Capturing Camelot:
Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of The Kennedys
by Kitty Kelley
Thomas Dunne Books/Macmillian November 13, 2012
Hardcover: 240 pages. It is also available as an E-book
Sent by Publisher, No remuneration exchanged. All opinions herein are my own unless otherwise noted.
by Kitty Kelley
Thomas Dunne Books/Macmillian November 13, 2012
Hardcover: 240 pages. It is also available as an E-book
Sent by Publisher, No remuneration exchanged. All opinions herein are my own unless otherwise noted.
A consummate photojournalist, Stanley Tretick was sent by United Press International to follow the Kennedy campaign of 1960. The photographer soon befriended the candidate and took many of JFK’s best pictures during this time. When Kennedy took office, Tretick was given extensive access to the White House, and the picture magazine Look hired him to cover the president and his family. Tretick is best known today for the photographs he took of President Kennedy relaxing with his children. His photographs helped define the American family of the early sixties and lent Kennedy an endearing credibility that greatly contributed to his popularity.
Accompanied by an insightful, heartwarming essay from Kitty Kelley—Tretick’s close friend—about the relationship between the photographer and JFK, this collection includes some of the most memorable images of America’s Camelot and brings to life the uniquely hopeful historical era from which it emerged.
www.kittykelleywriter.com
To Buy:
At Amazon
At Barnes and Noble
One of the pleasures of the Book Blogger's Conference at BEA this past summer was meeting Kitty Kelley and hearing her stories about the photographer Stanley Tretick. She has so much energy and really sparkles. She's known for her unauthorized biographies and I could swear I remember her telling us that she wrote unauthorized biographies because the authorized biographies were not as interesting. If you think about it, that makes perfect sense.
Kitty spoke of her friend Stanley, about whom she complied this book, with so much affection. They were such good friends she took care of him after he had a stroke, even finding the best nursing home for him that she could. She told us that they were chatting once and she asked him what was in the old trunk he had. He told her it contained nude pictures and asked her if she wanted to see them. Whether she believed him or not she didn't see what was in the trunk that day, and it wasn't until he was sick that she did.
It turned out the trunk contained candid shots of President Kennedy and the Kennedy family. As a reporter with United Press International and LIFE magazine who was assigned to the Kennedys and the White House, only Cecil Stoughton, the White House photographer had more access. Tretick got along with the Kennedys and from notes and mementos she found in the trunk it would seem they were fond of him as well. He seemed to understand them, care for them and respect them. The iconic photo of John John under the President's desk was one of his.
So, I was thrilled when the publisher contacted me and said that Kitty Kelley had given her my card and did I want a copy of the book to review. Of course I did!
A gorgeous coffee table volume, the book has beautifully reproduced photographs taken by Tretick, and a few of him, as well as his correspondence with the First family. It has several photos never seen before.
Kelley takes a few paragraphs to describe her relationship with Tretick and give the book credibilty Then it uses her research skills and talent as a writer to put together a lovely tribute to her friend and the Kennedys. I read through the copy in a little over an hour-and-a-half, and I learned a lot about JFK and other members of the family. For example, the whole relating the years JFK was in the White House as "Camelot" was because he enjoyed the song from the musical of the same name about not forgetting that there was once a place called Camelot.
If you or someone you know is interested in that time period, or has a major milestone birthday from 55 and up this would be a great buy. I was a baby during this time period, so its shine is just out of the reach of my memory, but to anyone older that period was important and lost tragically.
Great book, filled with great photos and affection for the subjects and the photographer.
At Amazon
At Barnes and NobleMy Take
 |
| Author Kitty Kelley appears at Borders Books and Music in Chicago. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Kitty spoke of her friend Stanley, about whom she complied this book, with so much affection. They were such good friends she took care of him after he had a stroke, even finding the best nursing home for him that she could. She told us that they were chatting once and she asked him what was in the old trunk he had. He told her it contained nude pictures and asked her if she wanted to see them. Whether she believed him or not she didn't see what was in the trunk that day, and it wasn't until he was sick that she did.
It turned out the trunk contained candid shots of President Kennedy and the Kennedy family. As a reporter with United Press International and LIFE magazine who was assigned to the Kennedys and the White House, only Cecil Stoughton, the White House photographer had more access. Tretick got along with the Kennedys and from notes and mementos she found in the trunk it would seem they were fond of him as well. He seemed to understand them, care for them and respect them. The iconic photo of John John under the President's desk was one of his.
So, I was thrilled when the publisher contacted me and said that Kitty Kelley had given her my card and did I want a copy of the book to review. Of course I did!
A gorgeous coffee table volume, the book has beautifully reproduced photographs taken by Tretick, and a few of him, as well as his correspondence with the First family. It has several photos never seen before.
Kelley takes a few paragraphs to describe her relationship with Tretick and give the book credibilty Then it uses her research skills and talent as a writer to put together a lovely tribute to her friend and the Kennedys. I read through the copy in a little over an hour-and-a-half, and I learned a lot about JFK and other members of the family. For example, the whole relating the years JFK was in the White House as "Camelot" was because he enjoyed the song from the musical of the same name about not forgetting that there was once a place called Camelot.
If you or someone you know is interested in that time period, or has a major milestone birthday from 55 and up this would be a great buy. I was a baby during this time period, so its shine is just out of the reach of my memory, but to anyone older that period was important and lost tragically.
Great book, filled with great photos and affection for the subjects and the photographer.
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