Ted Kennedy: A Life

by John A. Farrell

An enthralling and groundbreaking new biography of one of modern America's most fascinating and consequential political figures, drawing on important new sources, by the award-winning biographer who covered Kennedy closely for many years

Over five years in the making, John A. Farrell's magnificent biography of Edward M. Kennedy is the first single-volume life of the great figure since his death. Farrell's long acquaintance with the Kennedy universe and the acclaim of his previous books, including his New York Times-bestselling biography of Nixon, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, helped garner him access to a remarkable range of new sources, including Kennedy's personal diary. But new sources are only as valuable as the mind that is sifting through them, and John A. Farrell is without question one of America's greatest political biographers, and a storyteller of deep wisdom and empathy. The upshot is a book that does full justice to this famously epic and turbulent life, one of almost unimaginable tragedy and triumph.

As the fourth son of the close-knit but fiercely competitive Kennedy clan, little Teddy was almost an afterthought, the runt of the litter--if he didn't disappoint, it was because so little was expected of him. Expelled from Harvard for cheating, Teddy was a fun-loving playboy who served his brothers loyally and effectively, but no one would have anticipated his being voted into the Senate at the age of 30 in a special election to fill his brother Jack's seat on his own merit. It was easy to take Teddy lightly, and many did. John Farrell candidly depicts all the good reasons people had to gauge the youngest Kennedy brother as a reckless good time boy. But in the United States Senate, something happened that surprised many people: he found his home, and he found his calling. Not immediately, and not without setbacks, but over time, he would build arguably the most significant career of any Senator in American history. Through raging storms, the Senate was his safe harbor.

Ted Kennedy's life was buffeted by relentless heartbreak: the violent deaths of his three older brothers, his own terrible plane crash, his children's bouts with cancer, and of course the hideous self-inflicted wounds of Chappaquiddick and stretches of drunken womanizing that inflicted irreparable damage on an already fragile first marriage and his vulnerable children. Farrell is unflinching in probing the life's darker chapters. Those wounds scarred Teddy terribly. But they also tempered his character, and especially after he discarded his ambitions to become President, he embarked in the last quarter century of his life on a run as legislator, party elder, and paterfamilias of the Kennedy family, that would bring him enormous satisfaction and change America for the better in a number of ways. It is John A. Farrell's great accomplishment to bring us the man as he was, in strength and weakness, his profound but complicated inheritance and his vital legacy, as only a great biographer can do. Without the story this book tells, no understanding of modern America can be complete.

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

752 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2022

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've finally finished!!

Ted Kennedy may not be remembered in as iconic a way as his 2 brothers John & Robert but I would say he's actually the most important brother. Obviously his brother John was President and his other brother Robert was the Attorney General but Ted's nearly 50 year Senate career has effected the everyday American way more. Say what you will about Obamacare(it didn't go nearly far enough and it was a too pro insurance company) without Ted our terrible Health Care would be soo much worse.

Ted Kennedy wasn't perfect...I mean he was responsible for the death a young woman after all. But I can't help feel bad for him. By the age of 36 he had lost 4 siblings, 2 died during WW2 and the other 2 were very publicly assassinated. I only have 1 sibling a sister and 2 years ago I thought she might die and I still don't think I've recovered mentally. Alot if not all of Ted's problems can be traced back to alcoholism but given the shit he dealt with I can't blame him for turning to the bottle.

This biography isn't the typical Kennedy biography that I prefer. Yall know I like the trashy, gossip filled biographies. This book is just a straightforward biography. While I can tell that the author liked Ted as a person, the biography is mostly straight down the middle. He doesn't judge Ted in either direction but he does call out the times that it was obvious that Ted was lying or evading responsibility( Chappaquiddick).

You don't need to be particularly into the Kennedys to enjoy this book. I think people who are interested in the wonky inner workings the US Senate will also enjoy this book.

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit to approaching this new biography with wariness-another tome on a Kennedy? -I've read so many, some very fine, such as those by Doris Kearns Goodwin and Chris Matthews. But I was very pleasantly surprised. Farrell's book is not a repetition of all the history of the Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys, the childhood stories, the scandals, the glamour, and, of course, the overwhelming tragedies that people of my age and generation are so familiar with. That material is not omitted, but it is treated in detail only insofar as the author judges it to be specifically relevant to his portrait of his subject. This is primarily an examination of Ted Kennedy as a legislator, and the stuff of the book comprises the influences that shaped him: family, and friends, his relationships with the presidents who followed his brother, his alliances and enmities in the Senate and the House, and how these made him the consummate politician, the "Lion of the Senate" that he became. And it is fascinating. I had no idea how hard he worked, how in-depth he studied and prepared, and how patient he could be in furtherance of his primary goal of making life more just and better for those who had been invisible or forgotten. Nor was I aware of what an important role he had in foreign policy, other than Vietnam.
Farrell's meticulous research was made more difficult by the fact that EMK's papers belong to the JFK presidential library which unseals records more slowly and selectively than sources such as the National Archives, or other public sources. Farrell had to run down the material he sought by searching records other than EMK's official papers and conducting interview with persons who had contemporaneous and independent knowledge. The notes of attribution are so voluminous that it was a bit difficult to find the specific one I wanted, but it's all there. The text is not as daunting as it might appear; it's less that 600 pages of text; the rest is photographs, notes and sources, and a comprehensive index.
For me, this was a completely worthwhile read.

[Jeremy Anderberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started a touch slow, but then picked up steam and never relented. In a life marked by tragedy and overshadowed by the family name, Ted Kennedy ended up shaping a unique and formidable legacy of his own — and worked his way to being "the leading exponent of liberal causes in American politics."

Though there are some particulars left out (much of his early life, his divorce from Joan, etc.), I quickly realized that, given the long arc of Kennedy's life and career, certain things had to be glossed over in order to even keep it under 600 pages. (Neil Gabler's ~2,000-page two-volume treatment does no glossing over.)

In many ways, his life is the most complex and intriguing of all the Kennedys. He ended up being an incredible politician through sheer grit and championed causes for decades on end (especially health care). But his personal life was hellish and marred by an endless cascade of bad decisions.

Marked by intense, almost unimaginable trauma and a seemingly genuine urge to better the human condition, Kennedy encapsulated the extreme ends of our dichotomies as a species.

His life and work are worth knowing about. What one Washington Post reporter wrote decades ago still applies today: "While it is impossible for any Kennedy to be overlooked, this one has surely been underestimated."

"Ted Kennedy" is a fantastic, readable, utterly absorbing biography. Farrell strikes again.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book - one of the best biographies I have read in quite some time. I have read a bit about the Kennedy's but never a book specifically about Ted Kennedy. Growing up in Massachusetts, with one side of my family being Irish Catholic, the Kennedy's and Teddy in particular are like an institution. So I always knew about our Senator. However, this biography put a great deal into context and was a fascinating look at his life - warts and all. Highly recommended to anyone interested and on either side of the political divide.

Also on a personal note - this was the first book I have read in my life using reading glasses!

[Todd Winther]

Excellent, but read Gabler's two-volume biography for a more detailed analysis.

[Scott Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be fair I have never liked Ted Kennedy which I'm sure affected my enjoyment of the book. I decided to read it because I liked the two previous books I read by John Farrell.(Richard Nixon: the Life & Clarence Darrow: Attorney for the Dammed)

One of the things I appreciated about Farrell's writing especially about Nixon was that I thought he was fair. Unfortunately, I don't feel that way about this book. It is clear to me that Farrell has a left leaning bias. Obviously, most people have their beliefs and biography writers are not different, but I found myself frustrated many times with how he presented political issues.

He presents Republicans stance on border security as anti-immigrant which is not true. I invite people to my house to entertain but if strangers let themselves in and start eating my food that does not make me anti-guest.

When talking about Supreme Court appointees he talks about how conservatives demand a certain set of beliefs unlike liberals. This is also absurd. In my lifetime a Democratic President has never appointed a judge who turned out to be conservative but Republicans have appointed judges who turned out to be liberal. David Souter is the most obvious example.

So political bias aside I enjoyed the book. Farrell does a very good job of keeping the book engaging and he does show the strengths and weaknesses of Teddy. I do think he tries to excuse his lifelong womanizing as a result of the pain he has experienced with his families well documented tragedies. I don't buy it. His family has certainly suffered more than most but that doesn't give him a pass for his horrible lifelong treatment of women.

I found some of the discussion of the battle in the Senate to be the most interesting. It's depressing to hear how often political figures will not act because of political implications instead of just voting for what they believed. Many times Farrell points out that a bill may have passed which would have addressed healthcare, immigration or any other key issue but was held up because some politicians were worried who would get credit.

My lasting take away though is the amount of tragedy that the Kennedy's have endured. When John Jr, his wife and sister-in-law die in a plane crash I couldn't believe the Kennedys had to deal with more. I remember John Jr dying but has forgotten it while reading the book so it came as a shock and my heart ached for Kennedys.

Overall, it's a good book. Liberals may enjoy it more than conservatives based on my thoughts above but if you are interested in Teddy Kennedy I would read it.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://thebestbiographies.com/2022/1...

Edward Kennedy (1932-2009) was the youngest of nine children and presumed to be the least likely of the four sons to achieve success or sustain the Kennedy brand. Although famously flawed, Ted was elected to the US Senate at the age of 30 and spent the next forty-seven years mastering its intricacies and advocating for social justice. He was the third longest-serving US senator in American history.

