Jacqueline Kennedy as a Writer - Essay Example

Jacqueline Kennedy as a Writer Introduction Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was a celebrity, being a former first lady of the United States and later married to a Greek tycoon (Kornbluth 15). However, after her second marriage, she worked as an editor for two decades maintaining a largely private life. She spent most of her time by herself, immersed in the books she was editing and publishing. Most of her colleagues believe that these books shared her unwritten autobiography reflecting on themes and encounters in her life. She edited close to a hundred books in her career as editor. Historians agree that in this phase of her life she was independent of men and learnt to make it on her own embarking on her editing career after twenty two years without employment. Her husbands had both died and her children were busy at school. In the weeks near her death, she read the manuscript, edited the book and sent a fax to the author detailing suggestions to be edited and possible direction for the conclusion. She did this despite her poor health and grave illness (Spoto 24). Discussion Jacqueline Kennedy was born as Jacqueline Lee Bouvier in July 1929. She attended the George Washington University, where she graduated in 1951. Soon after graduation, she was employed as a photo-journalist by the Washington Times Herald. She married John F. Kennedy, a senator who became United States president in 1961. Andersen affirms that, “After the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, she vacated the white house and moved with her children (Caroline and John Jr.) to New York” (2). After a period of mourning and notable absence from the public scene, she married A Greek shipping magnate, Aristotle Onassis in 1968, who had a son, from a previous marriage, named Alexander. In 1973 his son was killed in a tragic plane crash. Months of depression led to deteriorating health and Aristotle succumbed to his ill health in 1975. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was a widow for a second time. She moved permanently to New York and sought employment in publishing as an escape from the ill fated turn of events in her life. Her career choice was in synchronization with her passion and enjoyment of literature and undergraduate major (French Literature). Her children were old enough and therefore required less attention and time demand. Jacqueline could accord more time to her work. She was a talented writer as well as passionate about literature. Kuhn states that, “though people often didn’t realize it, Jackie was talented and her teachers had noted her abilities early in her life. However, she was intent on keeping a low profile and did not want to be regarded as such.” As she was in her final months in college, she submitted an essay in Vogue’s writing competition that rewarded the winner with an interning job at the magazine’s offices in Paris and New York. She won the competition, despite the numerous applications. Her essay was cited by the panelists to contain the editing ideals of Vogue’s editorial perspective. Her mother forced her to give up the internship fearing that she would lose her daughter to the fashion world in Paris or New York. In 1975, an anonymous piece she submitted to the New York Times rekindled her passion and would see her actively employed in publishing. She signed as an editor at the Viking Press. Her earnings were typical of the time averaging about 10,000 dollars per year. Kornbluth states that, “Jacqueline’s terms of employment were however quite different from other editors: her week spanned three working days and she would only work mornings leaving the office after lunch. Furthermore, she would spend her summers away from the office on Martha’s Vineyard (1)”. In 1977, the President of the Viking establishment bought and signed rights to the publishing of a novel authored by Jeffrey Archer, ‘Shall we tell the president’. The novel had a theme of a fictional presidency of Edward Kennedy set in the future that would be compromised by an assassination attempt. Despite the fact that the president of the Viking press had discussed with and got Jacqueline’s approval on the new purchase and signing, a negative review in a daily newspaper citing Jacqueline as having had substantial responsibility in its theme and publication prompted her to resign from Viking press the day following this review. This novel had come to close to her bitter history. Jacqueline then sought employment at Doubleday. At this establishment, she held the position of associate editor working under an old acquaintance of hers, John Sargent. Historians believe that Jacqueline was still ‘a bit green’ upon her move to Doubleday citing her perception and sentiments on a publishing deal between Viking and her friend, Carly Simon, which would see Carly lose out on 100,000 dollars after negotiations. Jackie led the negotiations and would later recollect that she felt like they were unfair and shrewd. As an associate editor, she quickly gained favor with authors and was frequently sought by them. Kuhn notes that, “She had taste and wanted to publish the books that best reflected her as an editor and those she could relate to. Through her choices, she expressed her sentiments on issues like the sacred institution of marriage, mistresses, Marilyn Monroe, Maria Calla and the publicity of private life in the best public way she could” (42). Her overall persona throughout her publishing career that spanned about two decades revealed a highly intelligent lady that loved reading, often enjoying the seclusion and solace offered by the written text. Heymann suggests that, “Besides her fashion plate appearance towards the general public, Jackie had an analytical mind that was concealed behind her famous face and stylish attire” (13). Combined, she spent more of her life as a publisher than as a first lady and wife to a Greek tycoon. Colleagues who worked with her at Doubleday state that she considered herself as equal to everyone else and sought no special treatment. She would line up as all her colleagues did to see the publisher. She had a small office which was characterized by the smell of cigarette smoke. Her trendy big glasses were iconic. She indulged in the editing of books from various genres; fictional, scientific, historic, how to guides to cook books. These books varied from histories