The Fabulous Bouvier Sisters

The Tragic and Glamorous Lives of Jackie and Lee

By: Sam Kashner

Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne

A poignant, evocative, and wonderfully gossipy account of the two sisters who represented style and class above all else—Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill—from the authors of Furious Love.

When sixty-four-year-old Jackie Kennedy Onassis died in her Fifth Avenue apartment, her younger sister Lee wept inconsolably. Then Jackie’s thirty-eight-page will was read. Lee discovered that substantial cash bequests were left to family members, friends, and employees—but nothing to her. ""I have made no provision in this my Will for my sister, Lee B. Radziwill, for whom I have great affection, because I have already done so during my lifetime,"" read Jackie’s final testament. Drawing on the authors’ candid interviews with Lee Radziwill, The Fabulous Bouvier Sisters explores their complicated relationship, placing them at the center of twentieth-century fashion, design, and style.

In life, Jackie and Lee were alike in so many ways. Both women had a keen eye for beauty—in fashion, design, painting, music, dance, sculpture, poetry—and both were talented artists. Both loved pre-revolutionary Russian culture, and the blinding sunlight, calm seas, and ancient olive groves of Greece. Both loved the siren call of the Atlantic, sharing sweet, early memories of swimming with the rakish father they adored, Jack Vernou Bouvier, at his East Hampton retreat. But Jackie was her father’s favorite, and Lee, her mother’s. One would grow to become the most iconic woman of her time, while the other lived in her shadow. As they grew up, the two sisters developed an extremely close relationship threaded with rivalry, jealousy, and competition. Yet it was probably the most important relationship of their lives.

For the first time, Vanity Fair contributing editor Sam Kashner and acclaimed biographer Nancy Schoenberger tell the complete story of these larger-than-life sisters. Drawing on new information and extensive interviews with Lee, now eighty-four, this dual biography sheds light on the public and private lives of two extraordinary women who lived through immense tragedy in enormous glamour.

Fascinating story!

I enjoyed every minute of it. Yes, it was more so about Lee and I wish there had been more about Jackie’s introduction to the Kennedys but it was very interesting, I couldn’t wait for my next walk to hear what would happen next. The narration was wonderful and seemed as sophisticated as those she was speaking of. I highly recommend it!

Move Over Gabors!! Bouvier 🔥

The Bouvier sisters have a very similar upbringing to the Gabors! In the sense of the way their mothers raised them... to only engage with wealthy men.
This book is filled with all kinds of twist and turns and ups and downs. If you want to understand the era of their time and the popular events in her short time of being the first lady, than this book can shed light on certain incidents from a different perspective.
The aspect of the book faces on the relationship of the sisters from birth to death. Sibling rivalry to envy to love and fashion.
I enjoyed the book very much and the narration is fine. Some words weren't pro ounces correctly but tomatoes vs.tomatos I guess. 😊

Not so fabulous

4 stars is stretching it a bit, but I couldn’t get the stars to cooperate. It’s good, but somewhat biased . Wondered if Carol aka daughter-in-law (ny housewife) didn’t have a big hand in this tribute to Lee. Maybe deserved, who knows??? I was expecting more for some reason. Interesting but I kept listening for the oh wow this is great moment. A solid 31/2 ⭐️. Not a total waste of time, but not a juicy book. If you know what I mean.

reader sounds like a computer generated voice

the book was pretty good. quite interesting to read about these sisters. it would have been much better with a reader who didn't sound like a computer generated voice. I almost didn't get past the first chapter because the voice was so uninteresting.

Insightful, interesting, well done

This book was not only interesting but so informative. The 60s thru 80s were portrayed so well by the author. The depth of the personalities of the sisters was very insightful. Loved the poignant ending.