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Four Friends: Promising Lives Cut Short
A powerful portrait of the lives of four boarding school graduates who died too young, John F. Kennedy, Jr. among them, by their fellow Andover classmate, New York Times bestselling author William D. Cohan.
In his masterful pieces for Vanity Fair and in his bestselling books, William D. Cohan has proven to be one of the most meticulous and intrepid journalists covering the world of Wall Street and high finance. In his utterly original new book, Four Friends , he brings all of his brilliant reportorial skills to a subject much closer to four friends of his who died young. All four attended Andover, the most elite of American boarding schools, before spinning out into very different orbits. Indelibly, using copious interviews from wives, girlfriends, colleagues, and friends, Cohan brings these men to life on the page.
Jack Berman, the child of impoverished Holocaust survivors, uses his unlikely Andover pedigree to achieve the American dream, only to be cut down in an unimaginable act of violence. Will Daniel, Harry Truman’s grandson and the son of the managing editor of The New York Times , does everything possible to escape the burdens of a family legacy he’s ultimately trapped by. Harry Bull builds the life of a careful, successful Chicago lawyer and heir to his family’s fortune...before taking an inexplicable and devastating risk on a beautiful summer day. And the life and death of John F. Kennedy, Jr.―a story we think we know―is told here with surprising new details that cast it in an entirely different light.
Four Friends is an immersive, wide-ranging, tragic, and ultimately inspiring account of promising lives cut short, written with compassion, honesty, and insight. It not only captures the fragility of life but also its poignant, magisterial, and pivotal moments.
In his masterful pieces for Vanity Fair and in his bestselling books, William D. Cohan has proven to be one of the most meticulous and intrepid journalists covering the world of Wall Street and high finance. In his utterly original new book, Four Friends , he brings all of his brilliant reportorial skills to a subject much closer to four friends of his who died young. All four attended Andover, the most elite of American boarding schools, before spinning out into very different orbits. Indelibly, using copious interviews from wives, girlfriends, colleagues, and friends, Cohan brings these men to life on the page.
Jack Berman, the child of impoverished Holocaust survivors, uses his unlikely Andover pedigree to achieve the American dream, only to be cut down in an unimaginable act of violence. Will Daniel, Harry Truman’s grandson and the son of the managing editor of The New York Times , does everything possible to escape the burdens of a family legacy he’s ultimately trapped by. Harry Bull builds the life of a careful, successful Chicago lawyer and heir to his family’s fortune...before taking an inexplicable and devastating risk on a beautiful summer day. And the life and death of John F. Kennedy, Jr.―a story we think we know―is told here with surprising new details that cast it in an entirely different light.
Four Friends is an immersive, wide-ranging, tragic, and ultimately inspiring account of promising lives cut short, written with compassion, honesty, and insight. It not only captures the fragility of life but also its poignant, magisterial, and pivotal moments.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published July 9, 2019
About the author
William D. Cohan
10 books174 followersWilliam David Cohan (born February 20, 1960) is an American business writer. He has written three books about business and economics and is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair.
Prior to becoming a journalist, he worked on Wall Street for seventeen years. He spent six years at Lazard Frères in New York, then Merrill Lynch & Co., and later became a managing director at JP Morgan Chase. He also worked for two years at GE Capital. Cohan is a graduate of Duke University, Columbia University School of Journalism, and Columbia University Graduate School of Business.
Cohan was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on February 20, 1960. His father was an accountant and his mother worked in administration.
In 1991 he married editor Deborah Gail Futter in a Jewish ceremony.
In 2007, he published The Last Tycoons The Secret History of Lazard Frères Co., about Lazard Frères. It won the 2007 Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award.
His book House of Cards A Tale of Hubris and Wretched Excess on Wall Street, describing the last days of Bear Stearns & Co., was published in March 2009. The book has received excellent reviews and was described as a "masterfully reported account" by Tim Rutten in The Los Angeles Times. It remained on the New York Times Bestseller list for several months.
In an op-ed article in the New York Times, Cohan said in March 2009 that Bear Stearns CEO Alan Schwartz and Lehman CEO Dick Fuld had engaged in a "tsunami of excuses" when they were responsible for their firms' collapse. In another op-ed written with Sandy B. Lewis in June 2009 he said that the current economic crisis is not over yet, and that "many of the fixes that the Obama administration has proposed will do little to address them and may make them worse."
His 2011 book, Money and Power How Goldman Sachs Came to Rule the World, examines the historical role and influence of Goldman Sachs.
His new book, The Price of Silence The Duke Lacrosse Scandal the Power of the Elite and the Corruption of Our Great Universities, about the story of the Duke lacrosse case, was published in 2014 by Scribner.
Prior to becoming a journalist, he worked on Wall Street for seventeen years. He spent six years at Lazard Frères in New York, then Merrill Lynch & Co., and later became a managing director at JP Morgan Chase. He also worked for two years at GE Capital. Cohan is a graduate of Duke University, Columbia University School of Journalism, and Columbia University Graduate School of Business.
Cohan was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on February 20, 1960. His father was an accountant and his mother worked in administration.
In 1991 he married editor Deborah Gail Futter in a Jewish ceremony.
In 2007, he published The Last Tycoons The Secret History of Lazard Frères Co., about Lazard Frères. It won the 2007 Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award.
His book House of Cards A Tale of Hubris and Wretched Excess on Wall Street, describing the last days of Bear Stearns & Co., was published in March 2009. The book has received excellent reviews and was described as a "masterfully reported account" by Tim Rutten in The Los Angeles Times. It remained on the New York Times Bestseller list for several months.
In an op-ed article in the New York Times, Cohan said in March 2009 that Bear Stearns CEO Alan Schwartz and Lehman CEO Dick Fuld had engaged in a "tsunami of excuses" when they were responsible for their firms' collapse. In another op-ed written with Sandy B. Lewis in June 2009 he said that the current economic crisis is not over yet, and that "many of the fixes that the Obama administration has proposed will do little to address them and may make them worse."
His 2011 book, Money and Power How Goldman Sachs Came to Rule the World, examines the historical role and influence of Goldman Sachs.
His new book, The Price of Silence The Duke Lacrosse Scandal the Power of the Elite and the Corruption of Our Great Universities, about the story of the Duke lacrosse case, was published in 2014 by Scribner.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
June 29, 2019
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway
William D. Cohan went to Andover one of the most elite boarding schools in America. The top families in this country send their kids there, so Cohan decided to write a book about four of his classmates who died tragically young.
Jack Berman was the child of Holocaust survivors who achieved the American dream and became a successful lawyer only to die when a mentally unstable man opened fire at his office. Will Daniel the grandson of Harry Truman struggled to overcome his famous family only to die in the streets of New York. Harry Bull built a comfortable life in Chicago as lawyer and heir to a family fortune only to die under tragic and mysterious circumstances. The last classmate was certainly the most famous one. John F. Kennedy Jr was American royalty, the son of an assassinated President and one of the most famous women ever. He was famous from before he was born and when his plane crashed the world mourned.
Four Friends was a sad read. I mean obviously I knew it would be sad since its about four dead guys but gosh it was sad and depressing.
So naturally I loved it!
Despite my love of all things Kennedy, I found the section on John Jr to be the least interesting. I didn't learn anything new and it seemed like he relied a little to heavily on rumors and tabloid stories. The other three guys stories were so heartbreaking and fascinating that I felt like I really got to know them.
