It's funny that you have these compunctions not because of American Son but because of Harvard Rules. You wrote about Larry Summers' love life, no? Perhaps you could have been more detailed, but the stuff that made the cut was hardly relevant to his job as Harvard's president. Not that I object to it's inclusion; that's part of biography and journalism. But why rag on another author doing something similar?
 

Interesting comment, and a fair question. Larry Summers' love life wouldn't really be a matter I'd choose to write about—more to the point, it wouldn't be appropriate to write about it—if it hadn't affected his relationship with the community. First dating a famous conservative, then dating a professor—both posed some interesting issues around campus. So there was more than a prurient interest; I do think those things were relevant to LS' job as Harvard president. Lisa New, for example, influenced Larry on quite a few matters.

As I say, I don't want to prejudge this new book about JK. But I wasn't crazy about "The Day John Died," or that hideous book written by Michael Bergen in which he claimed that he'd had an affair with Carolyn. I tried to draw some lines writing about John; there were things I was comfortable writing, and things that I omitted from inclusion in the book. That's why I focused so much on John's work with George.

So a book that talks about John's "many conquests..."—that makes me nervous. John may not be here, but he's still a friend.

In any case, I promise to revisit this when the book comes out.
 

As I remember, JFK Jr. was "private and protective" about his entire life. Had you asked him beforehand, would he have said he wanted you to write the book you did? Seems to me exercising compunction doesn't answer the question. Timing, and the (presumed) lack of any contractual agreement, may explain the lack of controversy re the new book -- but isn't it a little premature to assess what the reaction will be?
 

I hate to pull a trump card on this point, but what the hell: You remember incorrectly. As someone who worked with John five days a week for four years, I can tell you that no, he wasn't private and protective about every part of his life.

I wouldn't presume to say what John would think of American Son, but I do know he was not always averse to being written about. (And, of course, sometimes he wrote about himself...himself.)

As for the contractual agreement...well, you should read the book. The controversy about that was a lot of hokum.

It will be interesting to see the reaction to this new book, yes. And I promise to blog about it as objectively as I can. (Which probably isn't very objectively. But at least folks know where I'm coming from.)
 

The question was: "Had you asked him beforehand, would he have said he wanted you to write the book you did?" You answered a slightly different question. Can you really not answer that one?
 

People have asked me this question before, and no, I really can't answer it. Partly it's because I suspect John's answer wouldn't be a simple yes or no, and I've usually been asked the question in a soundbite context (i.e., TV).

But partly because the question is so ghastly. It's really saying this: "If you went to John and said to him, 'John, if you died unexpectedly in a plane crash, and took your wife and sister-in-law with you, and then your magazine folded, would you mind if I wrote a book about you and your work at George?'"

It's beyond my ability to imagine asking that question—try to imagine that scenario—so I can't honestly respond to your question about what John would have said.

I think the more realistic question is, What can you, the writer, live with? What do you think is appropriate to write about John? Are some things fair game? Are some things off-limits? What is your responsibility?

And those are questions I took very seriously, which you'll see if you read the book.
 

Ok, that's a fair, and obviously thought out, answer. (And I did read the book.) I am, however, personally of the view that Janet Malcom was right when she opined out that there is something inherently exploitative in the journalistic enterprise. Agree?
 

Generally, yes. I think you just try to make it as fair and honest a transaction as possible.
 

HOW MANY WAYS ARE THESE COWARDS GOING TO LIE ABOUT A BONEFIED WHORE,DRUG ADDICT AND WORLD SLUTT,carolyn bessette. I CAN'T BELIEVE PEOPLE WOULD EVEN SAY THAT carolyn bessette is so much like JACKIE KENNEDY ONASSIS. YALL REALLY NEED TO STOP LYING. TO LIE IS A SIN ,ISN'T IT?
 

HER HELL BEHAVIOR WAS NEVER JOHN F.KENNEDY JR SOULMATE. YALL MADE IT UP BECAUSE HE WAS LEAVING THE WHORE AND HE PASSED AWY BEFORE IT CAME OUT.
 

what love john f.kennedy jr. have for carolyn bessette it was all ,like a snake trying to conceal her unholy intentions to devour and de saintify john character in order to recieve attenion like his mother.as for this writters stupidness in harming his mother's love with sacrelegion implyments.must mean jackie onassis must have pay attention to spoil people like carolyn bessette and the writters implyment of john and his mother's cloesness to each other. how rude of you and the bessette's to try to use jackie onassis as a meal ticket for your incorrect perception of all woman who have do both the mother and father role. she was the hig appreciation of when a parent become widow.
 

why do we look at carolyn bessette in truth without all the lies covering her incapablity to realities of life's situtions. she was dating john spasmatically in 1993 ,as we were wondering why jackie was unwell.i have the people amgazine cover for that year and carolyn bessette was sitting next to jonh jr. nov. mathon on the ground 1993,following year 1994 after his mother death ,he public admitted he and carolyn bessette were seeing each other.instaed of a year of playing courting.fall 1994 she was playing like a spoil child with john in the park.
 

why do the pr poeple admit john's hell was carolyn bessette's unrightious in facing the truth. she foun d it easy to lie and manipulate people who thought she was nice until the gene tiarney character pop out. maids secretly qouted and said jackie would have never let john bring that into the family. commanly whore affection and genuine unclassable.her attitude is geniune devilmatics with that every so faulse compassion to cover up her rudeness.how in the world did she in up here.,says a maid.all the signs of ill mateable were right there and she couldn't be more ill breed than a dog mating in front of a priest on easter sunday.
 

how said !! with all his mother's child rearing he couldn't come of of his lost of his only parent after the death of his father. poeple like that at those times are easy prey for whore like carolyn bessette.her family is so un worthy in all its understanding, john was crazy to bring that.her family boldly lies about how joe does thjis or other family members.i hope john sees the snake in tha whore from hell. with her ill suffient grooming . and unclass dressing style.we are about to see a divioce very soon if she doesn't end up killing him.obessive trying to play like she doesn't need him to live .
 

her ,devilmatics is best described from the movie which gene tiarney kills the man she marry brother and unborn child later on in the movie.utterly callose she is exactly like that character .exactly like that character gene tairney play in the movie.look at all the signs that were their that even pop out in the public eye .only she lies to cover up her mental insatbility.
 

her whole family is a insult to humanoty with their faux perception of thinking that because they were working class poor, that some how we the public would take her word over john's, WERE IS IT THAT HER MOTHER WAS EVEN A VIRGIN ON WEDDING DAY, I MEAN SO UN CHRISTAIN IT'S NOT FUNNY. ALL HER DAUGHT WERE SLUTTS ONLY TRYING THAT PHASE EVERYONE HAS PREMARRAIGE SEX.NOT PEOPLE OF CLAS.HOW STUPID OF THEM HIOGH SOCIETY THOUGHT LOWLY OF THE BESSETTE'S AND THE PROOF IS THERE OF MANIPULATION ,TERMOIL AND EXSTORTION. TO ACHIEVE THE LIFE THEY SAUGHT.
 

fro the last nearly ten years we the public are tired of hearing lies of john jr. any godly christian can see carolyn bessette was not who god choose for john. she didn't have the star power meant for someone like john.he was special to us in a adoring love far away like princess diana.we cared for them. WE ONLY WISH HAPPINESS FOR THEM AND THOSE WE LOVE IN THE PUBLIC EYE. NOT ALL THESE LIES OVER THE YEARS .EVEN SOME OF HIS REAL CLOSE FAMILY AND FREINDS KNOW THIS COMMETS OF carolyn bessette being like jackie , loving john truelly is impossible. sleeping with other people before the ink couuld dry, is a sad reality of who carolyn bessette is. as well as getting upset over john getting more media attention and wanting recieve jackie o's level along with princess diana's appeal.so in consistance of reality. she will never appeal for the lack of no appeal.
 

so many people have their say on this person's life,yet their no value to the whore we call carolyn bessette's reputation exceppted the lies to cover her up .people who have her drug infested world even after meeting john.SHE WAS A CONKNIEVER AND MALICE PERSON.SHE SAUGHT TO MANIPULATE JOHN'S WORLD OF INFLUENECE TO CHANGELLENGE THE RIGHTIOUS,LOOK HER SHE CAN CHANGE HER FEATURES OVER TIME TO APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT THEM ,REMEBERING HER BEHAVIOR AND BACKGROUND. BECAUSE OVER TIME SHE WOULD CHANGE YEARS AND DATES TO IMPLY GLAMOUR NOT THERE.OF COURSE JACKIE MADE IT CLAER THOUGH HER FAMLY WEALTHY CONNECTIONS THAT SHE carolyn bessette, WAS NOT WORTHY AND DO NOT SEEK MARRIAGE ON HER SON SHE WILL REMOVE ALL FORMS OF THAT EXCEESS TO HIS PERSONAL FINANCE.SINCE HER INVESTAGOTOR HAD INFORMATION ON AND HER FAMILY SINFUL PATH RECORD. SHE carolyn bessette is unworthy. ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT YOU HAVE EVER INTENTIONS OF TRYING TO MARRY JOHN,EVEN IN MY STATE OF UNWELLNESS. I WILL NOT CONSENCE TO SUCH A CHIOCE OF YOU. EVEN IN MY PERSONAL LIFE I WOULD NOT CONSENT TO SOMEONE LIKE YOU carolyn bessette.having seen you before in a distant watching my son. it looks that you have been stocking yEArs before and wait fours to make a history for yourself. i hope this so called job will clean you up and that ,you can stop using my niece per say . INVESTAGATOR: Woman like you feel That jackie is kidding miss pr ,we had someone in the family like you .who felt all they had to do is fake and take images of the family or wealthy and infuse the images after cutting the images a certain way to appear in finally product .of a photograph of so and so .when in realiy you never met this people miss bessette. although some of them think you are fiunny ,the end results is damaging for someone who cares for another. and you miss bessette will find that out the hard way.now. carolyn bessette was told this in 1993 when jackie was unwell and it was in the fisrt part of dec.of 1993.no she didn't want to meet a whore version of marilyn monroe.so i doubt that carolyn bessette stay low keyed to later change the date off meeting john jr. problem is three years of knewing john would make it what.she married him after three years living with him.she couldn't m him in 1994.they had been living with each other for months before his mother past on.the rub of insult which the bessette's are coving up is she asked for d,hannah verse bessette. which means mommy didn't approve of bessette. so because of her private life. the essette's pr thought to change dates and time to imply maybe jackie would have liked. not jacki all ways check her children friends and partners out.so sick or unwell,jackie has always delt with people trying to abuse her children for selfess gain.carolyn bessette was delt in the same manner as those who wanted to abuse john or caroline.this was delt with in dec.1993 after seeing john with carolyn bessette watching the new york marathon.she spent time on martha's vineyard days later as well,how would she not know.being the most famous woman in the world, of breeding and style.
 

sorry it seems omeone has change some of the letters out of my commets. anyway no none can sa this girl was ever in the same league as jacqueline because jacqueline never took drug,or premarriage sex wih john father. no ,she was raised with class. i mean to compare a most beautiful woman with carolyn bessette is awful. carolyn bessette is humanities joke.her wholefamily is walking sin for which make john jr. family of the kennedy's look more saint and al reverence than miss bessette family. have you notice thoses who have not ,steal from thoses who have . john lead a basic rightous life verses bessettes sexual sin path of whore and drugs and needing culure people to clean their reputaton up . so ,she can cultivate her bad reputation though confusing paperwork .so she can use their college degrees and so forth without anyone figuring it out.