Joseph P. Kennedy, the powerful patriarch of the Kennedy dynasty, died in 1969, but the legacy he left behind has continued to fascinate, and puzzle, historians as well as his own descendants. David Nasaw paints a nuanced and complex portrait of the businessman, investor, and ambassador in his new book, “The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy.”
Nasaw exposes Kennedy the businessman, the father and the government official, challenging many of the misconceptions that surround the elder Kennedy who made an impact on Wall Street, Hollywood, and Washington.