RFK: A Candid Biography of Robert F. Kennedy

by C. David Heymann

In this immaculately researched biography C David Heymann examines the private man with the incredible Kennedy libido and the public figure, fighting for political power. RFK showed unbounded devotion to his brother John F Kennedy and immeasurable contempt for his enemies. He took his brother to the presidency and was effectively second in command of the United States. Full of shocking revelations about the stars and political players of the 1950s and 1960s, including Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy, J. Edgar Hoover and Lyndon B. Johnson, RFK is a biography not only of Bobby Kennedy but of the Kennedy family and of most fascinating era of modern American history.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Politics, American History, 20th Century

608 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

C. David Heymann is the internationally known author of such New York Times bestselling books as The Georgetown Ladies' Social Club; RFK: A Candid Biography of Robert F. Kennedy; Poor Little Rich Girl: The Life and Legend of Barbara Hutton; and A Woman Named Jackie: An Intimate Biography of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. Three of his works have been made into award-winning NBC-TV miniseries. A three-time Pulitzer Prize nominee, he lives and works in Manhattan.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread

This book is filled with salacious gossip and I loved every minute of it.

I don't personally believe most of the things in this book and given who the author was I feel pretty solid in my opinion. But that's not the point. Some biographies are about getting to know the subject on a deeper level and some are just gossipy fun. This book was gossipy fun, like reading a trashy blog or a tabloid back in the day.

If you want to read every bit of gossip every said about Robert Kennedy then this book is a good place to start.

But if you want a more serious look at the life of the late Attorney General/ Senator then I'd read something else.

I personally love this book, its like cotton candy, its bad for you but man its good!

[Chris · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is quite literally the worst biography I have ever read. The narrative repeatedly strays into pointless and irrelevant tangents of innuendo that reveal nothing of RFK's life. It's almost as though the book were cobbled together by (incompetent) Republican oppo researchers working for the 1968 Nixon campaign.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most important reason to read this book at this time in our history, IMHO, is to generate in your mind thoughts on why and how you support the candidates that you. Robert Kennedy was a complicated man--on some levels he was a real jerk (as were most of his male relatives) and on other levels he was evolving into what ideally we'd like to see in a candidate. There are parts of this book that I surely wish had not been written but the descriptions of political ways and means would make for a great discussion group.

[James Dorman · Rating 2 out of 5]

According to David Cay Johnson in Newsweek, C. David Heymann was "extraordinarily reckless with the truth" in many or all of his famous biographies. The article cites several unverifiable sources used by Heymann and claims that others refute. Heymann is dead now, but based on this, it seems like he included some stories and claims that are probablly not true.

Still, this is a substantial book that takes you through RFKs life in great detail, and I believe the verifiable accounts as being fairly accurate. So, I enjoyed reading about RFKs early days in Washington and journey to becoming JFKs most trusted advisor. I had never read anything in such great details about the man and the times. Having grown up during that time period, I didn't want to revisit the JFKs and RFKs assassinations. Now I may read more.

So, I recommend this book with reservations. If you can take a lot of the salacious stuff with a grain of salt, you might benefit from learning more about the historical events you think you know all about.

[Alex Rivas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it from page one until the end. Very informative, I like the fact the it deals with U.S. history and with real life issues. I kind of knew that the Kennedys were naughty, but I really didn't know how involved they were with the Mafia and how promiscuous and unfaithful the whole gang was.

On one side the Family is wealthy and powerful and on the other one has to wonder if there is really a curse on them.

[Steven Leroy · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was horrible.

I bought this book at our Friends of the Library warehouse sale knowing nothing about the author. I’m no expert on Bob Kennedy, but even I noticed after a few chapters that it seemed like tabloids were the primary source material. So much so that I thought maybe I had found a GOP-sponsored biography of RFK. After some research on the author I added this to our Goodwill box. It’s garbage, don’t bother.

[Vincenzo Rascionato · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost too candid. While I'm sure there is some truth to all the rumor and innuendo, the book is almost exclusively based on 2nd and 3rd hand accounts. Still a very interesting read, and presents a unique viewpoint on the Kennedy's.

[J.J. Lair · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got about 40 pages into this 587 page book and I noticed something about the episodic stories. RFK was shy and forgettable, not something for a biography. Tales of RFK’s father’s affairs. Joe Kennedy’s death was pointless?
I looked up the author and every story said the writer made things up or wrote in a tabloid style. It made sense. This seemed like the author was looking for something trashy to present a “complicated man.”
Did not finish. I didn’t want tabloid fluff.

[Ron Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the biography but was terribly disappointed with the ending. I admired RFK and his causes, but the final chapter, which did nothing but try to exposed the problems with his wife and children left a really bad taste in my mind. The author seemed like he couldn't write a cohesive conclusion so he concentrated on negative attributes of the RFK clan instead of the good they did in a most difficult time in our country...1960-1970.

[Allen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way, Way too much lurid unsubstantiated stories. Some interesting material but overwhelmed by pages of rumors, etc. Once one gets to RFK's transformation after 11/1963 if is better but still more interested in titalating than expanding our knowledge of this most interesting man.

[Annie Booker · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best biographies of this complex man.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. Learnt a lot - not all of it good.

[Alex Sarmiento · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a gripping, fast-paced biography that traces Robert F. Kennedy’s transformation from loyal brother to iconic political figure. Its vivid storytelling captivates, highlighting RFK’s moral growth and relentless drive. However, Heymann’s dubious credibility and reliance on salacious, poorly sourced stories—alleged affairs, mob ties, and political scheming—undermine the book’s authority. The focus on gossip overshadows RFK’s substantive legacy, like his fight against organized crime and advocacy for social justice. Compared to scholarly works like Schlesinger’s Robert Kennedy and His Times, it lacks depth and rigor. Entertaining but flawed, it’s best for casual readers, not those seeking a definitive account.

[Russ Weimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A flawed man. He lived recklessly and died because he refused to have security around him. He ways a polarizing figure in the 60’s but really didn’t recognize that. His family has certainly endured many tragedies. A good book that didn’t pull punches on the romantic affairs of both JFK and RFK.

[Patrick Farrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are about 100 good pages to this book; the rest was filled with rumor and innuendo - real tabloid stuff. Don't get me wrong it was very readable and at times interesting, but there was just so much nonsense.

[Xavier University Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Descriptive and engaging. Well paced, with colorful language. Hard to know, at some points, what is gossip and what is fact.

[Serena Sparks · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book is full of inaccuracies and straight up lies. Another person just trying to cash in on the Kennedy name by spreading lies for book sales.

[Jordan Maloney · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*

[Hotavio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked it up for less than five dollars in a bargain bin at Wal-Mart! It was well worth it. Provided a lot of insight into this complex man. Covers his counter-insurgency programs that amounted to terrorism against Cuba, his battles as Attorney General, and the campaign leading up to his demise. The book particularly portrays the numerous scandals of the Kennedy administration including the Kennedy's mob connections prior to and during the 60 JFK campaign and the orgiastic behaviors of the brothers in and out of the white house.

[Larry Van Bibber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this biography. It covered a lot of details that I was not aware of. At times i was not sure if some of this was real or fictional but the author identified a lot of references to support his dialog. I was in my 20s in the 60s and knew what the newspapers published. I was familiar with the Hoffa issues but not fully aware of Joe's ties to the mafia.

[Heather Hyde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this in the end! It doesn't deal so much with Bobby's childhood or home life, it's more an account of the Camelot years and focuses on his Attorney Generalship and subsequent running for the Senate, and of course all of his affairs! And despite his flaws, he did do a lot of good particularly in the poor and black communities and remains my favourite naughty Kennedy boy!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating study. Interesting to see both sides of RFK... Can't say I'm a big fan after reading this book. Still incredible to see his role in so many historic events.

Would have liked less anecdotal here and there and more substance though.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed look at the life of Robert Kennedy, both the good and the bad. I found it to be easy to read and filled with a lot of detail. Kennedy was no saint and he had his flaws, this book presents all facets of his life. It was good.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

A whirlwind history: heartbreaking, agonizing and fascinating.

[snowflakes · Rating 2 out of 5]

It helps if you go into this knowing that it's like a voluminous edition of the National Enquirer. So some of it is very interesting, yet a lot of it one simply has to take with a grain of salt.

[Don · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was too long and the story didn't move,
making it hard to read.

[Dawn Wells · Rating 3 out of 5]

The more and more I read about Robert Kennedy the less I view him as the good brother. Of course, this entire book could be fiction.

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

These guys led some kind of life. If half of this is true, "WOW".

[Carl Gaines, · Rating 5 out of 5]

More detailed and a good read!

[John Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book contains many well-written insights and is well-researched. In particular, Heymann does a great job of showing how RFK was the genius as the campaign manager of his brother John's Senate and presidential campaigns. He also does a good job showing RFK's passion for justice during his attorney general days.
Yet too much of the book is focused on adulterous affairs, real and suspected, and unproven conspiracy theories. I would rather have known more about how RFK interacted with his wife and children. Unsubstantiated quotes from sources run for paragraphs and should have been trimmed or cut in cases of people spilling information that isn't necessarily their area of expertise.