Like Farrell’s biographies of O’Neill and Nixon, this biography of Ted Kennedy is thoughtful, lively and engaging. And despite its 593 pages of text the narrative always moves briskly – rarely covering a topic to the point of exhaustion. While comprehensive, it is less a detailed exploration of Kennedy’s political and personal lives than a meritorious introduction to his political career and review of his personal flaws.

Farrell is a sympathetic biographer, but this is no fawning hagiography. The narrative unflinchingly exposes Kennedy’s numerous self-inflicted flaws including his negligence in Mary Jo Kopechne’s death, his failures during the ensuing cover-up, his shameless womanizing and boorish behavior and his alcoholism. At times, Farrell’s critique is delivered with a softer touch than Kennedy probably deserves.

There are many high points in this book. Among them: excellent background relating to what it meant to grow up “a Kennedy,” a touching look at Ted’s emotional state following the deaths of his brothers, a multi-chapter examination of Chappaquiddick, a revealing exploration of the Kennedy-Carter relationship and an engaging account of his presidential run in 1980.

But readers seeking the ideal combination of insight and readability will find this book imperfect. First, its fast-flowing narrative proves a double-edged sword. The narrative avoids burdensome detail, but there is often a feeling of skimming the tree-tops at the expense of richer context and deeper insight. (But anyone desiring a more detailed treatment of Kennedy’s life can turn to Neil Gabler’s gargantuan series on Kennedy – volume two is due out in 36 hours.)

This brisk walk through Kennedy’s life also minimizes personal moments involving Kennedy’s first wife and his children, particularly when they aren’t central to his legislative career. His divorce from Joan, for example, goes almost unnoticed.

Finally, readers without much background in history will not find much assistance here. Farrell includes just enough context to hold the story together; topics such as Watergate, Vietnam and the Cold War receive surprisingly little direct attention. And, strangely, there is virtually no insight into Kennedy’s view of fellow Massachusetts politician Michael Dukakis or his own race for the presidency.

Overall, John Farrell’s biography of Ted Kennedy is an enjoyable and interesting journey through the life of the “Lion of the Senate.” It is best for someone seeking a comprehensive introduction to Kennedy without too much detail (and who is already broadly familiar with the events of his era). For others, this biography is likely to prove solid but not fully satisfying.

Overall rating: 4 stars

[John Daniell · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute masterpiece that establishes John Farrell as preeminent biographer on the level of David McCollough, HW Brands, Jon Meacham, and Doris Kearns Goodwin, and I’d argue Farrell’s style is much more engaging and readable. Like in his Nixon biography, Farrell does a masterful job of linking themes throughout his subject’s life together, such as how Ted’s deference to his older brothers as the youngest of the family would be mirrored in his early years in the Senate, an institution centered on seniority. The book does a good job of weaving together Kennedy’s love of family with his shortcomings. This is not a hit piece or a re-litigation of Chappaquiddick, so if you’re looking for that, pick up another book.

[Holly Weston Bull · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a masterwork.

I don’t know how many books have been written about the Kennedy clan. Dozens? Hundreds? Probably the latter. So you have to wonder if there is anything left to be said. But it turns out that, in the hands of John Farrell, there is still a whole lot left to say.

I knew the broad brushes of Ted Kennedy’s life, but mostly on the personal front - namely, his absolutely horrendous first marriage - but Farrell’s book really fleshes Kennedy out as a richly-drawn, fully three dimensional human being.

Farrell, who holds a doctorate in history, has had a storied career as both a journalist and a biographer, and it shows in his writing. This book is, I think, how a biography should be written: thorough, impeccably researched, nuanced, and written with an eye to narrative structure.

Farrell’s collection of sources is amazing, and his writing showcases his deep understanding of the issues he describes (Senate battles over civil rights legislation, details of Kennedy’s concept of a national health care plan, the nuanced relationship between the Clinton and Kennedy clans, etc.)

Simply outstanding.

5 stars.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to learn more about the machinations and inner workings of Congress. Forty percent of the book is "story," and the remaining sixty percent is documentation for the extensive research that went into the book. This is not the type of read that one sits down to and reads from cover to cover. It's slow going, but the content and history are fascinating.

