What do you think?
Rate this book
Before Chappaquiddick: The Untold Story of Mary Jo Kopechne and the Kennedy Brothers
On July 18, 1969, a car driven by Senator Edward M. Kennedy plunged off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, off the coast of Cape Cod. Mary Jo Kopechne, a twenty-eight-year-old former staffer for Kennedy’s brother Robert, died in the crash. The scandal that followed demeaned Kopechne’s reputation and scapegoated her for Ted Kennedy’s inability to run for the presidency instead of acknowledging her as an innocent victim in a tragedy that took her life.
William C. Kashatus’s biography of Mary Jo Kopechne illuminates the life of a politically committed young woman who embodied the best ideals of the sixties. Arriving in Washington in 1963, Kopechne soon joined the staff of Robert F. Kennedy and committed herself to his vision of compassion for the underprivileged, social idealism tempered by political realism, and a more humane nation. Kashatus details her work as an energetic and trusted staffer who became one of the famed Boiler Room Girls at the heart of RFK’s presidential campaign. Shattered by his assassination, Kopechne took a break from politics before returning as a consultant. It was at a reunion of the Boiler Room Girls that she accepted a ride from Edward Kennedy—a decision she would pay for with her life.
The untold—and long overdue—story of a promising life cut short, Before Chappaquiddick tells the human side of one of the most memorable scandals of the 1960s.
Purchase the audio edition.
William C. Kashatus’s biography of Mary Jo Kopechne illuminates the life of a politically committed young woman who embodied the best ideals of the sixties. Arriving in Washington in 1963, Kopechne soon joined the staff of Robert F. Kennedy and committed herself to his vision of compassion for the underprivileged, social idealism tempered by political realism, and a more humane nation. Kashatus details her work as an energetic and trusted staffer who became one of the famed Boiler Room Girls at the heart of RFK’s presidential campaign. Shattered by his assassination, Kopechne took a break from politics before returning as a consultant. It was at a reunion of the Boiler Room Girls that she accepted a ride from Edward Kennedy—a decision she would pay for with her life.
The untold—and long overdue—story of a promising life cut short, Before Chappaquiddick tells the human side of one of the most memorable scandals of the 1960s.
Purchase the audio edition.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2020
4 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
William C. Kashatus
6 books7 followersWilliam C. Kashatus is an historian, educator and author. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Earlham College, he earned an MA in history at Brown University and a PhD in history education at the University of Pennsylvania. He currently teaches history at Luzerne County Community College in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 13, 2020
A very interesting book about the innocent woman behind the Chappaquiddick incident. Get to know Mary Jo, rather than all the hype from the news and the innuendo that was tossed around creating scandal. This author really dig into the story, spending much needed time interviewing people who knew Mary Jo all through her life, to tell what she was really like. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her and her family, as I’ve always wanted to know more about this story. I’ve only known the headlines and gossipy version of what happened. This is a well written book on Mary Jo and I recommend it. Advanced electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author William C. Kashatus, and the publisher.
April 11, 2020
As someone who has read a limited amount of articles on Mary Jo Kopechne, I am not sure if William Kashatus is presenting any new information in this book. He definitely wished to present what he felt was a genuine portrait of Miss Kopechne; especially since after her death her name was dragged through the mud by the rag mags and others, in an effort to make Edward Kennedy innocent; or in an effort to turn a tragic manslaughter into something more sensational. And manslaughter it was, regardless of the unbelievable favoritism and light suspended sentence Senator Kennedy received.
Even more outrageous, the senator would then go on to suggest the "Kennedy Curse", so many believed in, was behind the accident; as if some evil paranormal thing caused it to happen, and he was as much a victim as Mary Jo Kopechne! Totally unbelievable. Mr. Kashatus does a good job explaining to unknowing readers how Edward Kennedy got away with the crime; explaining the time period and the idolization of the Kennedy family; explaining how men with power can thwart justice in order to protect themselves, their families and their reputation.
Mostly what Mr. Kashatus does, though, is offer proof of what an intelligent, hard working and moral person Mary Jo Kopechne actually happened to be. Plus, proof of how terribly her parents suffered over the loss of their only child. For they, too, were dragged through the mud by those bizarrely wishing to place the blame of their daughter's death on them; or those believing they "sold out" to the Kennedy family, in order to receive financial compensation. It was believed by all that Miss Kopechne had a bright future ahead of her.Unfortunately, however, she was left to drown in a submerged car by a man who cared only about his own future.
(Note: I received a free e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and the author or publisher.)
Even more outrageous, the senator would then go on to suggest the "Kennedy Curse", so many believed in, was behind the accident; as if some evil paranormal thing caused it to happen, and he was as much a victim as Mary Jo Kopechne! Totally unbelievable. Mr. Kashatus does a good job explaining to unknowing readers how Edward Kennedy got away with the crime; explaining the time period and the idolization of the Kennedy family; explaining how men with power can thwart justice in order to protect themselves, their families and their reputation.
Mostly what Mr. Kashatus does, though, is offer proof of what an intelligent, hard working and moral person Mary Jo Kopechne actually happened to be. Plus, proof of how terribly her parents suffered over the loss of their only child. For they, too, were dragged through the mud by those bizarrely wishing to place the blame of their daughter's death on them; or those believing they "sold out" to the Kennedy family, in order to receive financial compensation. It was believed by all that Miss Kopechne had a bright future ahead of her.Unfortunately, however, she was left to drown in a submerged car by a man who cared only about his own future.
(Note: I received a free e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and the author or publisher.)
June 25, 2020
The Chappaquickddick tragedy has, in both film and print, largely been told from the Kennedy perspective (are you surprised?) but Kashatus restores Mary Jo Kopechne to the center of the narrative with solid research. He does have to engage the web of rumors surrounding the Kennedys, but I felt that such issues were handled deftly and quickly and didn't get in the way of the story. Kashatus situates Mary Jo in a myriad of contexts: religious (she was a devout Catholic educated in Catholic schools), social (she championed the rights of African Americans and was against Vietnam), and political. He also examines how women like her helped pave the way for women entering the workforce later. He writes: "By today’s standards, Kopechne appears to have been grossly underpaid, extremely overworked, and dismissed as a “secretary” when her responsibilities suggested she deserved the more respectable title of “political consultant” and to be paid accordingly. But she, like the other young women who worked for Robert Kennedy, belonged to a transitional generation of women who paved the way for the feminists of the 1970s and their fight for gender equality." My favorite aspect of this work was the attention paid to Appalachia, which Mary Jo was from and the people of which RFK sought to help.
May 31, 2025
The name Chappaquiddick brings an instantaneous reaction. I was just a few months shy of my twelfth birthday when the accident occurred. I remember the theories that followed after the event.
The first half of the book gives a thorough background on Mary Jo Kopechne, a devout Catholic woman who first joined the presidential campaign for JFK in 1960. After his death, she then worked for his brother, RFK. She became the oldest of the Boiler Room Girls, five dedicated staffers who worked tirelessly, even working strategy sessions for the 1968 campaign. Mary Jo typed many of Bobby's speeches and was a true believer in his fight for the underprivileged. His assassination was a shattering experience and she mourned his loss.
In 1969, a reunion of sorts with the five women was held at Martha's Vineyard with Ted Kennedy as the chief host. Mary Jo asked for a ride to her motel and Teddy volunteered. A short, wooden bridge would live in infamy and inspire an endless number of books. Kashatus uses several of them for material and includes the pregnancy rumors as well as the payoffs to mom and dad Kopechne. In reality, they only received $140,000 in insurance money, with the lawyer taking one-third. They initially agreed to an autopsy but later changed their minds, citing their Catholic faith.
Kashatus presents a well balanced book with both the positive and negative aspects of Kennedy's life.
The first half of the book gives a thorough background on Mary Jo Kopechne, a devout Catholic woman who first joined the presidential campaign for JFK in 1960. After his death, she then worked for his brother, RFK. She became the oldest of the Boiler Room Girls, five dedicated staffers who worked tirelessly, even working strategy sessions for the 1968 campaign. Mary Jo typed many of Bobby's speeches and was a true believer in his fight for the underprivileged. His assassination was a shattering experience and she mourned his loss.
In 1969, a reunion of sorts with the five women was held at Martha's Vineyard with Ted Kennedy as the chief host. Mary Jo asked for a ride to her motel and Teddy volunteered. A short, wooden bridge would live in infamy and inspire an endless number of books. Kashatus uses several of them for material and includes the pregnancy rumors as well as the payoffs to mom and dad Kopechne. In reality, they only received $140,000 in insurance money, with the lawyer taking one-third. They initially agreed to an autopsy but later changed their minds, citing their Catholic faith.
Kashatus presents a well balanced book with both the positive and negative aspects of Kennedy's life.
June 30, 2020
You always hear about Ted Kennedy and how the incident at Chappaquiddick defined him and changed his life, but you never really heard much about the young woman that died. Yes you heard the rumors that they were having an affair, that she was a party girl, but you never really heard about her. This books tells you who Mary Jo Kopechne. This book tells her story, her dreams and the family that never got over losing her. This is a book that finally shows that there was another victim of the awful night and that she was just at the beginning of her political career and had plans for the rest of her life. Those plans did not include having that life cut short. This books shows that all the rumors were not true and there are people that know exactly what happen but are keeping the secrets of things that may never be known. The more you learn about Ms. Kopechne and her upbringing and goals you realize how devastating the accident was. This is a wonderful book that anyone that has an interest in history and politics should read.
April 18, 2020
Remembering well when this tragedy happened and even remembering where I was when the story broke. This tragedy even more shadowed the moon landing.
I have read numerous articles and accounts in books; as well as the movie.
What really happened the night Mary Jo Kopecne died? The realities of that night died with Mary Jo and Ted Kennedy. I do believe there was some type of cover up in the truth and sequences, in order to protect the Kennedy family legacy and Senator Kennedy's political career. Some of the details that I did not know, I learned in this book.
Where this book differs from other accounts is that we learn more about Mary Jo as a person, rather than just from the tragic death and the rumors surrounding it. It is well written and not bias, in my opinion.if the reader remembers the event and followed it over the years, I believe it will be an enjoyable read.
I have read numerous articles and accounts in books; as well as the movie.
What really happened the night Mary Jo Kopecne died? The realities of that night died with Mary Jo and Ted Kennedy. I do believe there was some type of cover up in the truth and sequences, in order to protect the Kennedy family legacy and Senator Kennedy's political career. Some of the details that I did not know, I learned in this book.
Where this book differs from other accounts is that we learn more about Mary Jo as a person, rather than just from the tragic death and the rumors surrounding it. It is well written and not bias, in my opinion.if the reader remembers the event and followed it over the years, I believe it will be an enjoyable read.
April 16, 2020
It was nice to see a book about the woman behind the famous name. I did learn more about Mary Jo, but always wonder how much people idealize someone who died tragically. This account seemed at great pains to make Mary Jo out to be a very pious and straight-laced person, possibly in an effort to discount the horrid accounts that have circulated to date. Regardless of what happened that night, and this book doesn't provide any more answers than others, she was an innocent victim in a horrible tragedy. This book certainly told me a bit more of who Mary Jo was, but the writing could have been tighter. It meanders towards the end and got repetitive.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
April 21, 2020
Even though I did not grow up in the 60s, this story of the Kennedy brothers and Mary Jo Kopechne peaked my interest. Before Chappaquiddick details the events and people that surround the accident where Mary Jo died at the hands of Ted Kennedy. You get to know Mary Jo's background from childhood to when she started working for the Kennedy's until her time of death. This also offered a great account of all the Kennedy brothers' political careers intertwined with Mary Jo's career. I'd recommend this book for anyone interested in the Chappaquiddick scandal or an engaging nonfiction, crime style book.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2022
This was a to the point book that I`m glad that I read, being so young when this happen I herd about it every time Ted wanted to run for president, but didn`t get the full story. To me it seems like Mary Jo Kopechne just wanted to head back to here motel room and Ted was on his way out so she caught a ride back...a ride of no return! Ted should have gone back to the cottage to get help and may be saved Mary Jo, but who knows with his head injury his life was playing out in front of him. Mary Jo was a career woman who was heading in the right direction till the Kennedy tragedies caught her up in them. Most likely Ted would have died and that would have been the end of the Kennedy Dynasty!
May 4, 2020
When I saw the movie about Chappaquiddick, I was very much interested in learning more. I was searching for new books to read when I came across this book. I immediately knew I had to read this book. I downloaded it to my kindle and soon was reading the book. I have to say that this book was hard to put down. I read it in a few days and it made me understand how all went down and before it went down. I will be most likely purchasing this book for my husband who too loved the movie. Thanks for allowing me to read this book and I loved it! It's a must have in everyones library of books at home!
April 11, 2020
I'm a huge crime nut and I've read articles and things on this case but this book was really enjoyable. I only knew a few things about the case but this had missing pieces. It was a great book written beautifully.
Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 12, 2020
I have always been fascinated by the Kennedy's, especially the cover ups they were involved in. This book was riveting. I like how it portrayed Mary Jo Kopechne and gave you a biography of her and her family. Finally the world gets to know a little of the truth. This is a well written book and a good read. Thank you to #Netgalley, and the publisher. #BeforeChappaquidick.
May 25, 2020
A very informative read on a person and event that I knew very little about. I think this does justice to the memory of Mary Jo Kopechne and am glad to have had a chance to read it.
See my full review here: https://allthebookblognamesaretaken.b...
See my full review here: https://allthebookblognamesaretaken.b...
May 27, 2020
Before Chappaquiddick is a book that finally focuses on the victim Mary Jo. Her story needed to be told and this book addresses Mary Jo and not just Ted Kennedy. It is fast moving and full of information. The author offers some salient points and observations about the accident at Chappaquiddick. Very interesting read. Thank you to NetGalley.
June 1, 2020
This book humanized the woman that is unfortunately a tragic part of the Kennedy legacy. Many people have heard her name over the years and of the accident that took her life, but few know anything about the woman herself. The author did a brilliant job in capturing what kind of a woman Mary Jo was. I highly recommend this.
June 7, 2020
A nice change.
This book doesn't fall into the sensationalizing of the Kennedys.
For so many decades it was just a name Mary Jo Kopechne and another Kennedy scandal. Before Chappaquiddick gives life to a name. It rightly shows the tragedy of the life lost. It isn't just another scandal but gives meaning to a life lost.
This book doesn't fall into the sensationalizing of the Kennedys.
For so many decades it was just a name Mary Jo Kopechne and another Kennedy scandal. Before Chappaquiddick gives life to a name. It rightly shows the tragedy of the life lost. It isn't just another scandal but gives meaning to a life lost.
April 22, 2020
Before Chappaquiddick by William C. Kashatus was a interesting read. I think we all have heard or read about this tragedy, but for me there were thinks in this book that I didn’t know. Still in the end there are more questions then answers about what happened that night.
April 29, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. I have watched and read so much about The Kennedys, but I didnt know that much about Mary Jo and the accident. I really like that the author gave Mary Jo a background to let us know her life before she passed away.
June 5, 2020
At the risk of sounding macabre, this adds invaluable flesh to the bare bones of the subject. And as the full extent of the loss of Ms Kopechne can now be understood, so too can Senator Kennedy's cowardice and culpability.
June 19, 2020
So Sad!
People rarely talk about a victim as someone having a life before the event happened that victimized them. This was such a thorough, even handed look at a woman with all the potential in the world. So well done.
People rarely talk about a victim as someone having a life before the event happened that victimized them. This was such a thorough, even handed look at a woman with all the potential in the world. So well done.
November 17, 2020
Before Chappaquiddick: The Untold Story of Mary Jo Kopechne and the Kennedy Brothers is an interesting read. I like that I was able to see this beautiful young woman like I have never have. Five stars.
February 14, 2024
I enjoyed this one the Chappaquiddick story involving Ted Kennedy and Mary Lou Kopechne because Kashatus gave only the facts collected from previous interviews and articles. His forward expresses how he wanted Mary Lou’s personal to be known for more than just her death and link to the Kennedys.
February 5, 2023
Knew the story but not the life and of the fictim Mary Jo Kopechne. Not a brilliant book but I just added little bit more Kennedy knowledge.
December 18, 2020
I would hazard a guess that anyone who knows who Mary Jo Kopechne is, probably knows that she died one night in July when then-Senator Edward M. Kennedy's car plunged off the side of a bridge. Since then, there has been speculation and conspiracies as to how and why this happened, when Kennedy himself survived.
People have said that he drowned her because she knew too much about the Kennedys; that she was having an affair with Ted (Edward); etc., but I tend to believe it was merely an accident, and although many will disagree with me, I seriously can't believe that someone as high-profile as the senator was and still is, that he would purposely kill a young woman and then just walk away...
This book begins far earlier than Mary Jo's conception, beginning with her grand-parentage and explaining the type of people that her family was and where they came from: a set of working class immigrants who came to this country to make it a better place and give themselves a better life. Her family worked in the mines, which even now is dangerous and hard work, causing all manner of health problems.
But Mary Jo was born to Joe and Gwen Kopechne, their only child. As such, she was pampered and loved, given every opportunity to make something of her life that was better than her parents'. After all, isn't that what we as parent are supposed to do? Want something better for our children and give them the chance to be better, to grow? Joe and Gwen were no different than other parents, and they supported Mary Jo in whatever she wanted to do.
What she wanted to do -- and succeeded in doing so -- was go into politics and work for Senator John F. Kennedy while he made a run for president. She worked hard, she worked long hours, and she pushed her way into becoming important for his campaign. When JFK was elected, Mary Jo couldn't have been happier. But then, unexpectedly, he was assassinated while driving through Dallas, and she was crushed. It shattered her world.
When she recovered, she went to work for his brother Robert, who was once John's attorney general, and worked longer hours and like a whirlwind to help him in his own campaign for the presidency. But then again, RFK was assassinated, and Mary Jo's life once again crumbled to the ground; she had utter adulation for the Kennedys, and this truly devastated her, while she insisted she would never work for Ted, while other of the Boiler Room girls (Robert's staff) did so.
Now you can say that she was having affairs with these men, but you'd be wrong. Robert was happily married to Ethel, and while John had a roving eye, it never roved in her direction. Her zeal was to help the Democratic party and her loyalty was to the Kennedy brothers. Unfortunately, the third time tragedy struck, it stuck hard and ended everything.
Senator Edward Kennedy never wanted to be president. He didn't have the charisma of his brother John, and he didn't have the determination of his brother Robert. He was the youngest Kennedy, and the last of four brothers (Joseph, Jr. was killed in WWII). He'd lost three brothers and one sister at this point, and some say that he never recovered after Robert's death.
It was a fateful night on Chappaquiddick when the accident occurred, and Ted made decisions that would change both his life and that of the Kopechne's forever. Mary Jo's death never went away, and Ted threw himself into his work, playing a major part in getting laws passed that have benefited the American people, which included (but is not limited to) the COBRA health insurance provision; The Americans with Disabilities Act; and the Ryan White AIDS act. You can say that Mary Jo's death left Ted a better person.
Now I am not praising Ted Kennedy at all; in fact, I've always believed that if he'd gotten help immediately she might have lived. For myself, when John died so did my alliance to the Kennedys themselves. And who knows what her life would have been? Her death shattered her parents; it changed Ted. Nevertheless, she left behind a legacy. She was definitely a victim in this, perhaps someone who shouldn't have been there, perhaps willingly. We will never know the truth.
But this book gives an interesting take on Mary Jo's presence; it delves into her life and brings forth the young girl she was and the young woman she became. It gives her life meaning, and makes her more than just a victim on a late July night. It tells the story of how she became the person she was, and gives her loss a heavy sadness. I read this book hoping to gain insight into Mary Jo, and I was not disappointed in the outcome. Highly recommended.
I was given an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
People have said that he drowned her because she knew too much about the Kennedys; that she was having an affair with Ted (Edward); etc., but I tend to believe it was merely an accident, and although many will disagree with me, I seriously can't believe that someone as high-profile as the senator was and still is, that he would purposely kill a young woman and then just walk away...
This book begins far earlier than Mary Jo's conception, beginning with her grand-parentage and explaining the type of people that her family was and where they came from: a set of working class immigrants who came to this country to make it a better place and give themselves a better life. Her family worked in the mines, which even now is dangerous and hard work, causing all manner of health problems.
But Mary Jo was born to Joe and Gwen Kopechne, their only child. As such, she was pampered and loved, given every opportunity to make something of her life that was better than her parents'. After all, isn't that what we as parent are supposed to do? Want something better for our children and give them the chance to be better, to grow? Joe and Gwen were no different than other parents, and they supported Mary Jo in whatever she wanted to do.
What she wanted to do -- and succeeded in doing so -- was go into politics and work for Senator John F. Kennedy while he made a run for president. She worked hard, she worked long hours, and she pushed her way into becoming important for his campaign. When JFK was elected, Mary Jo couldn't have been happier. But then, unexpectedly, he was assassinated while driving through Dallas, and she was crushed. It shattered her world.
When she recovered, she went to work for his brother Robert, who was once John's attorney general, and worked longer hours and like a whirlwind to help him in his own campaign for the presidency. But then again, RFK was assassinated, and Mary Jo's life once again crumbled to the ground; she had utter adulation for the Kennedys, and this truly devastated her, while she insisted she would never work for Ted, while other of the Boiler Room girls (Robert's staff) did so.
Now you can say that she was having affairs with these men, but you'd be wrong. Robert was happily married to Ethel, and while John had a roving eye, it never roved in her direction. Her zeal was to help the Democratic party and her loyalty was to the Kennedy brothers. Unfortunately, the third time tragedy struck, it stuck hard and ended everything.
Senator Edward Kennedy never wanted to be president. He didn't have the charisma of his brother John, and he didn't have the determination of his brother Robert. He was the youngest Kennedy, and the last of four brothers (Joseph, Jr. was killed in WWII). He'd lost three brothers and one sister at this point, and some say that he never recovered after Robert's death.
It was a fateful night on Chappaquiddick when the accident occurred, and Ted made decisions that would change both his life and that of the Kopechne's forever. Mary Jo's death never went away, and Ted threw himself into his work, playing a major part in getting laws passed that have benefited the American people, which included (but is not limited to) the COBRA health insurance provision; The Americans with Disabilities Act; and the Ryan White AIDS act. You can say that Mary Jo's death left Ted a better person.
Now I am not praising Ted Kennedy at all; in fact, I've always believed that if he'd gotten help immediately she might have lived. For myself, when John died so did my alliance to the Kennedys themselves. And who knows what her life would have been? Her death shattered her parents; it changed Ted. Nevertheless, she left behind a legacy. She was definitely a victim in this, perhaps someone who shouldn't have been there, perhaps willingly. We will never know the truth.
But this book gives an interesting take on Mary Jo's presence; it delves into her life and brings forth the young girl she was and the young woman she became. It gives her life meaning, and makes her more than just a victim on a late July night. It tells the story of how she became the person she was, and gives her loss a heavy sadness. I read this book hoping to gain insight into Mary Jo, and I was not disappointed in the outcome. Highly recommended.
I was given an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews