
Ask Not
The Kennedys and the Women They Destroyed
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for $32.31
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Gabra Zackman
-
Written by:
-
Maureen Callahan
About this listen
From New York Times bestseller Maureen Callahan, a fierce, character-driven exposé of the real Kennedy Curse—the family’s generations-long legacy of misogyny, murder, and mayhem.
The Kennedy name has long been synonymous with wealth, power, glamor, and—above all else—integrity. But this carefully constructed veneer hides a dark truth: the pattern of Kennedy men physically and psychologically abusing women and girls, leaving a trail of ruin and death in each generation’s wake. Through decades of scandal after scandal—from sexual assaults to reputational slander, suicides to manslaughter—the family and their defenders have kept the Kennedy brand intact. Now, in Ask Not, bestselling author and journalist Maureen Callahan reveals the Kennedys’ hidden history of violence and exploitation, laying bare their unrepentant sexism and rampant depravity while also restoring these women and girls to their rightful place at the center of the dynasty’s story: from Jacqueline Onassis and Marilyn Monroe to Carolyn Bessette, Martha Moxley, Mary Jo Kopechne, Rosemary Kennedy, and many others whose names aren’t nearly as well known but should be.
Drawing on years of explosive reportage and written in electric prose, Ask Not is a long-overdue reckoning with this fabled family and a consequential part of American history that is still very much with us. At long last, Callahan redirects the spotlight to the women in the Kennedys’ orbit, paying homage to those who freed themselves and giving voice to those who, through no fault of their own, could not.
You may also enjoy...
-
Damn Glad to Meet You
- My Seven Decades in the Hollywood Trenches
- Written by: Tim Matheson
- Narrated by: Tim Matheson
- Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For the past seven decades, Tim Matheson has been an on-screen favorite in Hollywood. In his debut memoir, Tim takes fans behind-the-scenes of his illustrious career, and reveals what it was like to learn from and work alongside the greats, including Lucille Ball, Dick Van Dyke, Steven Spielberg, and Aaron Sorkin. Tim also talks about how he transitioned from acting to directing, the role in The West Wing that nabbed him two Emmy nominations–and so much more.
Written by: Tim Matheson
-
The Incorruptibles
- A True Story of Kingpins, Crime Busters, and the Birth of the American Underworld
- Written by: Dan Slater
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the early 1900s, prior to World War I, New York City was a vortex of vice and corruption. On the Lower East Side, then the most crowded ghetto on earth, Eastern European Jews formed a dense web of crime syndicates. Gangs of horse poisoners and casino owners, pimps and prostitutes, thieves and thugs, jockeyed for dominance while their family members and neighbors toiled in the unregulated garment industry. But when the notorious murder of a gambler attracted global attention, a coterie of affluent German-Jewish uptowners decided to take matters into their own hands.
Written by: Dan Slater
-
The Radical King
- Written by: Cornel West - editor, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- Narrated by: LeVar Burton, Gabourey Sidibe, Cornel West, and others
- Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Wanda Sykes, LeVar Burton, Leslie Odom, Jr., and Gabourey Sidibe head a cast of beloved actors performing 23 selections from the speeches, sermons, and essays of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.—many never recorded during his lifetime. For the first time, teachers, students, and thoughtful listeners can hear dramatic interpretations of Dr. King’s words, chosen and introduced by Cornel West.
-
-
Dr. Cornel West does it again
- By Abdillahi Kadir Abdi on 2019-12-05
Written by: Cornel West - editor, and others
-
Pachinko
- Written by: Min Jin Lee
- Narrated by: Sandra Oh, Min Jin Lee
- Length: 17 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored daughter of a crippled fisherman, falls for a wealthy stranger. When she discovers she is pregnant–and that her lover is married–she accepts an offer of marriage from a gentle, sickly minister passing through on his way to Japan. But her decision to abandon her home, and to reject her son's powerful father, sets off a dramatic saga that will echo down through the generations. Profoundly moving, Pachinko is a story of love, sacrifice, ambition, and loyalty.