[WM D. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ted Kennedy a life was a good book. Upon reading it I was at first looking forward to reading it but then after reading it . It was the same thing again

[Jonathan Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jackie Kennedy once wrote to Ted Kennedy: “On you the carefree youngest brother fell a burden a hero would have begged to have been spared. We are all going to make it because you were always there…”

This is the story of those burdens. Ted Kennedy LIVED and while he wasn’t perfect (as he might say in response, “do not let perfect be the enemy of good”), I enjoyed reading about his journey — from the days of youth being the spare brother, to being given his first Communion by the Pope, to the plane crash that almost killed him, to the aftermaths of Dealy Plaza and the Ambassador Hotel, to the waters of Chappaquiddick and later Martha’s Vineyard, to the campaign of 1980 and the dreams that never die, to the Lion of the Senate, to the fires of sunset and the passage of his family’s dream to a young black senator, I found myself engrossed in a full life of a man with whom I have little in common, politically or otherwise. And yet, as he is laid to rest with a simple cross beside his brothers and Jackie, I couldn’t help but think they don’t make them like they used to anymore. I would have liked to have met him.

In case you couldn’t tell, I highly recommend this book. The author took time thinking about the subject and it shows. Here, Kennedy gets no passes for his multiple mistakes, but at the same time, he does get much credit. My only criticism of this book which kept this from the 5 star rating, regrettably, was the wish that the last 10-15 years of his life had been covered a bit more fully, as the ending did feel a bit rushed as 1999-2009 flashed by in only one or two chapters.

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

Everyone knows the Kennedys, a famous name that reached for the heights of political royalty that defined a generation and was struck down but acts of madmen. But in his new biography, Ted Kennedy: A Life, John Farrell chronicles the life of the youngest Kennedy as he navigated a life that evolved from youngest brother to patriarch. Ted Kennedy wasn’t always the Lion of the Senate, in fact his early life was quite similar to what I imagined life for the younger sibling would be, silly and fun loving but unserious, because responsibility fell elsewhere. But as Kennedy grew older he constantly live in the shadows of his older brothers, John and Robert, that made his early adulthood about joining the family business, politics. Kennedy hit good strides as a young Senator, Taking over President Kennedy’s seat in the Senate. Farrell uses his extensive knowledge of the era to detail some of Kennedy's early battles like his support for the Civil Rights bill and his early fights for healthcare for all. Farrell's prose is solid as his thirty or so page chapters make an evening fly by, but its the quality of the writing, as Farrell would make each fight and each of the Senator's mistakes feel new again. I cannot tell you whether Ted Kennedy is a good man or whether he should be forgiven or absolved for Chappaquiddick, but I can tell you for certain that I have a new understanding and perspective into the life of Ted Kennedy and it was John Farrell's great writing and stellar research that gave it to me.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love him or hate him, there is no denying that Ted Kennedy was a larger than life politician, a big, booming voice whose personality it seems is outdone in volume only by the amount of publicly personal tragedy he faced in his very full 77 years. This biography spares the reader the whole Kennedy genealogy and migration from Ireland, but starts with Teddy as a young, sometimes struggling, student. He was the youngest of nine in the privileged and competitive Kennedy clan, and was often teased by his brothers and ignored by his mother.

Some of the facts of his life are almost astounding when you think of them. He was elected to the senate at age 30, at a time while his two older brothers were then president and AG, and then after 1964 senator as well. By the time he was 36 he had lost four older siblings (two in plane crashes, two assassinated), and more or less lost another sister to life-long institutionalization. In 1964 he barely survived a bad plane crash and spent almost a year in recovery. And then of course there was Chappaquiddick, which is given exhaustive coverage by the author, John Farrell. His wife is an alcoholic for most of their marriage and his son loses a leg to cancer at age 12. In fact all three of his children had substance abuse problems at some point, and cancer diagnoses as well. He lost his nephew John to a plane crash.

Farrell provides an even and thorough treatment of the complex (and you might say contradictory) Kennedy throughout this exhaustively researched biography. For me, two episodes stood out which helped me better understand Kennedy the man and the politician. The first was his grief-induced collapse following Bobby Kennedy's death. As Farrell explains, Ted survived JFK's assassination partly because he had Bobby there. But Bobby's death just gutted him. Grief overwhelmed his mid-life, somewhat embarrassing "partying and womanizing" years, so while not excusable, at least were more understandable through Farrell's telling. The second incident occurred during the Clarence Thomas hearings. Whether Kennedy had struck a deal, or didn't want to bring up the morality question, or was just too hungover or psychologically immobilized to fight the nomination, or all of the above, hard to know, but he sat (next to Sen. Biden) bleary-eyed and useless for the majority of the hearings saying hardly a word. Had Ted been on his typical game, his powerful influence might have prevented Thomas's appointment. Farrell includes this episode as an example of a failure, but it also serves to illustrate the extent of his potential power when he chose to wield it.

The final chapters of the book focus on his senatorial efforts and causes, especially related to health care, health care, and health care. And a few other social programs. The happy ending of the book occurs when he gets involved with his now widow, Vickie. Had she not come along when she did, who knows what other tragedy might have befallen the senator. Or maybe he would have quit politics to pursue his life-long dream of becoming an Italian opera singer. As he said, you get to eat pasta and sing everyday then people stand and applaud you. He would have been good in the tragic roles.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read whether you liked Ted Kennedy or not. Farrell has mixed emotions himself, as did many of his colleagues and friends during Kennedy's life. He calls the Senator out for the suffering inflicted upon his first wife, his alcoholism, sexual escapades and occasional pettiness. However, Farrell does provide a slight corrective to the version the Carter Administration put out about the 1980 primary season. Jimmy Carter (yes, yes, a National Treasure) could be as arrogant and petty as anyone else, and Farrell makes a good case for the primary challenge. Perhaps even better than Kennedy himself did. The contrast with Kennedy's relationship with Reagan is clear. Carter would not use Kennedy as an ally, placing second only to LBJ in his obsession with the Massachusetts political dynasty. But Kennedy and Reagan worked with each other as they could, and unlike Carter, Reagan seems to have personally liked Ted Kennedy.

This is a political biography, and as such is fascinating. After a timid start in 1962, and years in the shadows of JFK and Robert, Ted emerged as a leading opponent of the Vietnam War. Farrell charts his work throughout the ensuing decades. Kennedy was pragmatic. He would take what he could get, and one of the most interesting threads in the book is the preparation he laid down for years in order to make the Affordable Healthcare Act a reality. He stopped Bork's Supreme Court nomination on ideological objections to "originalism", but was unable to prevent Clarence Thomas' ascension because of Kennedy's own involvement in the Willie Smith rape trial. He worked with George Bush's "No Child Left Behind" initiative despite opposition to the Iraqi War. There is an exchange in the book between Kennedy and John McCain on the floor of the Senate that serves as a salient reminder that Donald Trump didn't invent political incivility --- although their mutual invitations to "fornicate you" didn't prevent them from either friendship or working together. Gone are the days . . .

There is very little about his role as head of the Kennedy family after the deaths of his three older brothers, and still less about why Eunice wasn't first choice for the role. He was unrelenting almost to death about his sons' political futures. And while he was devoted to his children, when one of them fell while skiing, the boy was instructed to allow his father to carry him from the slope. Photo op, of course.

Farrell cooks Kennedy, rightfully, for Chappaquiddick. Even so, he seems to reject the idea that Kennedy and Kopechne were trysting when he drove off the bridge. But his murky post-crash actions become the centerpiece for political questions about his character. And there were other incidents, though none as serious. In the end, the reader draws the conclusion that Kennedy would have been hampered as President during times of national crisis. Kennedy himself seems to have enjoyed his sunset years thanks to second wife Victoria, at peace with his career-defining role as Senator. Farrell makes a strong case for him as an effective legislator despite some major missteps (I was surprised to learn that the United States owes its historically high levels of incarceration in part to Ted Kennedy).

Recommended.

[Danny · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Robert Kennedy visited an orphanage in the year after JFK’s assassination one of the children blurted out, “Your brother’s dead!” and began to cry, realizing his faux pas. Robert hugged the child and said, “That’s all right… I have another brother.”

Ted Kennedy: A Life by John Farrell is the story of that other brother, “one of the greatest U.S. senators, ever,” the ninth and youngest of Joe and Rose’s children.

Ted’s time in the Senate is, of course, the main focus for Farrell. There are 593 pages of text, and he’s elected at page 72. Perhaps by nature of his being the youngest of nine children, Ted fit better into the Senate’s culture of seniority and obeisance than did either John or Robert. “Bobby will never be a Senate insider, any more than JFK was; but Teddy is liked by the old-timers and will inevitably become a member of the Club,” said Arthur Schlesinger. Not only did Ted become a respected member of the Club, he became one of its longest-serving and most-enduring.

Yet, this book fell short of my expectations. I feel that the author gave too much weight to Kennedy’s policymaking in the Senate and too little to his psychology, philosophy, and personality. My view of Ted Kennedy also changed a bit for the worse. Reckless in his infidelities, negligent toward his alcoholic wife, an alcoholic libertine himself, and intent on running for president largely for its own sake out of some filial obligation rather than for a grand cause, he was, at times, a hard man to like; but he was a great senator insofar as he was an effective legislator, and he deserved a lot of credit for having the courage to concede the failures of JFK’s policy in Vietnam, for helping to dismantle apartheid in South Africa, for taking a bold, public stance on behalf of AIDS victims, for opposing Dubya’s war in Iraq, and for making universal healthcare, ”the cause of my life,” a top priority for his party, which culminated in the Affordable Care Act of 2010–passed just a year after his death.

Schlesinger said, “One cannot escape the feeling that Ted has some impulse of self-destruction buried within. Yet such a fine senator. It is all too sad.”

Overall, this was a decent single-volume biography of a man who suffered “agony on a biblical scale, like the suffering in the Book of Job,” as the author put it, and who gave as much as he humanly could to his country as the “Lion of the Senate.” In his “stubborn Catholicism that insists on seeing all the way to the gates of heaven,” Edward Moore Kennedy overcame, however imperfectly, his inner demons to achieve that aim in Luke 12 which his mother had inculcated in her three legendary sons, “To whom much is given, much will be required.”

This concludes my 2022 resolution to write twelve book reviews.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not the typical Kennedy bio on how fun and daring and reckless they all are. We get a picture of the parents and grandparents, but they’re not on a pedestal, no one in this book is. So we know how ambitious Joe Sr. was for his boys and about the great big Irish chip on his shoulder. What Farrell covers about JFK and RFK is almost exclusively from Teddy’s pov–his work on on their campaigns. Naturally, he’s suffering a lot trauma do to so much loss throughout his life, and there is no outlet, they all just bury it and carry on. And that manifests in several self destructive ways but, also, in his many positive attributes that serve him well in his job as a senator.

The book primarily covers his time on the Senate and the legislation he champions, wheels and deals to achieve, and a lot of compromises. He had a real gift for working with others, and he was known to keep his word. Most of his time in Washington was pre-Gingrich, when there were moderate northern Republicans and conservative southern Dems and all sorts in between. Plenty of racists and segregationists as well. Really interesting. Only Kennedy to get along at all with LBJ. He worked with Nixon, too. So many names that were in the papers and on the 6 O’clock news. Mansfield, Long, Dirksen, Hatch, Irvin, Javits, Proxmire, Muskie, Clayborne Pell (the Pell Grants guy), Ribikoff, Inouye, Bayh. I feel like listing them all. They worked on health care, immigration, minimum wage, voting rights, so, so much. Kennedy came to be strong advocate for getting out of Vietnam, and saw that we were being sold a bill of goods regarding the 2nd Iraq War, W’s war. He voted no.

So much research went into this bio, including interviews with his children and second wife, Victoria Reggie. Author must gone through Nixon tapes as he has many direct quotes from President Nixon. In one conversation between Nixon and Erlichman, Nixon expresses puzzlement over Joan Kennedy’s choice of clothing, reflecting that the woman had to know how her husband carries on with other women and she is probably looking for attention. The drinking, womanizing, his generally gross behavior for many years is not glossed over at all, yet, through his son, Patrick, and niece, Maria Shriver among others, we do see how there was a certain amount of running away and coping behaviors along with the spoiled, rich kid with character flaws. All in all, I can recommend this book to go along with Caro’s Johnson books (though much less dense) along so many others about those times. Watergates, Iran Contra, the Lewinsky affair. How Dems lost working class and who were the moral majority voters. There’s so much here to get the reader heading off in many directions. Can see how we got to where we are now. Can’t say enough about the writing. Audio book performance A+

[KP McGowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This well-written, thoughtful biography of the youngest Kennedy brother did not disappoint. John Farrell, a journalist formerly with the Boston Globe among other stops, provides a comprehensive survey of the senator's 46-year political career, which was steeped in triumph, tragedy, and self-destructive episodes.

Farrell doesn't flinch from describing Kennedy's personal flaws and missteps as well as his evolution into a master of the Senate. The contradictions abound as Kennedy's public life is characterized by determination, eternal allegiance to his brothers' unfinished work, and an unstinting devotion to addressing and improving the lot of those left behind by the American dream.

Farrell posits that Kennedy self-medicated through alcohol and womanizing the physical and psychic pain caused by his brothers' assassinations as well as his own near-death experience in a 1964 plane crash that left Ted flat on his back recuperating for more than 6 months. The author doesn't excuse Kennedy for Chappaquiddick and other self-inflicted disasters, but attempts to place them in some context.

The book gallops along (there's a lot of ground to cover) but appropriately lingers on Mary Jo Kopechne's tragic death, Kennedy's 1980 run for the Democratic nomination, and his repeated efforts to advance national health care for all, which became his swan song in 2009. I personally found the chapters on the 1960s and 1970s the most captivating, but the entire book is an absorbing look back at one of the most consequential Senate careers in U.S. history.

Kennedy emerges as a flawed person who nevertheless demonstrates resilience, steadfastness, and effectiveness in his public life, while flailing with demons in a tumultuous private life. Perhaps most surprising to me were accounts of his real warmth and generosity toward relative strangers when he literally had nothing to gain by such behavior. He also comes across as passionate but not ideological in his political life, willing to form unlikely alliances to get things done, and not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good in securing legislation to make things incrementally better.

Farrell manages to add something new in the well-trod ground of Kennedy biographies. This is a clear-headed assessment that neither sanctifies nor demonizes its subject, but rather humanizes Ted Kennedy and as far as possible, places him in the context of his times and his unusual family and upbringing. Highly recommended for anyone interested in American history and politics, particularly those like me who first awakened to our chaotic world in the 196os and '70s.

[Mark Maddrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I guess I was . . . always running to keep ahead of the darkness,” said Senator Ted Kennedy near the end of his life. It is impossible to sum up a life as complex and full as Kennedy’s in s single line but I think that comes close. This single volume biography does a very good job of conveying those complexities and, I think, is mostly fair and critical as required. Kennedy was thrust into a spotlight and a role he was not ready for at a young age because of the deaths of his three older brothers and the burden placed on him overwhelmed him at times. His decisions were rash, impulsive, and just plain bad. But to me the ability to rise from your failures and find a path to redemption is very noble. Kennedy did indeed become the “Lion of the Senate” and the enumeration of his accomplishments in the last half of the book are breathtaking. I think it is also clear that while he did run for President once, he was always scared that if he did run and win he would meet the same fate as John and Robert. “The closer he got to succeeding in his presidential campaign, the more Ted Kennedy fumbled. The longer the odds—the more the White House retreated from his reach—the better he performed. And once he’d lost he was at his best.” He felt the obligation but feared the outcome. I greatly enjoyed Mr. Farrell’s single volume biography of Richard Nixon and this book was also comprehensive within the boundaries of the limits of length. Look, I love Robert Caro’s multivolume look at LBJ (please give us the final volume soon), but I also like being able to digest a 500 page look at a major figure. This was an interesting, informative, and often moving portrayal of a man of many lives.

[Andrew Rothstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

For most of my adult life, Ted Kennedy was a major political presence, earning the moniker Lion of the Senate. As I read this biography, I was struck by a sad reality. There isn't a single United States Senator who remotely compares to him. That is not to say that there are not capable Senators. But none has Ted Kennedy's formidable commitment to working and poor Americans and those who the majority marginalizes or overtly despises coupled with the ability to make things happen. We lack somebody of Kennedy's stature with the courage to fight for important causes in the face of fierce opposition combined with the determination to slog it out for decades.

The Kennedy brothers dreamed big and fought hard. They imagined bold accomplishments that would shape destiny. We live in an era of resentful and reactionary forces intent not an ambitious goals to make our country better, but on pulling us apart and diminishing our nation's promise.

We could use Ted Kennedy today.

Kennedy led a very public life. Something for readers to consider is that somebody my age (69) experienced Ted Kennedy. A large measure of the contents in this book are well know to people like me, so it felt more like a refresher of what I recall. It has much to offer those who are younger than I am and long to know what a true "lion" did — and imagine what another one might do.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not being a Kennedy aficionado there was a lot of new and interesting information in this book for me. Of course there was also information that I was already aware of. It seems like it is easy to forget the vast amount of tragedy that TK has had to endure. It is hard to imagine having to deal with all three of your children coming down with cancer and then to have to experience it oneself. On top of that, as the last man standing, Kennedy, the youngest son, becomes the patriarch of a huge, well known family.
Then there is his lengthy political career; he worked hard and accomplished much whether you agree with his political views or not. He is someone who took his job and his duties seriously. Did he have flaws? Of course, those are the things everyone is aware of as they are the headline grabbers. Kennedy's life spanned a large chunk of time and it is absorbing revisiting this time period and the part he played in it.
Library edition with excellent narration by Jim Frangione.

[Daniel Visé · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider myself a biographer, and any biographer would leap at a chance to read the new biography from Jack Farrell, one of the best in the business. He won the PEN award and was a Pulitzer finalist for his Nixon bio, and the Ted Kennedy book was longlisted for a National Book Award. What makes this book different from, honestly, most books that win those awards is that it is eminently readable. Jack is a journalist by training and a very writerly writer, so his books reward the reader both with research depth and wonderful turns of phrase. The Ted Kennedy book is a joy to read, and it'll deliver a scholarly history lesson on American politics, especially the progressive stuff that obsessed Ted Kennedy in his lifetime. Highly recommended.

[Laurie Hoppe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vast and moving. From universal healthcare to voting rights to AIDS awareness to affordable air travel, Teddy Kennedy spent decades making life better for Americans. He endured the violent deaths of three brothers and a sister, he was called upon to identify the body of nephew John Jr. as it was pulled out of the sea, he shepherded all three of his children through cancer. You can't hear his story without being touched.

He also let Mary Jo Kopechne drown in his car. Chappaquiddick and his role in nephew's rape trial are examined here, too. This is the study of a life, not a whitewash.

I recommend this book for its scope and for the construction and readability Farrell brings to it. It could have been overwhelming, but it's evocative and easy to read. Grab it.

