Audiobooks by J. Randy Taraborrelli

The Kennedy Heirs: John, Caroline, and the New Generation - A Legacy of Triumph and Tragedy

From New York Times bestselling author J. Randy Taraborrelli comes The Kennedy Heirs, his most revealing Kennedy audiobook yet. A unique burden was inherited by the children of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and his celebrated siblings, Senators Robert and Ted Kennedy. Raised in a world of enormous privilege against the backdrop of American history, this third generation of Kennedys often veered between towering accomplishment and devastating defeat. In his revelatory new audiobook, acclaimed Kennedy historian J. Randy Taraborrelli draws back the curtain on the next generation of America's most famous family. John Kennedy, Jr.'s life in the public eye is explored, following the Kennedy scion as he faced the challenges posed by marrying his great love, Carolyn Bessette. Riveting new details are shared about the couple's tragic demise-and why Ethel Kennedy advised Carolyn not to take the trip that would ultimately end her life. John's sister, Caroline Kennedy, had her own complicated relationships, including a marriage to Ed Schlossberg that surprised her mother, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and an unexpected bond with her mother-in-law, Mae Schlossberg. Additional stories, many shared here for the first time, illuminate the rest of the Kennedy dynasty: Kara Kennedy, Ted's daughter, and her valiant battle against lung cancer; how Ted's wife, Vicki, introduced a new era of feminism to the Kennedy family; the lifelong struggles with addiction faced by Bobby Kennedy Jr. and Patrick Kennedy; the unexpected way pop star Taylor Swift helped Conor Kennedy heal after the death of his mother, Bobby's wife Mary; and Congressman Joe Kennedy III's rise to prominence. At the center of it all is the family's indomitable matriarch, Ethel Kennedy-a formidable presence with her maddening eccentricities and inspiring courage. Based on hundreds of exclusive first-hand interviews and cultivated over twenty years of research-including numerous Oral Histories from the JFK Library and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute-The Kennedy Heirs is an epic drama of ambition, scandal, pride and power.

J. Randy Taraborrelli (Author), Robert Petkoff (Narrator)

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Jackie: Public, Private, Secret

From New York Times bestselling author of Jackie, Janet & Lee comes a fresh and often startling look at the life of the legendary former first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Based on hundreds of interviews with friends, family, and lovers over a thirty-year period—as well as previously unreleased material from the JFK Library—Kennedy historian J. Randy Taraborrelli paints an unforgettable new portrait of a woman whose flaws and contradictions only serve to make her even more iconic. “I have three lives,” Jackie told a former lover, “public, private and secret.” In this revealing biography, listeners will become intimately familiar with all three. New insights include: · Jackie’s cold feet before her wedding to Jack Kennedy and her secret plan to avoid moving into the White House with him. · Jackie's plan to meet with the woman with whom her husband, Aristotle Onassis, was again having an affair, Maria Callas…and why, in the end, she decided against it. · The truth about the nude photos of Jackie which scandalized her in the 1970s…and which family member had betrayed her by selling them. · Her unusual relationship with Maurice Templesman, which was never what outsiders believed it to be. · The never-before-reported, last-ditch efforts to save Jackie’s life with experimental cancer treatments, and the doctor who wouldn’t risk jail time in order to treat her. Twenty-nine years after her death and sixty years after the assassination of President Kennedy, Jackie delivers the last word on one of the most famous women in the world. A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press.

J. Randy Taraborrelli (Author), Jane Oppenheimer (Narrator)

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The Hiltons: The True Story of an American Dynasty

THE HILTONS is a sweeping saga of the success-and excess-of an iconic American family. Demanding and enigmatic, patriarch Conrad Hilton's visionary ideas and unyielding will established the model for the modern luxury hotel industry. But outside the boardroom, Conrad struggled with emotional detachment, failed marriages, and conflicted Catholicism. Then there were his children: Playboy Nicky Hilton's tragic alcoholism and marriage to Elizabeth Taylor was the stuff of tabloid legend. Barron Hilton, on the other hand, deftly handled his father's legacy, carrying the Hilton brand triumphantly into the new millennium. Eric, raised apart from his older brothers, accepted his supporting role in the Hilton dynasty with calm and quiet-a stark contrast to the boys' much younger half-sister Francesca, whose battle for recognition led her into courtrooms and conflict. The cast of supporting players includes the inimitable Zsa Zsa Gabor, who was married to Conrad briefly and remained a thorn in his side for decades, and a host of other Hollywood and business luminaries with whom the Hiltons crossed paths and swords over the years.

J. Randy Taraborrelli (Author), Robert Petkoff (Narrator)

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Becoming Beyonce: The Untold Story

A Billboard Must-Read Fall 2015 Music Book The first comprehensive biography ever published about America's favorite living pop icon, Beyoncé, from New York Times bestselling biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli. Beyoncé Knowles is a woman who began her career at the age of eight performing in pageant shows and talent contests, honing her craft through her teenage years until, at the age of 16, she had her first number one record with Destiny's Child. That hit-making trio launched Beyoncé's successful solo career, catapulting her, as of 2014, to #1 on Forbes annual list of most wealthy celebrities--the same year she made the cover of Time. BECOMING BEYONCÃ is not only the story of struggle, sacrifice, and what it takes to make it in the cut-throat record industry, it's the story of the great rewards of such success and the devastating toll it often takes on the human spirit.

J. Randy Taraborrelli (Author), Allyson Johnson (Narrator)

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Jackie, Janet & Lee: The Secret Lives of Janet Auchincloss and Her Daughters Jacqueline Kennedy Onas

"Taraborrelli's gossipy narrative revels in luxurious decor, stunning outfits, and soap-operatic fights in this entertaining saga." - Publishers Weekly A dazzling audiobook biography of three of the most glamorous women of the 20th Century: Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, her mother Janet Lee Auchincloss, and her sister, Princess Lee Radziwill. "Do you know what the secret to happily-ever-after is?" Janet Bouvier Auchincloss would ask her daughters Jackie and Lee during their tea time. "Money and Power," she would say. It was a lesson neither would ever forget. They followed in their mother's footsteps after her marriages to the philandering socialite "Black Jack" Bouvier and the fabulously rich Standard Oil heir Hugh D. Auchincloss. Jacqueline Bouvier would marry John F. Kennedy Jr. and the story of their marriage is legendary, as is the story of her second marriage to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. Less well known is the story of her love affair with a world renowned architect and a British peer. Her sister, Lee, had liaisons with both of Jackie's husbands in addition to her own three marriages-to an illegitimate royal, a Polish prince and a Hollywood director. If the Bouvier women personified beauty, style and fashion, it was their lust for money and status that drove them to seek out powerful men, no matter what the cost to themselves or to those they stepped on in their ruthless climb to the top. Based on hundreds of new interviews with friends and family of the Bouviers, among them their own half-brother, as well as letters and journals, J. Randy Taraborrelli paints an extraordinary psychological portrait of two famous sisters and their ferociously ambitious mother. Jackie, Janet & Lee will drop listeners directly into the gilded, tangled web of secrets surrounding one of the most recognizable families in American history.

J. Randy Taraborrelli (Author), Ann Marie Lee (Narrator)

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Jackie, Ethel, Joan

Over the years there have been many books published about the Kennedy family, individually and collectively. But only this audio book provides a powerful and detailed look at the complex relationships shared between the three women who were not born Kennedy but who married into the family: Jackie Bouvier, Ethel Skakel, and Joan Bennett. For each of the Kennedy wives, the Camelot years provided an entirely different experience of life lessons. These were the years when Jackie's dreams became reality, but at a hefty price. For Ethel, these were years of frustration where her dreams of being First Lady were dashed and she sank into a deep depression. For Joan, her years as a Kennedy wife were the most confusing of her life, and she is now a recovering alcoholic. This fascinating story is set against a panorama of explosive American history, as the women cope with Jack's and Bobby's alleged affairs with Marilyn Monroe, their tragic assassinations, and other tragedies and scandals. Whether dealing with their husbands' blatant infidelities, stumping for their many political campaigns, touring the world to promote their family's legacy or raising their children, the Kennedy wives did it all with grace, style, and dignity. In the end, JACKIE, ETHEL, JOAN is a story of redemption and great courage.

J. Randy Taraborrelli (Author), Beth Fowler (Narrator)

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The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe

When Marilyn Monroe became famous in the 1950s, the world was told that her mother, Gladys Baker, was either dead or simply not a part of her life -- depending on the publicity campaign of the moment. However, that was not true. In fact, her mentally ill mother was very much present in Marilyn's world. The complex family dynamic that unfolded behind the scenes as Miss Monroe blazed a path to iconic glory is a story that has never before been told...until now. In this groundbreaking book, Taraborrelli draws complex and sympathetic portraits of the powerful women so influential in the actress' life: -Her mother, Gladys Baker, who gave up her daughter, Norma Jeane (Marilyn) after having two others kidnapped from her. -Her foster mother, Ida Bolender, who raised Norma Jeane for seven years -- a woman whose brash but powerful approach to parenting has been completely misunderstood. -The legal guardian, Grace Goddard, who helped create "Marilyn Monroe." He also tells for the first time the potent story of Marilyn's closely guarded friendship with Pat Kennedy Lawford, sister of President John Kennedy; he sheds new light on Marilyn's so-called affair with JFK; and he reveals shocking information about Marilyn's relationship with Robert Kennedy. An epic journey told by a master storyteller, this is the final word on the life of one of the most fascinating and elusive icons of the 20th Century.

J. Randy Taraborrelli (Author), Robert Petkoff (Narrator)

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After Camelot: A Personal History of the Kennedy Family--1968 to the Present

For more than half a century, Americans have been captivated by the Kennedys - their joy and heartbreak, tragedy and triumph, the dark side and the remarkable achievements. In this ambitious and sweeping account, Taraborelli continues the family chronicle begun with his bestselling Jackie, Ethel, Joan and provides a behind-the-scenes look at the years "after Camelot." He describes the challenges Bobby's children faced as they grew into adulthood; Eunice and Sargent Shriver's remarkable philanthropic work; the emotional turmoil Jackie faced after JFK's murder and the complexities of her eventual marriage to Aristotle Onassis; the the sudden death of JFK JR; and the stoicism and grace of his sister Caroline. He also brings into clear focus the complex and intriguing story of Edward "Teddy" and shows how he influenced the sensibilities of the next generation and challenged them to uphold the Kennedy name. Based on extensive research, including hundreds of exclusive interviews, After Camelot captures the wealth, glamour, and fortitude for which the Kennedys are so well known. With this book, J. Randy Taraborrelli takes readers on an epic journey as he unfolds the ongoing saga of the nation's most famous-and controversial-family.

J. Randy Taraborrelli (Author), Robert Petkoff (Narrator)

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Sinatra: Behind the Legend

In 1997, Taraborrelli's bestselling Sinatra: Behind the Legend captivated audiences with a never-before seen look at the life of an icon through six years of research and over 425 interviews with associates, friends and lovers. Now, Taraborrelli is back with a completely new and updated lens. Fans of Sinatra--old and new--will be able to delve into the private life and controversy of a musician whose career spans decades. From show business, struggles with depression, his many romances and attaining the American dream, Sinatra's story delivers a captivating and humanizing portrait of the legend for a new age. Taraborrelli is known for capturing and penning the untold stories of icons such as the Hiltons, Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, Diana Ross and the Kennedys. He has written a page-turning biography of an extremely talented, sometimes troubled, always fascinating man: the one and only Frank Sinatra.

J. Randy Taraborrelli (Author), Robert Petkoff (Narrator)

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Grace & Steel: Dorothy, Barbara, Laura, and the Women of the Bush Dynasty

From New York Times bestselling celebrity biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli comes Grace & Steel, the epic, hidden history of the exceptional women behind the greatest political dynasty of all time—the Bush family. Bestselling author J. Randy Taraborrelli reveals the unsung heroines of the inimitable Bush family dynasty: not only First Ladies Barbara and Laura, but other colorful women whose stories have been left out of history for far too long, including Barbara’s mother-in-law, the formidable Dorothy Bush; the enigmatic Columba and the controversial Sharon; and Laura’s twins, Jenna and Barbara. No matter the challenges related to power and politics, the women of the Bush dynasty always fought for equality in their marriages as they raised their children to be true to American values. In doing so, they inspired everyday Americans to do the same. Or, as Barbara Bush put it, “The future of this nation does not depend on what happens in the White House, but what happens in your house.” Details from the book include: —The tragedy Barbara faced in burying her three-year-old daughter, Robin, and her struggle with depression over the decades that followed. —The tragic night a teenage Laura Bush accidentally killed a good friend—a story she did not discuss publicly for decades. —The revelation of the affair that almost doomed George HW's hopes for the presidency. —The truth behind the fraught relationship between Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush that culminated in an angry phone call during which Barbara told her she would never speak to her again—and she didn't. A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press '...a unique and colorful look at one of America’s most powerful political families.” -- Publishers Weekly “Where Taraborrelli excels is in excavating the personal histories of the three women and how they were forever shadowed by painful episodes in their lives. [The Bush women] created a singular, admirable legacy, and this book portrays them as genuine, struggling human beings.” -- Washington Post

J. Randy Taraborrelli (Author), Eliza Foss (Narrator)

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