
The First Kennedys
The Humble Roots of an American Dynasty
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Narrated by:
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Arthur Morey
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By:
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Neal Thompson
“Here is that rare thing: an untold chapter in the Kennedy saga. . .Compelling and illuminating.”—Jon Meacham
Based on genealogical breakthroughs and previously unreleased records, this is the first book to explore the inspiring story of the poor Irish refugee couple who escaped famine; created a life together in a city hostile to Irish, immigrants, and Catholics; and launched the Kennedy dynasty in America.
Their Irish ancestry was a hallmark of the Kennedys’ initial political profile, as JFK leveraged his working-class roots to connect with blue-collar voters. Today, we remember this iconic American family as the vanguard of wealth, power, and style rather than as the descendants of poor immigrants. Here at last, we meet the first American Kennedys, Patrick and Bridget, who arrived as many thousands of others did following the Great Famine—penniless and hungry. Less than a decade after their marriage in Boston, Patrick’s sudden death left Bridget to raise their children single-handedly. Her rise from housemaid to shop owner in the face of rampant poverty and discrimination kept her family intact, allowing her only son P.J. to become a successful saloon owner and businessman. P.J. went on to become the first American Kennedy elected to public office—the first of many.
Written by the grandson of an Irish immigrant couple and based on first-ever access to P.J. Kennedy’s private papers, The First Kennedys is a story of sacrifice and survival, resistance and reinvention: an American story.
©2022 Neal Thompson (P)2022 by HarperCollins PublishersListeners also enjoyed...




















A fascinating slice of history
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Fascinating and inspiring
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DVW
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"Nuff' Said!!😁⏳👏"
Another JFK-Junkie Satisfied!
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Humble Beginnings of an American Dynasty
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New information regarding immigrant roots
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Wonderful book
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A great look at the history of irish.
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Neal Thompson
Very interesting. The author tells the story of the truly humble beginnings of the Kennedy clan in Ireland, and their desperate move to Boston.
Regardless of how you feel about the Kennedy dynasty today, it is inspiring to see how in America a family can go from the lowest of the low to such success.
Mr. Thompson fills in details which may be missing about the early Kennedys with general facts about life as an Irish immigrant or a 19th century Bostonian…which the Kennedys would have shared. This may seem like filler at first, but the details turn out to be fascinating and very educational.
Very interesting
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