Camera Girl: The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is both well-known and mysterious, an iconic First Lady most famous for bringing style and glamour to the White House. But there’s far more to her than superficial beauty. Biographer Anthony (The Kennedy White House: Family Life and Pictures, 1961–1963) explores her early years, starting with her time at Vassar and progressing through her engagement and marriage to up-and-coming senator John F. Kennedy. Listeners first meet her as a college student, spending a year studying at the Sorbonne and exploring Europe—experiences that would shape her future. In her post-college years, she became an ambitious young journalist who hoped that her role as the “Inquiring Camera Girl” for the Washington Times-Herald would lead to a career as a features writer. Anthony explores a variety of influences on her character—her love of art, her family’s Catholic faith, her professional ambitions, and her relationships with her parents—providing a full portrait of her formative years. Imani Jade Powers’s straightforward yet lively narration is enhanced by her French and Italian language skills, providing a coolly reserved performance worthy of the young Jackie.