-
-
Blew me away
- By Abcde on 2024-12-29
Written by: Min Jin Lee
-
The Final Frontiersman
- Heimo Korth and His Family, Alone in Alaska's Arctic Wilderness
- Written by: James Campbell
- Narrated by: Dan Woren
- Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hundreds of hardy people have tried to carve a living in the Alaskan bush, but few have succeeded as consistently as Heimo Korth. Originally from Wisconsin, Heimo traveled to the Arctic wilderness in his feverous 20s. Now, more than four decades later, Heimo lives with his wife approximately 200 miles from civilization - a sustainable, nomadic life bounded by the migrating caribou, the dangers of swollen rivers, and the very exigencies of daily existence.
-
-
Great story
- By Big Bad John on 2019-08-23
Written by: James Campbell
-
Madness
- Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum
- Written by: Antonia Hylton
- Narrated by: Antonia Hylton
- Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On a cold day in March of 1911, officials marched twelve Black men into the heart of a forest in Maryland. Under the supervision of a doctor, the men were forced to clear the land, pour cement, lay bricks, and harvest tobacco. When construction finished, they became the first twelve patients of the state’s Hospital for the Negro Insane. For centuries, Black patients have been absent from our history books. Madness transports listeners behind the brick walls of a Jim Crow asylum. In Madness, journalist Antonia Hylton tells the 93-year-old history of Crownsville Hospital.
Written by: Antonia Hylton
-
Damn Glad to Meet You
- My Seven Decades in the Hollywood Trenches
- Written by: Tim Matheson
- Narrated by: Tim Matheson
- Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For the past seven decades, Tim Matheson has been an on-screen favorite in Hollywood. In his debut memoir, Tim takes fans behind-the-scenes of his illustrious career, and reveals what it was like to learn from and work alongside the greats, including Lucille Ball, Dick Van Dyke, Steven Spielberg, and Aaron Sorkin. Tim also talks about how he transitioned from acting to directing, the role in The West Wing that nabbed him two Emmy nominations–and so much more.
Written by: Tim Matheson
-
The Incorruptibles
- A True Story of Kingpins, Crime Busters, and the Birth of the American Underworld
- Written by: Dan Slater
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the early 1900s, prior to World War I, New York City was a vortex of vice and corruption. On the Lower East Side, then the most crowded ghetto on earth, Eastern European Jews formed a dense web of crime syndicates. Gangs of horse poisoners and casino owners, pimps and prostitutes, thieves and thugs, jockeyed for dominance while their family members and neighbors toiled in the unregulated garment industry. But when the notorious murder of a gambler attracted global attention, a coterie of affluent German-Jewish uptowners decided to take matters into their own hands.
Written by: Dan Slater
-
The Radical King
- Written by: Cornel West - editor, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- Narrated by: LeVar Burton, Gabourey Sidibe, Cornel West, and others
- Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Wanda Sykes, LeVar Burton, Leslie Odom, Jr., and Gabourey Sidibe head a cast of beloved actors performing 23 selections from the speeches, sermons, and essays of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.—many never recorded during his lifetime. For the first time, teachers, students, and thoughtful listeners can hear dramatic interpretations of Dr. King’s words, chosen and introduced by Cornel West.
-
-
Dr. Cornel West does it again
- By Abdillahi Kadir Abdi on 2019-12-05
Written by: Cornel West - editor, and others
-
Pachinko
- Written by: Min Jin Lee
- Narrated by: Sandra Oh, Min Jin Lee
- Length: 17 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored daughter of a crippled fisherman, falls for a wealthy stranger. When she discovers she is pregnant–and that her lover is married–she accepts an offer of marriage from a gentle, sickly minister passing through on his way to Japan. But her decision to abandon her home, and to reject her son's powerful father, sets off a dramatic saga that will echo down through the generations. Profoundly moving, Pachinko is a story of love, sacrifice, ambition, and loyalty.
-
-
Blew me away
- By Abcde on 2024-12-29
Written by: Min Jin Lee
-
The Final Frontiersman
- Heimo Korth and His Family, Alone in Alaska's Arctic Wilderness
- Written by: James Campbell
- Narrated by: Dan Woren
- Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hundreds of hardy people have tried to carve a living in the Alaskan bush, but few have succeeded as consistently as Heimo Korth. Originally from Wisconsin, Heimo traveled to the Arctic wilderness in his feverous 20s. Now, more than four decades later, Heimo lives with his wife approximately 200 miles from civilization - a sustainable, nomadic life bounded by the migrating caribou, the dangers of swollen rivers, and the very exigencies of daily existence.
-
-
Great story
- By Big Bad John on 2019-08-23
Written by: James Campbell
-
Madness
- Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum
- Written by: Antonia Hylton
- Narrated by: Antonia Hylton
- Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On a cold day in March of 1911, officials marched twelve Black men into the heart of a forest in Maryland. Under the supervision of a doctor, the men were forced to clear the land, pour cement, lay bricks, and harvest tobacco. When construction finished, they became the first twelve patients of the state’s Hospital for the Negro Insane. For centuries, Black patients have been absent from our history books. Madness transports listeners behind the brick walls of a Jim Crow asylum. In Madness, journalist Antonia Hylton tells the 93-year-old history of Crownsville Hospital.
Written by: Antonia Hylton
-
Dear Sister
- A Memoir of Secrets, Survival, and Unbreakable Bonds
- Written by: Michelle Horton
- Narrated by: Michelle Horton
- Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In September 2017, a knock on the door upends Michelle Horton’s life: she learns that her sister has just shot her partner and is now in jail. Stunned, Michelle rearranges her life to raise Nikki's two young children alongside her own son. During the investigation that follows, Michelle is shocked to learn that Nikki had been hiding horrific abuse for years. Michelle launches a fight to bring Nikki home, squaring off against a criminal justice system designed to punish the entire family.
-
-
dear sister
- By Christine Blake on 2025-01-16
Written by: Michelle Horton
-
The Exorcist Files
- True Stories About the Reality of Evil and How to Defeat It
- Written by: Father Carlos Martins
- Narrated by: Father Carlos Martins
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his blockbuster podcast, The Exorcist Files, Fr. Martins uncovers the disturbing reality of the forces of evil in our world, guiding listeners through many of his most graphic encounters with demonic entities. In this groundbreaking book, he dives deeper into the nature of evil to expose its dangers and to help us understand how to remain free from its influence and control.
-
-
Amazing insight on how demons operate
- By John Smith on 2024-12-20
Written by: Father Carlos Martins
-
The House of Beckham
- Money, Sex and Power
- Written by: Tom Bower
- Narrated by: Ciaran Saward
- Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As one of the most famous and influential couples in the world, David and Victoria Beckham have attained iconic status. The ultimate power couple have together built a multi-billion-dollar global brand. For decades, adoring fans have been captivated by the glamorous world they have created, but are their lives really as perfect as the Beckhams would like the world to believe? The House of Beckham unravels the extraordinary reality of the business-savvy cultural icons to tell an engrossing, often astonishing story of money, sex and power.
Written by: Tom Bower
-
The Wildes
- A Novel in Five Acts
- Written by: Louis Bayard
- Narrated by: Elisabeth Rodgers, Damian Lynch, P.J. Ochlan, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In September of 1892, Oscar Wilde and his family retreated to the idyllic Norfolk countryside for a holiday. His wife, Constance, has every reason to be happy: two beautiful sons, a stellar reputation as an advocate for progressive causes, and a delightfully charming and affectionate husband and father, who is perhaps the most famous man in England. But as an assortment of houseguests arrive, including an aristocratic young wannabe poet named Lord Alfred Douglas, Constance gradually—and then all at once—comes to see that her husband's heart is elsewhere.
-
-
Interesting angle
- By Amazon Customer on 2025-02-03
Written by: Louis Bayard
-
The Friday Afternoon Club
- A Family Memoir
- Written by: Griffin Dunne
- Narrated by: Griffin Dunne
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At nine, Sean Connery saved him from drowning. At thirteen, desperate to hook up with Janis Joplin, he attended his aunt Joan Didion and uncle John Gregory Dunne’s legendary LA launch party for Tom Wolfe’s The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. At sixteen, he got kicked out of boarding school, ending his institutional education for good.
-
-
Witty and well written.
- By Lydia B. on 2024-07-26
Written by: Griffin Dunne
-
JFK Jr.
- An Intimate Oral Biography
- Written by: RoseMarie Terenzio, Liz McNeil
- Narrated by: Michael David Axtell, Kevin R. Free, Lanna Joffrey, and others
- Length: 14 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The first oral biography of John F. Kennedy Jr. is an extraordinarily intimate, comprehensive look at the real man behind the myth. Sharing never-before-told stories and insights, his closest friends, confidantes, lovers, classmates, teachers, and colleagues paint a vivid portrait of one of the most beloved figures of the 20th century, revealing how the boy who saluted became the man America came to know and love who still captures public imagination twenty-five years after his tragic death.
-
-
Nothing we didn’t already know
- By Alison Posen on 2024-10-28
Written by: RoseMarie Terenzio, and others
-
56 Days
- Written by: Catherine Ryan Howard
- Narrated by: Alana Kerr Collins
- Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ciara and Oliver meet in a supermarket queue in Dublin and start dating the same week COVID-19 reaches Irish shores. When lockdown threatens to keep them apart, Oliver suggests they move in together. Ciara sees a unique opportunity for a relationship to flourish without the scrutiny of family and friends. Oliver sees a chance to hide who - and what - he really is.
-
-
Slow start but draws you in
- By Canmax on 2022-10-23
Written by: Catherine Ryan Howard
-
The Book of Murder
- A Prosecutor's Journey Through Love and Death
- Written by: Matt Murphy
- Narrated by: Matt Murphy
- Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Examining murder from an insider’s perspective, Matt Murphy—a former senior deputy district attorney and current ABC News legal analyst—discusses cases from his career, how they strained his personal life, and how he found peace seeking justice for victims and their families. Part taxonomy of murder, part prosecutor’s handbook, and part personal memoir, The Book of Murder goes through a dozen cases and his recollections of his 26 years in the Orange County DA’s office (17 in the Homicide Unit).
-
-
Not bad
- By Anonymous User on 2025-01-15
Written by: Matt Murphy
-
How the Earth Works
- Written by: Michael E. Wysession, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Michael E. Wysession
- Length: 24 hrs and 31 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How the Earth Works takes you on an astonishing journey through time and space. In 48 lectures, you will look at what went into making our planet - from the big bang, to the formation of the solar system, to the subsequent evolution of Earth.
-
-
very informative
- By Amazon Customer on 2023-04-19
Written by: Michael E. Wysession, and others
-
The ADHD Effect on Marriage
- Understand and Rebuild Your Relationship in Six Steps
- Written by: Melissa Orlov
- Narrated by: Laura Jennings
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A resource for couples in which one of the partners suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), this book guides troubled marriages toward an understanding and appreciation for the struggles and triumphs of a relationship affected by it and to look at the disorder in a more positive way. Going beyond traditional marriage counseling, this discussion offers advice from the author's personal experience and years of research and identifies patterns of behavior that can hurt marriages.
-
-
Partner of a ADHD Person
- By Alex O on 2019-03-20
Written by: Melissa Orlov
-
The Power of Positive Dog Training
- Written by: Pat Miller
- Narrated by: Susan Boyce
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this book, renowned dog trainer Pat Miller gives you the positive training tools you need to ensure that you and your dog share a lifetime of fun, companionship, and respect. By following her step-by-step, six-week basic training program, you'll learn how to develop a relationship with your dog based on friendship and positive reinforcement, not fear and punishment.
-
-
Excellent dog training resource
- By Angele on 2023-03-26
Written by: Pat Miller
-
Stress Resets
- How to Soothe Your Body and Mind in Minutes
- Written by: Jennifer Taitz PsyD ABPP
- Narrated by: Jennifer L. Taitz PsyD ABPP
- Length: 6 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here’s a promise that could not be more timely or needed: You can dial down your stress in just a few minutes, with no ponderous meditations, medications, or martinis required. Written by Dr. Jennifer L. Taitz, a clinical psychologist who specializes in teaching mindfulness-based behavioral skills to manage intense emotions and situations, Stress Resets provides 75 scientifically proven ways to improve how you respond to stress, both in the moment and the long run.
Written by: Jennifer Taitz PsyD ABPP
What the critics say
"Bold, brave and original, Ask Not takes a sledgehammer to the myth of Camelot. This is an unforgettable book—a necessary reckoning that will forever change the way I view modern American history." —Susannah Cahalan, author of The Great Pretender and the #1 New York Times bestseller Brain on Fire
“A harrowing, incendiary swirl of tragedy, true crime, and reconsidered history, Ask Not sets a match to the glamour and mystique of America’s most famous family. With incisive wit and wisdom, Callahan exposes the individuals and the celebrity culture that aided and abetted so many Kennedy men.” —Karen Abbott, New York Times bestselling author of The Ghosts of Eden Park and Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy
What listeners say about Ask Not
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lydia B.
- 2024-07-26
Engaging and hard to put down.
Lots of great information about the Kennedys. Ultimately more of a factual account without any in depth insights or character development. Still, a very compelling read
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lori K
- 2024-12-03
IT'S ABOUT TIME SOMEONE WROTE THIS BOOK!
"Ask Not: The Kennedys and the Women They Destroyed" is a compelling read that delves into the darker aspects of the Kennedy dynasty. I appreciated the thorough research and the unflinching look at how power and privilege impacted the behavior of the Kennedy men and the lives of the women associated with the family. The book is eye-opening and thought-provoking, offering a realistic perspective on a legendary American family.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Louise P.
- 2024-10-14
The most honest
I loved this book. It’s a no holds barred book about the women who lived with, slept with and gravitated around the Kennedy men going back generations to the present. The Family will not be pleased with this book, but the author is brutally honest and has the receipts to show ! The reader is excellent, sharp and not a bit syrupy. As a lover of history, I enjoyed the whole thing !!!!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Darrell Young
- 2024-07-13
Excellent, timely.
This book contributes to our understanding of recent history, and also current time as RFK Jr is running for president.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 2024-08-13
Gripping Read
This was a really well written book. Society deifies politicians, and the Kennedy brothers are still widely regarded amongst the greatest in American history. It’s clear that they ruined the lives of many women and the author did a service to those women by making them the focus of this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Irina R
- 2024-11-16
incredible!
Shocking revelations on the kennedys. Loved every part of this book! Highly recommend it!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jennefer Rousseau
- 2024-11-23
So much I didn’t know
I continue to be amazed by how much rich people can get away with things.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Charlene
- 2024-07-08
Fascinating!
I was ‘hooked’ especially on JFK J and Carolyn Bessette, truly a fascinating read into the many women who would cross paths with the Kennedy men. Maureen’s attention to archival detail enlightens in spades! Highly recommend.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- David Brereton
- 2024-08-05
Awful awful awful
This book is a huge fail. It’s very boring and very pedestrian. I was expecting much more, but this book is worse than some cheap magazine tabloid. A total waste of money.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lori
- 2024-08-22
Terrible waste of time and money - don’t bother
Such a convoluted mosh-mash of stories, many MANY of which were either completely unrelated to one another, or completely irrelevant, all to try and tie a narrative together.
It’s undeniably that the Kennedy men (and women) have gotten away with a lot because of their privilege, but this book, through the author’s storytelling techniques actually makes them look as though she is deliberately trying to smear them.
Had she simply stuck to the facts, the key people and events, rather than try and associate events completely unrelated to the Kennedy men ( hello, Mike Tyson’s rape sentence?!?!) to throw as many unsavoury stories at the reader/listener is a cheap tactic to confuse timelines and storylines for no purpose other than to unsuccessfully accomplish her goal of making them look as bad as possible.
Unfortunately, anyone with a little knowledge of these stories prior to reading this book can easily identify the myriad instances where the author fudges truths or leaves out key information.
Don’t bother wasting your time or money on this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful