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Robert F. Kennedy: The Myth and the Man
Book by Victor Lasky
546 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1968
About the author
Victor Lasky
30 books1 followerA longtime conservative columnist, Victor Lasky got his start in journalism in 1940 as a copy boy for The New York Journal-American. During the Second World War, Lasky worked as a correspondent for the Army newspaper Stars and Stripes covering the war in Europe. After the war, he joined the staff of The New York World-Telegram, where he assisted Frederick Woltman with his Pulitzer Prize-winning articles on Communist infiltration and co-wrote a book on Alger Hiss's trial with Ralph de Toledano.
During the 1950s Lasky worked as a screenwriter, and from 1956 to 1960 he was in charge of public relations for Radio Liberty. In 1962 he began writing a syndicated newspaper column, ''Say It Straight,'' for the North American Newspaper Alliance, which ran for the next two decades, as well as a series of controversial books about contemporary politicians.
During the 1950s Lasky worked as a screenwriter, and from 1956 to 1960 he was in charge of public relations for Radio Liberty. In 1962 he began writing a syndicated newspaper column, ''Say It Straight,'' for the North American Newspaper Alliance, which ran for the next two decades, as well as a series of controversial books about contemporary politicians.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 3, 2015
Most books about the Kennedys during the 1960s and 1970s were written by Democratic Party hacks originally intent upon glamorizing and sanitizing the Kennedys, and then after their untimely deaths, mythologizing them.
Victor Lasky, although conservative in his outlook, was an excellent writer who mostly stuck to the facts except in the final chapters of his books where he would air out his opinions.
This book presents the other side of the story that the apologists and mythologizers don't want known and as such, performs a great service
Victor Lasky, although conservative in his outlook, was an excellent writer who mostly stuck to the facts except in the final chapters of his books where he would air out his opinions.
This book presents the other side of the story that the apologists and mythologizers don't want known and as such, performs a great service
December 22, 2012
This is a well-written hatchet job on RFK, written during the 1968 campaign when it looked like he might win both the nomination and election and hastily patched up upon Kennedy's assassination following his victory in the California primary. The author, a conservative Republican, had previously published two works against JFK.
While not a great fan of either John or Robert Kennedy, I certainly was touched by the charisma bestowed on them by their supporters. Indeed, as a little kid I was totally taken in by it. Even now the Kennedys feel like a bright and better future--a faith in "progress" which I can no longer hold. In 1968, as a teen, I worked for McCarthy, the candidate of the head, rather than for RFK, the candidate of the heart.
However, there was, in my opinion, at least one moment in which Robert Kennedy shone in his own light. That was the night Martin Luther King was assassinated. Kennedy was in Indianapolis, campaigning for the Indiana primary vote and speaking to a primarily black audience when the news came out. Here, without the help of his excellent speech writers, he speaks for himself: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speec...
While not a great fan of either John or Robert Kennedy, I certainly was touched by the charisma bestowed on them by their supporters. Indeed, as a little kid I was totally taken in by it. Even now the Kennedys feel like a bright and better future--a faith in "progress" which I can no longer hold. In 1968, as a teen, I worked for McCarthy, the candidate of the head, rather than for RFK, the candidate of the heart.
However, there was, in my opinion, at least one moment in which Robert Kennedy shone in his own light. That was the night Martin Luther King was assassinated. Kennedy was in Indianapolis, campaigning for the Indiana primary vote and speaking to a primarily black audience when the news came out. Here, without the help of his excellent speech writers, he speaks for himself: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speec...
December 5, 2009
Lasky was a republican hack hired to denigrate JFK. He did a good job.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews