Robert Kennedy

His Life

By: Evan Thomas

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Traditionally, Robert F. Kennedy has been viewed as either the "Good Bobby", who saw wrong and tried to right it, or the "Bad Bobby" of countless conspiracy theories. Evan Thomas' achievement is to realize RFK as a human being, to bring to life an extraordinarily complex man who was at once kind and cruel, devious and honest, fearful and brave. The portrait that emerges is unvarnished but sympathetic, packed with new details about Kennedy's early life and his behind-the-scenes machinations. In a clear and fast-paced narrative, Thomas cuts through the mythology to reveal a character who, though he died young and just as he was reaching for ultimate power, remains one of the century's most fascinating men.©2000 Evan Thomas (P)2006 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"Thomas' book sheds new light on a man, an era, and a family about whom Americans will probably never know the whole truth." (Publishers Weekly)
"Friends and foes have spun enough myths about RFK to bewilder the casual reader; Thomas sets out to examine the evidence....A solid, judicious life of a politician whose tragic death inspired a generation of what-if history." (Booklist)
"Robert F. Kennedy....is well served by this gracefully written, thoroughly researched, and accessible popular biography....Thomas' narrative, skillfully woven from numerous interviews, vividly reveals a very human Kennedy." (Library Journal)

wonderful informative book

great book. reader does an excellent job with pace and tone. shows Bobby Kennedy great moments and failures objectively

Must read

One of the most riveting books of all time. An absolute must read regardless of political leanings.

Insightful and balanced

I am definitely a fan of RFK. This is the first biography of his that I’ve listened to and I’m impressed. It was far from a hagiography but seemed to capture all of RFK’s strengths, weaknesses and contradictions. Wonderfully written and performed, I highly recommend it.

Realistic

The author of this book wrote it with an interest in history, not in mythology. He stated and correctly so, it was not clear that RFK would have even won the nomination had he survived. While the book was tedious at times, so was RFK's life. The author did an excellent job in giving us a real life view of what RFK was like, pointing out his failings as well as his successes.

A Complete Biography

Some don’t like the “voices” the narrator uses. They must not be familiar with other Audible readers who do the same. I was only bothered by the intrusive clicks of the stop and start of the recorder. I’m sure technicians could have edited them out.