Books: Dynastic Pickings

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Among his Stock Exchange colleagues he was known variously as "Black Jack," "The Sheik" and "The Black Orchid." "The Black Narcissus" might have been more appropriate; he was a love-'em-and-leave-'em sort of fellow who had his shirt collars cut especially high to set off his perpetual sun-lamp tan, and once hung six photographs of himself in his bedroom. He extended his self-preoccupation far enough to include his two daughters —heaping exaggerated praise on Jackie to her face at family dinners and complaining that she did not spend enough time with him. When her mother, Janet, married again, Black Jack was consumed by jealousy of the higher standard of living that their stepfather was able to offer Lee and Jackie. At Jacqueline's wedding to young Senator John F. Kennedy in Newport, he became so incapacitated that he was unable to give the bride away.

Two Funerals. The final section of the book has some small rewards for Jackie-watchers: her charisma for her cousins as a young girl; her crisply efficient organization of her father's funeral (including picking up a favorite picture of him from one of his woman friends and sending Husband J.F.K. with it around to the New York Times); the Kennedys v. the Bouviers at the President's inaugural; John Jr.'s third birthday party on the day of his father's funeral.

What Cousin John Davis saw for himself is well enough observed and described. What he did not is competently served up. For all the attractions of a Bouvier-cum-Kennedy portrait, less than ravenous readers will find this book pretty thin and tasteless pickings.