This revealing biography of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy explores her early years as a writer, photographer, and ambitious young woman-offering a fresh portrait of the future First Lady before her life with John F. Kennedy.
"One of the most detailed, nuanced portraits of Jackie to date." -The Washington Post
From New York Times bestselling author and presidential historian Carl Sferrazza Anthony, Camera Girl is an illuminating and "wholly refreshing" (David Maraniss) look at Jackie's formative years in Paris, New York, and Washington, DC.
In the early 1950s, long before she became an international icon, Jacqueline Bouvier was a curious, driven young journalist working for the Washington Times-Herald as the "Inquiring Camera Girl." Armed with her Graflex camera, she roamed the streets of the nation's capital, capturing candid photographs and asking everyday Americans thoughtful, revealing questions-producing hundreds of widely read columns.
Drawing from these columns, previously unpublished writings, and original interviews with those who knew her, this richly detailed biography traces Jackie's coming-of-age as she pursued a career, challenged expectations placed on women, and navigated love, ambition, and identity.
A vivid work of narrative nonfiction, this book offers a compelling look at midcentury America, women in journalism, and the making of one of the most fascinating and influential women of the 20th century. Carl Sferrazza Anthony is the author of a dozen books about presidents' wives and families, including As We Remember Her: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in the Words of Her Family and Friends; The Kennedy White House: Family Life and Pictures, 1961–1963; and the two-volume First Ladies: The Saga of the Presidents' Wives and Their Power, 1789–1990. He has served as guest curator for presidential library exhibits, written for numerous national publications, and served as contributing editor to the late John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s George magazine.
"Powers takes listeners through Bouvier's less-than-idyllic childhood with a sympathetic narration style that captures the complex experiences and emotions of a young woman at odds with her time. Her narration skillfully mimics Bouvier's speaking style when sharing pieces written directly by her, capturing listeners' emotions without making the performance sound over the top."
