Robert F. Kennedy: His Time

Schlesinger, a Kennedy insider, takes advantage of that and of his skill as a historian to present a wonderful study of Bobby Kennedy during his life on the national scene, especially as Attorney General and after. His few years after JFK's assassination -- 1963-68 -- were years of profound changes in Bobby. Previously characterized as ruthless and opportunist, he seemed after his brother's death to also become a more compassionate and tender public figure. Though many bitterly criticized his entry into the presidential race in 1968 -- after Eugene McCarthy's single-issue anti-war challenge had forced LBJ's withdrawal -- Bobby won back most of liberal America in a few short months of campaigning, and was on his way to win the Democratic nomination when assassinated -- the night of his victory the California primary. Schlesinger was up close during this time, and sheds light on this extraordinary transformation with rationality, perspective and great care. Beyond being Bobby's friend, Schlesinger is at the same time truly a scholar. His scholarship allows his book to systematically present an extraordinary number of quotations by the major players in Kennedy's life in those years. It is thoroughly referenced, with good notes. Beyond that, the quotations add great dimension to the portrait of a great man moving through private and public transformation.

If you're at all interested in Robert Kennedy, this is the biography for you. Stunningly well written, and a joy to read. By far the best biography I've read. I highly recommend this book.

All I can say is that I am truly sorry I missed the man and the time period. I borrowed the book from a friend wanting to learn more about my father's hero. I couldn't stop reading about the amazingly complex, sometimes flawed, man and his times. Now I find myself constantly wondering what it would have been like to live through the amazing highs and tremendous lows that RFK had to endure. I now quote him in school papers and refer to his philosophy in different social settings. Read this book and learn about the president that almost was. Read about the man that did so much for our country and could have done so much more. It hurts me to think of what could have been if only he would have been allowed to live and fight. Schlesinger lays down the foundation of RFK's beliefs and strategies in an easy to read way. Needless to say, he is no longer only my father's hero, he's mine too.

This is my absolute favorite book in the world, and it is about my personal hero, so perhaps I am a bit biased. Yet this book spoke to me as few have. Robert Kennedy was among the most complex figures to appear on the American scene, and this is a balanced (though admittedly favorable) treatment of his fascinating life. Eminently readable, sometimes even beautifully written, Schlesinger's book seems to flesh Kennedy into a real person right before our eyes. What makes RFK such a hero to me is his humanity. He was not always perfect, not always easy, not always right. But he tried so hard, and worked so tirelessly, that even one who does not admire his social beliefs must respect his efforts. Though many mistrust him because of his late conversion to liberal politics, it is precisely this which makes him so salient a figure to me. As Schlesinger so effectively shows, Kennedy had an amazing ability to grow and change. He was ever in flux, constantly learning. This is why he would have made a great president, and this is why this book is still of so much import to the contemporary reader. As we look askance at a political community which does not seem to offer us sincerity, the picture of a fumbling, hard as nails, emotionally aroused, practical leader with a dedication to principle as well as an excellent political mind is refreshing. I recommend this book to everyone who still cares about the less fortunate in our society.

Schlesinger outdoes himself in the most thorough and fair biography of Robert Kennedy in print. As a Kennedy advisor for many hears, Schlesinger paints with deep and compelling account the words and actions, public and private, of RFK's short life. From his ambitous youth to his rise to national leadership in the mid 60s, Kennedy is shown to be deeply compassionate, capable, and immensely popular. Speaking to a crowd in a black ghetto the day of Martin Luther King's assination, Kennedy asked us all to dedicate ourselves "to tame the savageness of man and to make gentle the life of this world." It is clear that Kennedy dedicated his life to this. We are left to wonder how different our nation would be had he not been murdered during his presidential bid in 1968. Without sensationalizing any aspect of his or his brother's life, Schlesinger's biography is a detailed, fair, and very moving account of one of the most inspiring leaders of the 20th century.