I hadn't read anything by William D. Cohan before but if all his writing is as good as this then I need to read more by him.
Four Friends is a captivating and tragic read. Cohan weaves a heart wrenching tale of four promising lives snuffed out too soon.
A must read!
William D. Cohan went to Andover one of the most elite boarding schools in America. The top families in this country send their kids there, so Cohan decided to write a book about four of his classmates who died tragically young.
Jack Berman was the child of Holocaust survivors who achieved the American dream and became a successful lawyer only to die when a mentally unstable man opened fire at his office. Will Daniel the grandson of Harry Truman struggled to overcome his famous family only to die in the streets of New York. Harry Bull built a comfortable life in Chicago as lawyer and heir to a family fortune only to die under tragic and mysterious circumstances. The last classmate was certainly the most famous one. John F. Kennedy Jr was American royalty, the son of an assassinated President and one of the most famous women ever. He was famous from before he was born and when his plane crashed the world mourned.
Four Friends was a sad read. I mean obviously I knew it would be sad since its about four dead guys but gosh it was sad and depressing.
So naturally I loved it!
Despite my love of all things Kennedy, I found the section on John Jr to be the least interesting. I didn't learn anything new and it seemed like he relied a little to heavily on rumors and tabloid stories. The other three guys stories were so heartbreaking and fascinating that I felt like I really got to know them.
I hadn't read anything by William D. Cohan before but if all his writing is as good as this then I need to read more by him.
Four Friends is a captivating and tragic read. Cohan weaves a heart wrenching tale of four promising lives snuffed out too soon.
A must read!
October 9, 2019
It has taken me over a week to gather myself enough to express my feelings toward the book "Four Friends: Promising Lives Cut Short" by William Cohan. I was horrified to recently learn from a childhood friend that my brother Brad's accidental death in 1971 is described in Mr. Cohan's book. To be clear. I have not read this book, nor do I intend to. This 'review' is based on the one page that I have read, regarding my brother's death. Below are the major issues I have with Mr. Cohan's insensitive and inaccurate text, along with some comments for the potential reader.
1. No one from my family was contacted to let us know that this very private, painful and personal story was to be made public in a book. One should not have to relive such a traumatic event in the same way, and at the same time, as the general public is learning of it. I am glad my parents are no longer alive. They would be completely devastated. Mr. Cohan is considered an investigative journalist. I don't know why he couldn't track down one of Brad's siblings. Though I understand Mr. Cohan has the right to publish this information it would have been common courtesy to discuss it with us first.
2. The details of my brother's death that Mr. Cohan presents are inaccurate. The obituary would have given him the information he needed as would the police report that I obtained from the Massachusetts State Police in 1996. I recently called the Shrewsbury, MA Police Department to see if perhaps they had a report that differed from that of the MSP. They have no such report as the MSP took control of the accident. Mr. Cohan's details do not match those of the MSP report, nor what we were told at the time of Brad's death. Again, as an investigative journalist, why couldn't Mr. Cohan find and present accurate details?
3. I do not feel Mr. Cohan issued any sense of empathy or real care for my brother in his writing. It feels to me more like the telling of a dramatic story to add color to his new book. Brad was so much more than the one moment that took his life, a moment Mr. Cohan describes as having been one of "appallingly bad judgment".
Brad was an adventurous 14-year-old boy who just wanted to add to his new hobby's collection. Sadly, it took his life. As Brad's younger sister, I choose to focus on the beautiful qualities that I recall about him. He was smart, kind, inquisitive, creative and curious. He built radios, loved his Chemistry set, and enjoyed his 10-speed bike. He rebuilt two outboard motors that he got for Christmas. Brad loved going into the wooded ponds to collect polywogs and frogs. He put garter snakes down his shirt to the screeches of his younger sisters. He built a body-size orange cardboard UNICEF box that he wore as his costume on Halloween one year. Brad could sketch and write poetry. He sang in the church choir. He loved going to summer camp on Lake Winnepesaukee in NH where he could have fun and was free to expand himself with new opportunities, and, yes, Brad collected glass insulators. THAT was my brother. All of that. And so much more. I know that Brad died doing something he loved and I find comfort in that.
For 48 years my family has lived with a life-long thread of trauma and sadness that continues to run through us all. Mr. Cohan's inability to express empathy and write factual details has devastated Brad's three siblings, not to mention his cousins, old friends, neighbors, and school buddies who might stumble upon the book, as my childhood friend did.
For those of you who decide to buy this book after reading this review please know that Brad was a beautiful young boy and so much more than the story Mr. Cohan tells. Please take that with you.
Anyone interested in learning more about the impact of death and grief on children a valuable resource is The Center For Grieving Children in Portland, Maine. (Permission was granted to post their organization's name).
Martha Morrison
1. No one from my family was contacted to let us know that this very private, painful and personal story was to be made public in a book. One should not have to relive such a traumatic event in the same way, and at the same time, as the general public is learning of it. I am glad my parents are no longer alive. They would be completely devastated. Mr. Cohan is considered an investigative journalist. I don't know why he couldn't track down one of Brad's siblings. Though I understand Mr. Cohan has the right to publish this information it would have been common courtesy to discuss it with us first.
2. The details of my brother's death that Mr. Cohan presents are inaccurate. The obituary would have given him the information he needed as would the police report that I obtained from the Massachusetts State Police in 1996. I recently called the Shrewsbury, MA Police Department to see if perhaps they had a report that differed from that of the MSP. They have no such report as the MSP took control of the accident. Mr. Cohan's details do not match those of the MSP report, nor what we were told at the time of Brad's death. Again, as an investigative journalist, why couldn't Mr. Cohan find and present accurate details?
3. I do not feel Mr. Cohan issued any sense of empathy or real care for my brother in his writing. It feels to me more like the telling of a dramatic story to add color to his new book. Brad was so much more than the one moment that took his life, a moment Mr. Cohan describes as having been one of "appallingly bad judgment".
Brad was an adventurous 14-year-old boy who just wanted to add to his new hobby's collection. Sadly, it took his life. As Brad's younger sister, I choose to focus on the beautiful qualities that I recall about him. He was smart, kind, inquisitive, creative and curious. He built radios, loved his Chemistry set, and enjoyed his 10-speed bike. He rebuilt two outboard motors that he got for Christmas. Brad loved going into the wooded ponds to collect polywogs and frogs. He put garter snakes down his shirt to the screeches of his younger sisters. He built a body-size orange cardboard UNICEF box that he wore as his costume on Halloween one year. Brad could sketch and write poetry. He sang in the church choir. He loved going to summer camp on Lake Winnepesaukee in NH where he could have fun and was free to expand himself with new opportunities, and, yes, Brad collected glass insulators. THAT was my brother. All of that. And so much more. I know that Brad died doing something he loved and I find comfort in that.
For 48 years my family has lived with a life-long thread of trauma and sadness that continues to run through us all. Mr. Cohan's inability to express empathy and write factual details has devastated Brad's three siblings, not to mention his cousins, old friends, neighbors, and school buddies who might stumble upon the book, as my childhood friend did.
For those of you who decide to buy this book after reading this review please know that Brad was a beautiful young boy and so much more than the story Mr. Cohan tells. Please take that with you.
