were madly in love, their marriage would be problematic for all.Kathleen returned home and got a job working at a Washington DC newspaper, and pining for Billy. She found a way back to England as a volunteer for the Red Cross, where she and Billy rekindled their love. Although she risked her mother's wrath, Kick accepted Billy's marriage proposal and married him outside of her deeply felt Catholic faith.They were married for only a few months when Billy was killed in combat. Kick was devastated. She had lost her brother Joe in the war and her brother Jack was nearly killed when his PT-109 boat was destroyed in the Pacific theater.She fought through the pain and eventually began a relationship with Peter Fitzwilliam, a married man. Kick and Peter were killed in a plane crash outside of Paris in 1948.The first half of the book is filled with names, so many that it made my head spin. The book came to life for me in the second half, when Kick goes to England with the Red Cross. Byrne concentrates on Kick more, and the people around her less, and that strengthens the book for me.Not much is known about Kick, or Rosemary, so these two books give us insight into these two ladies from America's most famous family. We see the strife between Rose and Kick over Kick's willingness to marry outside her faith, and Joseph's strong love and belief in his daughter to make her choice, though he disagreed with her.I also liked reading about Kick's job in DC, how she made her way as a curious, intelligent young woman. Her relationship with her brother Jack was an important part of her life, and the death of his two closest siblings just a few years apart must have impacted Jack in a powerful way.I recommend Kick for fans of the Kennedy family, as well as for anyone who likes a memoir about strong women.
    • 4/5
      Kick by Paula Byrne is a 2016 Harper publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Does the fascination with the Kennedy’s ever really fade? This larger than life family, is remembered for their unprecedented success and mark on our country and our lives, but they are also remembered for the heart wrenching tragedies the family has endured. This book is about Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy, the fourth Kennedy child, whose life ended abruptly, and shockingly, at such a young age. While I have always been very curious about the Kennedy assassination, having read many books on the subject, both fiction and non-fiction, I can’t say my interest in the Kennedy family has ever strayed beyond that. I confess to knowing very little about Kathleen Kennedy before starting this book, so for me it has been very enlightening, giving me a different perspective on the family. Kathleen appears to have been a vivacious girl, smart, funny, and full of mischief. She was close to her father, but seemed to have an especially close relationship with her brother, Jack. Despite her life being cut so tragically short, she did appear to live it with gusto, unafraid to tread into unchartered territory, break rules, and was a little scandalous, especially for the time era in which she lived, which did not always please her parents. This accounting of her life is interesting, but, the reading could be dry at times, especially in the beginning with the requisite background on the Kennedy family dynasty. But, as ‘Kick’ grew older, her personality really shined and the book does include some personal stories and excerpts from letters she wrote, which gives the reader a little insight into the type of person she was. I found the latter part of her short life, to be the most interesting and controversial. I think her death was taken very hard by the family, but it was also quickly hushed, as there were some aspects of Kathleen’s death the family would rather not have publicized. While Rose Kennedy has been dubbed, “The Forgotten Kennedy”, I don’t think Kathleen’s life has been examined all that closely either. I gleaned enough information from this book to have whetted my appetite, if you will, and I would like to learn more about ‘Kick’, and perhaps other Kennedy family members, besides JFK. I’m not sure if this book is the most comprehensive accounting of her life, but it gave me enough information and insight to get a pretty clear picture of Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy. Kathleen certainly packed a lot of living into her short life, and was ahead of her time in many ways. She is certainly an interesting figure and I am glad I took the time to learn more about her life. 3.5 rounded to 4
    • 1/5
      I have no time for a hagiography about a Kennedy, especially one written by a Kennedy relative. The number of inaccurate historical facts is astounding. The writer did not do her research. I will say it was well plotted and reads easily unlike some biographies.
    • 3/5
      This book was interesting (I'm obsessed with the Kennedys, to my shame) but not particularly well-written. (Sorry, Paula, but you need a better editor - Palm Springs is not synonymous with Palm Beach, for one thing, and I would have liked a carefully researched and explicated example of how Kick and Jack were, indeed, one person rather than repeating it endlessly as fact: repetition does give enlightenment.) If you're obsessed with the Kennedys, though, read on.