The Kennedy Brothers: The Rise and Fall of Jack and Bobby

by Richard D. Mahoney

Books about the Kennedys are legion. Yet missing until now has been the exploration of the bond between Jack and Bobby, and the part that it played in their rise and fall. Eight years apart in age, they were wildly different in temperament and sensibility. Jack was the born leader—charismatic, ironic, capable of extraordinary growth and reach, yet also pathologically reckless. Bobby was the fearless, hardworking Boy Scout—unafraid of dirty work and ruthless about protecting his brother and destroying their enemies. Jack, it was said, was the first Irish Brahman, Bobby the last Irish Puritan.

As Mahoney demonstrates with brilliant clarity in this impeccably documented, magisterial book, the Kennedys lived their days of power in dangerous, trackless territory. The revolution in Cuba had created a poisonous cauldron of pro- and anti-Castro forces, the CIA, J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI, and the Mafia. Mahoney gives us Jack and Bobby in all their hubris and humanity, youthfulness and fatalism. Here is American history as it unfolds. The Kennedy Brothers is a fresh and masterful account of the men whose legacy continues to hold the American imagination. Originally published under the title Sons and Brothers.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Politics, Presidents, American History, Biography Memoir

480 pages, Hardcover

First published August 18, 1999

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The real title of this book should be How The CIA & The Mafia Conspired & Killed The Kennedys. I love conspiracy theories! I just think they make life more fun and I almost never believe what the government or media tells me. This book is not really about the relationship between the brothers Kennedy but more about how Bobby got both himself & his brother killed.

Bobby Kennedy has always been my favorite Kennedy. He was tough, ruthless, loyal, and very compassionate. I truly believe that The Kennedy administration would have done nothing about Civil Rights had it not been for Bobby. This country needs more Bobby Kennedys. This book put forth a lot of theories. Are they true? I don't think we'll ever know who or why JFK & RFK were killed but I enjoy reading about all the theories.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are familiar with Arthur Schlesinger’s books about JFK and RFK, then this will come off as a rehash. This book covers much of the allegations and evidence that Seymour Hersh presented in “The Dark Side of Camelot.” The frequent typos are mildly annoying. (Not exactly the best book on the Kennedy brothers, but I’ve read way worse. Probably best recommended to those unfamiliar with 1960s history and/or casual Kennedy admirers.)

[KOMET · Rating 5 out of 5]

"THE KENNEDY BROTHERS: The Rise and Fall of Jack and Bobby" offers the reader various views and perspectives on the evolution of the relationship between John F. Kennedy and his younger brother Robert between 1951 and 1963. At the same time, it also provides, in a large sense, a living history of the Kennedy Administration; the challenges, setbacks and triumphs it experienced; and the roles Robert Kennedy played in that history as Attorney General (e.g. his relentless fight against organized crime and his moral support for the cause of civil rights) and enforcer and protector of his brother, the President.

Then we also experience the inner struggles and agonies Robert Kennedy endured after his brother was assassinated in Dallas in November 1963. After years of supporting JFK through his various political campaigns and in the White House, he was faced with having to find his own voice and place. In the process, Robert Kennedy's humaneness and compassion for the poor and disenfranchised - coupled with his fearlessness and the spirit of his character - came to define him in the eyes of millions of Americans as he went on to win election to the U.S. Senate from New York in 1964 and embarked on the path that led him to his last crusade, his run for the Presidency in 1968.

In the words of the author: "... the Kennedys, with all their romance and irony, finally unite in an aesthetic comparable to the Greeks that they read about and quoted: they were daring and they were doomed, and they knew it and accepted it. They would die and make their deaths into creative acts of history. They would be heroes. And they would give their country an imperishable poignancy in its heart."

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why don't you learn any of this stuff in school? My AP US History book gave about a paragraph to Bay of Pigs, the Missile Crisis and Bobby Kennedy, total. None of this intrigue between the different branches of the CIA, FBI, and Justice, let alone secret dealings with the Mafia. Shame on "The Enduring Vision" for giving us such a bland, whitewashed version of recent history.

That said, the book has flaws- the portrait of RFK post-JFK's assassination borders on saintly, and the allusions to tragic Greek heroes were overdone. Also I'm not sure the author gave Johnson a fair showing. Still, definitely worth a read.

[Roger Dier · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the outset, I liked reading the book and I think anyone who is interested in that period of time, or the political Kennedys, will find some merit in the pages of Mr. Mahoney. Some of Mr. Mahoney's writing is striking and thought provoking, but he takes liberty with the truth to fold events into his theory that Mob-backed elements killed JFK, and by inference, Bobby as well. There are many instances where Mr. Mahoney cites as Gospel truth the unconfirmed and unproven ramblings of curious characters who gained tiny fame for being in Dallas on November 22, 1963, or knowing a guy who knew someone who saw a combative Lee Oswald at a firing range three weeks before JFK's assassination. More specific, he cites the since-debunked conclusions of Robert Blakey, a committed conspiracy buff, to reinforce his narrative leading up to Nov. 23, 1963. Simply because people hold titles, academic or otherwise, does not mean they are the sole purveyors of insight or truth. Mr. Mahoney leans hard of the puffery of titles and banks those opinions as knowledge. At the end of the book, he cites an unnamed friend of RFK leaning down over his dying face to hear Bobby whisper, "Jack. Jack." The source, cited as Richard Goodwin, was the person he selected to quote to close his story, but according to Mr. Mahoney's own end notes, there were two other things others reported the dying Bobby as saying before he lost consciousness, but he plucked something out of Mr. Goodwin's book because it was a convenient closing for his own.

I suppose that is the writer's choice.

As an aside, the more I learn about J. Edgar Hoover the more I'm convinced the man was a moral criminal. We would have all been better off had Hoover disappeared from the FBI long before he did. And if JFK brought out the best in politics, his Presidential successor reflected the worst in American politics.

I'm glad I bought the book, and I enjoyed the read, but as your mother or best teacher should have told you long ago, "Don't believe everything you read."

[Colleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a misrepresenting title. Ought to be "Mafia, Mobsters, Hitmen." I was under the impression based on the description of the book (not to mention the title) that it would examine how the brothers interacted with each other, and with their father. Granted, this was covered (with not many more insights than the obvious ones covered by the Reelz miniseries that aired earlier this year) but this book was much more about Castro, Cubans, the FBI and CIA, and mobsters from Miami to Chicago to Las Vegas. I feel as though I came away with more insights about the character of J. Edgar Hoover than I did about either RFK or JFK, with the exception of the revelation that some people, Mahoney included, probably want RFK beatified and sainted.

Skirting around the endless 'Cuban commandos and murky underworld parties' chapters in which the book went tens of pages without mention of either the President or his brother, there was plenty of interest in this book, but that doesn't overcome my disappointment at the misrepresentation.

[Mae Clair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure how I became so enamored of Bobby Kennedy, why, or when. I think it started by watching a movie about his life several years ago. After that I started searching out anything I could find - - movies, documentaries and books.

This was the first book I read on the Kennedys. While I normally search for titles that are strictly on Bobby, this one revolved around him and Jack. It was an eye opener in many ways. I was far too young to remember the Kennedy era but I have a shadowy memory of that fateful day when RFK was gunned down at the Ambassador Hotel. I vaguely remember a news clip, but had no idea what it was about or what it meant at the time.

Of all the books I've read on Bobby(and the Kennedys)this is my favorite. It illustrated the difference in temperment between JFK and RFK and introduced me to a family that played a crucial part in American history.

[Aubrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was only okay. I wanted to point out two nitpicky things: driving from Springfield to Amherst Massachusetts doesn't bring you through the Berkshires, and Mishawaka, Indiana had a population of 33,000 in 1960, which I don't consider a "tiny" place. Maybe I'm just too particular with getting those kind of things right in a book!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, let's get it out of the way. I really love the Kennedys. I enjoy most of the books about them and always learn something of each (yes, even the crazy conspiracy books). This book was a little different. I learned a lot. I enjoyed how it was put together. It starts with the 1950's and then takes 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963 and then Bobby Alone as separate topics. It has stories from their growing years in each as if looking back to show why they were doing what they were doing at that time in their life. I really got in the Bobby Alone section from 1964 to 1968. It showed how Bobby totally changed his views and what he went through in order to come to the conclusion that he needed to run for President. Mr. Mahoney does drag out the New Orleans, Cuban, and Mafia stuff but it's ok. Most nowadays do. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a well rounded book on the Kennedy boys.

[George Ilsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detailed and comprehensive. Provides much insight into the Kennedys, the presidency of JFK and the events which attracted the assassinations.

Basically, it was known in the 1960s who killed JFK, yet because it was in the interests of the CIA, the FBI and the White House to keep the secrets, it has never been officially confirmed.

The revelation for me has been how well known this is, how the different elements came together, and yet the official story has not really budged, and perhaps never will.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good read. Fairly ballanced version of the Brothers' story.

Good level of detail in summary of the connections between the deals they cut on the way up, and the price they obviously paid. Just too many connections to the underworld and the two assisinations.

In the end these two really paid for sins of their Father.

Although JFK had a fascinating run. Not exactly the model family man. Complex.

[Pete daPixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have spent over a week with 'Sons & Brothers'. In these pandemic days of Covid, with my local libraries closed, my reading matter is on ration. I have previously found Richard D. Mahoney's 'JFK Ordeal in Africa' an excellent study of one aspect of JFK's foreign policy. So catching up with 'Sons & Brothers' from 1999 was an easy decision to make.
Although I am not short on the political biographies of both Jack and Bobby Kennedy with books by Dallek, Sorensen, Schlesinger, O'Donnell & Powers and Lord Longford. Perhaps Mahony's portrait paints similar images to Talbot's 'Brothers'.
It is easy to accuse the author of bias on his subjects. His father worked as Ambassador under Jack, and later as a supporter of Bobby. The admiration clearly runs in the family. Yet Mahoney Jr is undoubtedly both a well read and studious researcher of both brothers. His images are clear as crystal and precisely balanced. While the eyes of the world focussed on Jack's Camelot and his wise international statesmanship, this book also highlights the drive and protection given by his steely eyed younger brother.
However, no measure of protection could ward off the many enemies that both Jack and Bobby inherited and accumulated from the many dark forces in 1960's America. A theme that is investigated here is the question perused if Bobby was involved with one of the elements that ultimately caused his brothers assassination.
"Here the Kennedys, with all their romance and irony, finally unite in an aesthetic comparable to the Greeks that they read about and quoted: they were daring and they were doomed, and they knew it and accepted it. They would die and make their deaths into creative acts of history. They would be heroes. And they would give their country an imperishable poignancy in its heart."

[Joy Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating. Learned so much.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really into reading this book. It kept my interest and there was a lot I didn’t know about the two brothers. It was slow in some areas but otherwise I couldn’t put it down.

[Raghu Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Mahoney's book on the Kennedy brothers is a well-researched and well written history of John and Robert Kennedy's years between 1952 and 1968. It provides interesting answers and pointers to the many 'puzzles' surrounding the murder of both the brothers and also the extent of the roles of the Mafia, the anti-Castro exiles in Miami, the Teamsters Union, the CIA and the FBI in an advanced industrial democracy like the US in the 1950s and sixties.
The picture that emerges from the book about the two brothers and their father is somewhat as follows:
Jack Kennedy was basically one who had statesman-like qualities which he showed clearly in the Cuban missile-crisis, in his reluctance to authorize the assassination of Castro on moral grounds and in his ability to see the futility of the war in Vietnam. He was idealistic enough to pursue the civil rights legislation but also political enough not to alienate his white constituency in the south. Jack also was detached enough to privately admit that he would probably be assassinated but he dealt with it in his own light-hearted manner. On the other hand, Jack was a philanderer and had used the Mafia in rigging the election results in Illinois to win his presidency. He knew about his father's buying the party bosses in Virginia with money to make him win the democratic primaries in 1960. Though he was a devoted and affectionate father, he wasn't a faithful husband to Jackie, even though he knew that it affected his much younger wife.
On the other hand, Bobby Kennedy was more upright and also self-righteous. Except for a brief affair with Marilyn Monroe, he was faithful to his wife. He was a staunch Catholic, believed in right and wrong as black and white and went after the Mafia, the corrupt unions and also Fidel Castro with a vengeance, even though he knew that his own father was neck-deep in collusion with the crime bosses. He saw no contradiction in using the anti-Castro exiles to assassinate Fidel Castro. He believed in ends justifying the means. He believed strongly in civil rights. He took himself too seriously and pursued relentlessly his dangerous agendas thereby alienating the FBI boss Edgar Hoover, Lyndon Johnson, the Mafia, the union bosses and eventually the anti-Castro exiles.
The book also brings out the close relationship between the brothers. Bobby was totally devoted and loyal to Jack. Jack admired Bobby's zeal and passion and his abilities to get things done. They both had a deep affection towards each other.
In the end, one can surmise from the book that the brothers were killed because of Bobby's pursuit of the crime bosses even though Jack and his dad had used them to get to the Presidency. In the eyes of the crime bosses, the Kennedys did not keep their end of the bargain. They let down the Miami exiles badly in the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion. The FBI, under Hoover, also conspired by withholding information about the imminent danger to their lives. Both the brothers had a fatalistic view about their own lives as a result.
One disturbing image that arises from the book is the extent to which American politics at the highest level was corrupted and influenced by the Mob, the exile lobby and corrupt trade unions in the 1950s and 60s. Both Jack and LBJ had corruption to thank for to their rise to the highest offices. If this was the case in a rich, industrial democracy nearly 200 hundred years after independence, then it seems very self-righteous and unfair for the Administration of today to call the Afghan and Iraqi govts corrupt and beset by warlords. Applying this interpretation, one can say that J.Edgar Hoover behaved like a 'warlord' in the 1960s by using blackmail and snooping to advance his interests. The crime bosses and the CIA were their own centres of power in the 60s. The book is a humbling experience for anyone who is too critical of the struggle of democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan today.
Finally, the author suggests that even though Bobby did not believe in the conclusions of the Warren commission, he 'accepted' them because that was the only way to protect Jack's and his family's legacies as well as his own guilt that he may have contributed to the murder of his own beloved brother by his relentless pursuit of the mob.
This is an excellent and eminently readable book for all Kennedy admirers and non-admirers alike.

[J.P. Willson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow...

[Barbara Mahoney · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting well researched book about Jack and Bobby Kennedy. The author grew up around the Kennedy's - his father was a friend of Bobby's and a US ambassador (appointed by Jack). The author, Richard Mahoney, was a JFK scholar and worked at the Kennedy Library.

I learned a lot reading this book. I went to school in the US, but very little, if any, of the Kennedy era history was taught in school. I am not a history buff, but I found the history of events happening in the 60s very interesting to read about - the Bay of Pigs, the conflict with Castro, racial deseegregation of schools. The author presented the historical material in a very readable format. As the author describes the men personally - they emerge as strong characters who have strengths, as well as, flaws.

Although the title of the book is the "Kennedy brothers" - it really is about 3 Kennedys - the father Joe and the two brothers. Joe Kennedy, the father of Jack & Bobby, is portrayed as a powerful man who "bought" the election for his son, Jack. The author also discusses Joe's association with notable people in the Mafia. Jack is described as charismatic with "movie star" appeal who is beset with health problems that he hides from the public. Although good liking and charming, Jack appears to be a difficult man to be married to - he has affairs throughout his marriage including an affair with Marilyn Monroe. Bobby is described as fierce and passionate - a powerful bulldog. He is not always liked by everyone - he is someone who gets into the middle of things and gets things done. Bobby's faith shapes his morality and he becomes a moral compass for his brother, Jack. It was interesting to learn about how their upbringing and different personalities shaped their lives and the presidency. The two brothers seemed to complement one another. I learned how much Jack relied on his brother Bobby during his presidency and the special bond they had with one another.

[Anika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written and interesting, no doubt, but for a large part not what I'd expected. The very last part, entitled "Bobby alone" is what I'd hoped this whole book would be: A close look at the person, his behaviour, growth, reception, self reflection, what not - that last part was a joy to read, making me sigh and swoon and think and mourn. I was close to this book right then, I felt it. And I'd so expected, no, hoped, for the rest of the book to be the same, with both JFK and RFK, their similarities, distinctions, interactions and what not being the center of it all and just getting to me, you know? And there was some of it, sure, and it was good and so promising. However, there was so much more, which made this book more of an overview of all things Kennedy administration. Which, again, is interesting. But you know, there's a time and a place for everything, and when I expect an indepth look at the brothers, I don't want to read pages of who's who in the mob. Some is necessary to put it all into perspective - mob, yes, as well as Cuba, foreign politics in general, all that - but this book lost focus too often. It just wanted too much instead of staying on its main topic. If you know that and accept and expect that, it's a good read though, just not the kind I'd expected it to be.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was outstanding.

The author sticks to his goal of detailing the relationship between the two brothers. It is tight prose with illuminating anecdotes. The author has a strong point of view, especially about the parties behind the assassinations, but weaves that nicely into the narrative.

I noticed that some people didn't like all the discussion of the Mafia, but prosecuting the Mafia was the defining moment of Bobby's young career, where he started working professionally with his brother, and his father competed with and then made deals with the Mafia. So the Mafia stuff is pretty critical for understanding the family, even if you don't buy their connection to the assassinations.

I highlighted passage after passage. The author worked hard to get to the humanity and driving forces behind the Kennedy brothers. They were wildly different people but unerringly devoted to one another. Bobby coping with Jack's death is one of the saddest passages I've ever read.

Overall, great read!

[Michael Layden · Rating 4 out of 5]

The daily email from bookbub is probably a very bad idea for someone who loves books. This kindle book was offered on Friday for £1.99 so it seemed like too good of a deal to miss out on.
The book is outside of my current interests and yet as is often the case I am glad I read it. The book shows the complexity of the Kennedys and particularly devotes time to Bobby.
The fascinating thing about the two brothers particularly was their capacity for growth. although many of their decisions and their father's were illegal or immoral, they seemed like they were basically decent human beings. Bobby Kennedy comes across as an absolute remarkable human being, starting as highly focused and task orientated but he had a deep empathy and comes across as a deeply spirtual person.
I was emotionally upset when the books came to the assassinations , it is a good sign of a book when you get attached to the characters. I wonder how different the world would have been particularly if Bobby had survived.

[Richel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two Brothers: one was assassinated while he was President of the US, the other was assassinated before he could become President of the US; one was charming and good looking, the other rough and not so good- looking; one became President through the concerted efforts of a triumvirate: Joe Kennedy (the father), Jack himself, and Bobby; the other would have become President on his own; one ran for the Presidency to fill the shoes left by the eldest brother, Joe Jr.; the other ran for the Presidency to try to finish his brother's (Jack) unfinished Presidency; one focused on foreign policy where he proved himself a man of peace, the other fought the Mafia courageously; both wanted to do something about civil rights and social welfare.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not always easy reading for anyone who treasures the dreams and aspirations of both Jack and Bobby Kennedy, but
Mahoney is a superlative historian and his facts are scruplessy researched and supported. What is left is a fair history of a flawed and yet extraordinary presidency and the tale of two fascinating men. Having been exposed to Bobby during my own early years, I find my hero both human and yet incredibly admirable. Did both JFK and Bobby's reach exceed their grasp and were some of their choices excretable? Yes, but as RFK said himself: "Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world." That goal was a noble one.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting take on a small piece of the Kennedy family history. The author, whose father was friends with (and an appointee of) the Kennedys, did a lot of research into the Kennedy archives, but also used some other published sources to detail the period from Jack running for office until Bobby´s assassination. There was a lot of information on Bobby´s campaign to subdue the mob, despite his father´s undisputed ties to them. There was also a lot of detail on the Cuba situation, from the Bay of Pigs to the Cuban missile crisis and a tie in from that to Jack´s assassination. I don´t know that I buy all of his theories, but it was an interesting look at both the history of my childhood and at what drove the Kennedy brothers.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because much of what is written in the early chapters describing Jack and Bobby Kennedy's relationship has already been explored, I found the chapters describing Bobby's life after his brothers assassination most interesting. Bobby transitioned from crime fighter to a mover and shaker for the poor and forgotten. Being so young during that time period and unfamiliar with so much of what was then happening in society, it was enlightening for me to see how the politics of that time and the general attitude of society on many fronts, helped shape Bobby's decisions and determination to ultimately run for president.

[Chrystine Collins-blums · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful, Thorough Analysis of Two Leaders

I have read many Kennedy bios over the years but greatly enjoyed this format which describes the synergy between these two men leading up to, and including the Presidency. I wonder if JFKs initial reluctance to have his kid brother hold such a key position as AG had anything to do with how much he would actually rely on his counsel. Love the comparisons and contrasts. I also learned a great deal about RFK post the JFK years and have grown to admire him even more. I will re-read and I highly recommended - 4.5 stars

[Glen Chern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Mahoney masterfully captures the depth and significance of the relationship between John and Robert Kennedy. He brings to light the efforts by J.Edgar Hoover to blackmail the Kennedys in order to protect his position as director of the FBI. Mahoney goes in depth to expose the cunning and vile which Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa demonstrated in his campaign to take down President Kennedy and Bobby. This was one of the most detailed snd complex books about the Kennedys and well worth reading.

[Ann Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to read this as a follow up to Stephen King's 11/22/63 and to study up on the Kennedys before I visited the Sixth Floor Museum with my parents. Erik owns this and recommended that I read it.

As you can tell by the title, the book focused on the relationship between Jack & Bobby. It was very interesting to hear a new perspective, versus the what I had previously learned in school. And perhaps there was nothing "new," but for me, it was a great re-introduction.

[Vic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much more than I expected

I was a young adult working on a ladder and listening to my portable radio when news about President Kennedy being shot hit the airways. Like the rest of the nation I followed as the events unfolded like Ruby shooting Oswald on live tv. This book helped me to connect to the past and fill in information I either forgot or never new.

[horseradish · Rating 2 out of 5]

One long Kennedy whitewash

Author spells out in some detail how both brothers use international assassination as a policy tool and then attempts to make a case to excuse that moral deficiency by stating that they are really "sensitive" family orientated fellows!

I bought this book "on sale" so I wasted more time than money.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember the assassinations but not much more about JFK and RFK. This was a clear-eyed description of the events during and following JFK's presidency and how the brothers interacted and influenced each other. Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis, campaigns, parental influence...I found it very interesting and enlightening.