For those who read my blog post Thursday and who cynically believe that because John F. Kennedy's affairs have been well-documented that Mimi Alford's book is no surprise: in April comes a new book, "After Camelot: A Personal History of the Kennedy Family 1968 to the Present."

An advance edition of the book by J. Randy Taraborrelli begins with this note:

"If it could ever be said that America had a 'royal family,' it would be the Kennedys of Massachusetts. For more than half a century, we as a nation have been captivated by their compelling story, a saga that encompasses as much tragedy as triumph, as much heartbreak as joy. In a sense, we are their loyal subjects, consumed with their mystique, mesmerized by their charisma."

Yes, it seems odd that after so many books showing JFK's clay feet that yet another book can still evoke the Camelot myth. So much better would be books about powerful figures that add new information and balance the positive and negative aspects.

"After Camelot" does apparently note the "tragedies," such as JFK's affairs and Ted Kennedy's deadly car accident, and it discusses in detail the financial agreement/marriage between Jackie Kennedy and Aristotle Onassis. But why continue to spin the Camelot idea? Perhaps it's a narrative that we'd rather read? "After Camelot" is a hardcover slated to go on sale April 24.