Robert Kennedy: His Life

by Evan Thomas

He was "Good Bobby," who, as his brother Ted eulogized him, "saw wrong and tried to right it . . . saw suffering and tried to heal it." And "Bad Bobby," the ruthless and manipulative bully of countless conspiracy theories. Thomas's unvarnished but sympathetic and fair-minded portrayal is packed with new details about Kennedy's early life and his behind-the-scenes machinations, including new revelations about the 1960 and 1968 presidential campaigns, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and his long struggles with J. Edgar Hoover and Lyndon Johnson.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Politics, American History, Biography Memoir, The United States Of America

512 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Evan Thomas is the author of nine books: The Wise Men (with Walter Isaacson), The Man to See, The Very Best Men, Robert Kennedy, John Paul Jones, Sea of Thunder, The War Lovers, Ike’s Bluff, and Being Nixon. Thomas was a writer, correspondent, and editor for thirty-three years at Time and Newsweek, including ten years (1986–96) as Washington bureau chief at Newsweek, where, at the time of his retirement in 2010, he was editor at large. He wrote more than one hundred cover stories and in 1999 won a National Magazine Award. He wrote Newsweek’s fifty-thousand-word election specials in 1996, 2000, 2004 (winner of a National Magazine Award), and 2008. He has appeared on many TV and radio talk shows, including Meet the Press and The Colbert Report, and has been a guest on PBS’s Charlie Rose more than forty times. The author of dozens of book reviews for The New York Times and The Washington Post, Thomas has taught writing and journalism at Harvard and Princeton, where, from 2007 to 2014, he was Ferris Professor of Journalism.

Reviews

[Andrew Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having previously read An Unfinished Life John F. Kennedy: 1917-1963 I have to say it was excellent preparation for this book. If you’re starting from scratch on the Kennedy clan, I'd go as far as to say it's essential pre-reading. The JFK bio provides much of the family background missing from this book and also provides the big picture on events impacting Robert Kennedy (RFK) during the period JFK was president. This knowledge helps flesh out the detail provided in this book - it's very much a complimentary piece.

RFK’s life is covered in great detail in this book, and it does feel like the author played a straight bat (or 'tread a neutral path' for non-cricket followers). There are many positive statements about the man and his achievements, but there are just as many challenges and counter-views.

Regarding the man – his personality and how he differed from and yet complimented JFK - some of the key points I picked up were:

- RFK was often an ‘in your face’ individual in his professional life, challenging to colleagues and frequently rude. Yet he was a family man, tactile and loving to his children. He was attentive and caring when visiting injured soldiers in hospital and rushed to Jackie Kennedy’s side to support her when her first child was still born. He ws described at one point as being a ‘kind boy within a rude man’.

- His style was urgent and probing versus the steady and reasonable approach adopted by JFK. These styles complimented each other when they worked closely pre - and post JFK’s election. RFK would hector and JFK would tease. They made a great partnership.

In examining Robert Kennedy’s career, it is evident that he was more adept at running political campaigns and inspiring loyal staff than in shaping long-term policies. Serving as Attorney General in JFK’s government, he was also, effectively, JFK’s unofficial number two. He juggled a huge workload. And when the president was assassinated, he never really recovered from the personal loss.

RFK had two career feuds – with Hoover (at the FBI), whilst Attorney General supporting his brother, and later with Lyndon B Johnson, when he succeeded his brother as president It was amazing to read how much time and energy managing these two relationships devoured!

Always a physically fearless man, Kennedy took huge personal risks despite known threats to his life resulting from actions against Castro and Organised Crime. In the end, it was a mentally unstable drifter who brought his life to a premature end.

This is a very well written and exhaustively researched and documented account of an important figure in modern American history. I highly recommend it.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"[In 1968 Kennedy] offered a different vision [to Americans]: of honest courage, the willingness to face up to that which is most troubling - social unrest, racial equality, war. His life and his bearing showed a willingness to keep on trying while knowing that real answers to hard problems are not easy and may never be found . . . [his] life story suggests that had he failed [in being elected president], he would have failed trying his utmost to lift up the poor and the weak." -- the author, page 390

I’ve devoured a shelfful of books on RFK throughout the last five or more years – as I find his involvement during a relatively brief blip (1961-1968) on the U.S. political landscape to simply be a fascinating period - but Thomas’ Robert Kennedy: His Life is probably the first true comprehensive biography that I’ve read regarding the man. (Other works have often concentrated more so on just his years as Attorney General, his senate term, or about his ill-fated presidential campaign.) As bios go this one had a standard chronological structure and was nicely detailed, but more importantly it was also even-handed. Author Thomas will fairly call out Kennedy’s negative attributes amidst the more palatable or positive parts of his character. Although born into a wealthy, established but sometimes questionable family, RFK was considered ‘the runt’ of his many siblings and often fell in the shadow of his polished older brothers in several aspects. There is a good argument that it seems like RFK was finally coming into his own as a national figure – not many others in U.S. history were able to skillfully garner support across the troubled racial divide AND from liberals or conservatives, to be seen as both a sturdy law & order type yet also a progressive social crusader - when he was senselessly gunned down by an assassin at age 42. Again, he was not a perfect politico (because, really, there is no such thing) but I think it speaks volumes that, after being felled by his wounds that his first words were “Is everyone okay?” I’ve said it before in other GR reviews, but I often wonder how things would’ve developed for had he successfully made his way into the presidency.

[Nemo ☠️ (pagesandprozac) · Rating 5 out of 5]

excerpts from two RFK speeches that never fail to make me shed a tear:

"It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance..."

"Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and to make gentle the life of this world."

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

DISAPPOINTING

The life and times of Robert Kennedy beg for a coherent and in depth book, unfortunately this is not it. Living in the shadow of his presidential brother, the shadow of his oldest brother killed in WWII and the all encompassing shadow of his father, RFK was able to chisel out an identity of his own in US history before his tragic death.

Hoping to gain some understanding/insight of/into this man's character and evolution from a sullen child to presidential candidate and everything in between, and a chonology of such things as his involvement in the US civil rights movement, McCarthyism, Cuba (Bay of Pigs and The Missle Crisis) and his relationship in the White House with his brother JFK, I was greatly disappointed. For instance a glaring hole in this book is any serious treatment of RFK and Vietnam.

What the book does contain are snippets, quotes and anecdotes, some mildly interesting, (i.e. RFK's role in the release of Martin Luther King from prison), without any cohesiveness and very little context. And although many of the conclusions reached in this volume are valid they are simply not borne out here. The book's attempt to cover significant parallel events is at best confusing and there is also an alarming amount of armchair psychology. I hate to be so hard nosed but the subject deserves much better than this book.

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite period in Brazilian history is between the years of 1945 and 1964. The so-called Third Republic is an epoch of a deep political fight which revealed our nation in its more crude fashion. I’m increasingly convinced that the 1960s display a similar role in American history. Racial issues, foreign policy, the problems raised by the deep state are all presented there in their roughest form. And I believe that Robert F. Kennedy is one of the keys figures that allow us to better understand those years.
The early life of RFK hardly can be seen as a biography of a gladiator. As a boy, Bob was a timid and circumspect child. Until Ted’s birth, he used to be the younger among the boys (while Bob was born in 1925, Jack came to the world in 1917 and Joe Jr. two years earlier). Thus, Bob was the only male in a circle of girls — his sisters Eunice, Pat, and Jean. His mother, Rose, was afraid that he became “punny” and “girlish”. His solitary habits in childhood made his father call him “the runt” of the family.
Even more revealing of this introvert nature is his confession to Jack Newfield:

“What I remember most vividly about growing up was going to a lot of different schools, always having to make new friends, and that I was very awkward. I dropped things and fell down all time. I had to go to the hospital a few times for stitches in my head and my leg. And I pretty quiet most of the time. And I didn’t mind being alone.”

We all know the story about Moses’s shyness. When God shows His intentions to his servant, Moses complained:

“ … my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” Exodus 4:10–12

If God had shown to the young Robert Francis Kennedy how much he would
achieve in adulthood, maybe he too would have complain in the way Moses did.
Yet, for each flaw, Bob had one virtue. He was eager-to-please his Father but he was the only son in early age who openly defy his Father anti-semitism. He was a shy but not fragile. People always admire his astounding physical courage. “For God sakes, stopped him before he gets killed,” his school-mate Vinnie Moravec said about Bob’s tenacity in football camp. Sometimes, this toughness is almost foolishness, once time Bob keeping playing the game even after his leg was broken.

It's easy to see contradictions here. Or maybe not. Maybe Bob’s qualities were the other side of his imperfections. It’s immanent to human nature that restrictions make us stronger, not weaker. In the play “The Makropulos Affair” write in the 1920s by the Czech writer Karel Čapek the character Emile has an elixir that allows her to be immortal. With such gift, she lives for more than 300 years and is able to realize every human desire as pleasure, power, and love. However, in the path, Emile becomes more and more indifferent to human suffering. Inevitably, a person who lives forever will deal with the vulgarization of death. As Nelson Rodrigues once said “ninguém é insubstituível” and this claim is even truer in the long run. Unable to love, Emile is too unable to receive love. Without death love itself emerge as an impossible thing.

Our great gifts are the products of our restrictions.

This is true for all of us. It’s also true for RFK. Family ostracism and introversion were one side of the coin. His toughness and empathy for the weak were the other. Bob would achieve national fame when he faced corruption in the organized labor in Senate Labor Rackets Committee and written a well-received book after the end of investigation (The enemy within). Far more notorious than this, his remarkable work as Attorney General give him the opportunity to show his more impressive qualities, namely, his personal courage and deep identification with the underdogs. The first quality can be seen in his tenacious and frequent confrontation against Hoover and Lyndon Johson. In another hand, his disposition to use federal force to enforce the law of the land in the deep south is a testimony of the second.

Despite Moses early insecurities, he proves himself able to God’s work. He released Jewish people from slavery and lead his people to the promised land. In the way, he learns from God and teaches remarkable lessons to his people.
Bob Kennedy was the man of shaken hands and high-pitched voice but he shows to the Democrats that true commitment with the poor is way better than electoral opportunism and, above all, he proved that in politics talented is far less important than will

[Colleen Browne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an even-handed, well-written and researched volume that, through it, the reader is able to read about a man who deserves to be remembered as someone interested in resolving the problems of the country. It always us to reflect on the man who brought so much hope to the disaffected and poor, and to those interested in creating a country that offered the opportunity for all people to achieve a better world. Growing up as the "runt" of the Kennedy family, Robert, or Bobby as he was popularly known, he was overlooked by everyone in his family. Joseph, the family patriarch, had raised his two eldest sons, Joe Jr. and John to be leaders. Joseph had his heir and a spare, in the venacular of royalty so was unconcerned about Bobby. As a result, the latter had a rather lonely existence growing up; always feeling that he had something to prove to be accepted by his father. It wasn't until Kennedy was Attorney General that his father began to notice and respect him.

The book chronicles Kennedy's life, bringing all his research and analysis to bring him to life on the page. I recommend this book to everyone, if, for no other reason, to remind us that there have been great, honest men in our country at a time when our government offers nothing but corruption and arrogance.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Bobby would have been a good president, better than his brother, largely because Bobby cared. JFK was the life-long politician, whereas Bobby was more the crusading type, a reformer. I think Bobby would really have tried to make life better for the poor, the oppressed, the dispossessed, because he identified so strongly with them. I think he would have been a good president. This is a wonderful biography, very well-written and researched. It really shows Bobby at both his best and his worst - and it breaks my heart that he was killed just as he was really coming into his own, just as he was moving out from his brother's shadow and becoming as his own man, as he'd always wanted to be. His entire life, he'd been second or even third-best, behind his elder brothers, always subsuming his own desires to the will of the family, and even after JFK he believed that the crowds that came to see him weren't for him but 'for Jack'. It's a tragedy that just as he was starting to believe in himself, he was murdered. *sniffles*

[Christopher Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evan Thomas's Robert Kennedy: His Life ably chronicles the life and career of the presidential brother, Attorney General, Senator and presidential candidate whose untimely death made him a martyr for a generation of liberals. Mocked as the "runt" of his prestigious family, Bobby Kennedy compensated from an early age with an aggressive attitude that led later foes to brand him "Ruthless." Thomas shows Kennedy's relationships with his father and brothers were often strained, until John's political career forged an inseparable bond. Shy, self-conscious and a poor speaker, Bobby was hardly a natural politician; yet he grew impressively once raised to public prominence. Bobby was animated, like so many politicians, by contradictory impulses: fiercely loyal to his brother, he feared living in his shadow. His intelligence is tampered by impulsiveness, as when he managed covert operations against Fidel Castro and urged military strikes against Cuba during the early days of the Missile Crisis. He harbored petty grudges, not only against malefactors like Roy Cohn and Jimmy Hoffa but politicians like Lyndon Johnson who ought to be allies. He viewed Civil Rights as a pressing moral issue while allowing his approach to desegregation to be molded by political roadblocks. He took years to openly break with Johnson over Vietnam, then infuriated progressives by declaring his candidacy after Eugene McCarthy had already crippled the President. What impresses in Kennedy's story, as Thomas skillfully demonstrates, is his capacity to grow; his intellectual curiosity and willingness to learn (confronted by Black leaders who excoriate his hesitance on Civil Rights, he learns from the experience and reexamines his mindset); his devotion to his wife and children (which contrasts with his brother's flagrant womanizing); his empathy for the disadvantaged and willingness to risk his career, and ultimately his life, for controversial positions. A deeply flawed hero, then, but in Thomas's telling a hero nonetheless.

[Thom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book 4 stars based on my fascination with the content. it was all the more fascinating because I've been reading and watching other material from the same era (e.g. Tom Brokaw's 1968 dvd, Vietnam History Channel dvd's, JFK speeches). Robert Kennedy was a complicated person and played more of a behind-the-scenes role in Washington, working for his brother, doing serious reading and contemplating all his life, becoming a senator for New York. He preferred making phone calls to key people to Get Things Done. And there was nothing black-and-white about him. He would embrace some people and causes he used to criticize. It's a fascinating journey to follow him from ignored, dismissed Middle Child to a courageous, over-achieving family man and devoted husband who operated in the dirty, back-biting world of politics during a decade of social revolution. The book doesn't portray Robert through rose-colored glasses by any means, but I finished with more admiration for him and more disgust for Lyndon Johnson and H Humphrey (Humphrey wrote a letter to Johnson advising him not to escalate our military involvement in Vietnam. Johnson ignored it and shut Humphrey out of all policy discussions. By 1968, Humphrey was campaigning as the only pro-war Democrat.) Many stories about addressing poverty, black civil rights, Martin Luther King and violent confrontations in the south paint an intense picture of life in the USA in the 60s. J Edgar Hoover is another prominent character here. He spent more tax money investigating politicians, securing his own job, than he did fighting crime. He had no interest in investigating The Mob. But he was obsessed with proactively finding dirt on politicians and Martin Luther King. And in the middle of this mess, you have Robert Kennedy reading Shakespeare to get inspiration, struggling to find or light a candle in the darkness, and live up to his father's expectations.

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evan Thomas, grandson of perennial Socialist candidate Norman Thomas, has written a fine, sympathetic biography of Robert Kennedy. Not having read a biography of RFK previously, I found this to be a solid overview.

Although not having read a full bio of RFK, I've certainly read many, many books about the Kennedy family, about JFK, about EMK and about the two assassinations--enough to find fault with Thomas' cursory and, in my opinion, relatively uninformed treatments of those murders.

Thomas manages to convey the complexity of RFK, how he was humanistically idealistic on the one hand and a spiteful, murderous criminal on the other. Here, of course, one thinks of actual invasion of Cuba and the one aborted by JFK's death in '63, of the numerous political payoffs and outright bribes during his campaigns et cetera.

Reading this book got me to look back on some of his speeches, none of which he wrote himself, but one of which, that given in Indianapolis on the night of MLK's murder, was at least done extemporaneously. They, the best of them, were excellent. One misses the days when national politicians at least appeared respectable and intelligent in public. Indeed, it was his older brother who substantially--with some help from grade school teachers--inadvertently turned so many of my generation into 'Reds', and that by speaking so well of their ideals for our nation. Check out, for instance, JFK's speech introduction the Civil Rights Bill (passed under LBJ) or RFK's speech to the students in South Africa in 1966.

[Walt Bertelsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a child of the 60s (admittedly or not), this book will help clear your head about the real Bobby...he may have not been the deepest light on the intellectual bookshelf, but he genuinely showed a characteristic that is not often seen in a politician: honest effort to figure out who he is, what's important, and what's worth fighting for.
Evan Thomas' bio goes deep into examining RFK. Yes, the contradictions that we saw in him are still there, for they seem to have reflected his reality. Thomas has done a fairly thorough job, and written about it in an engaging way. I put the book away about midway through for awhile, because it was depressing to read the reality of a man whose soul was sold out for much of his life to protect his brother and give in to his father....but it's amazing, revealing, and personally (for me) transformational to sit in on Robert Kennedy's search for his own soul following JFK's death: "Why God?" cried out the devoted Catholic. And while he searched far and wide into many different ways of thinking (assisted by Jackie), he put his deeply held sense of moral value to good use as he almost led our nation's young people to a viable agenda to conquer the things that most troubled us during the era of the 60s. We miss him even more today!

[Frederik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genlæsning september 2022: Stadig en fascinerende fortælling om RFK, der måske på overfladen virkede hårdfør, men inderst inde bare var et skrøbeligt og tvivlende menneske, der søgte accept og den kærlighed, som patriarken Joe Kennedy kun beskårede hans to ældre brødre, Joe Jr. og JFK, men som han aldrig selv fik.

La vie de RFK est l’histoire de l’un des grands "what if’s" de l’histoire américaine. Que s’est-il passé s’il avait été élu président en 68’ ? Aurait-il pu sauver l’Amérique de l’enfer vietnamien ? La biographie ne se préoccupe pas trop de cette question, mais essaye plutôt de donner un portrait définitif d’une personne qui a clairement souffert du complexe du petit frère et qui a tout fait pour obtenir la même attention du père qu’a eu ses deux frères Joe Jr. et JFK.

De loin, la partie la plus intéressante du livre est le moment après l’assassinat de JFK ou il se plonge dans la lecture de la mythologie grecque et Camus afin de trouver une réponse á l’injustice et l’absurdité de la vie. Surtout la découverte de l’existentialisme l’aide á mieux gérer la douleur après la perte de son frère.

Dans l’ensemble, la biographie livre une superbe description balancée d’un homme complexé qui était finalement prêt á sortir de l’ombre de son grand-frère quand sa vie s’est terminée brusquement dans la cuisine de l’hôtel Ambassador á Los Angeles.

[Noah Goats · Rating 5 out of 5]

There seem to be two different RFKs. The first is the early 60s RFK with his bitter hatreds, intense loyalty to his brother, foreign policy hawkishness and burning anti-communism. Then there is late 60s RFK: liberal martyr. It's hard to see how these two fit together but Evan Thomas does an excellent job of making sense out of this complicated man who was JFK's strong right hand. He may have been simultaneously both the toughest and the most sensitive politician of his day.

I came to really like RFK as I read this. I admire his courage, his strong sense of right and wrong, his tenacity, loyalty. He was such a scrappy guy, more of a romantic at heart than his pragmatic older brother. Thomas doesn't shy away from the negatives in RFK's character (the bullying, occasional cruelty, and the willingness to be connected to a number of CIA schemes that were both morally and practically dubious), but the Bobby we meet in this book is a heroic figure, a man torn from the pages of those Greek tragedies that RFK so admired.

Evan Thomas is a great biographer, and he hit it out of the park with this one.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will admit prior to writing this that I am incredibly biased on this book. Robert Kennedy is my number one role model. In this book Evan Thomas furthers this admiration and also opens your eyes to how intelligent, and daring Robert Kennedy actually was. A bold and loyal man, R.F.K was not merely attached to his job and family for business and political reasons, but emotionally. He seems to have been a man who acted as he saw best for the betterment of society rather than self needs. Very good book.

[Matt McCormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

If we allow our hero’s to be human; to have failings but rise above those failings to achieve greatness in character and deed then Robert F. Kennedy is a candidate for such a status to anyone who prioritizes the care of the weak over the aggrandizement of the powerful.
Evan Thomas brings Kennedy, his times and many of the key figures who made up government, political operations, society and the press into vivid detail. The reader can feel the author’s commitment to fairly evaluating RFK’s personality and actions. He places both in the context of the overwhelming influence of family and the demands of the times – both political and social. For those too young to know or those so old they have forgotten our American environment was much different than it is today. Communism, not the terror of religious fundamentalism, was a national fear. The population and their leadership believed that the Soviets were determined to take America by internal disruption (spies, manufactured upheaval) or by force of military arms. Even the most open-minded of the public who believed that blacks are the equal of whites and deserve the same respect and protections might squirm at a marriage between races. Only the most “radical” might believe a sexual orientation other than their own was acceptable. America was closer in time to having experienced World War II than we are from the first Iraq war. These were the times in which RFK served as senate staffer, Attorney General, U.S. Senator and candidate for President.
Thomas never accepts on faith any source’s opinion. Rather, he makes a careful and concerted effort to reach independent conclusions. He obviously spent tremendous effort in research and analysis. That effort, coupled with a clear and fluid writing style, brings RFK and his times to life for a reader of any age. I do believe that this biography will be more meaningful for those of an age who have a more comprehensive understanding of the 1960’s than for those too young or disinterested to know what RFK meant, for example, when he compared himself to a “Beatle”.
As Thomas makes clear, RFK was passionately loved or passionately despised depending on how he was experienced or interpreted. Thomas’s biography won’t change a reader’s existing opinion of Kennedy, in fact, it will likely heighten views already held. RFK can legitimately be despised for bullying (cruel words directed at weak staff members), a willingness to spy on fellow citizens (MLK), a willingness go beyond the law to achieve dubious ends (the assassination of Fidel Castro). He can also be admired, even loved. He took on organized crime in the labor movement after being counseled against it. He was not only an early and courageous champion of the disposed but also (and heroically) someone who took action regardless of consequence because he felt it to be right. Not as soon as others, but earlier than most, he championed an immediate exit from Vietnam. Most importantly, when the world was at the precipice of nuclear destruction he mastered his own character and overcame the pleadings of the military to seek compromise rather than armed escalation in Cuba.
RFK’s self-assessment of value – being courageous – was often misplaced as when he sent himself and his children swimming into waters thought to have sharks or an aide into waters that may have had piranhas. It was also, by any standard, true as when we stood open on a flatbed in a black neighborhood of Indianapolis after Martin Luther King was murdered to announce the news. He knew that the crowd could turn violently against him and any other whites in the vicinity, as they would do in over a hundred cities in the next 24 hours, but he also understood that someone had to convey the killing in a way that focused the crowd toward reflection rather than violence. He shared his own suffering through the murder of a brother and asked those listening to consider “making gentle the life of this world”.
Robert Kennedy spoke words and took actions that we don’t hear or see today; much to our loss. Poignantly, he described measuring worth (must see YouTube video) by comparing the Gross National Product (GNP) which includes “napalm and nuclear warheads” but fails to measure “the health of our children..the joy of their play..the beauty of our poetry..the intelligence of our public officials”. Wouldn’t we all be a bit shocked and yet uplifted to hear a presidential candidate today tell us that a child’s joy, a beautiful poem and intelligent leaders are what makes life worthwhile?

[Matt Maples · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's difficult for me to write this review after completing the book. This book finished with what I believe to be one of the greatest tragedies in the history of the United States. The end leaves you with questions that are simply impossible to know, what if? What if RFK had survived? What would this country look like. Evan Thomas does a great job of evaluating and explaining the complex figure that was Robert F. Kennedy. He was many different things including a romantic, a very caring man, but also a very harsh and sometimes cruel man. He grew-up in shadows and struggled to get out from under the shadows of his brothers Joe Jr. and Jack for the majority of his life. In all, RFK represented a vast hope that was difficult to find at the end of the chaotic 1960s. What could have been different if RFK had the ability to get the US out of Vietnam about 5 years before Nixon finally did? Could we have gotten universal health care in the early 1970s? All of these things make me wonder, what if? This was a well written fair account of RFK. He wasn't perfect, but he wasn't all bad either. If you are interested in learning more about him I would recommend you read this book.

[Sarah Finch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear-eyed, lucid, and as impartial as any book can hope to be when the subject is a Kennedy, Evan Thomas somehow compresses RFK's remarkable life into a book that is simultaneously dense and a quick page-turner. Thomas mostly resists the urge to psychoanalyze his complicated subject and instead paints an unvarnished portrait of a man who has the capacity, writ large, for shrewdness and sensitivity, ambition and humility, compassion for the oppressed and blindness to his own privilege. Shying away from the mythology of "Bobby", that liberal martyr of 1968, this instead is a man in full -- enraging, engaging, intelligent, and indomitable -- who was one of a kind.

[Roger DeBlanck · Rating 5 out of 5]

As far as biographies go, this is an incredibly thoughtful and passionate book. Full of unforgettable anecdotes and glimpses used as springboards to probe the mindset of Robert F. Kennedy, each chapter’s title focuses on a descriptive aspect of what made RFK both a complex and fascinating persona. For example, Thomas labels his chapters “Moralist,” “Manipulator,” “Protector,” “Mourner,” and “Searcher” to name a few among the twenty-one total. The book is commanding and comprehensive in its chronicle of RFK's life. Its real force, however, is the studious way Thomas evaluates RFK’s character to draw up some of the most definitive conclusions about who this great man truly was. Thomas portrays RFK as having uncommon courage, strength, and determination while also showing him as haunted by feelings of inferiority, weakness, and failure. This biography stands out for its authoritative insight into the power and appeal of RFK’s character and the message of hope he stood for. As you read this book, it is inevitable that you will remember passages attesting to RFK’s extraordinary growth into a leader and the humanity he developed as a person.

