Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter (Larson)

Book Reviews
The tragic life of Rosemary Kennedy, the intellectually disabled member of the Kennedy clan, has been well documented in many histories of this famous family. But she has often been treated as an afterthought, a secondary character kept out of sight during the pivotal 1960s. Now the third child of Joseph and Rose Kennedy takes center stage in Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter, by Kate Clifford Larson, a biography that chronicles her life with fresh details and tells how her famous siblings were affected by—and reacted to—Rosemary's struggles…[Larson] has amplified this well-told tale with newly released material from the John F. Kennedy Library and a few interviews. By making Rosemary the central character, she has produced a valuable account of a mental health tragedy, and an influential family's belated efforts to make amends.
Meryl Gordon - New York Times Book Review


[E]ngrossing.... This younger sister of John F. Kennedy exhibited developmental delays from an early age. The author makes it evident that an understanding of special needs, especially those of children, was sorely lacking in the early 20th century.... [An] expertly researched...and candid examination. —Mary Jennings, Camano Island Lib., WA
Library Journal


Fascinating but heartbreaking reading...[with] questions that will haunt the reader long after the last page is turned.
BookPage


Well-researched and fascinating.... Heartbreaking and illuminating, this will serve not only Kennedy fans but also those curious about the history of disabilities in the U.S.
Booklist


In-depth coverage of one Kennedy daughter who never gained the spotlight like her siblings.... A well-researched, entertaining, and illuminating biography that should take pride of place over another recent Rosemary bio, Elizabeth Koehler-Pentacoff's The Missing Kennedy.
Kirkus Reviews