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Bobby Kennedy
608 pages, 2016
The author of twenty books, including Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend, Larry Tye was given unprecedented access to the Kennedy family by the Kennedy family to write this in-depth, vibrant biography.
Tye masterfully weaves together the story of Robert F. Kennedy’s formative years as a lawyer in Boston to his death on June 6, 1968. History remembers Robert F. Kennedy as a racial healer, a tribune for the poor, and the last progressive knight. But Kennedy—nurtured on the rightist orthodoxy of his dynasty-building father—started his public life as counsel to the left-baiting, table-thumping Senator Joseph McCarthy and masterminded his brother’s whatever-it-takes bids for senator and president.
A bare-knuckled political operative who approved FBI wiretaps of Martin Luther King Jr. and cloak-and-dagger operations against communist Cuba that included blowing up railroad bridges and sabotaging crops, Kennedy also plotted to have Fidel Castro assassinated.
Larry Tye's book explores Bobby Kennedy's transformation from a ruthless, pragmatic politician to a compassionate, empathetic leader. This change was largely influenced by the tragic assassination of his brother, President John F. Kennedy.
The book highlights Bobby Kennedy's significant role in the Civil Rights Movement. He used his position as Attorney General to fight for racial equality, showing his commitment to social justice.
Tye's research shows that Kennedy was not afraid to challenge the status quo. He was a progressive thinker who believed in the power of change and was willing to take risks to achieve his goals.
The book also gives us a glimpse into Kennedy's personal life. Despite his public persona, he was a devoted family man who deeply loved his wife and children. This side of him is often overlooked, but Tye makes sure to shed light on it.
Finally, the book examines Kennedy's enduring legacy. Despite his untimely death, his ideas and values continue to influence American politics and society. Tye encourages readers to look into Kennedy's life and see how his principles can be applied in today's world.
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Larry Tye captures RFK's transformation from cold warrior to fiery liberal with a keen sense of drama and an eye for detail.
Bill Clinton - 42nd U.S. PresidentLarry Tye's 'Bobby Kennedy' is a compelling and intimate portrayal of a man in search of justice and equality.
David Remnick - Journalist, EditorTye's 'Bobby Kennedy' is an insightful, poignant, and wonderfully researched biography of an extraordinary man.
Doris Kearns Goodwin - Historian, AuthorLarry Tye's 'Bobby Kennedy' is a deeply moving, empathetic biography of an immensely complicated figure.
George Packer - Journalist, NovelistTye's 'Bobby Kennedy' is a powerful, deeply engrossing portrait of a man who became a symbol of his era.
Robert Dallek - Historian, Author