Wait a minute. Are you telling me that singer-songwriter Carly Simon not only KNEW Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, but that the two were good friends? Really? How did this happen? How would these two women have even moved in the same social circles? Well, here is the reason why you pick up a book like this one: to learn The Rest of the Story.

The two first met in a restaurant on Martha's Vineyard in 1983. By then, Carly had already moved to the Massachusetts island with her then-husband, James Taylor. (Oh, of course. MARTHA'S VINEYARD. Vacation Home for Celebrities. We should have guessed.) Their paths crossed enough during social occasions that they became friends who created their own get-togethers. Carly recounts these intersections with Jackie and what they meant -- and still mean -- to her. Their in-depth conversations could touch on theoretical issues surrounding friendship, love and relationships, as well as the realities of being celebrities, having children and moving on to second marriages. They could also share insights into the people that they both knew in common. Name-dropping happens. We would want to be the fly on the wall near their table in any restaurant, just to listen to their perspectives about daily life. Again, who knew?

At the same time, Carly was dealing with a dangerous dependence on alcohol and drugs, which she reveals with honesty here. Jackie supported her efforts to quit, and she helped her friend go through the rehab experience. It was the former First Lady that the singer-songwriter called on, whenever she needed reassurance. Little did Carly know that Jackie was going through her own quiet battle with cancer, even while she was delivering pep talks to someone else. Wow. You have to admire both of these women, in this situation.

Carly and Jackie were friends for just 11 years, until cancer took Jackie away in 1994. Their connection obviously made a huge impression on Carly. One has to wonder why it took more than 20 years for her to write and to publish this memoir of her confidante. Maybe she needed the time in between to process everything. Or maybe some dust had to settle.

This book isn't her sole tribute, however. Carly wrote a song called "Touched by the Sun" right after Jackie was gone. Readers should look it up online, if they're not familiar with the music. Carly includes the lyrics here. Her recorded musical delivery is a passionate and powerful one, and it serves to match the passion and power of both its human subject and the messenger.

The book Touched by the Sun happens to be more revealing about Carly Simon than it is about Jackie Kennedy Onassis, especially since we have only Carly's lens through which to view the scenes. Still, the story makes for fascinating reading, no matter how much you may know about either woman. And for the record: it will be helpful to you, if you already know something about both. Baby Boomers who know all of the words to "You're So Vain," or who think of a ketchup commercial whenever they hear "Anticipation," will probably make the ideal audience.