Last Lion: The Fall and Rise of Ted Kennedy

by Peter S. Canellos (Editor)

No figure in American public life has had such great expectations thrust upon him, or has responded so poorly. But Ted Kennedy -- the youngest of the Kennedy children and the son who felt the least pressure to satisfy his father's enormous ambitions -- would go on to live a life that no one could have predicted: dismissed as a spent force in politics by the time he reached middle age, Ted became the most powerful senator of the last half century and the nation's keeper of traditional liberalism.

As Peter S. Canellos and his team of "Boston Globe" reporters show in this revealing and intimate biography, the gregarious, pudgy, and least academically successful of the Kennedy boys has witnessed greater tragedy and suffered greater pressure than any of his siblings. At the age of thirty-six, Ted Kennedy found himself the last brother, the champion of a generation's dreams and ambitions. He would be expected to give the nation the confidence to confront its problems and to build a fairer society at home and abroad.

He quickly failed in spectacular fashion. Late one night in the summer of 1969, he left the scene of a fatal automobile accident on Chappaquiddick Island. The death there of a young woman from his brother's campaign would haunt and ultimately doom his presidential ambitions. Political rivals turned his all-too-human failings -- drinking, philandering, and divorce -- into a condemnation of his liberal politics.

But as the presidency eluded his grasp, Kennedy was finally liberated from the expectations of others, free to become his own man. Once a symbol of youthful folly and nepotism, he transformed himself in his later years into a symbol of wisdom and perseverance. He built a deeply loving marriage with his second wife, Victoria Reggie. He embraced his role as the family patriarch. And as his health failed, he anointed the young and ambitious presidential candidate Barack Obama, whom many commentators compared to his brother Jack. The Kennedy brand of liberalism was rediscovered by a new generation of Americans.

Perceptive and carefully reported, drawing heavily from candid interviews with the Kennedy family and inner circle, "Last Lion" captures magnificently the life and historic achievements of Ted Kennedy, as well as the personal redemption that he found.

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

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hailing from Massachusetts, I was aware of the story of the Kennedy family. It would have been easy for Ted to have lived in the shadow of his brothers, but he chose to establish his own legacy.

For all his well-publicized shortcomings, this book also focuses on his strengths and accomplishments. Long after he is gone, he should be remembered as one of the greatest senators in this nation's history, and as a man who held his family together through difficult times.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having read at least one biography of Ted Kennedy and another chronicling the relationships with his brothers, I thought "Last Lion" lacked quite a bit. The book provided numerous anecdotes of his impact on social progress in the senate and political realm, and his dedication to his constituents of Massachusetts. I thought it glossed over a lot of things, creating a rather fluffy obituary-esque summation. Part of what makes Ted Kennedy such an interesting subject is the fact he was so reviled and so revered at the same time.

Perhaps it was the length. 400 pages or so to cover more than 4 decades of a political career of the last surviving Kennedy seemed short and read like a long, nicely framed wikipedia entry. I wasn't expecting a book to pull apart the departed Kennedy, but was hoping maybe it would give much more than it did. Especially considering it came from the team of newspaper writers who spent decades following the family.

The worst line in the book, "Powerful words, spoken powerfully." summarizes the exact opposite of what I got from reading it.

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been fascinated with the Kennedy family ever since I was little. I remember seeing the picture of John Jr. saluting his father's casket and I wanted to know more. Through the years, I've devoured all sorts of biographies and memoirs on the Kennedys. This one, while a solid read, just doesn't compare to Ted Kennedy's autobiography. There's a lot of interviews and information gathered over the years in this book. It just felt distant somehow.

My Rating: 4 stars

[RYD · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written account of Ted Kennedy's life, especially considering that it was done by a team of reporters. I'm by no means a fan of JFK or RFK, but the youngest Kennedy son grew to become an impressive figure in the Senate, especially once he gave up on his hopes to become president. This book inevitably became eulogistic by the end, but it gave fair attention to Kennedy's many shortcomings, as well. It also made me re-appreciate just how much tragedy surrounded him and his family.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is an important book about Ted Kennedy's conflicts and contributions. It is somewhat balanced between his mistakes and his successes. The main reason for reading it is to find out exactly what Kennedy contributed to our country and how far his sponsorship of bills, particularly on health care and the disadvantaged, has affected everyone's life in the USA.

[Paul Hyde · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative book. So much information about Teddy. He lived quite a full life.

Writing style was OK but not very good to keep you interested.

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This biography is a collaborative effort 'by the team at The Boston Globe'. Fortunately, the different authorial styles are not too jarring, though the blend is rather bland. Published in 2009, this is not the complete story, nor does it dig very deeply into the controversies surrounding Edward Kennedy and his assassinated brothers. A further flaw is that it lacks both a bibliography and an index, though there are notes.

I read this concurrently with Evan Thomas' biography of Robert Kennedy, a superior work. It is the first book I've ever read focused on the youngest Kennedy brother.

My strongest personal memory of Ted Kennedy is of his run for the Democratic presidential nomination against Jimmy Carter in 1980. Carter not being much liked by my family, he being identified as a conservative, and Kennedy being seen as basically progressive, Dad brought up a portable black and white television to his mother's cottage in the Michigan woods. This, the introduction of a tv!, had never been done before and, as might have been expected, it led to us watching a good deal of that convention--and to me watching a Robert Redford movie ('The Great Waldo Pepper' or something like that) after Dad went to bed.

My second strongest recollection is indirect. It was during the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, during the desperate last-minute attempt of some to draft Ted to oppose Humphrey for the nomination, an attempt that failed. Kennedy wasn't there. Instead, it was a room in the Hilton Hotel where it appeared that Allard Lowenstein was directing kids to produce hand-drawn signs on that failed campaign's behalf. I, having been with Eugene McCarthy from the outset, looked at this effort with mixed feelings, though my companion that day was enthusiastically for anything 'Kennedy'. Ted, however, refused to endorse this Quixotic effort.

[Ray Justus · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is my original review posted online at Barnes & Noble immediately after I finished the book. Please keep in mind that I wrote the review while the subject was still living. After his death, I was vilified by many responders for my review. I read the entire book cover to cover and wrote what I believed. I still believe that it is an extremely biased and inaccurate account of the man's life. If a book is not truthful, the only rating I can give is a single star.

Nothing was ever Ted Kennedy's fault.

Boy! This has to be one of the sappiest biographies ever written. It becomes obvious very early on that the crew from the Boston Globe who wrote this book is nothing more than an adoring fan club of Ted Kennedy. One reviewer said the book includes warts and all. Sure it brings up most of Ted's many shortcomings but sooner or later you learn that whatever Ted may have done wrong, it was always someone else's fault. The book starts out with how he and his siblings were terribly neglected by their parents. Daddy Joe was off screwing Hollywood movie stars and Mommy Rose was in Paris shopping to get even. All the while the kids were at home being reared by nannies. Nevertheless, in the eyes of the Boston Globe fan club, these two flawed people were the most wonderful parents children could ever have. The pitiful irony doesn't stop there. Throughout the book, we are dragged through the tragic life of a man who selflessly dedicated his life to public service. Gag me with a spoon!

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book engrossed and intriqued me. I'd always thought of Ted Kennedy as a scumbag, but I gained a new perspective on him from this book. Whatever his moral failings, and he certainly had his share, I couldn't help being fascinated by this man who seemed to have such a great love for his parents, family and country. From sleeping on the funeral home floor through the night when his dad died, to attending mass every day for a year when his mom died, to being there for all of his nephews, neices and children- calling them each on their b-days and more, to his commraderie and friendship with Orin Hatch, I couldn't help gaining some measure of respect and admiration for him. I was also fascinated by the way he had less natural intelligence and potential than his brothers, and yet through his sheer will power, determination, discipline and through his luck of survival he was able to be more influencial, in many ways, than any of his brothers.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short of Ted Kennedy's own memoirs, I believe this book to be the definitive Ted Kennedy, tracing the Senator's fabled childhood, his rise to prominence, his fall from grace, and his redemption. I've long studied the Senator and so deeply identified with this book and the subject. Oh, how I've admired this man and all he's accomplished, and oh, how angry I was when his personal behavior ran contrary to his message. This book weaves the story of Ted Kennedy's life - his motivations, his concerns, his foibles, his faith, and his incurable optimism - in a way that helps the reader understand him as a person, not as a myth or as the standard bearer of his famous family. I miss him more than ever.

[Rena Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good read. Read almost more like a novel than a biography. I didn't remember all the tragedies of his life in quite the right order. I know I was more involved in my own life at the time of his plane crash and Bobby's assassination.

I never realized how personable Teddy was. His attention to so many people was truly inspiring. He confirmed the truth of the saying that he was a man of the people. He didn't put on airs or put himself above anyone. I also have his book, True Compass to read, and am looking forward to reading this time in his own words.

[Jeannie Niles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book after reading True Compass by the senator. This book was told a similar story but with a different slant. This is a great book, very complimentary to the greatest senator in history.

I liked learning about the personal side of Ted Kennedy. He was a very thoughtful considerate man and the family stories were great. So much has been written about the Kennedys it was exciting to learn new things about them.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and balanced read for anyone who wishes to explore the complexities of the youngest Kennedy son. While addressing the Senator's various shortcomings, the authors succeed in humanizing a man whose personal life and professional passions were a staple of American politics for over four decades.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

He's the Kennedy I've probably read the most about in contemporary media, but I had never read a biography. Great team writing effort by the Boston Globe. Good context in terms of family and the issues over 4+ decades. Easy reading. Motivating, too. The commitment to public service, whatever you may think of the personal failings is incredible.

[Jim Yavenditti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book about the Kennedys and Ted Kennedy in particular. I admittedly am not old enough personally to remember most of the events in the book-- JFK, RFK, Chappaquiddick, et al.-- but found the book to be a very interesting read. No matter your political persuasion, Ted Kennedy's service in the Senate is laudable.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ted Kennedy was a man full of flaws and weaknesses. Yet he worked hard and was able to do more for this country than either of his two famous brothers. This book details all of this and more, and does it very well.

[Alison · Rating 1 out of 5]

Winston Churchill was "the last lion." Hardly a comparison

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensively informational, compiled from multiple journalists writings, must have been difficult to edit. I didn’t expect it to be a well structured book in a singular style or voice. So I was satisfied to learn as much as I should have had (being a Massachusetts resident) in an easy and effective manner. I’ve come to respect Ted much more, for what he went through and accomplished. A senator maybe a good occupation, with all his flaws as a human being, I lament his legacy would be continued by no one.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very concise. Easy read with much ground covered.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

January is turning into a month of reading biographies. After the Mitford sisters, I ordered another one of Lovell's bios from the public library. While waiting for it to come in, in 48 hours I zipped through the 400-page "Last Lion: The Fall and Rise of Ted Kennedy." The biography is the work of a group of reporters from The Boston Globe, edited by Peter S. Canellos, the paper's Washington bureau chief. If anyone would know — could know — the full story of Ted Kennedy's life, it's the Globe, which has been following the family for as long as there's been a Kennedy family to cover.

At age 36, Ted was the remaining Kennedy brother, with the weight of his family's and the country's expectations on his shoulders. It was a burden that nearly crushed him. We all watched him fail in a spectacular fashion and then spend the rest of his life redeeming himself: publicly, privately, quietly and gregariously.

I grew up Irish Catholic on the East Coast and my Republican parents voted for JFK in 1960. I was working on Bobby Kennedy's NY state primary campaign as a college student when he was killed. Since I lived through this period, I could hear all the voices — Bobby Kennedy talking in Indianapolis the night Martin Luther King was assassinated, or Ted giving his eulogy for Bobby — in my head as I read them in the book. As a result, for me this was not a book that shed a lot of new light on what I witnessed, though it opened my eyes to what I was paying less attention to: Ted's Senate career.

John McCain called Ted Kennedy the "last lion of the Senate ... the single most effective member of the Senate if you want to get results." And that's what much of the book is about: the legislation Kennedy authored, or was involved with, as well as the whole legislative process. His ability to see the big picture and to work and wait and work more to achieve legislative was eye-opening. The book clearly showed why he was so effective compared to other members of Congress as well as pointing out failures of the system.

The book is brisk, factual, and generally free from bias, full of reporters' attribution of every quote and bit of critical information. The book is also thorough; reporters seemed to have talked to every staffer and many, many family members and colleagues. The only remaining question is whether I should consider that chapter now closed — or read the same events in Ted's own words in his autobiography, which was published shortly before he died in August, 2009.

[Andy Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sympathetic biography of Ted Kennedy that did not ignore the troubling aspects of his life. Author did a good job of going back and forth from his political life and personal life and how one could affect the other--how he was not effective during the Clarence Thomas confirmation because of his personal life issues at the time and how pressures of his political life affected his first marriage

A lot of his life is so well known so I enjoyed the lesser known reading the lesser known parts of his life, his close relationships with so many Republicans, his willingness to compromise to get things done and about the change in his lifestyle after his 2nd marriage

There were two sections that got me thinking in tangents.

The first was his first senate election in 1962 when he was running as a 30 year old with little experience against a qualified, more experienced candidate. I had heard of the debate when his opponent asked if Kennedy would have been a serious candidate if his last name was Moore and assumed that Kennedy won despite that debate. However, the book discusses how harsh the attack was and how because Kennedy didn't lose his temper the voters came away thinking he was level headed and mature and his opponent mean. It reminds me of the Gore/Bush debate where Gore clearly won on debating points but Bush won with the voters because he came across as more personable.

I was also intrigued by the immediate aftermath of Chappaquidick. His advisers recommended early cooperation with authorities, early and open communication with media and his lawyer advisers told him not to say anything until after first court hearing. Kennedy listened to the lawyers. If he had ignored the lawyers and trusted his non lawyer advisers he would have been a lot better off. Another example of lawyers being, well, too legalistic and losing sight of the big picture

Anyway, good read and I recommend it

[Ken T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Canellos and others have put together an extremely sympathetic portrait of the former senator. It focuses primarily upon the many trials he endured over the course of his life (both personal and those related to family members) and his maturation and achievements as a US senator.

Canellos' has a lucid style and is accomplished at enabling a reader inexperience with the Kennedys or politics to keep up with the various aspects of Ted Kennedy's life. He dwells in particular upon the Kennedy family, its mores and foibles, as a backdrop for the character of Ted Kennedy, attempting to draw direct connections to his own strengths and weaknesses. In this, Canellos is quite successful at creating a sympathetic, at times moving, portrait of a man still considered controversial for his political and personal life.

However, I believe the book is too sympathetic to be considered a truly worthwhile biography. Canellos deals with Kennedy's actions at Chappaquidic in detail, but views them from Kennedy's perspective rather than the woman who died there. He also glosses over Kennedy's personal issues with infidelity and excessive drinking completely. While he mentions these behaviors they are presented as a way to emphasize how effective Kennedy was in spite of them.

In brief, the book does an excellent job of covering the positive aspects of Kennedy's life (his second marriage, his strength as a campaigner, and the role he played as a father figure for orphaned nieces and nephews), but fails to address the man's shortcomings in any reasonable way. It is too unbalanced a treatment.

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very readable biography of Ted Kennedy, senator from Massachusetts. Through his childhood, the death of his brothers, his journey through the Senate, his personal problems as well as his role as the 2008 Presential "kingmaker", this was a very interesting and quick read. I was surprised to read certain things in this book, such as his father, Joseph Kennedy, being the emotional center of the family. Other sources I had read made him the cold ambitious father.

Other points seem to be mysteriously glossed over. While the story here is about Ted Kennedy, I got the overall impression there was a lot left out, perhaps in deference to the family. For instance, there are anecdotes from the 2008 Presidential campaign that appear to be missing. One is the specifically racial comments supposedly made by Bill Clinton regarding Barack Obama. Another is "The Snub", where Obama turns around on the Senate floor to avoid Hilary Clinton, who is about to greet Kennedy, who is standing to Obama. While arguably these are really about the larger 2008 election picture and Obama and the Clintons, I was surprised at some of the lack of detail. This makes me think there are other topics either not explored, not mentioned, or given a positive sheen.

That is not to say this isn't a good book. Kennedy has done great work for the victims of 9/11 and their families, not to mention his work on health care. Also, he was also among those few who could build bridges across the aisle, for good or for ill.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year, I read Ted Kennedy's autobiography "True Compass" and this year I couldn't resist but give this book a read. Last Lion takes a look at the familial and political life of Ted Kennedy and charts his progress from being the 9th child of Rose and Joe Kennedy to one of the most decorated Senators in U.S. history.

The book does a solid job at discussing Kennedy's strengths. His compassion to the plight of others, his zeal for legislation, his excellent sense of humor and his love of children. While that all sounds cliche, you definitely get the vibe the Kennedy loved his job and his family equally which is something that few people can say. Honestly, you have to appreciate Kennedy's legislative prowess as he had carved amazing relationship with his co-workers and constituents. The passages about him calling every Massachusetts resident affected by 9/11 or the Iraq War is a very touching chapter.

When it comes to Kennedy's negatives; his philandering, drinking, partying and Chappaquiddick, Last Lion sums them up succinctly though not too deep. Specific instances of Kennedy's negative points do not really come up and mostly everything is jumbled together.

But then again, this book works best when you see it simply as a journey of Ted Kennedy's legislative career. It's very readable and not exactly deep; just giving you a behind-the-scenes look at one of America's best legislators.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

When hearing of Ted Kennedy's brain tumor, Senator John McCain called him "the last lion of the Senate" and then added "he remains the single most effective member of the Senate if you want to get results." This biography of Senator Edward Kennedy was written by the staff of The Boston Globe and edited by Peter S. Canellos and it deeply inspects Kennedy's career in the Senate of the bi-partisan support that he was able to craft for many pieces of legislation since his election in 1962. The book also examines the strange disconnect between Kennedy as an effective Senator and his often strange behavior in his personal life. This insightful approach to the dual nature of the man helps to explain his unlikely friendships with Senator Orrin Hatch (who initially ran for a Senate seat specifically to oppose Kennedy) and President George W. Bush. Also emphasized is Kennedy's role as the head of his family (assumed in 1968 after the assassination of his brother Robert) which he has held since the age of 36. An interesting look at one of America's most effective Senators. Whether you admire him or resent him, there's material in this volume for everyone.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel this book was a very honest accounting of the life of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who died on August 25, 2009. His parents come across as aloof and distant, constantly putting enormous pressure on their children to push themselves to succeed. Teddy was farmed out to various boarding schools from an early age to his parents could travel and so Rose could go off to Paris to purchase the latest designer clothes. Joseph forces Rosemary to have a lobotomy, which resulted in permanent brain damage, because he felt she was too moody and "slow". Teddy's marriage to Joan was forced. She was a good Catholic girl who had gone to Manhattanville College, where she was taught by nuns. Joan had second thoughts about the marriage, but was forced into it. The Kennedy family was very intimidating to Joan. Senator Kennedy always showed resilience but deep down there was so much sadness, and so much fear. The sadness of deaths and assassinations in the family, his son's cancer, his failed marriage. There was always the fear of his own assassination. He was very courageous and always very forthcoming, despite all of the obstacles and his own shortcomings.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting book. I didn't know much about Ted Kennedy at all and finally found out what the "scandal" was. This book is an amazing tribute not only to him, but to the Kennedy family and his role in preserving their legacy. I was impressed by how much Ted Kennedy has actually done for our nation, particularly in the areas of health care, education, civil rights and social programs. I had only ever heard about his drinking and womanizing and was surprised to learn how hard he has worked during his decades in the senate (of course, we also learn about the drinking and womanizing!). While I'm not a big fan of the No Child Left Behind Act, which Kennedy helped to pass, I was struck by how much he and his family have given to our country. This was an inspiring book about community service as well as commitment to family. I thought it was a nice portrait of an imperfect person, who continually works hard to overcome his flaws and contribute to his family and country.

[Meaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the writers at the Boston Globe did a great job with this book. I have read a lot about the Kennedys over the years and was hesitant to read another book about them. Then again, Teddy has more often than not been left out of the bright spotlight in the previous books I had read. Last Lion succeeds at giving a sweeping account of the life and times of Edward Kennedy, skillfully highlighting his vast accomplishments, while also sufficiently addressing his massive personal failings (Chappaquidick et al). This books strikes the perfect balance in its attempt to portray such a complex character as Kennedy: vividly recalling his passion for the poor and the ill, his zeal on capitol hill, and his unwavering commitment to the Kennedy clan; and refusing to gloss over the scandals and the lies that had haunted Ted. Because of this book, I now have a deep sense of who Ted Kennedy really was--the man, the father, the son, the uncle, and the senator.

[Richel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ted, just like his brother, Bobby, would have become President too. Bobby was assassinated during the campaign by a demented, Sirhan Sirhan-- just like The President who was assassinated by Oswald, another demented.

Ted backed out of the Presidency many times to stretch his stay in the Senate and be of service to his country for as long as he can. He believes that as long as he kept himself away from the Presidency, he will be safe.

The youngest Kennedy son lived a turbulent life--family scandals abound, illlnesses lingered, alcoholism, death.

At one point, his life stabilized. People, who once despised him, became his friends later.

Mitt Romney, a rich and youthful looking Republican ran against him. Romney lost

Ted supported the candidacies of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
.
John McCain called him the "Last Lion" of the Senate for his effectiveness and for bringing results.

[LemonLinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed listening to this account of the life and political career of Ted Kennedy. History and politics are two of my passions so I was very interested and connected with these years and these events as I lived through and remembered so many things covered in this account.

Although I was aligned politically with Ted Kennedy, the Kennedy family has always fascinated me and their public service, I believe, is done with a true sense of purpose and commitment. That being said, I think probably the best thing that happened to Ted Kennedy other than his own children was his second marriage. She seemed to give him and stability and grounding that had before then been a void in his life. All of this and more is covered in this book, including his long service in the Senate and his legislative accomplishments and failures.