Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: A Portrait of Her Private Years

Bringing the ever-alluring ``Jackie'' story up to date (she will turn 65 the month the book is published) seems to be the chief idea behind this effort by a Kennedy chronicler ( Good Ted, Bad Ted ). It is a pleasant enough, innocuous piece of work that makes no attempt to break new ground and is low on tattletale material. In David's view, the former First Lady, probably the most famous woman on earth, has settled well into life as a Doubleday book editor and grandmother who can still be aroused by preservationist causes. She has virtually ceased seeing any of the Kennedys, lives a quiet but seemingly affectionate life with her (married) companion, diamond merchant Maurice Tempelsman, and saves much of her comparatively meager party-going for book occasions. David glides rather too smoothly over the Onassis marriage, her hectic jet-setting middle years and her lifelong indulgence of her extravagant tastes--though he does bring a touch of acerbity to her efforts to get tell-all books out of British aristocrats while carefully guarding her own hyper-privacy. It seems unlikely that avid Jackie-watchers will find much in this mild concoction to satisfy their craving. Photos not seen by PW. 50,000 first printing; first serial to New Woman. (July)