[Rick Reitzug · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I read 300+ pages of this almost 600 page book. From a quick scan, the pages I didn't read were mostly detailed descriptions of the political maneuvering involved in passing various bills that Ted Kennedy supported. I'm guessing 3 stars for these pages. The 300+ pages I read provided an interesting narrative of Mr. Kennedy's complex personality--both it's wonderful parts, as well as it's weaknesses and problematic parts. I'd give these pages 4 to 4.5 stars. Ted Kennedy was one of the political icons of my growing up and adult years, which made this an interesting read for me.

[Joseph J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

To use an exhausted but in this case very true phrase: I could not put this book down. Farrell has already given us the definitive biography of Richard Nixon in all of his 1968 campaign peace talk sabotage. In this volume he presents the youngest Kennedy brother in all of the tragedy and dysfunction which defined his life. The violent deaths of his elder (and more naturally gifted?) brothers, the ill-timed and undefined 1980 challenge to President Jimmy Carter, the alcoholism and family substance abuse, and of course that July night in 1969 when a young woman died in his car. Farrell never makes excuses, sugar coats, or apologizes for his subject's behavior. This is an even and honest presentation of a "Lion of the Senate" who seemed to find and fit and enjoy that role only toward the final years of his life. A sadly frustrating life but a terrific read. (BUT what has happened to editing? On page 83 the author states that on the evening of JFK's assassination widowed Jacqueline was met in Washington by brother in law Bobby (right!) and the new President LBJ. Come on. Jackie and LBJ returned to D.C. from Dallas on the same uncomfortable Air Force One. See the ICONIC photo of Jackie next to LBJ as he is sworn in on the plane on the ground in Dallas. This should have been caught/rephrased by the author or the editors.)

[Mike Clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book about Edward "Ted" or "Teddy" Kennedy. Youngest of nine children, he served almost 47 years in the US senate starting in 1962. I first heard of him when Chappaquiddick broke in late July, 1969 when I was a teen delivering newspapers. I often would get the news "as it happened", as newspapers were delivered mostly by boys in that era.
The book is thorough and consists of 32 chapters, about 90 pages of notes, a few pages of sources/acknowledgments, and an extensive bibliography and index.
The author states that on JFKs fiftieth anniversary of his assassination there were around 40,000 books on him and his family. Having already written an account of Nixon and Tip O'Neill, the author followed up on an editor's suggestion to write a book about the famous senator from a famous family. He chose well, but was the Covid epidemic shut down many of his sources just as he was in the middle of the research. Ted Kennedy was a legislator from the agitational 1960s, through the conservative reaction of Nixon's silent majority, Reagan's Reagonomics, the Bush I and II eras, Clinton and to the election Barack Obama and the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010. Only four men have served longer than his forty-six years in the US Senate.
The causes he championed are wide-ranging. Immigrants, Voting Rights, Disabled Americans, Black Causes, Women's rights, Seniors and Medicare recipients, Children, and especially Health Care for All were some of the many fights of his career. In light of the current divide and ongoing battles of a divided America, it is refreshing to read of his ability to reach across the aisle and get things done with the likes of Orrin Hatch, Bob Dole and many others.
The research done in personal interviews really added to the content, and the list of interviewees is long and extensive.
I highly recommend this treatment for those interested in politics, history, and the Kennedy family.

[Jared Goerke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a good book. Not necessarily a biography of Ted Kennedy as a person as much as Ted Kennedy as a Senator. I would have liked a little more detail in a lot of the sections, but for a book that's under 600 pages detailing a career as long as his, it makes sense. It had high points and low points in the narrative that were easier to get through. I felt it ended a little abruptly and would have like an epilogue on how his legacy still lives on a little over a decade later. Overall, I'd recommend it.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me tell you, I did not intend to read a 600 page biography of Ted Kennedy this year. I picked this up to skim the chapter on Chappaquiddick but I read the first page and couldn't put it down. Even the footnotes were engrossing. Yes, it's the life story of an influential but deeply flawed man, yet it's more so a thrilling account of 20th century American political history and a testament to libraries, archives, oral histories, tireless research, and this gifted writer.

[Mary Colby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good objective analysis of a remarkable life and career. Not obsequious or fawning, but not whitewashing either. His flaws are addressed forthrightly and, I believe, fairly, but in the context of his considerable accomplishments. This author also wrote the acclaimed "Nixon: A Life," in which he took the same measured approach.

[Denise Kruse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great biography of a complicated man. The author obviously respects Ted Kennedy (as do I) but does not shy away from chapters on his foibles. I have read many Kennedy family books/memoirs, etc. and sometimes find them cloying. This biography is a history lesson. It leaves me optimistic that it is possible for great legislators to actually accomplish good things.