[Marsinay · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my two favorite RFK bios so far (Schlesinger’s being the other). Even-handed and resonant of what feels true. Neither an apology for nor a condemnation of a complicated man full of contradictions. Did a good job of further rounding out RFK, offering new insight into his character and what motivated him.

[Jeb Inge · Rating 5 out of 5]

The finest political biography I've ever read. Objective, cutting through the Kennedy lore, which makes the memory of RFK human, and that much more admirable. The last of his kind for sure.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't get me wrong, this was a good book, well researched and presenting a balanced picture of RFK. The problem is I expected to like and respect RFK more after reading the book than I did before. This turned out not to be the case. He just wasn't a likable man. Yes, he had good intentions and he empathized with the poor citizens of our country and the world. But when I think about RFK I think about what Christ said that unless a rich man sells all his belongings to follow Him, he will not achieve salvation. Kennedy's idea of selling all his belongings meant not carrying a wallet around with him so that his lackeys had to pay for everything. He treated the presidency as his entitlement and got elected Senator of New York. Where he achieved nothing. For all his good intentions he never passed any legislation to alleviate poverty or hunger. At the height of the Vietnam war he only nipped at LBJs heels about his handling of the war. In fact, a very good argument could be made that he and his brother owned the war once Diem was assassinated in November 1963. He authorized wiretapping of Martin Luther King mainly to keep J. Edgar Hoover from leaking damaging information about him and his brother. And his self-absorbed portrayal of Hamlet over whether he should run for president was tough to stomach. He walked over people who didn't have the ability to fight back and used them until they were of no more use. I've read a lot about Bobby Kennedy (Arthur Schlesinger wrote a bio I read as well) and my verdict is that he was a bad guy.

[Jay G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned that the personal is political. And, especially, vice-versa. All of the back stories in this book didn't seem like front-page headlines, nor tabloid rumor coverage. They came off as thoroughly researched events, built and presented as solid theory where appropriate.

One odd thing with this book is that the coverage of JFK's life seems well removed. I realize one of the points of chronicling RFK's life is pointing out his importance outside the context of JFK. But the author seemed to overcompensate. Maybe, despite this being non-fiction, it needed some Clancy or Grisham-like narrative. Hey, this is where I get to give MY opinion, right?

In this book, JFK seems like a distant relative, whose main importance is that RFK worked for him (several times). How could he not have cast a larger shadow over RFK, almost every single day? Evan Thomas points to "never write it down", as explaining the lack of direct quoting. But, again, without more detail the book reads too clinical in some spots. Maybe I just prefer a little more of a page turner to a stellar historical non-fiction that works as a top-notch secondary source. (Note: If you're doing historical research on RFK, there are like 150 pages of footnotes here, so knock yerself out).

Despite the dryness in parts, the historical events that RFK was part of help carry along this book. It's definitely worth having another view of J. Edgar Hoover, MLK, Cuba/Castro, et. al, -- this time from RFK's POV.

[Jim Bowen · Rating 3 out of 5]

By the time I'd finished "Robert Kennedy: A Life" by Evan Thomas, it had reinforced all my anti-Kennedy impulses I'm afraid.

In this book RFK is protrayed as a really virulent anti-communist bully (his family were particularly close with Joe McCarthy, RFK went to his funeral) who was incapable of dealing with the concept of a communist regime being less than 100 miles from the American coast (and who willingly gave the CIA permission to go after Castro, no questions asked).

In addition, this book seems to suggest he got into law school (and his Department of Justice job and New York Senate seat) because of his family money and history, and doesn't seem to have been all that good a senator. To make matter worse, he was an Attorney-General who:

1) Couldn't explain himself very clearly to others.

2) Seemed to believe that you could overcome internal problems by belittling people who didn't see things the way he did.

3) Wanted to throw money at managerial problems to make them go away.

Was he sincere about the plight of the poor? Yes (especially in later life), but that doesn't overshadow the interpersonal, managerial, and other weaknesses that he seems to have had for most of his life.

In short, a depressing book.

Incidentally, I'm not sure that the author was particularly skilled either. He had a tendency to repeat ideas to unnecessarily reinforce points he was trying to make during the book.

[Hank Pharis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since I didn't know that much about RFK this was interesting on several levels. First, since Bobby was the third son he apparently spent most of his life trying to live up to his two older brothers. His father virtually ignored him but he was perhaps the closest of all the kids to their mother. And throughout his life there seemed to be 2-3 Bobbys. His natural bent was to be timid and somewhat of a loner. But on the other hand he often did risky things perhaps to prove to himself and other that he had courage. The third Bobby was the in your face warrior who would fight fiercely to defend his family or later for social justice. JFK and RFK were something like a "good cop, bad cop" team. RFK would do all the hard things to protect his brother. He was his "attack" dog. And as is well know he and LBJ despised one another.

RFK was the most devout male of the family. And unlike JFK or his father it is debated whether he was ever unfaithful to his wife Ethel. There are rumors about him and Marilyn Monroe and also Jackie Kennedy after JFK's death. This book viewed the Monroe rumor as unlikely and didn't address the Jackie rumor. After JFK's assassination RFK did struggle with his faith.

One of the interesting things I learned is that not only did Joseph Kennedy and JFK support Joseph McCarthy but RFK worked for him. They were all moderates politically but after JFK's death RFK moved increasingly toward the left.

[Chandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look into Kennedy's psyche, so strongly formed in his childhood by a desperate search for attention, affection and approval from his family (especially his father) that served as a motivation throughout his life. While at times sad, such dedication to his family, despite their having ignored and condescended to him his whole life, is admirable. Interesting insight into some of the Kennedy family secrets and a more down-to-earth view of the family that belies it's larger-than-life political image. Amazing glimpse of the politics of the day, the back-channels and back-stabbing, the cultural turmoil of the times, and the paranoid hate triangle between RFK, LBJ and J. Edgar Hoover that seemed to paralyze them all. Not normally one for biographies, I was amazed at the thread of perspective that was carried throughout the book. Not just a mere recitation of events and facts, Thomas genuinely succeeded in highlighting the personal attributes of RFK that motivated his every move, for better or worse. Truly a great read, and a great reminder for this generation of what can be accomplished with determination and a commitment to justice.

[John Daly · Rating 4 out of 5]

2 down...38 to go...

After reading Manchester's Death of a President and Thurston Clarke's The Last Campaign I wanted to read a book focused solely on Bobby.

Evan Thomas does a great job of moving the book along and not spending too much time on the early years. The second half of the book is focused on Bobby's recovery from his brothers death and how he redefined himself.

The 68' campaign is covered but if your looking for more details Clarke's The Last Campaign written after this book is the better choice.

An RFK presidency may or may not have happened the convention would have been a big obstacle but we will always be fascinated by what might have been.

If your looking for a RFK biography not written by someone in the families circle this is a good place to start.

[4cats · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books that I have ever read. Although flawed, Robert Kennedy at least attempted to alter the course of American politics in his lifetime. Often seen as the ruthless, Kennedy, Robert was in fact a reformer, fighting for black civil rights, the poor, campaigning against the gun lobby, equality for all, a fair health care system, etc.He served his country, brother and family loyally. He would have made an interesting and demanding president. This book needs to be read by everyone, I defy anyone not to enjoy it, and to be overwhelmed by the ending.

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book about a flawed character. RFK is one of the crucial figures in understanding the 1960's. I can't count him among my heroes due in part to his way of berating others, but somehow still admire him for trying to do what is right and fighting for the less fortunate.

[John Devlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not hagiography nor hit piece: Thomas kept me reading and that's the best thing you can say about any biography

[laila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am incredibly particular about the biographies I read and I'm skeptical of the entire auto-biography genre. This biography is up there with the best I've read (on the barometer, maybe on par with Manning Marable's Malcolm X, slightly below the perfect 10 of Bill Morgan's Ginsberg).
Very clear-eyed and thoroughly researched, it presents RFK in all his knotted complexity. I will say that this biography kind of operates on the less-is-more principle with regards to Bobby's infidelities... Clearly he wasn't a good Catholic in that respect but Thomas never explicitly says he cheated on Ethel. Wouldn't change what I think of Bobby, but this left-unsaid policy does make me think differently of Thomas as a biographer.
Overall a good insight into my favourite Kennedy. Thomas knows his essence quite well I'd say. My favourite thing about Bobby (my favourite thing about anyone, actually) is this, from a caption beneath a photo of him at his desk as Attorney-General, horn-rimmed glasses on, face tense with focus: "RFK was a relentless self-improver. He listened to Shakespeare while shaving in the morning and carried books of poetry and Greek plays in his briefcase."