Oh Jackie Author:Maudy Benz Dear Jackie Kennedy, — You mean so much to me. You're beautiful and intelligent....How does it feel to move men with your beauty? Do people ever touch you when you don't want them to and if so, what do you do? Please answer this... — North Wagoner is fifteen and full of fire. This summer on Glass Lake with her cousin is going to be her be... more »st--full of fast cars, cute boys, and maybe even a first kiss. But she is soon beset by doubts when her cousin's romantic adventures bring dire consequences, and Aunt Joan swallows pills that keep her oddly distant. Worst of all, her uncle cajoles and coerces her to do things she doesn't want to do. If this is womanhood, she fears she may never acquire the grace and assurance--a degree of dignity worthy of Jackie herself--that it will take to handle the pain...
With a unique blend of lyricism, starkness, and period nostalgia, Oh, Jackie reminds us of the magic and charm of Camelot, the popular songs on the radio, the excitement of first love and fast cars, and the fear behind boundaries that should never be crossed.
"This sensitive portrayal of a young girl's loss of innocence has much to tell us about American culture as well...Oh, Jackie introduces a major voice to contemporary writing."--Lee Smith
"[Benz] tells North's story with tenderness and impressive control."--The New York Times Book Review
"Stylish...frank and convincing."--Kirkus Reviews
"In this moving first novel--the acute observations of a young woman coming of age and the historical facts and references to the Kennedy years...are riveting and memorable."--Jill McCorkle
* Oh, Jackie was a finalist for Barnes and Noble's Discover New Writers Program, was included in the "Inside Borders" program, and is on Ingram's "Distinctive Titles" list
* A subject of enduring fascination, Jackie Kennedy Onassis continues to inspire artists, writers--and readers« less