Anyone interested in learning more about the impact of death and grief on children a valuable resource is The Center For Grieving Children in Portland, Maine. (Permission was granted to post their organization's name).
Martha Morrison
September 23, 2019
** I am vague in areas to avoid spoilers.
I heard about this book when Willian Cohan was interviewed for something on CNN. They gave a little plug for the book, and I was intrigued. Having grown up in Massachusetts, and as a college prep tutor, I know a lot about Andover, and the story sounded compelling. However, I found this book disappointing. In fact, I returned it once about half way through, but decided I should finish it to write a fair review. I bought it again and wish I hadn't.
I was turned off by page 24 in this book, when Cohan writes about the death of a childhood classmate, Brad Morrison. Referring to Morrison's death, Cohan summarizes with: "his life snuffed out in an instant, a victim of appallingly bad judgment." I was barely in to this book and found this comment harsh and insensitive. Brad Morrison was 14 years old! I wondered how his family would feel reading this, and commented on that in my notes. I subsequently found this comment by Brad's sister very powerful to read: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
The rest of my review hits on this point repeatedly: while he claims these four men were friends, there is a shocking lack of empathy or human concern by William Cohan for the subjects in this book, or their friends and families. As a journalist, he does not need to sugar-coat or report only the good, but is there a need to denigrate these people? It put me off to a negative start, and little changed my mind throughout this book.
As other reviews have noted, the author beats the reader over the head with Andover. Yes, it's a very prestigious school. Many readers may not have heard of it before, but sixty pages in, when Cohan finally introduces the first "friend," I was getting really sick of hearing about how special it is, and how only the elite of the elite get in, unless they are extra-special, or token minorities. The Andover bits are peppered with misogynistic comments; catty observations, and holier-than-thou storytelling. It came off as vapid and repetitive. Interestingly, the first chapter (about Andover) is titled: "Not for Oneself," when everything Cohan reports about these four men (except Jack Berman), seems to focus for the most part, on very egocentric lives.
The story of Jack Berman, the first of the four friends, is the one story that truly held my attention and speaks to true tragedy. The child of Holocaust survivors, Berman's story is powerful and inspiring. Berman was not raised in a privileged, pretentious home; he worked hard, was highly intelligent, and his parents built a life from nothing. His older brother recognized Jack's incredible intelligence, when Jack was quite young, and sought a better education and life for his little brother. Berman did not arrive at Andover with a legacy, or wealth; he got in on his strength of character and academic accomplishments. All of these stories end in tragedy, but Jack Berman's is the only one that does not stem from his own failings (as suggested by Cohan, in other stories). This story is truly heart-breaking–– about a man who was good and righteous. He did not ride on coat tails, he forged his own path to success and his life ended in the most horrible of ways.
Unfortunately, all three of the other stories focus on hubris, entitlement, legacies that are hard to live up to, and boys (then men) behaving badly. None of the subjects seem to be actual "friends" of the author, and at times, the reporting reads as nit-picking and salacious gossip–– for instance, it was not unusual for young people to be smoking weed, or doing cocaine in the mid-seventies and early eighties, but Cohan reports these activities as if those involved are criminals, with intense focus on these foibles, and little attention to their strengths or accomplishments. Granted, there is some very irresponsible behavior (serious car accidents, over-use of drugs, etc), but there is too much focus on this aspect of their personalities, and not enough on the good for balance.
These four men all graduated from one of the most prestigious, rigorous college prep schools in the world (again, be prepared to hear that over and over), and yet Cohan makes it sound like all but Berman got through without any effort. I don't buy that. They failed exams and partied, but we don't get to see the hard work and focus that must have been part of their success and graduations from Andover, as well–– unless we're to believe that this same rigorous school lets people slide by? I found this tedious and repetitive. There's little depth in the reporting, but a litany of bad behaviors, about four boys who become successful men, then die tragically.
And that is another key thing that bothered me in this book: all of these deaths are indeed tragic. These men died young, and all of them in unnatural, shocking ways. Yet, aside from Berman, Cohan tells each story in a way that seems to indict each man in his own death. While I understand there were decisions made that led to these tragedies, I found this storytelling akin to the trolls who weigh in on tragedies in online news stories––arm-chair analysis, based on hearsay and presumptions. After Berman's story, this repetitive style of reporting turned me off this book.
The author frequently quotes friends, family, and acquaintances of the subjects, but intersperses very bold statements between quotes, as if they are continuations of the quotes; when in fact they appear to be Cohan's assumptions. For instance, about John Kennedy and Carolyn Bessette (who is dragged through the mud in this book–– zero compassion or balance in reporting!); Cohan is quoting Sasha Chermayeff (a close friend of John, and Andover classmate) about his marriage: "He took these incredibly super sexy pictures of John and Carolyn where they were like on fire. She even said to me,'We were like on fire during that session,' and you can tell"... (same paragraph, but outside quotes:) But she was fickle, Chermayeff continued. Caroyln was married to John but had fallen back in love with Bergin. "She wanted it all..." This kind of "reporting" or storytelling is very misleading, I believe. Cohan slips these observations in, stating that Chermayeff stated this, but it's not in quotes. This happens often in all of the stories, but particularly in the JFKjr story. In addition, there are countless editorial mistakes that really jumped out at me (as an editor)–– dates and details that change, with no explanation. I read this on Kindle, so maybe there were glitches (?), but I highlighted many of them.
Finally, the book gives about 60 pages (each) to the first three men, but 135 to John Kennedy. This came off as particularly exploitive and sensational. As others have noted, there is nothing new here, but I felt that Cohan put an exceptionally negative spin on almost all aspects of John's life. He is painted as an entitled, (excessive) drug using, angry, promiscuous, risk-taking, careless, (insert endless other negative assertions) boy and then man. There is little compassion for the young man who grew up in a spotlight not of his choosing, or, that he did many things young people his age did. He wanted a happy life, and lived life fully... and died in an accident that can't be fully explained, because all 3 passengers died tragically, that day. To insinuate that it was due to Carolyn's pedicure (I've run late for silly reasons), or John's hubris, is underestimating the power of fate. We make a series of decisions every day, that might end in horrible ways... while on another day, these same things might go very differently.
I found this section particularly salacious and insensitive. I wasn't looking to learn anything new about JFK Jr; I doubt there is much more to learn. The man's life was lived under a microscope, and after his death everyone with a story came out to talk. These stories were reported endlessly, as they are on the anniversary of his death each year. It's sad. Cohan didn't need to focus double the space on one "friend," when all four men lived lives that were full, and ended equally tragically.
I tried to read each story as written, but found the overall arc of each one focused too much on negative details, and hurtful interpretations. There is too little good here. There is too little about the other things that made each of these people human, and fully fleshed out. It's sad that William Cohan, a "friend" of these men has written a book that takes away from their lives, rather than telling a more balanced story, that brings compassionate light to their lives and deaths.
Final note: this is an easy read, and each story is told separately. If you're on the fence, it doesn't take a big chunk of time to read this book.
I heard about this book when Willian Cohan was interviewed for something on CNN. They gave a little plug for the book, and I was intrigued. Having grown up in Massachusetts, and as a college prep tutor, I know a lot about Andover, and the story sounded compelling. However, I found this book disappointing. In fact, I returned it once about half way through, but decided I should finish it to write a fair review. I bought it again and wish I hadn't.
I was turned off by page 24 in this book, when Cohan writes about the death of a childhood classmate, Brad Morrison. Referring to Morrison's death, Cohan summarizes with: "his life snuffed out in an instant, a victim of appallingly bad judgment." I was barely in to this book and found this comment harsh and insensitive. Brad Morrison was 14 years old! I wondered how his family would feel reading this, and commented on that in my notes. I subsequently found this comment by Brad's sister very powerful to read: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
The rest of my review hits on this point repeatedly: while he claims these four men were friends, there is a shocking lack of empathy or human concern by William Cohan for the subjects in this book, or their friends and families. As a journalist, he does not need to sugar-coat or report only the good, but is there a need to denigrate these people? It put me off to a negative start, and little changed my mind throughout this book.
As other reviews have noted, the author beats the reader over the head with Andover. Yes, it's a very prestigious school. Many readers may not have heard of it before, but sixty pages in, when Cohan finally introduces the first "friend," I was getting really sick of hearing about how special it is, and how only the elite of the elite get in, unless they are extra-special, or token minorities. The Andover bits are peppered with misogynistic comments; catty observations, and holier-than-thou storytelling. It came off as vapid and repetitive. Interestingly, the first chapter (about Andover) is titled: "Not for Oneself," when everything Cohan reports about these four men (except Jack Berman), seems to focus for the most part, on very egocentric lives.
The story of Jack Berman, the first of the four friends, is the one story that truly held my attention and speaks to true tragedy. The child of Holocaust survivors, Berman's story is powerful and inspiring. Berman was not raised in a privileged, pretentious home; he worked hard, was highly intelligent, and his parents built a life from nothing. His older brother recognized Jack's incredible intelligence, when Jack was quite young, and sought a better education and life for his little brother. Berman did not arrive at Andover with a legacy, or wealth; he got in on his strength of character and academic accomplishments. All of these stories end in tragedy, but Jack Berman's is the only one that does not stem from his own failings (as suggested by Cohan, in other stories). This story is truly heart-breaking–– about a man who was good and righteous. He did not ride on coat tails, he forged his own path to success and his life ended in the most horrible of ways.
Unfortunately, all three of the other stories focus on hubris, entitlement, legacies that are hard to live up to, and boys (then men) behaving badly. None of the subjects seem to be actual "friends" of the author, and at times, the reporting reads as nit-picking and salacious gossip–– for instance, it was not unusual for young people to be smoking weed, or doing cocaine in the mid-seventies and early eighties, but Cohan reports these activities as if those involved are criminals, with intense focus on these foibles, and little attention to their strengths or accomplishments. Granted, there is some very irresponsible behavior (serious car accidents, over-use of drugs, etc), but there is too much focus on this aspect of their personalities, and not enough on the good for balance.
These four men all graduated from one of the most prestigious, rigorous college prep schools in the world (again, be prepared to hear that over and over), and yet Cohan makes it sound like all but Berman got through without any effort. I don't buy that. They failed exams and partied, but we don't get to see the hard work and focus that must have been part of their success and graduations from Andover, as well–– unless we're to believe that this same rigorous school lets people slide by? I found this tedious and repetitive. There's little depth in the reporting, but a litany of bad behaviors, about four boys who become successful men, then die tragically.
And that is another key thing that bothered me in this book: all of these deaths are indeed tragic. These men died young, and all of them in unnatural, shocking ways. Yet, aside from Berman, Cohan tells each story in a way that seems to indict each man in his own death. While I understand there were decisions made that led to these tragedies, I found this storytelling akin to the trolls who weigh in on tragedies in online news stories––arm-chair analysis, based on hearsay and presumptions. After Berman's story, this repetitive style of reporting turned me off this book.
The author frequently quotes friends, family, and acquaintances of the subjects, but intersperses very bold statements between quotes, as if they are continuations of the quotes; when in fact they appear to be Cohan's assumptions. For instance, about John Kennedy and Carolyn Bessette (who is dragged through the mud in this book–– zero compassion or balance in reporting!); Cohan is quoting Sasha Chermayeff (a close friend of John, and Andover classmate) about his marriage: "He took these incredibly super sexy pictures of John and Carolyn where they were like on fire. She even said to me,'We were like on fire during that session,' and you can tell"... (same paragraph, but outside quotes:) But she was fickle, Chermayeff continued. Caroyln was married to John but had fallen back in love with Bergin. "She wanted it all..." This kind of "reporting" or storytelling is very misleading, I believe. Cohan slips these observations in, stating that Chermayeff stated this, but it's not in quotes. This happens often in all of the stories, but particularly in the JFKjr story. In addition, there are countless editorial mistakes that really jumped out at me (as an editor)–– dates and details that change, with no explanation. I read this on Kindle, so maybe there were glitches (?), but I highlighted many of them.
Finally, the book gives about 60 pages (each) to the first three men, but 135 to John Kennedy. This came off as particularly exploitive and sensational. As others have noted, there is nothing new here, but I felt that Cohan put an exceptionally negative spin on almost all aspects of John's life. He is painted as an entitled, (excessive) drug using, angry, promiscuous, risk-taking, careless, (insert endless other negative assertions) boy and then man. There is little compassion for the young man who grew up in a spotlight not of his choosing, or, that he did many things young people his age did. He wanted a happy life, and lived life fully... and died in an accident that can't be fully explained, because all 3 passengers died tragically, that day. To insinuate that it was due to Carolyn's pedicure (I've run late for silly reasons), or John's hubris, is underestimating the power of fate. We make a series of decisions every day, that might end in horrible ways... while on another day, these same things might go very differently.
I found this section particularly salacious and insensitive. I wasn't looking to learn anything new about JFK Jr; I doubt there is much more to learn. The man's life was lived under a microscope, and after his death everyone with a story came out to talk. These stories were reported endlessly, as they are on the anniversary of his death each year. It's sad. Cohan didn't need to focus double the space on one "friend," when all four men lived lives that were full, and ended equally tragically.
I tried to read each story as written, but found the overall arc of each one focused too much on negative details, and hurtful interpretations. There is too little good here. There is too little about the other things that made each of these people human, and fully fleshed out. It's sad that William Cohan, a "friend" of these men has written a book that takes away from their lives, rather than telling a more balanced story, that brings compassionate light to their lives and deaths.
Final note: this is an easy read, and each story is told separately. If you're on the fence, it doesn't take a big chunk of time to read this book.
July 11, 2019
William Cohan is the author of several works of non-fiction. They tend to be books about companies and the people who run them. He's written about Lazard Freres, Goldman Sachs, and Wall Street, in general. He also wrote a book about the Duke University Mens' Lacrosse team scandal. I'm mentioning Cohan's back list to point out that he knows a lot about wealthy people and how they got that way. And instead of concentrating on the nitty-gritty of economics, he shows the human component behind the business. And so it is with his newest book, "Four Friends: Promising Lives Cut Short".
William Cohan, along with his brothers and cousin, attended Philips Andover Academy in Massachusetts for high school. The school is one of the finest schools in the country, private or public, and traditionally sends half its graduation class to Harvard/Yale/Princeton. Cohan goes on about Andover - both HW and W Bush were graduates - and how their graduates are well-suited to take their place in the halls of power - if they choose. In his book, Cohan selects four friends who all graduated in the same time period as Cohan, and looks at their lives post-Andover. One the four chosen was John Kennedy, Jr. The other three men were obviously more ordinary - I mean, who isn't? - but still managed to make their marks in life. One man was murdered in a mass-shooting, another was hit by a taxi while jaywalking in NYC, one was killed with his two daughters in a sailing accident, and one was killed with his wife and sister-in-law in a plane crash off Martha's Vineyard. I'll let you guess which one takes up 39% of the book.
After reading and enjoying the book - one of the men was from the Chicago area where I live - I wondered why William Cohan wrote it. Did he really just want to write another of the 100 books about John Kennedy's death on the 20th anniversary of his death and was told by his publisher that it wouldn't sell? Was he told to add some other men - tying it all together with the elite private school where all were educated? I don't know the answer; hell, I don't know if its even the right question to ask. So, I am just going to accept that I learned more about John Kennedy than I knew before, with some Interesting additional people thrown in.
William Cohan, along with his brothers and cousin, attended Philips Andover Academy in Massachusetts for high school. The school is one of the finest schools in the country, private or public, and traditionally sends half its graduation class to Harvard/Yale/Princeton. Cohan goes on about Andover - both HW and W Bush were graduates - and how their graduates are well-suited to take their place in the halls of power - if they choose. In his book, Cohan selects four friends who all graduated in the same time period as Cohan, and looks at their lives post-Andover. One the four chosen was John Kennedy, Jr. The other three men were obviously more ordinary - I mean, who isn't? - but still managed to make their marks in life. One man was murdered in a mass-shooting, another was hit by a taxi while jaywalking in NYC, one was killed with his two daughters in a sailing accident, and one was killed with his wife and sister-in-law in a plane crash off Martha's Vineyard. I'll let you guess which one takes up 39% of the book.
After reading and enjoying the book - one of the men was from the Chicago area where I live - I wondered why William Cohan wrote it. Did he really just want to write another of the 100 books about John Kennedy's death on the 20th anniversary of his death and was told by his publisher that it wouldn't sell? Was he told to add some other men - tying it all together with the elite private school where all were educated? I don't know the answer; hell, I don't know if its even the right question to ask. So, I am just going to accept that I learned more about John Kennedy than I knew before, with some Interesting additional people thrown in.
July 30, 2019
I thought the author would have actually been friends with the four people he writes about in the book. In actuality, it seems as if the only thing he had in common with them is the fact that they all attended Andover at the same time. Not once does he mention that he was friends with any of them. The three promising men whose lives were cut short seem simply to be filler so the author could make money off the section on JFK Jr.
May 19, 2019
Four friends, four stars. I won this as a Goodreads giveaway. Great insight into these four hopes and dreams and what happened.
July 7, 2019
I won this book from goodreads. I had entered to win after listening to an interview with the author on Fresh Air. I feel duped.
This book purports to be about four people who died too young, and about whom i was led to believe the author cared. However, in the first 61 pages of the book, those people are barely mentioned. Instead, the book so far has just been bragging about this great school the author went to and how cool everyone is that went there and how lucky they all were. I guess i thought there would be some kind of villainy that led to the deaths of these men, but nope. Also, is it really dying young when you’re in your late 30s or early 40s? As someone in my early 30s, I’d be perfectly satisfied if i checked out in the next ten years.
I think the point of this book just went over my head, perhaps because of its layout. If you want me to care about these guys, don’t start out by talking about how great the high school they attended was. If it’s a story about individuals, talk about them. Lay some groundwork about them, not what American royalty attended your high school.
This book purports to be about four people who died too young, and about whom i was led to believe the author cared. However, in the first 61 pages of the book, those people are barely mentioned. Instead, the book so far has just been bragging about this great school the author went to and how cool everyone is that went there and how lucky they all were. I guess i thought there would be some kind of villainy that led to the deaths of these men, but nope. Also, is it really dying young when you’re in your late 30s or early 40s? As someone in my early 30s, I’d be perfectly satisfied if i checked out in the next ten years.
I think the point of this book just went over my head, perhaps because of its layout. If you want me to care about these guys, don’t start out by talking about how great the high school they attended was. If it’s a story about individuals, talk about them. Lay some groundwork about them, not what American royalty attended your high school.
June 11, 2019
Disclaimer: I received this book as part of the Goodreads Giveaway program
William Cohan, known for his business writing, demonstrates comprehensive research in his account of the four men who attended Andover at the same time as theauthor. There are quotes from former schoolmates, girlfriends, and family members. The beginning section is an exhaustive account of how special Andover is. Anybody who has ever heard of Andover realizes it is an elite prep school with high expectations for achievement. Those who haven’t heard of Andover probably don’t care. Andover is incredibly difficult to get into unless you are a “legacy,” the offspring of somebody who attended. Then, apparently, academic and social difficulties don’t matter.
Cohan points out that each of these men had “issues;” substance abuse, psychological, relationships with family as well as romantic involvements. Apparently, despite the wealth and prominence these men came from, nobody attempted to assist. The accounts are quite reminiscent of the “boys will be boys” attitude that prevailed during those years.
Any life ended young is a tragedy, but for three of these men, it was not fate that intervened, it was a lifetime of poor choices and even worse decisions that directly led to their deaths. Cohan doesn’t really explore this aspect. He recounts facts regarding the reckless decisions which led to the end of these three lives, but chooses not to go deeper. The accounts of all four men read like a recitation of fact; there is little genuine caring evident in the writing. The author’s seeming remove and disengagement led to this reader finding the book, overall, to be uninteresting.
William Cohan, known for his business writing, demonstrates comprehensive research in his account of the four men who attended Andover at the same time as theauthor. There are quotes from former schoolmates, girlfriends, and family members. The beginning section is an exhaustive account of how special Andover is. Anybody who has ever heard of Andover realizes it is an elite prep school with high expectations for achievement. Those who haven’t heard of Andover probably don’t care. Andover is incredibly difficult to get into unless you are a “legacy,” the offspring of somebody who attended. Then, apparently, academic and social difficulties don’t matter.
Cohan points out that each of these men had “issues;” substance abuse, psychological, relationships with family as well as romantic involvements. Apparently, despite the wealth and prominence these men came from, nobody attempted to assist. The accounts are quite reminiscent of the “boys will be boys” attitude that prevailed during those years.
Any life ended young is a tragedy, but for three of these men, it was not fate that intervened, it was a lifetime of poor choices and even worse decisions that directly led to their deaths. Cohan doesn’t really explore this aspect. He recounts facts regarding the reckless decisions which led to the end of these three lives, but chooses not to go deeper. The accounts of all four men read like a recitation of fact; there is little genuine caring evident in the writing. The author’s seeming remove and disengagement led to this reader finding the book, overall, to be uninteresting.
August 11, 2019
Wow. It would be difficult to fully express how much I detested this book. William Cohan went to Andover. William Cohan had some friends and acquaintances of varying degrees of closeness. William Cohan wants you to know that alcohol and drugs and recklessness and half assed academic performances are all okay if you are one of the few from the rarified privileged class. You can count on an endless array of headmasters and faculty to write rapturous letters home to your parents. Your scrapes, accidents, speeding and parking tickets will be taken care of. The women in your life will maybe have a clue, or maybe not, but no matter, Cohan’s unquestioned sexism (including a just awful hatchet job on Carolyn Bessette Kennedy) will wash over all of them. Lots of folks refused to be interviewed and they were really prescient. Those who did come across as unable to string a coherent sentence together, or holding on to petty grudges, or foul mouthed in the extreme. One of these ‘heroes’ of Andover managed to kill himself AND his two small children. He tells us over and over again about how celebrity was a problem for two of his subjects, one who never told people whose grandson he was (a point he makes a million times).
October 6, 2019
First, I have to say that Cohan is a journalist, and what they do is take the smallest amount of information and manage to write copious amounts from that. There is so much wrong with this book I don't know where to start.
First, the title. It should have been 'Four People I Went to School with But Barely Knew'. If these were his 'friends' then you would expect lots of personal stories and observations, and that is sadly missing.
Second, the subtitle. Although much was expected of JFK, Jr (but you get the impression that he would not live up to it) two of the others, although successful, were not game changers and one was a bit of a slacker.
Third, the prologue. He goes into quite a bit of detail about another person in their school who seriously injures someone in a car accident. It has nothing to do with the four 'friends', and just seems like a random section.
Fourth, the premise. Apparently, if you are well off, or well connected, you don't have to make an effort because people will overlook quite a bit. Andover appears to be a school for spoiled rich boys who can flaunt the rules, do poorly, and still get into an Ivy.
Fifth, the writing style. I found all the stories to skip around a bit too much. Their was not a lot of continuity.
Sixth, the research. Or I should say, lack thereof. It seems that he contacted anyone who was even remotely connected with these four boys, and reports their observations as absolute truth. I felt like I was in a Ferris Bueller loop and Simone was about to tell me about her 'best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who's going with the girl...' and had a fascinating story to tell. At one point he relies on a woman in a salon who eavesdrops on JFK's wife. Every time he had to admit 'XX refused to comment' he managed to find someone who talked to someone else and THEY said...
Seventh, his quotes. If someone is incapable of putting together two thoughts in a cohesive way, or complete a sentence without repeating themselves six times, WHY would you want to quote them directly?
Eighth, his ego. I felt like he would bring up topics JUST so he could inject himself into the story.
Cohan took the tragic deaths of four people he went to school with and (I'm sure without family approval) tried to turn it into a full book.
I originally filed this book as a DNF about halfway through the second segment. The first segment about Jack Berman was touching, but the second segment about Will Daniel (grandson of Harry Truman) seemed pointless.But it was for book club, so I picked it back up determined to finish. And, Hey! Maybe it would get better! Besides, I was interested in what he had to say about JFK, Jr, as I didn't know much about him. Unfortunately, the JFK, Jr segment was the worst part. I didn't have to know how bad his feet smelled, or how someone threw up on the table when invited over for dinner.
First, the title. It should have been 'Four People I Went to School with But Barely Knew'. If these were his 'friends' then you would expect lots of personal stories and observations, and that is sadly missing.
Second, the subtitle. Although much was expected of JFK, Jr (but you get the impression that he would not live up to it) two of the others, although successful, were not game changers and one was a bit of a slacker.
Third, the prologue. He goes into quite a bit of detail about another person in their school who seriously injures someone in a car accident. It has nothing to do with the four 'friends', and just seems like a random section.
Fourth, the premise. Apparently, if you are well off, or well connected, you don't have to make an effort because people will overlook quite a bit. Andover appears to be a school for spoiled rich boys who can flaunt the rules, do poorly, and still get into an Ivy.
Fifth, the writing style. I found all the stories to skip around a bit too much. Their was not a lot of continuity.
Sixth, the research. Or I should say, lack thereof. It seems that he contacted anyone who was even remotely connected with these four boys, and reports their observations as absolute truth. I felt like I was in a Ferris Bueller loop and Simone was about to tell me about her 'best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who's going with the girl...' and had a fascinating story to tell. At one point he relies on a woman in a salon who eavesdrops on JFK's wife. Every time he had to admit 'XX refused to comment' he managed to find someone who talked to someone else and THEY said...
Seventh, his quotes. If someone is incapable of putting together two thoughts in a cohesive way, or complete a sentence without repeating themselves six times, WHY would you want to quote them directly?
Eighth, his ego. I felt like he would bring up topics JUST so he could inject himself into the story.
Cohan took the tragic deaths of four people he went to school with and (I'm sure without family approval) tried to turn it into a full book.
I originally filed this book as a DNF about halfway through the second segment. The first segment about Jack Berman was touching, but the second segment about Will Daniel (grandson of Harry Truman) seemed pointless.But it was for book club, so I picked it back up determined to finish. And, Hey! Maybe it would get better! Besides, I was interested in what he had to say about JFK, Jr, as I didn't know much about him. Unfortunately, the JFK, Jr segment was the worst part. I didn't have to know how bad his feet smelled, or how someone threw up on the table when invited over for dinner.
May 24, 2019
The latest book by William D. Cohan, Four Friends: Promising Lives Cut Short chronicles the lives of four of Mr. Cohan's classmates at the very elite Phillips Academy Andover who had grown to prove to the world that they had something special to offer, yet fate intervened and took them away from us all too soon. We meet and get to know Jack Berman, Will Daniel, Harry Bull and John Kennedy Jr. in ways we may not have known them before.
The book has a wonderful fluidity that grabs onto you so you never want to put it down making for easy reading yet rich with detail. While all four gentlemen made some sort of impact on society, we aren't bogged down with pages of what feels like excerpts extracted from a history book. Instead, we are treated with lots of anecdotal stories that make us realize that they were all just regular guys; albeit, from money and privilege.
Somewhat early on in the book, it smells a little pretentious with its Andover banner waving but most of us have some of that regarding our alma mater, especially when it's one with an elite reputation. At one point, Cohan does try to balance that out with stating that he then comes to realize that the education itself really wasn't much better than what some receive in regular schools. The others just aren't given the privilege and networking that Andover provides. A very minor point within the book though.
All four men are presented in a manner that allows us to see them grow and mature at Andover leading to college and then off to adulthood. We also meet their families and other loved ones and are provided with a little about their backgrounds which affects who these boys become as human beings. It's not just their successes that we see but also their struggles, foibles and sorrows. There's a certain honesty presented that shows us that along with all of their privilege also came a few rejections. None of them had a perfectly easy life as many might assume. We are treated with pieces of their lives that has us laughing with them, cheering them on, hurting when they fail and feeling absolute sorrow when their lives are cut all too short.
Despite their obvious sad endings, it was a delight reading about these men. A great read from the beach to the bedroom.
The book has a wonderful fluidity that grabs onto you so you never want to put it down making for easy reading yet rich with detail. While all four gentlemen made some sort of impact on society, we aren't bogged down with pages of what feels like excerpts extracted from a history book. Instead, we are treated with lots of anecdotal stories that make us realize that they were all just regular guys; albeit, from money and privilege.
Somewhat early on in the book, it smells a little pretentious with its Andover banner waving but most of us have some of that regarding our alma mater, especially when it's one with an elite reputation. At one point, Cohan does try to balance that out with stating that he then comes to realize that the education itself really wasn't much better than what some receive in regular schools. The others just aren't given the privilege and networking that Andover provides. A very minor point within the book though.
All four men are presented in a manner that allows us to see them grow and mature at Andover leading to college and then off to adulthood. We also meet their families and other loved ones and are provided with a little about their backgrounds which affects who these boys become as human beings. It's not just their successes that we see but also their struggles, foibles and sorrows. There's a certain honesty presented that shows us that along with all of their privilege also came a few rejections. None of them had a perfectly easy life as many might assume. We are treated with pieces of their lives that has us laughing with them, cheering them on, hurting when they fail and feeling absolute sorrow when their lives are cut all too short.
Despite their obvious sad endings, it was a delight reading about these men. A great read from the beach to the bedroom.
July 16, 2019
I love a book that makes me stop to think, to look out the window and contemplate life, fate, decisions.
Though I have little in common with the men of FOUR FRIENDS by William D. Cohan, the book affected me profoundly, for we all share mortality.
Cohan looks back at friendships he made at the exclusive prep school, Andover. That his friendships included John Kennedy, Jr., provides some insight into the rarefied atmosphere of such a school.
The four friends had everything to live for. Each made his way through Andover and on into the big world of college. Consider that at the time they attended, one third of Andover's grads went to Harvard, Princeton, or Yale.
The stories deal with businesses and wives, children and challenges. All along the way, there are friendships. But for some reason of fate, each of the four men dies young. While Kennedy's demise is still a story for headlines, the deaths of Jack Berman, Will Daniel, and Harry Bull happened with small ripples in the big world and devastating effects on family and friends.
FOUR FRIENDS is not a downer. It is a celebration of life and possibility. I am lucky to have run into this unforgettable tale at Warwick's in La Jolla. Always trust a family-owned bookstore clerk! (When I asked a chain bookstore clerk about a book on Gershwin, he promptly googled and told me, "This Gershwin dude had a lot of hits."
Though I have little in common with the men of FOUR FRIENDS by William D. Cohan, the book affected me profoundly, for we all share mortality.
Cohan looks back at friendships he made at the exclusive prep school, Andover. That his friendships included John Kennedy, Jr., provides some insight into the rarefied atmosphere of such a school.
The four friends had everything to live for. Each made his way through Andover and on into the big world of college. Consider that at the time they attended, one third of Andover's grads went to Harvard, Princeton, or Yale.
The stories deal with businesses and wives, children and challenges. All along the way, there are friendships. But for some reason of fate, each of the four men dies young. While Kennedy's demise is still a story for headlines, the deaths of Jack Berman, Will Daniel, and Harry Bull happened with small ripples in the big world and devastating effects on family and friends.
FOUR FRIENDS is not a downer. It is a celebration of life and possibility. I am lucky to have run into this unforgettable tale at Warwick's in La Jolla. Always trust a family-owned bookstore clerk! (When I asked a chain bookstore clerk about a book on Gershwin, he promptly googled and told me, "This Gershwin dude had a lot of hits."
August 24, 2019
This is what white privilege looks like. If you attended Andover, no matter how poorly you performed, the doors of opportunity would open up. The point of this book is that tragedy is for the others, and not for the elite. The writer is good enough that I was involved in the first three stories. The fourth, about John Kennedy Jr is irresponsible at best and at worst a picture of someone who would sell his soul for a book deal even if it meant throwing a friend under the bus. I’m so sorry I read this book.
June 20, 2019
I won this book in a giveaway, which I appreciate!
This book was not bad at all. Unfortunately, my issue with the book is that they are stories that we hear too often. Stories of men, particularly white men. It is never a positive thing when a young life is cut short, but there are so many other stories from people who have historically not had their stories told that I would be more interested in reading moving forward.
This book was not bad at all. Unfortunately, my issue with the book is that they are stories that we hear too often. Stories of men, particularly white men. It is never a positive thing when a young life is cut short, but there are so many other stories from people who have historically not had their stories told that I would be more interested in reading moving forward.
May 24, 2021
Well-written, poignant book about former Andover students who died young. I couldn't help thinking that their wealth and privilege seemed like a handicap, although I'm sure that it isn't for everyone in that realm.
August 16, 2024
Incredibly insensitive! With the exception of Jack Berman, who was the child of Holocaust survivors who was murdered during the 101 California St murders that took place in 1993, the other three "friends" profiles contained incredibly negative and insensitive statements. A very disappointing book.
January 6, 2020
I hesitate to review this book due to the fear of appearing callous, insensitive and thoughtless relating to the tragedies recounted. This book is not a light read and I enjoyed every page, getting to know each of the men as they grew. Their stories linger, pester, and make you go back and re-read certain sections again to clarify your understanding or try to see the thinking. Not to take away from the tragedies of all four friends, Jack Berman's death was truly tragic as he did not put himself in harm's way, he was not reckless, he was a responsible adult and happened to be in the very wrong place at the absolute worst time. Again, not to diminish the losses everyone else sustained, I felt the remaining three men challenged chance, nature and death. I absolutely bought into the notion that Harry Bull went swimming with his daughters as it just seemed to be in his character. Will Daniel was emotionally scarred and his death, albeit awful was not surprising as he was cascading downward and not maturing or taking responsibility. Regarding JFK, Jr., despite recalling articles outlining he was a dare devil, I never paid much attention. I did wonder if he intentionally put that plane in the water as life was very overwhelming at that point in his life. I found it interesting that the author did not address if it was perhaps murder/suicide. Lastly, I mulled over the thought of how many other people out there who have no 'family' name, no 'exclusive' education or opportunity who are also brought down tragically without a book written about them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2019
William Cohan is known for his vivid, battleline reports on wayward banks, gunslinging business titans and the financial crisis. His books on Lazard Freres, Goldman Sachs and Wall Street are widely praised and on my never ending "To Read" list. Cohan was chatting away on a podcast and mentioned this very personal memoir about four friends of his who died too young. Three were less prominent. the fourth was John F. Kennedy Jr. All four stories are compelling and tragic. The four friends attended Philips Andover, the quintessential Prep School that schooled both President Bushes, lots of prominent politicians and businessmen and diplomats, and quite a few miscreants.
This book told a compelling story. You might want to read it together with the Preppy Handbook while you lounge around in your chinos, button down Oxford shirt and your Bass Weejun loafers.
The portrayal of JFK Jr. was heartfelt and offered deeper perspectives than the mainstream media. No spoilers but I was devastated to find out why JFK was delayed several hours taking off from a New Jersey airport on that fateful, final flight to Martha's Vineyard. Just read the book. And plan to catch up with your old friends.
This book told a compelling story. You might want to read it together with the Preppy Handbook while you lounge around in your chinos, button down Oxford shirt and your Bass Weejun loafers.
The portrayal of JFK Jr. was heartfelt and offered deeper perspectives than the mainstream media. No spoilers but I was devastated to find out why JFK was delayed several hours taking off from a New Jersey airport on that fateful, final flight to Martha's Vineyard. Just read the book. And plan to catch up with your old friends.
April 22, 2022
I'm ambivalent about this book. On the one hand, there should exist more books like this -- using the exact same subtitle -- to help honor and remember every person whose life ends too early, who is unable to fulfill his or her potential and live to a ripe old age. On the other hand, this particular book exists only because the individuals whose stories are told happened to attend the elite Andover Academy. So this book is just an extension of their privilege. The final story -- JFK Jr.'s --, understandably, absolutely reeks of privilege at every turn. I read every story with interest, but I take issue with the subtitle's implication that these lives were any more promising than those of anyone else who also died too young.
The author's style is mostly to throw together quotations from interviews with people who knew the too-soon deceased. It's not super smooth, but it works well enough.
The author's style is mostly to throw together quotations from interviews with people who knew the too-soon deceased. It's not super smooth, but it works well enough.
August 2, 2019
Well-written but ultimately disappointing read. Cohan profiles four men who died relatively young and whose time at Phillips Academy (Andover) overlapped his own. In his sympathetic renderings of these men, Cohan tried to imbue them with a greatness or significance they did not possess. If anything, I came away with a profound disrespect for John F. Kennedy, Jr., whose senseless risk-taking killed him and two others. Of course, Cohan devotes nearly half the book to him. Of the four, perhaps the least privileged and most accomplished, Jack Berman, is the only one whose death was truly tragic. If you want a glimpse into an insular, privileged world, where unaccomplished boys believe that success in life is pre-ordained, then "Four Friends" is the book for you.
August 31, 2019
Another spin on JFK tragedy. A prep schoolmate just wrote about the lives of four schoolmates, one who was JFK, who passed away. Would a book I write about four deceased high school friends get published? I would think not. Plus it is not like they were friends and all four died, they just happened to go to the same prep school and they might have been acquaintances - not "friends"
One thing I noted is that the author stated JFK got into Harvard. I thought I read in another biography that he didn't and that is why he went to Brown.
One thing I noted is that the author stated JFK got into Harvard. I thought I read in another biography that he didn't and that is why he went to Brown.
August 11, 2019
This was such a great--but devastating--book about four lives cut short. Yes, they were white, male lives and yes, more or less, they were privileged lives. However, the book is incredibly well-written, thought-provoking and a reminder to all to live each day to its fullest. This is the best book I've read thus far this summer.
November 20, 2019
The title is more than a bit misleading — more like “four guys who happened to go to high school together.” Well reported, and the background section contains some real insights about Andover, but totally lacking the overarching narrative it seemed to promise, and the JFK Jr. section was on the icky side of tabloidy.
March 14, 2020
Not my favorite book-written in a style that felt like lists of facts & timeline about each of these four young men who tragically died so young. It may be of interest if you knew any of these gentlemen or had an interest in learning more details about JFK Jr.’s life & death. Although probably unbiased & accurate accounts, it was a tough read for me.
July 30, 2019
Non-fiction. Fascinating. Beautifully written.
December 26, 2019
A sad story about how promising starts in life of no guarantee at all of future happiness.
February 19, 2020
A heart wrenching look at how fate plays a role in the time we have here on earth.
January 27, 2023
Of course I knew of John F. Kennedy, Jr. and his death. I didn't know of Will Daniel, but I have seen his brother Clifton Truman Daniel speak as a member of the Truman Library. I did not know about Jack Berman or Harry Bull. What do these men and the author have in common? They all went to the same boarding school in high school. Each death is different and tragic - not only in the form of the death, but what might have been had each of these men lived. Cohan has contacts with people that were in these men's lives to be able to tell this story. You defiantly walk away with a different picture of Ed Scholssberg and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.
How did this book find me? It was a recommendation through either Goodreads or Hoopla.
How did this book find me? It was a recommendation through either Goodreads or Hoopla.
August 18, 2024
I loved this.
Dark, somber, funny, moving, and centered around a bunch of prep school kids. Yes, a Shanley novel indeed.
I did not go into this expecting wonderful writing, but that is what I got. I'd never heard of Cohan, but I will read more of his work now. There were a couple of lines in there that were quite Tartt-inspired if I may say so myself.
Dark, somber, funny, moving, and centered around a bunch of prep school kids. Yes, a Shanley novel indeed.
I did not go into this expecting wonderful writing, but that is what I got. I'd never heard of Cohan, but I will read more of his work now. There were a couple of lines in there that were quite Tartt-inspired if I may say so myself.
August 24, 2019
The author (Cohan) went to Phillips Academy Andover, an elite boarding/prep school in Andover, Massachusetts. The book is a bit about the history of the school and mentions many famous former students such as George H.W. Bush. George W. Bush, and Oliver Wendell Holmes, but the real heart of the book are the stories of his four friends, Jack Berman, Will Daniel, Harry Bull, and John Kennedy Jr.
The author himself says that "I became increasingly fascinated the more I learned about how they happened to get to Andover, what they did afterward, and how they grew into husbands, fathers, and men of the world -- and then yes, how their lives ended just as they were getting going."
It's a beautifully written set of stories that's easy to read and not easy to put down once you start.
There's a bit of obvious privilege in the history of the school and how over 1/3 of the students go on to Harvard, Yale or Princeton but it doesn't come across as pretentious. Not everyone at Andover comes from wealth, nor does attendance guarantee a successful future. Cohan does a nice job of describing life at the school - which sounds like it could be life at almost any other high school. (Almost).
The stories of the four friends take the reader through their life leading up to Andover and through college and adulthood. It's really a story told by friends; Cohan included interviews and anecdotes with other friends and loved ones who also knew them. It's a very heartfelt, affectionate set of stories that takes the reader their successes but also through their many flaws and struggles.
Reverend Chakoian's words in the funeral service for Harry are some of the most memorable - "Our days are never certain. None of us can ever know what time we have left to spend with those we love. None of us can ever know how many days are ours to make a difference in the world. Life is so precious, and the loved ones that people our lives are only ours to borrow briefly. It is so easy to be careless with our time, to imagine that we have forever to be kind, to accomplish our dreams, to give back to the world. Today is always the only day you may have: Seize the day. It is so easy to be thoughtless with our loved ones, to take them for granted. Treasure them with your whole heart."
JFK Jr's story is maybe the least interesting of the four, possibly because so much of his story has already been told (and re-told).
Despite the fact that you know that each of these stories ends sadly, the affection Cohan has for his friends is clearly present, and the stories of their lives are a fitting memorial.
The author himself says that "I became increasingly fascinated the more I learned about how they happened to get to Andover, what they did afterward, and how they grew into husbands, fathers, and men of the world -- and then yes, how their lives ended just as they were getting going."
It's a beautifully written set of stories that's easy to read and not easy to put down once you start.
There's a bit of obvious privilege in the history of the school and how over 1/3 of the students go on to Harvard, Yale or Princeton but it doesn't come across as pretentious. Not everyone at Andover comes from wealth, nor does attendance guarantee a successful future. Cohan does a nice job of describing life at the school - which sounds like it could be life at almost any other high school. (Almost).
The stories of the four friends take the reader through their life leading up to Andover and through college and adulthood. It's really a story told by friends; Cohan included interviews and anecdotes with other friends and loved ones who also knew them. It's a very heartfelt, affectionate set of stories that takes the reader their successes but also through their many flaws and struggles.
Reverend Chakoian's words in the funeral service for Harry are some of the most memorable - "Our days are never certain. None of us can ever know what time we have left to spend with those we love. None of us can ever know how many days are ours to make a difference in the world. Life is so precious, and the loved ones that people our lives are only ours to borrow briefly. It is so easy to be careless with our time, to imagine that we have forever to be kind, to accomplish our dreams, to give back to the world. Today is always the only day you may have: Seize the day. It is so easy to be thoughtless with our loved ones, to take them for granted. Treasure them with your whole heart."
JFK Jr's story is maybe the least interesting of the four, possibly because so much of his story has already been told (and re-told).
Despite the fact that you know that each of these stories ends sadly, the affection Cohan has for his friends is clearly present, and the stories of their lives are a fitting memorial.
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