With family letters, ephemera, and photos collected by Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy—many never published before—this remarkable album follows the family history of one of America's premier dynasties. Here in more than 300 images, from 1878 through 1946 (including the aftermath of WWII and the beginning of JFK's political career), the book covers everything from the family's first home to beach vacations, from children's birthdays to First Communions. The photos and captions impart a glowing nostalgia to the period and details the family's progress as it grows from a pair of turn-of-the-century newlyweds into a populous, vibrant clan of hopeful young men and women on the brink of their brilliant destinies.

"Fascinating ... an intriguing, unique window into the formation of one of the country's most enduring and controversial dynasties."—Kirkus Reviews