Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy

A NEW YORK TIMES, LOS ANGELES TIMES, and USA TODAY BESTSELLER

This "intimate and sympathetic portrait of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy that is as enthralling as she was" (Dana Thomas, New York Times bestselling author) reexamines her life and legacy as never before. Perfect for fans of My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy, What Remains, and Fairy Tale Interrupted.

A quarter of a century after the plane crash that claimed the lives of John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn, and her sister Lauren, the magnitude of this tragedy remains fresh. Yet, Carolyn is still an enigmatic figure, a woman whose short life in the spotlight was besieged with misogyny and cruelty.

Amidst today's cultural reckoning about the way our media treats women, Elizabeth Beller "reveals the true woman behind the mystery, and what a woman she turns out to be: fabulous, fierce, fashionable, flawed...formidable" (J. Randy Taraborrelli, New York Times bestselling author). When she began dating America's prince, Carolyn was thrust into an overwhelming spotlight filled with cruelly relentless paparazzi who reacted to her reserve with a campaign of harassment and vilification.

To this day, she is still depicted as a privileged princess--icy, vapid, and drug-addicted. She has even been accused of being responsible for their untimely death, allegedly delaying take-off until she finished her pedicure. But now, the truth is finally unveiled.

A fiercely independent woman devoted to her adopted city and career, Carolyn relied on her impeccable eye and drive to fly up the ranks at Calvin Klein in the glossy, high-stakes fashion world of the 1990s. When Carolyn met her future husband, John was immediately drawn to her strong-willed personality, effortless charm, and high intelligence. Their relationship would change her life and catapult her to dizzying fame, but it was her vibrant life before their marriage and then hidden afterwards, that is truly fascinating.

Based on in-depth research and exclusive interviews with friends, family members, teachers, roommates, and colleagues, and featuring never-before-seen family photos, this comprehensive biography reveals a multifaceted woman worthy of our attention regardless of her husband and untimely death.

Author: Elizabeth Beller
Publisher: Gallery Books
Published: 07/01/2025
Pages: 352
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.57lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.88d
ISBN: 9781982178970

About the Author
Elizabeth Beller is a writer and journalist specializing in culture, art, and travel with more than fifteen years of experience as a book and story editor. Her work has appeared in The Guardian, Vogue, and Travel + Leisure, among other outlets. Before turning to writing and editing, she spent two years as a script reader for Miramax, followed by twelve years in the art world at Sotheby's Auction House. She splits her time between New York and New Orleans with her husband, writer Thomas Beller, and their two children.