|
|---|
by John A. Farrell
752 pages
Penguin Press
Published: Oct 2022
“Ted Kennedy: A Life” is John Farrell’s just-released biography of
the youngest son of Joseph P. Kennedy.
Farrell is a former correspondent for The Boston Globe who has written
biographies of Tip O’Neill and Richard Nixon (a Pulitzer Prize finalist and my
favorite biography of Nixon among the twelve I read during my journey through
the best presidential biographies).
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.
https://thebestbiographies.com/2022/11/13/review-of-ted-kennedy-a-life-by-john-a-farrell/
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario