Lessons from Bobby: Ten Reasons Robert F. Kennedy Still Matters

by Chris Matthews

From the host of Hardball with Chris Matthews (now on Substack) and acclaimed Kennedy biographer comes a centennial tribute about why Robert F. Kennedy’s revolutionary vision offers the roadmap America needs today.

100 years after his birth, Bobby Kennedy matters more than ever. That is because he led us in pursuit of America’s ideals. He took risks for peace and united a fractured country. He showed moral courage and political bravery. In today’s bitterly divided nation, his message has the power to help us reimagine a better future.

On the historic occasion of Bobby Kennedy’s centennial, Chris Matthews, one of America’s foremost political commentators and Kennedy biographers, gives us ten electrifying lessons for today drawn from Bobby’s life. Take them as a guide. America is great when it tries, at its best, to be good.

This special anniversary book also includes a selection of Bobby Kennedy’s greatest speeches, which, when read today, offer a renewed and inspiring vision for America.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Biography, History

176 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 11, 2025

About the author

Christopher John “Chris” Matthews is widely respected for his in-depth knowledge of politics. Now retired, he was a nightly host, news anchor and political commentator on MSNBC (1997-2020), a Washington, D.C. bureau chief for the newspaper, San Francisco Examiner (1987–2000), a Chief of Staff to long-time Speaker of the House of Representatives Tip O'Neill, a Carter era presidential speech writer, and penned a number of bestselling books, to name a small part of his impressive resume. Chris has been married to Kathleen (née Cunningham) since 1980 and they share three children and several grandchildren.

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish the first half of this book had focused more on RFK and less on Trump, but apparently Matthews REALLY wanted to show the sharp contrast between the two. Kennedy's lessons should be studied and copied in this time.

[Richard Jaffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and of course Chris Matthews for the the advance ARC in return for an honest review.

This wonderful little book ( a mere 176 pages ) is full of inspiring anecdotes and historical tid bits involving the evolution of Robert F Kennedy from DOJ lawyer, to the campaign manager for JFK, the Attorney General of the United States, US Senator. and ultimately the populist Democratic candidate for the presidency in 1968.

Having met Chris Matthews while giving interviews regarding Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero ( another wonderful read ) and having read his previous RFK book, Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit ( also a great read ) this is a little short on details but full of the hope and aspirations RFK had for this wonderful country despite the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Jim Crow policies of the South, and the continued racial unrest resulting in the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

The lessons referenced in the Title include:
Heal the Divide
Have Some Guts
Admit Your Mistakes
Pursue Ideals
Uphold Human Rights
Seek Peace
Enforce the Law
Be Tough
Know When to Concede
Sacrifice.

With each lesson, Matthews points out where we are currently ( with many references to Trump and his sycophants in Congress and the Senate ) and how we, as Americans, and especially Democrats, can learn, as RFK did, on how to handle these problems with dignity and grace, and a hope for a better tomorrow. I would have liked to have seen a little more depth about RFK and his journey related to each of these lessons, as they are only 5-10 pages at most. Nonetheless, these lessons are reminders of what once was and what could hopefully be again in 4 years ( if not after the midterms next year ).

As an added bonus, Matthews includes several famous Speeches of RFK including his speech in South Africa, on the night of MLK's assassination and his victory speech on the night he too was assassinated after winning the California and SD primaries.

There are more in depth looks at RFK's life ( including Matthew's earlier works ) but this little reminder of the hope for America that RFK argued for in 1968 might be just what we need today.

[Lynne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read and deeply appreciated Chris Matthews' earlier full biography of Bobby Kennedy. Phenomenal book. Chris Matthews is an absolute scholar of all things Bobby Kennedy. This fell flat for me. The "ten reasons" format is a gimmicky approach, and of course Bobby Kennedy still matters. Mattering is a low bar to reach for. I did appreciate some of the thoughts, though, and maybe I could have gotten past that. But I listened to the audiobook, as read by the author, and after the 10 things, it went off the rails.

Chris started reading a handful of Bobby Kennedy's speeches!! No, Chris didn't reproduce the actual recordings of the speeches, so we could hear Bobby Kennedy's own beautiful voice and words, with his intonations and pronunciations and his personality and all the other things inherent in a voice and a speech and the reactions to it. His voice especially carried so much power and meaning and emotion. And we could have heard the reactions of the audience. No, Chris didn't do that. Chris read Bobby's speeches his own self. We got Bobby Kennedy as performed by Chris Matthews!

I thought perhaps not all these speeches were recorded. But some of them certainly were and Chris still "performed" them, if you could call it that. Or maybe Chris couldn't get the rights to reproduce them, but why not??? And did he try?

Chris could have done a much better of job introducing each speech - more than just the date and place he gave us. What was going on? Who was there? What was the backdrop and the importance? In his last speech after winning the California primary, who are all the people he is thanking and what were their connections to him?

I felt the book, and the speeches in particular, did Bobby Kennedy and the public a disservice. It felt like Chris was in a hurry to get it done and out.

One way of showing that great man still matters would be to let him speak. Let us hear his thoughts and ideas in his own voice. A lot of your readers were not alive during Bobby Kennedy's lifetime. You could have built them a better bridge back to him. That was a missed opportunity and it made me sad.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Fun fact: when I found out I was having a boy, the leading contenders for names were Robert and John for the Kennedy brothers. My husband was fully on board. That one of the names was my mother’s family name was secondary. That is how powerful my admiration for what the men did with their political power held me.

It seems Chris Matthews is equally enamored with Bobby Kennedy; he’s written several books about RFK. This short book is not a comprehensive biography. It contains just the basics of Kennedy’s life, and how he evolved as a person to be filled with empathy for the less fortunate, more marginalized communities across the United States.

The ten lessons included in the book are:

Heal the Divide
Have Some Guts
Admit Your Mistakes
Pursue Ideals
Uphold Human Rights
Seek Peace
Enforce the Law
Be Tough
Know When to Concede
Sacrifice
Each lesson gives examples of How Bobby Kennedy handled certain things, from his growing concern over civil rights to the abject poverty of portions of the country. Matthews also points the finger at the current regime and how they have been systematically removing protections for the most vulnerable people in our society. The fact that the United States is now on the WHO’s Human Rights Watchlist is telling.


What’s also telling is that most of the book espouses Kennedy’s compassion and empathy, something that is wholly missing from his namesake, currently holding the Cabinet position of Secretary of Health and Human Services. The book emphasizes moral courage, social‑justice activism, and a hopeful vision for America, something Junior is severely lacking.

Another bonus of this book is that most of Robert Kennedy’s most famous speeches are included at the end of the book. They’re full of hope for our country.

[Michelle | Simply in the Moment · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the author's writing style. It's very conversational and relatable. Lessons from Bobby contains great stories of Robert F. Kennedy. There are memorable quotes that will leave the reader pondering them. It's a great inspirational book.

The author did a great job of depicting Robert F. Kennedy's character and the hope he had for the country. Kennedy had the best of intentions to unite the country. His compassion and empathy for the human race were unparalleled. He was one of the few in history who was actually working for the people.

With each lesson, Matthews would compare it to the current administration. I would've preferred not to have Trump included with every lesson. I understand the point he was trying to make by making the comparison, but it pulled me out of the book. I wholeheartedly agree that there is a wide contrast in how each man has treated the American people. Matthews did a thorough job of contrasting the two men. I would've enjoyed it more if he hadn't included him in this book. We clearly need a leader like Robert F. Kennedy today to unite Americans as he did years ago. Leaders today could learn a thing or two from his lessons.

I loved reading about Robert F. Kennedy and the good he was trying to do for the country. He was an admirable person whom I would love to read more about. I intend to read Chris Matthews' other books about Jack and Robert Kennedy.

I would've rated the book higher because I truly enjoyed the author's writing style, as well as reading about Robert F. Kennedy. However, the heavy contrast between Kennedy and Trump wasn't enjoyable. Minus the entire Trump comparison, it would've been a 5-star rating.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Alan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciated the 10 lessons as common sense ideals for all to live by, not just politicians. But the book and its message fell flat for me because it and its author came across as nothing more than a TDS crazed rant/ranter. Matthew’s contrasted the perceived elegance and wisdom of Bobby Kennedy with Trump’s complete lack of those virtues. He’s not all wrong, however what was glaringly missing was any critique of other politicians’ failures. He readily referred ad nauseam to January 6th and Trump’s unwillingness to admit defeat in the 2020 election. Absent was the mention of Hillary Clinton’s (and the mass media) election denial of the previous election. He referred to Trump’s alleged incitement of the Jan. 6th riot, but never mentioned Obama’s war on police and Biden and other politicians’ tacit incitement of BLM violence in the name of “social justice.” He mentioned Trump cutting health care for low income families in the BBB, however he never mentioned Biden’s illegal Covid mandates that destroyed people’s lives, health and livelihoods. And on and on… This could have been a great book if it were written truly as lesson we (and today’s current politicians) could learn from Bobby Kennedy rather than a thinly veiled hit piece on Trump.

[Gwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grateful to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

This book is a short reflection of some of the key themes that can be taken from Bobby Kennedy's life along with contrasts to our present political climate. Many of Kennedy's major speeches are included as appendices.

This book is a short reflection piece and so readers shouldn't expect to see new information about Kennedy - the incidents discussed in each of the lessons will be largely familiar to anyone with an interest in that era of US history. It is still worth reading, if only for the reminder of what genuine public servants used to look like. Matthews is clearly knowledgeable about RFK and his legacy.

[yazzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“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.” — Robert F. Kennedy

this is an incredible book by legend chris matthews, outlining ten lessons every american alive today can learn from bobby kennedy. as one of the united states’ most impactful heroes, bobby kennedy’s words and bravery are more important now than ever. may we all strive to learn from his eternal wisdom🕊️

[Lois Wims · Rating 3 out of 5]

Special note that Chris was appearing locally so we went and the book was the price of admission. Absolutely nothing new here except the organization of the stories and the linkage to this horror we are currently living through. I had it very nearly read before he started talking (we were a bit early :)) and awash in Kennedy stories lately given his grandniece's recent diagnosis, and his entirely troubled nitwit son ruining our health on a major scale. Chris can be entertaining.

[Karianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read that is a great overview of RFK’s main morals and how they relate to society and politics today. The appendix includes his speeches which are the best part of a really good book. The book calls out both current/recent Republican and Democrat choices and contrasts them to RFK’s points. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great recounting that brings you back to times of tragedy and hope. Not so much for the writing of the author, but for the words and courage of Bobby and what it meant at the time and its relevance for this time.

[Patricia Q · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this twice. Chris Matthews has written an essential book about Bobby Kennedy, a leader, who wanted to bring the country back together. The kind of leader we need today more than ever.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words we need to hear right now - what did Bobby do that we can learn from now. Much. Includes speeches by RFK at the end.

[Louise Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short book, written by former journalist Chris Matthews, commemorates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Robert F. Kennedy. Mathew’s attempts to combine lessons of RFK’s leadership with the need for such leadership in 2025. I was 13 years old when Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in 1968. I still maintain sorrow for what the country lost with his death.

[Matt- History on the Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lessons from Bobby by Chris Matthews serves as a poignant reminder of the essential values we should expect not only from our public figures but also from ourselves. Matthews distills ten key lessons from the life of Robert Kennedy like having guts and being tough, principles Kennedy upheld whether in the public eye or behind closed doors like pursuing ideals and seeking peace. This concise yet impactful book spans about 100 pages, complemented by 60 pages of Kennedy's speeches. Drawing on his extensive knowledge as a chronicler of the Kennedy family, Matthews crafts a modern-day guide to Robert Kennedy's life, perfectly timed to honor the centennial celebration of his birth.