The Kennedy Mystique: Creating Camelot

This latest addition to the Kennedy canon presents a stunning photojournalistic portrait of the first family with an emphasis on their relationship with the media in general and the camera, specifically. With its striking photographs, informative chapter introductions and detailed commentary, this book captures the irresistible pull the Kennedys had on the world and demonstrates the crucial role photography (both still and film) played in creating their allure. Particularly of interest are the photo commentaries, so readers looking at photos of John Jr. playing in the Oval Office or Caroline walking ahead of her father (who lags behind, carrying her doll) get the skinny on how JFK ""understood that his family was a political asset, especially his highly attractive children."" And when the first lady redecorated ""that dreary maison blanche,"" the world got a tour courtesy of CBS News. Figuring out which photos were posed and which were candid takes some doing, but this book leaves no doubt that it was a result of considerable effort that ""Kennedy mimicry became a national pastime.""