of royalty and life on the court, mechanics and power of myth, among other titles. She is credited with convincing Carly Simon, her neighbor, to write short stories for children and the signing of Michael Jackson’s book, the Moonwalk. The latter, on several accounts, proved difficult to accomplish and publish but it later emerged as a best seller. Lawrence states that, “Jacqueline was actively opposed to the ever increasing conglomeration of publishing companies into large monopolized businesses. In 1986, Doubleday was bought in a corporate take over by the German Bertelsmann company. She crusaded against this move (27).” In the weeks that followed, Doubleday operations and staff witnessed budget cuts at every level/process of book publishing. Budgets were slimmed and costs trimmed. She was quite opposed to the compromises made to aesthetics and book binding. She was thorough and to the last detail on the books she edited ensuring that the books were bound beautifully. Jacqueline knew that her name was of value to the publishing house as she revealed to her close friend and colleague, Talese, judging by the doors and connections her name accorded the establishment. For example, Jackie was asked by the head of Doubleday to get in touch with the Nobel Prize winner, Aguib Mahfouz, to further the firm’s interests in 1988 calculating that the Nobel Prize winner was much sought by all other publishing firms. During time her salary increased to 100,000 dollars a year. McGee 2010 states that, “She was reputed of sending flowers to authors on the days their books were published, though historians have not determined who would pay for them.” Also, she would make sure that the author was sent a copy of the book published bound in leather and laced with a ribbon. Jacqueline was quite particular and laid emphasis on aesthetics, design and presentation. Over the years, Doubleday had become Jackie’s haven, where she specialized and honed her publishing skills. In this period in her career, she was active in the attendance of editorial meetings, saw several of her projects turned down, had complaints on the bureaucratic nature and means of operation of the organization. She also learned the arts of advertising and pitching projects through sales staff, sold books that were successful and others that were not, openly supported books she liked and learnt how to deal with authors of all kinds. In essence, her career in publishing was similar in almost all respects to the average publisher’s. Authors suggest that her choice of books she worked on and the touch she added to each are probably the best indicators or hints of her persona, hopes, dreams and weaknesses. Kuhn explains that, “Perhaps when Onassis encouraged Barbara Riboud to author a book about the mistress of President Thomas Jefferson, Sally Hemings, she was most likely sending a message of sympathy to the lives of the mistresses and their financial dependency rather than the potential and almost inadvertent harm that affairs had on marriages” (50). Another illustration is the books on art and photography, which she utilized to show her appreciation of art, beauty and creativity, while her books on dance forms such as ballet were means of appreciating the human body. Spoto acknowledges that, “One of Onassis’ favorite and celebrated authors was Oscar Wilde. She enjoyed reading his books since her early days and when this was revealed to the public as she became first lady, many women in the United States adopted the author’s books for their book clubs” (5). It came fairly as a shock when it was discovered that Wilde was gay. Jackie was drawn to his works and expressed a close affinity to the author’s sense of style and books. Jackie set up libraries both her personal collection and public noting that libraries had the remarkable effect of containing the world’s chaos close at bay through a reader’s immersion in the texts. Jane Hitchcock, a personal friend of Jackie’s in her later years, wrote two fictional thrillers that became best sellers at Jackie’s Vineyard. Birmingham articulates, “Jackie was fascinated and moved by the contributions made by writers of African descent in America in terms of literature, preservation of history and culture” (1). For instance, she actively endorsed and encouraged her neighbor Dorothy West, who was a Harlem Renaissance author, to complete and publish her novel. The novel was titled ‘The wedding’ and had a theme of race, power and riches in multigenerational United States. The book received great reviews and public acclaim later being adapted into a televised mini series. In January 1994 she was diagnosed with cancer. She continued her work as an editor at Doubleday largely optimistic of recovery. She died on May 19th shy of her 65th birthday. Conclusion Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis life was colored with hope, achievement, heartbreak and sorrow. Her private life, as she preferred, was largely concealed from the public. However, her life as publicist was all but outspoken and pronounced through her work, her colleagues and her authors. She was a celebrity to the public, but a competent and diligent editor who received acclaim for the near a hundred manuscripts she cultured and seasoned into published books between 1975 and 1994. This side of her life was and is currently in the shadow of the lady the public adored and loved for her sense of style, class and lifestyle. Yet this side was her primitive element and best defines who she was. Works Cited Andersen, Christopher. Jack and Jackie: Portrait of an American Marriage. New York: William Morrow, 1996. Print. Birmingham, Stephen. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. New York: Grossett & Dunlap, 1978. Print. Heymann, David. A Woman Named Jackie. Secaucus, NJ: Carol Communications, 1989. Print. Kornbluth, Jesse. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: An Autobiography in Books. St. Martin's Press, 2011. Print. Kuhn, William. Reading Jackie: Her Autobiography in Books. New Jersey: Nan A Talese/Doubleday, 2010. Print. Lawrence, Greg. Jackie as Editor: The Literary Life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2010. Print. McGee, Cecilia. Once an Editor, Now the Subject. 1 Dec. 2010. Web. 20 May 2012. Spoto, Donald. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis: A Life. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2000. Print. Read More