Saturday, November 7, 2015

Victura: The Kennedys, a Sailboat, and the Sea, by James W. Graham

Victura: The Kennedys, a Sailboat, and the Sea, by James W. Graham

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Victura: The Kennedys, a Sailboat, and the Sea, by James W. Graham

Victura: The Kennedys, a Sailboat, and the Sea, by James W. Graham



Victura: The Kennedys, a Sailboat, and the Sea, by James W. Graham

Read Ebook Victura: The Kennedys, a Sailboat, and the Sea, by James W. Graham

To truly understand the dynamics and magic of the Kennedy family, one must understand their passion for sailing and the sea. Many families sail together, but the Kennedys’ relationship with Victura, the 25-foot sloop purchased in 1932, stands apart. Throughout their brief lives, Joe Jr., Jack, and Bobby spent many hours racing Victura. Lack of effort in a race by one of his sons could infuriate Joseph P. Kennedy, and Joe Jr. and Jack ranked among the best collegiate sailors in New England. Likewise, Eunice emerged as a gifted sailor and fierce competitor, the equal of any of her brothers.The Kennedys believed that Jack’s experience sailing Victura helped him survive the sinking of his PT boat during World War II. In the 1950s, glossy Life magazine photos of Jack and Jackie on Victura’s bow helped define the winning Kennedy brand. Jack doodled sketches of Victura during Oval Office meetings, and it’s probable that his love of seafaring played a role in his 1961 decision to put a man on the moon, an enterprise he referred to as “spacefaring.”Ted loved Victura as much as any of his siblings did and, with his own children and the children of his lost brothers as crew, he sailed into his old age: past the shoals of an ebbing career, and into his eventual role as the “Lion of the Senate.” In Victura, James W. Graham charts the progress of America’s signature twentieth-century family dynasty in a narrative both stunningly original and deeply gripping. This true tale of one small sailboat is an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the great story of the Kennedys.

Victura: The Kennedys, a Sailboat, and the Sea, by James W. Graham

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #658580 in Books
  • Published on: 2015-09-01
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: 9.50" h x .80" w x 5.60" l, .75 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 284 pages
Victura: The Kennedys, a Sailboat, and the Sea, by James W. Graham

Review "When 29-year old Kennedy entered politics after the war, he showed no conspicuous anxiety about ... being seen piloting a sailboat ... such nautical images might subtly remind people that he had won a Purple Heart as a naval war hero in the South Pacific. As James W. Graham notes in 'Victura' ..., his brother Edward would make the link between the two subjects by arguing that Jack's sailing background had been 'absolutely indispensable' in helping him to save the lives of PT-09's crew."  -- historian Michael Beschloss, New York Times, Sept. 12, 2015“Victura is more than Graham recounting the sailing experiences of the Kennedys. In this well-researched but warmly written book, Graham sometimes goes several pages describing an election, or a Kennedy family intrigue, and then gracefully brings the story back to the sea, showing how, in the best and worst of times, the family pulled together around sailing.”― Rich Evans, review, Sailing Magazine, March 2014 "... A compelling story that is at times exciting, heartbreaking and fascinating." -- Kelli Christiansen, Chicago Book Review "Say what you will about the Kennedys — and you will — they know their way around a boat. James W. Graham gives a behind-the-mast look at the connection in his new tome, Victura: The Kennedys, a Sailboat, and the Sea." —Boston Herald “For readers, this book may serve as an introduction to the world of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, his family, and the beautiful blue sailboat at the center of it all.” —Wooden Boat Magazine

Review “This wonderfully-written book takes a well-worn subject―the Kennedys―and gives it as fresh a gust as the sailors on the sturdy, little Victura themselves must have felt a thousand times off the Nantucket shore. In going to sea on board the Victura, Joe, Jack, Bobby, and Teddy Kennedy entered their metaphor of quest, braced themselves for the unknown, and left their country, in the end, with an imperishable poignancy in its heart.” (Richard D. Mahoney, author of Sons & Brothers)“The Kennedys saw the world and nature as a magical place, full of mystery and adventure. They especially enjoyed challenges and the freedom of activities like sailing, skiing, river running, climbing and just being outside. Two thirds of the surface of planet earth is liquid: the sea is vital to life―a huge source of both pleasure and fear―and a great teacher. Victura, a small wooden sailboat, became the center of adventure, companionship and love for this remarkable family. Author Graham knows the sea, sailing and the Kennedys. Sail on Victura, to new horizons.” (Jim Whittaker, first American to summit Mount Everest and author of Life On The Edge. www.jimwhittaker.com)

About the Author JAMES W. GRAHAM was a senior advisor to former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar and the Illinois House of Representatives. He races and cruises his sailboat, Venturous, at Wilmette Harbor, north of Chicago.


Victura: The Kennedys, a Sailboat, and the Sea, by James W. Graham

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Most helpful customer reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Sailors and those who love the sea will not be disappointed By Kevin Long While I was certainly aware of the tragedies and triumphs of the Kennedy family, I can't say I knew all that much about family itself. I expected to read a book about the Kennedy's love of sailing and while that clearly comes out, I learned much more about the family. What particularly interested me was learning of the patriarchal role that Ted Kennedy stepped up to and embraced for more than 40 years after his two older brothers were assassinated. As a result of reading this book, I have a totally different perspective of Ted and the entire Kennedy family. Author James Graham was careful to include both the positive and negative sides of the Kennedy story and always tied it back to the family's love of the sea.I recommend this well researched and written book to anyone who has an affinity for sailing and who would like to learn about the Kennedy's through stories, often in the words of the Kennedy's themselves, from the perspective of being on or around Nantucket Sound.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Sailing's life lessons within the Kennedy family! By bettysunflower I have read many books about the Kennedys over the years. This one is by far the best that I have had the pleasure to read. The author tells of the lives of the Kennedy siblings and of their love of sailing and how they learned so many of life's lessons through these experiences. Sailing helped them to build character individually and through team work as they relied on each other. The book spans the years from Jack's youth through Ted's death. The author tells of the early years with Jack, Joe Jr.'s and Kick. He tells of the relationship of these, the three oldest of the Kennedy children. The mentions the competitiveness and the closeness of all of the children. All three of the oldest experienced WWII close up. Jack was the PT 109 hero who saved his men. Joe Jr., a pilot volunteering for a risky mission that he did not return from. And Kick who married a titled, protestant, Englishman who was killed in the war. Jack's run for the Presidency and Bobby's assistance and his job as Attorney General is discussed all the while the men continued their sailing, quite often conducting business while enjoying the sport. Other family members are mentioned and woven into the author's retelling of the story. And, of course, Jackie and the children and their involvement with the sailing. The author presented the material as though speaking of friends, with respect and affection. He touched on scandals but didn't allow them to distract the reader from the positive lessons that this family can teach us. It was easy to read, but very difficult to put down. I savored the book rather than trying to rush through it as I didn't want to miss anything. I thoroughly loved the book.**Library Thing Win

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A Unique Point of View By T. Shetler Almost everyone knows something of the history of the Kennedy family. Far fewer have dug into the details in the way that Mr. Graham has for us, and uncovered an angle that one senses is uniquely Kennedy. This book is more a history of an eccentric, privileged and tragic family that happens to love sailing than it is a book for sailing enthusiasts. I found it to be an engaging read with the smooth flow of a novel and the confidence of a historical narrative.

See all 22 customer reviews... Victura: The Kennedys, a Sailboat, and the Sea, by James W. Graham

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