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Best Books About The Kennedy Family. 2024 Edition

Are you fascinated by the legacy of the Kennedy family? Dive into the captivating world of American politics and history with these 20 best books about the Kennedy family. From biographies and memoirs to historical accounts and political analyses, these books offer a comprehensive look at one of the most influential families in American history. Whether you’re a history buff, a political enthusiast, or simply curious about the Kennedy dynasty, these books are sure to provide a compelling and insightful read. Discover the untold stories and secrets of the Kennedy family through the pages of these remarkable books.

• 1 20 Best Books About The Kennedy Family
• 2 The Kennedy Debutante
• 3 The Kennedy Men: 1901-1963
• 4 The Kennedy Women: The Saga of an American Family
• 5 The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy
• 6 Jackie, Janet & Lee: The Secret Lives of Janet Auchincloss and Her Daughters, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill
• 7 The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys: An American Saga
• 8 Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter
• 9 The Kennedy Half-Century: The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy
• 10 The Kennedy Brothers: The Rise and Fall of Jack and Bobby
• 11 The Kennedy Curse: Why Tragedy Has Haunted America’s First Family for 150 Years
• 12 The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After
• 13 The Kennedy Heirs: John, Caroline, and the New Generation – A Legacy of Triumph and Tragedy
• 14 The Kennedy Wives: Triumph and Tragedy in America’s Most Public Family
• 15 The Kennedy Autopsy
• 16 The Lost Prince: Young Joe, the Forgotten Kennedy
• 17 The Kennedy White House: Family Life and Pictures, 1961-1963
• 18 The Kennedy Years: From the Pages of The New York Times
• 19 An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963
• 20 Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women of Camelot
• 21 Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit
• 22 Conclusion

20 Best Books About The Kennedy Family

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The Kennedy Debutante

By kerri maher.

The Kennedy Debutante by Kerri Maher is a captivating historical fiction novel that offers a unique perspective on the renowned Kennedy family. Set in the 1930s, the story follows the life of Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy, the spirited and rebellious daughter of Joseph P. Kennedy, the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. As Kick navigates the glamorous world of high society in London, she finds herself torn between her family’s expectations and her own desires for independence and love. This book on the Kennedy family offers a fascinating glimpse into the complexities of their lives, blending real historical events with compelling storytelling. Readers will be drawn into Kick’s journey as she defies convention and seeks her own path amidst the backdrop of political intrigue and social upheaval. The Kennedy Debutante is a must-read for anyone interested in the remarkable history of this iconic American family.

The Kennedy Men: 1901-1963

By laurence leamer.

The Kennedy Men: 1901-1963 by Laurence Leamer is a captivating book on the Kennedy family that delves into the lives of one of America’s most influential political dynasties. Leamer provides readers with an inside look into the triumphs and tragedies of the Kennedy family from the early 20th century to the early 1960s. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, the author paints a vivid portrait of the ambitious and charismatic men who shaped the course of American history. From Joseph P. Kennedy’s rise to power and his sons’ political careers to the family’s enduring legacy, this book about the Kennedy family offers a rich and complex exploration of power, privilege, and the price of ambition. Leamer’s narrative skillfully captures the drama, passion, and complexity of this iconic American political dynasty, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the Kennedy family and their impact on American politics.

The Kennedy Women: The Saga of an American Family

The Kennedy Women: The Saga of an American Family by Laurence Leamer is a captivating book on the Kennedy family, chronicling the lives of the influential women who shaped one of America’s most prominent political dynasties. From Rose Kennedy, the matriarch of the family, to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and the lesser-known but equally remarkable Kennedys, this book about the Kennedy family delves into their triumphs, tragedies, and the enduring legacy they left on American history. Leamer’s meticulous research and engaging storytelling bring to life the complexities and challenges faced by these extraordinary women, offering a fascinating insight into their personal lives, relationships, and the impact they had on the country. This compelling and insightful portrayal of the Kennedy women is a must-read for anyone intrigued by the captivating history of this iconic American family.

The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy

By david nasaw.

The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy by David Nasaw is a captivating biography that delves into the life of the influential patriarch of the Kennedy family. Nasaw’s in-depth research and engaging storytelling bring to life the complex and controversial figure of Joseph P. Kennedy, a man who played a significant role in shaping American history through his business acumen, political ambitions, and the legacy of his famous children. This compelling book provides a fascinating look at the inner workings of the Kennedy family, exploring their triumphs, tragedies, and the impact they had on the world. Nasaw’s meticulous attention to detail and insightful analysis make this a must-read for anyone interested in the dynamics of power, wealth, and influence within one of America’s most iconic families.

Jackie, Janet & Lee: The Secret Lives of Janet Auchincloss and Her Daughters, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill

By j. randy taraborrelli.

Jackie, Janet & Lee: The Secret Lives of Janet Auchincloss and Her Daughters, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill by J. Randy Taraborrelli is an intriguing book about the Kennedy family that delves into the complex relationships and hidden secrets of three remarkable women. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, Taraborrelli explores the lives of Janet Auchincloss and her daughters, Jackie and Lee, shedding light on their triumphs, struggles, and the impact they had on American society.

This book on the Kennedy family provides a fascinating glimpse into the private lives of these influential women, offering a deeper understanding of their experiences and the dynamics of their family. Readers will be captivated by the intimate details and untold stories revealed in this gripping account of the Auchincloss and Kennedy family legacy.

The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys: An American Saga

By doris kearns goodwin.

The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys: An American Saga by Doris Kearns Goodwin is a captivating book about the Kennedy family that delves into the fascinating history of two influential American dynasties. Goodwin skillfully traces the rise of the Kennedy family, from their humble beginnings to their eventual prominence on the national stage. The book provides a rich and detailed account of the family’s triumphs and struggles, offering readers an intimate look at the personal and political dynamics that shaped their legacy. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, Goodwin paints a vivid portrait of the Kennedy family, capturing the complexities and contradictions that defined their journey. This engrossing book on the Kennedy family is a must-read for anyone interested in American history, politics, or the enduring legacy of a remarkable family.

Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter

By kate clifford larson.

Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson is a compelling and heart-wrenching book about the Kennedy family. It delves into the little-known story of Rosemary Kennedy, the eldest daughter of Joseph and Rose Kennedy, who was born with intellectual disabilities at a time when such conditions were not well understood. Larson’s detailed research and sensitive storytelling shed light on Rosemary’s life, her struggles, and the family’s efforts to keep her hidden from the public eye. The book offers a poignant exploration of the complexities and challenges faced by the Kennedy family, as well as the societal attitudes towards individuals with disabilities during that era. Larson’s narrative is a powerful reminder of the importance of understanding and compassion, making Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter a must-read for anyone interested in the human side of the Kennedy legacy.

The Kennedy Half-Century: The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy

By larry j. sabato.

The Kennedy Half-Century: The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy by Larry J. Sabato is a captivating book about the Kennedy family. Sabato provides a comprehensive and insightful exploration of the life, presidency, and enduring impact of John F. Kennedy. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, the author delves into the complexities of Kennedy’s presidency, the tragedy of his assassination, and the far-reaching legacy he left behind. Sabato skillfully navigates through the political, social, and cultural landscape of the 1960s, offering a nuanced and thought-provoking analysis of one of the most iconic figures in American history. This book on the Kennedy family is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the enduring influence of the Kennedy dynasty and the enduring impact of John F. Kennedy’s presidency.

The Kennedy Brothers: The Rise and Fall of Jack and Bobby

By richard d. mahoney.

The Kennedy Brothers: The Rise and Fall of Jack and Bobby by Richard D. Mahoney is a compelling book on the Kennedy family that delves into the lives of two of the most influential figures in American history. Mahoney provides a detailed account of the complex relationship between Jack and Bobby Kennedy, exploring their rise to power and the challenges they faced along the way. Through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, Mahoney offers a nuanced portrayal of the Kennedy family, shedding light on their triumphs and tragedies. From their early years to their political careers and ultimate legacies, this book about the Kennedy family provides a captivating insight into the lives of these iconic brothers. Whether you’re a history buff or simply intrigued by the Kennedy family, this is a must-read for anyone interested in American politics and the enduring legacy of the Kennedy brothers.

The Kennedy Curse: Why Tragedy Has Haunted America’s First Family for 150 Years

By edward klein.

The Kennedy Curse: Why Tragedy Has Haunted America’s First Family for 150 Years by Edward Klein is a compelling book about the Kennedy family that delves into the history of one of America’s most famous dynasties. Klein explores the tragedies that have befallen the Kennedy family over the past century and a half, from political assassinations to personal misfortunes. Through meticulous research and interviews with family members and insiders, Klein uncovers the patterns of misfortune that have plagued the Kennedys, shedding light on the complex dynamics and larger-than-life personalities that have shaped their legacy. This book on the Kennedy family offers a gripping and insightful look into the enduring myth and mystique surrounding one of the most influential families in American history.

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The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After

By steven m. gillon.

The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After by Steven M. Gillon is a gripping book about the Kennedy family that delves into the tumultuous events following the tragic assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Gillon provides a detailed and riveting account of the immediate aftermath, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the decisions and actions taken in the 24 hours following the assassination. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, Gillon paints a vivid picture of the chaos and uncertainty that gripped the nation in the wake of this historic event. This book on the Kennedy family offers a unique perspective on one of the most significant moments in American history, shedding light on the personal and political turmoil experienced by the Kennedy family and the nation as a whole.

The Kennedy Heirs: John, Caroline, and the New Generation – A Legacy of Triumph and Tragedy

The Kennedy Heirs: John, Caroline, and the New Generation – A Legacy of Triumph and Tragedy by J. Randy Taraborrelli is a captivating book on the Kennedy family, delving into the lives of John and Caroline Kennedy, the children of the iconic President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Taraborrelli explores the triumphs and tragedies that have shaped the Kennedy family, from their illustrious political legacy to the personal challenges they have faced. Through meticulous research and interviews, the author provides a compelling narrative that offers insight into the complexities of being a Kennedy. This book about the Kennedy family is a poignant and revealing portrait of a family that has captured the imagination of the world for decades. The Kennedy Heirs is a must-read for anyone interested in the enduring legacy of this influential American dynasty.

The Kennedy Wives: Triumph and Tragedy in America’s Most Public Family

By amber hunt and david batcher.

The Kennedy Wives: Triumph and Tragedy in America’s Most Public Family is a captivating book about the influential and powerful Kennedy family. Authored by Amber Hunt and David Batcher, this book offers a compelling and intimate look into the lives of the women who married into the Kennedy dynasty. From the iconic Jacqueline Kennedy to the lesser-known Ethel Kennedy and others, this book delves into their triumphs and tragedies, providing a unique perspective on the inner workings of America’s most public family. Through extensive research and insightful storytelling, the authors offer a fascinating portrayal of the complexities and challenges faced by the Kennedy wives, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the history and dynamics of this famous family.

The Kennedy Autopsy

By jacob hornberger.

The Kennedy Autopsy is a riveting book on the Kennedy family, shedding light on the controversial autopsy of President John F. Kennedy. Author Jacob Hornberger delves into the details surrounding the autopsy, highlighting the conflicting accounts and evidence that has fueled conspiracy theories for decades. This gripping account provides a fresh perspective on one of the most scrutinized events in American history, inviting readers to question the official narrative and consider alternate theories. With meticulous research and compelling storytelling, The Kennedy Autopsy offers a thought-provoking exploration of a pivotal moment in the Kennedy family’s legacy.

The Lost Prince: Young Joe, the Forgotten Kennedy

By hank searls.

The Lost Prince: Young Joe, the Forgotten Kennedy by Hank Searls is a compelling book on the Kennedy family that delves into the life of Joe Kennedy Jr., the eldest son of the influential political dynasty. Searls masterfully brings to life the captivating story of Joe Jr., who has often been overshadowed by his more famous siblings. Through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, the book offers a fascinating portrayal of Joe Jr.’s life, from his privileged upbringing to his heroic service in World War II. Searls skillfully captures the complexities of Joe Jr.’s character, shedding light on his ambitions and the profound impact he had on the Kennedy family. This book about the Kennedy family is a captivating and insightful read that will appeal to history enthusiasts and those fascinated by the enigmatic allure of the Kennedys.

The Kennedy White House: Family Life and Pictures, 1961-1963

By carl sferrazza anthony.

The Kennedy White House: Family Life and Pictures, 1961-1963 by Carl Sferrazza Anthony is a captivating book about the Kennedy family during their time in the White House. This intimate portrayal offers a unique glimpse into the family dynamics, personal moments, and historical events that shaped the iconic Kennedy legacy. Through a collection of rare photographs and insightful commentary, readers are transported into the inner world of the Kennedy family, experiencing their triumphs, challenges, and enduring bond. This book provides a rich tapestry of the Kennedy family’s public and private lives, offering a deeper understanding of their influence on American history and culture. With its compelling narrative and stunning visuals, The Kennedy White House is a must-read for anyone fascinated by the legacy of this influential American family.

The Kennedy Years: From the Pages of The New York Times

By richard reeves.

The Kennedy Years: From the Pages of The New York Times by Richard Reeves is a captivating book about the Kennedy family that provides a comprehensive overview of John F. Kennedy’s presidency. The book delves into the political and personal challenges faced by the Kennedy family during this pivotal era in American history. Through the lens of The New York Times’ extensive coverage, readers are given a unique glimpse into the events and decisions that shaped the Kennedy administration. With rich detail and insightful analysis, Richard Reeves brings the Kennedy years to life, offering a compelling narrative that sheds light on the complexities of this influential family. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply curious about this iconic American dynasty, the Kennedy family book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the legacy of the Kennedys.

An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963

By robert dallek.

An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963 by Robert Dallek is an insightful biography that delves into the complexities of one of America’s most beloved and enigmatic political figures. Dallek provides a comprehensive look at the life of John F. Kennedy, from his privileged upbringing in the Kennedy dynasty to his tragic assassination in 1963. This book on the Kennedy family offers a compelling portrait of JFK, shedding light on his personal struggles, political ambitions, and tumultuous presidency. Dallek’s meticulous research and engaging narrative style make this book about the Kennedy family a captivating and informative read for history enthusiasts and anyone interested in the inner workings of American politics. An Unfinished Life is a must-read for those seeking a deeper understanding of the Kennedy family and its enduring legacy.

Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women of Camelot

Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women of Camelot by J. Randy Taraborrelli is a captivating and insightful book about the Kennedy family. The author delves into the lives of Jackie Kennedy, Ethel Kennedy, and Joan Kennedy, exploring their roles and influences within the iconic family. Taraborrelli provides a fascinating look into the complex and often tumultuous relationships these women had with the Kennedy men, as well as their individual struggles and triumphs. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, he paints a vivid portrait of these remarkable women and their impact on the legendary Kennedy dynasty. This book offers a unique perspective on the Kennedy family and their place in American history, making it a must-read for anyone interested in politics, history, or the dynamics of influential families.

Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit

By chris matthews.

Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit by Chris Matthews is a compelling book about the Kennedy family that delves into the life of one of its most enigmatic members. Matthews paints a vivid portrait of Robert F. Kennedy, exploring his evolution from a privileged youth to a passionate advocate for social justice. The kennedy family book captures the complexities of Bobby Kennedy’s character, from his fierce determination to his vulnerability and compassion. With meticulous research and engaging storytelling, Matthews brings to life the tumultuous era of the 1960s and Bobby Kennedy’s pivotal role in shaping it. Through personal anecdotes and historical insights, the book on the Kennedy family provides a deeper understanding of this iconic figure and his enduring impact on American politics and society.

Exploring the lives of The Kennedy Family through literature is a captivating journey. The 20 best books about the Kennedy family offer a deep dive into their history, achievements, and challenges. From biographies to historical accounts, these books provide a comprehensive understanding of one of America’s most influential families. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply intrigued by the Kennedys, these books are essential reading for gaining insight into their legacy.

Which The Kennedy Family book is best?

The best book on The Kennedy Family can vary with personal preference, but three widely recommended titles are:

• The Kennedy Debutante by Kerri Maher ,
• The Kennedy Men: 1901-1963 by Laurence Leamer ,
• The Kennedy Women: The Saga of an American Family by Laurence Leamer .

Each offers valuable insights and could be a great starting point.

What are the best books to learn about The Kennedy Family?

For those looking to learn about The Kennedy Family, there is a wealth of literature that can provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject. Some of the most highly recommended books include:

• The Kennedy Women: The Saga of an American Family by Laurence Leamer ,
• The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy by David Nasaw ,
• Jackie, Janet & Lee: The Secret Lives of Janet Auchincloss and Her Daughters, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill by J. Randy Taraborrelli ,
• The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys: An American Saga by Doris Kearns Goodwin ,
• Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson ,
• The Kennedy Half-Century: The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy by Larry J. Sabato ,
• The Kennedy Brothers: The Rise and Fall of Jack and Bobby by Richard D. Mahoney ,
• The Kennedy Curse: Why Tragedy Has Haunted America’s First Family for 150 Years by Edward Klein

These books offer a range of perspectives on The Kennedy Family, covering various aspects and approaches to the subject.

What are the best books on The Kennedy Family?

The best books on The Kennedy Family include:

• The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After by Steven M. Gillon ,
• The Kennedy Heirs: John, Caroline, and the New Generation – A Legacy of Triumph and Tragedy by J. Randy Taraborrelli ,
• The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys: An American Saga by Doris Kearns Goodwin .

Each offers unique insights into the subject. While these books on the topic of The Kennedy Family are highly regarded, it’s important to note that any list of ‘best’ books is subjective and reflects a range of opinions.

What are the best The Kennedy Family books of all time?

Choosing the best The Kennedy Family books of all time can vary depending on who you ask, but seven titles that are often celebrated include

• The Kennedy Curse: Why Tragedy Has Haunted America’s First Family for 150 Years by Edward Klein ,
• and The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After by Steven M. Gillon .

Each of these books has made a significant impact in the field of The Kennedy Family and continues to be influential today.

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My Journey Through the Best Presidential Biographies

The Best Biographies of John F. Kennedy

31 Thursday Aug 2017

Posted by Steve in Best Biographies Posts , President #35 - J Kennedy

≈ 35 Comments

American history , Arthur Schlesinger Jr. , book reviews , Doris Kearns Goodwin , Geoffrey Perret , Herbert Parmet , JFK , John F Kennedy , Michael O'Brien , Nigel Hamilton , Pulitzer Prize , Richard Reeves , Robert Dallek , Ted Sorensen , Thomas Reeves , Thurston Clarke

In the end, JFK proved to be everything I hoped for – and more! Like several of the presidents who preceded him, Kennedy’s life is a biographer’s dream .

His forebears were dynamic, endlessly fascinating, occasionally unscrupulous and, from time to time, oddly dysfunctional. Kennedy himself proved to be no less interesting: he was medically infirm, an ardent bookworm, a serial philanderer, often ruthlessly pragmatic and extremely charismatic.

But after spending five-and-a-half months with JFK and experiencing his presidency nine times (three of the books did not cover his time in the Oval Office) I still find Kennedy undeservedly well-ranked by historians. But that’s a subject for another day.

* “ An Unfinished Life: JFK 1917-1963 ” by Robert Dallek (published 2003) – This comprehensive biography was the first book on JFK that I read. It also proved to be my favorite. Dallek provides a devastating early indictment of JFK’s personal behavior, but more than half of the book is reserved for Kennedy’s presidency where his personal affairs take a back seat to the nation’s issues. Overall, Dallek’s biography provides the best combination of insight, balance and color of any of the JFK biographies I encountered — 4¼ stars ( Full review here )

* “ JFK: Reckless Youth ” by Nigel Hamilton (1992) – This was intended to be the first book in a three-volume series but as a result of his “unflattering” portrayal of the Kennedy family Hamilton lost access to important research documents and, regrettably, abandoned the series. This lively 800-page narrative is riveting and provides unparalleled insight into JFK’s relationships with his older brother and his parents (who are painted in an extremely unflattering light). No other biography I read covers Kennedy’s early life better than this volume — 3¾ stars ( Full review here )

* “ Kennedy: The Classic Biography ” by Ted Sorensen (1965) – Written by Kennedy’s long-time adviser and speechwriter, the author’s proximity to JFK proves both a blessing and a curse. Sorensen’s allegiance to Kennedy is quickly obvious – and occasionally distracting – but the narrative covers events from a unique perspective. But in the end it does not provide balanced, comprehensive coverage of JFK and can only serve as the eloquent observations of a staunchly loyal aide — 3½ stars ( Full review here )

* “ John F. Kennedy: A Biography ” by Michael O’Brien (2005) – This 905-page biography is encyclopedic and provides more detail (and more perspectives) on most events than any other JFK biography. But while it is 200 pages longer than Dallek’s biography (its most comparable counterpart) it is no more potent…and its numerous nuggets of wisdom are buried beneath an avalanche of unnecessary verbosity — 3½ stars ( Full review here )

* “ Jack: A Life Like No Other ” by Geoffrey Perret (2001) – This full-scale (but lightweight, at just 400 pages) biography is easy to read and decidedly informal. Unfortunately, it also provides less insight or analysis of Kennedy than most other biographies. And while readers new to JFK may appreciate its lack of “complexity” almost everyone else will finish this biography still feeling hungry — 3 stars ( Full review here )

* “ A Question of Character: A Life of John F. Kennedy ” by Thomas Reeves (1991) – This study quickly proves to be a captivating, but flawed, critique of its subject. Devoted to exposing the hypocrisy hidden beneath Camelot’s polished veneer, it feels more bluntly partisan, and less scholarly, than Nigel Hamilton’s somewhat similar “JFK: Reckless Youth.” But where Hamilton covers three decades in about 900 pages, Reeves covers JFK’s entire life in just half of that — 3 stars ( Full review here )

* “ Jack: The Struggles of John F. Kennedy ” and “ JFK: The Presidency of John F. Kennedy ” by Herbert Parmet – This two-volume series was published between 1980 and 1983 and totals nearly 900 pages (excluding notes and bibliography). Offering a thoughtful and balanced perspective on Kennedy, this series is serious, scholarly and solid. But where it was the “go to” reference on Kennedy for years, documents which have become available since its publication have left it somewhat stale. Parmet’s writing style also leaves JFK and his family feeling a bit flat and lifeless. Imagine that ! — 3½ star (Full reviews here and here )

* “ The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys ” by Doris Kearns Goodwin (1987) – This non-traditional biography of JFK is actually a family history which ends with a focus on John F. Kennedy – but only up to his presidential inauguration. Despite its heft (943 pages) it is engrossing, clever and insightful. Unfortunately it also left Goodwin embroiled in a plagiarism scandal.  But for readers unconcerned with the author’s failure to adequately cite sources – or her awkward effort to conceal her sins – it is a wickedly entertaining and perceptive (if too friendly) treatment of Honey Fitz, Rose Kennedy and Joseph P. Kennedy. The book does not end as strongly as it starts and the weakest player (ironically) is JFK himself who receives less focus than he deserves — 4½ stars ( Full review here )

* “ A Thousand Days: JFK in the White House ” by Arthur Schlesinger Jr. (1965) – This Pulitzer Prize-winning tome (with 1,031 pages) is part memoir, part biography and part interpretive history with a nearly exclusive focus on the Kennedy presidency. The author served as Special Assistant to President Kennedy, providing him an advantageous perch from which to view JFK’s presidency. Schlesinger’s reputation as a historian is unquestioned, but his book proves dense, dry and often tedious – as well as uneven in emphasis and highly sympathetic to Kennedy. A classic, perhaps, but not a balanced account of the Kennedy presidency — 3 stars ( Full review here )

* “ President Kennedy: Profile of Power ” by Richard Reeves (1993) – This unique (and extraordinarily revealing) book follows JFK almost moment-by-moment through his presidency. But where most biographies are written from the point of view of the biographer , Reeves’s audience often views the world through Kennedy’s own eyes. Unfortunately missing from the book is much insight on Kennedy’s family and friends, and there is little analysis to be found. But for a unique point of view, and as a  supplemental book on JFK, “Profile of Power” is hard to beat — 3¾ stars ( Full review here )

* “ JFK’s Last Hundred Days: The Transformation of a Man and the Emergence of a Great President ” by Thurston Clarke (2013) – Ostensibly focused on the last weeks of Kennedy’s life, this book is more comprehensive than its title suggests. Almost continuously throughout its 362 pages it reaches back in time to Kennedy’s past in order to provide unfamiliar readers with adequate context. The resulting lack of continuity, however, is perhaps the book’s greatest weakness. Most confounding, however, is the book’s failure (despite its sub-title) to demonstrate that Kennedy was on the verge of  greatness when he was assassinated. Otherwise, a stimulating and enjoyable read — 3½ stars ( Full review here )

Best Biography of John F. Kennedy: “ An Unfinished Life: JFK 1917-1963 ” by Robert Dallek

Honorable Mention: “ JFK: Reckless Youth ” by Nigel Hamilton (though “incomplete”)

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35 thoughts on “the best biographies of john f. kennedy”.

August 31, 2017 at 2:55 pm

I find it interesting with all that’s been written about him, only one book was rated at 4 stars+. Looking forward to LBJ!

August 31, 2017 at 5:05 pm

Yes, that was slightly disappointing. Other than Dallek’s biography, each book I read was either too narrowly focused for a 4+ rating or was disappointing in some meaningful way. The benefit to reading several biographies (particularly in the case of JFK) is that they tended to complement each other – one making up for another’s weakness, etc.

August 31, 2017 at 5:40 pm

Enjoy your LBJ reads! Robert Caro’s series is fanastic! LBJ is fascinating! Much better books on him than on JFK in my opinion. I agree with you on JFK- his high ranking by many not deserved. Middle of the pack.

September 1, 2017 at 4:45 am

As a native Texan with no direct memory of LBJ I can’t wait to get through his life. I’m saving Caro for a few weeks so I’ll savor the moment(s) a bit more…but when I started with Washington I was really hoping Volume 5 would be out by the time I got to this point(!)

September 1, 2017 at 8:09 am

I am eagerly awaiting for Volume 5- the final volume– too. You have Johnson and Nixon coming up- a lot of good stuff on both of them. Great project!

August 31, 2017 at 7:02 pm

He’s overrated as president, but seems to be an interesting biography subject!

September 1, 2017 at 4:43 am

Indeed – an absolutely fascinating biographical subject! So I was a little surprised the biographies of him weren’t more consistently excellent.

But it seems that in the decades since his death many biographers have dedicated themselves either to tearing apart the Camelot “myth” or excessively praising/eulogizing him.

Can’t wait to see how LBJ turns out!

September 1, 2017 at 10:53 am

I’m amazed one if the top-5 biographers didn’t write on him considering his fame. I don’t care for LBJ as a president at all, but I look forward to your analysis of his biographies!

August 26, 2018 at 12:45 pm

Would the biographies on Kennedy By Michael O’Brien or Robert Dallek be what you would call a good starter birth to death biography on Kennedy if you haven’t read on him before?

August 26, 2018 at 12:57 pm

Yes – though I think Dallek’s book is by far the better (more interesting and efficient) choice. Good luck and enjoy!

September 4, 2018 at 3:33 pm

Would like to do a critical comparison of two biographies on JFK – what two would you recommend?

September 5, 2018 at 6:11 pm

Depending on what, exactly, you mean by “critical comparison” I would heartily recommend reading Dallek’s relatively traditional “An Unfinished Life” and comparing it to Goodwins’s “The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys” which is somewhat less focused on JFK himself and more on his family – but he obviously plays a critical part in the narrative and is the emotional center of the book.

September 6, 2018 at 5:57 am

Thanks – by “critical comparison” I mean one that looks at JFK in a positive view and another in a negative view.

September 6, 2018 at 6:05 am

In that case I might suggest Ted Sorensen’s “Kennedy” as a favorable account of JFK and compare that portrait to the one provided by Nigel Hamilton’s “Reckless Youth.” I think you will find the contrast incredible.

Unfortunately the two books don’t cover the same periods of time with the same intensity (Sorensen spends much more time in JFK’s later life while Hamilton’s book focuses on his earlier years) but from what I recall, the image presented by these two books could almost be of a different person.

January 13, 2019 at 6:37 am

I agree with your statement, “I still find Kennedy undeservedly well-ranked by historians. But that’s a subject for another day.” His legacy made him an outstanding president only after his death. There is very little of consequence that came from his term in office.

January 12, 2023 at 10:51 am

(1) The U.S. was in recession when Kennedy took office. He carried out various measures to boost the economy under his own executive anti-recessionary acceleration program. Among other things, the most significant tax reforms since the New Deal were carried out including a new investment tax credit. GDP which had grown by an average of only 2.2% per annum during his predecessor Eisenhower’s presidency, expanded by an average of 5.5% from early 1961 to late 1963, when Kennedy was assassinated. Also inflation remained steady at around 1%, industrial production rose by 15% and unemployment decreased. This rate of growth continued till 1969 and hasn’t been repeated for such a sustained period yet.

(2) JFK established the Peace Corps on March 1, 1961 by Executive Order 10924.

(3) He stood up to the Soviet Union, forcing/negotiating the dismantling and removal of its nuclear weapons in Cuba.

(4) To slow down the nuclear arms race and to protect the environment from radioactive contamination, JFK began negotiations with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev for a treaty to address these concerns. This resulted in the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty which was signed by the governments of U.S.S.R., U.K. and the U.S. in Moscow on August 5, 1963. The provisions of the treaty prohibited nuclear testing on the ground, in the atmosphere, or underwater. All testing was to be driven underground. 125 UN member states have ratified or acceded to the treaty since then.

(5) His domestic program the “New Frontier” provided aid to cities to improve housing and transportation; a water pollution control act was passed to protect rivers and streams; social security benefits and minimum wage increased; and the most comprehensive legislation to assist farmers was carried out since 1938 which included expansion in rural electrification, soil conservation, crop insurance and farm credit.

(6) On March 6, 1961, he signed Executive Order 10925 which required government contractors to take affirmative action to ensure all employees are treated equally irrespective of their race, creed, color, or national origin. His Executive Order 11063 of November 1962 banned segregation in federally funded housing. On June 11, 1963, JFK gave his famous civil rights address calling Americans to recognize civil rights as a moral cause. His proposal to provide equal access to public schools and other facilities, and greater protection of voting rights became part of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964.

(7) On 10th June 1963, John F. Kennedy signed into law the Equal Pay Act of 1963 to abolish wage disparity based on sex. It amended the existing Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. EPA was a major step towards closing the wage gap in women’s pay. Although EPA’s equal pay for equal work goals have not been completely achieved, women’s salaries via-à-vis men’s have risen dramatically since its enactment. JFK also proposed an overhaul of American immigration policy that would later lead to the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 that abolished the quota system based on national origins with a preference system that focused on the immigrant’s skills and family relationships with US citizens.

(8) On June 10, 1963, President John F. Kennedy federalized National Guard troops and deployed them to the University of Alabama to force its desegregation. The next day, Governor Wallace yielded to the federal pressure, and two African American students—Vivian Malone and James A. Hood—successfully enrolled. In September of the same year, Wallace again attempted to block the desegregation of an Alabama public school—this time Tuskegee High School—but President Kennedy once again employed his executive authority and federalized National Guard troops. Wallace had little choice but to yield.

(9) Kennedy was an unparalleled advocate of the US Army Special Forces (i.e. the Green Berets). During JFK’s tenure as president, the Special Forces regiment grew by seven Special Forces groups. Not long after a visit to Fort Bragg in 1961 with then-Special Forces commander, Brig. Gen. William P. Yarborough, Kennedy authorized the Green Beret as the official headgear of the U.S. Army Special Forces. Today, Special Forces Soldiers still train at the school which bears his name: the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.

Was he perfect? Hell, no. He made plenty of mistakes, both large and small. But he had a better aim than most of the lesser ‘men’ that succeeded him.

— a former US Army parachute infantryman (three tours of the sandbox) raised on a West Texas ranch, a former federal law enforcement national security special investigator with a BA in American Political Thought, a current CPA with an MS in Accountancy, and the grandson of Continental, Union and Allied Army soldiers

January 13, 2023 at 6:25 am

If you know the whole story about # 3, you would not include it. #’s 6 & 7 still are not totally used today, but have to be sued for. # 9, special forces had been trained since WWII, he merely gave them a name.

March 5, 2019 at 9:46 pm

I have to admit I haven’t been as fascinated by JFK as many others. So, in my own journey through the presidents, I chose Alan Brinkley’s biography for the American Presidents series. This series has been my go to for presidents lacking great bios or those I just wanted to “get through.” They’re all around 160 pages, often providing factual discussions that let you know what happened to the guy in his life—and little more. They are, in other words … OK.

I felt Brinkley’s book, however, was quite good. It’s portrait of JFK goes beyond factual recitation and was exceedingly well balanced. I now see JFK as admirable in some ways, far from admirable in others, and even have some understanding of how _others_ are partly responsible for the mixed views in which we hold him.

A cut above other entries in the Amer. Presidents series.

September 18, 2020 at 4:36 pm

Early reviews are encouraging:

September 19, 2020 at 5:09 pm

Indeed, everything I’ve read and heard has been positive. Can’t wait to read this one and see for myself. Trying to figure out when exactly to squeeze it in since I’m hoping my next presidential biography will be the “coming soon” biography of Jimmy Carter.

September 19, 2020 at 8:43 pm

I am also looking forward to Alter’s Carter biography. It should be the best available to date given his access to Carter. I am hoping Douglas Brinkley is willing and able to revisit Carter in the future.

January 17, 2023 at 6:14 pm

It is quite good, and the author is in the process of working on Part 2 – 1957-1963.

January 11, 2021 at 5:52 am

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/112469.Robert_Kennedy

If you haven’t already read it, I highly recommend this biography of Bobby Kennedy by Evan Thomas.

January 11, 2021 at 8:56 am

Thanks for the suggestion. I’m exploring a couple of titles on Robert Kennedy and this is one of them! Glad to hear you liked it so much.

June 9, 2021 at 11:41 am

The independent publisher I work for is about to release a book written by one of JFK’s long-time friends about his relationship with JFK over the years. Of course it will be available on Amazon but we’re happy to send you a promo copy if you are interested?

June 9, 2021 at 2:21 pm

As a standard practice I don’t ask for or review books I haven’t purchased…but can you confirm this book is on my Upcoming Releases page? If not it sounds like it should appear there-

June 9, 2021 at 2:42 pm

Can you please let me know what you need from me to list it on your upcoming releases page? It will likely be a late June or early July release. Thanks! Michelle

June 9, 2021 at 2:52 pm

Title, author’s name, and publication date would be great. A link to publisher’s page on the book (or Amazon’s pre-publication page for the book, if there is one) would be a bonus.

June 9, 2021 at 4:01 pm

Thanks, Steve. I just now sent you an email with the details.

March 28, 2022 at 5:09 pm

I am truly surprised there is no mention of Red Faye’s “The Pleasure of His Company” a book loved by those who knew the individuals involved.

March 29, 2022 at 4:17 am

Are you surprised it isn’t mentioned because you think it’s a really good biography or because it was written by one of JFK’s friends who doesn’t work too hard to cover him fully, warts and all? (The whole thing is something like 150 pages?) Just curious

July 16, 2023 at 7:46 pm

I spoke with a friend and comrade of Joe Jr. He and others like him revere this book and its loving portrayal of JFK. They believe it captured the man like nothing else. Scholarship is a wonderful thing, but a heart felt appreciation is incredibly enjoyable and valuable.

December 22, 2022 at 10:37 am

Here is the review of another one, released in 2022. You may want to reconsider his rank, I’m biased because I have him #1 out of 45. Why? Because I am still here to write this comment and you are still here to post your blog. https://www.kennedysandking.com/john-f-kennedy-articles/last-president

March 2, 2023 at 5:40 am

I find it interesting you say Kennedy is “undeservedly well-ranked among historians” I find it quite the opposite, he’s extremely popular amongst the general public, but most historians rip into him far too much. I’ve recently been reading about Canadian-American bilateral relations and the general narrative of most historians of the 70s to 90s was that negative tensions amongst the two nations was largely Kennedy’s fault. It’s only recently that the love-to-hate-JFK tide has curbed amongst historians that, in the 2000s, there is more discussion regarding Canadian nationalism, anti-american sentiments, and more importantly the fact that Deifenbaker attempted to blackmail Kennedy, and then blamed JFK and American intervention after he lost his election in 63.

Reading the older historical accounts is such a whirlwind. Multiple historians accused Kennedy of being “arrogant” and one even said “who’s posture towards deifenbaker’s canada was that of a president stretching his legs across the border demanding a shoe shine” which is beyond ridiculous considering he actually showed a great deal of patience towards a highly nationalist prime minister that attempted to blame and blackmail him. Historians made the cat the mouse and made the mouse the cat. Madness

December 26, 2023 at 11:49 pm

Has anyone read the kennedys by Horowitz and collier to provide some insight or the kennedys by John h. Davis?thanks

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The best books on jfk, recommended by fredrik logevall.

JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956 by Fredrik Logevall

Of the thousands of books written about JFK, America's iconic 35th president, which ones should you read first? Fredrik Logevall , professor of history and international affairs at Harvard University, talks us through five key books, starting with the first volume of his biography , tracking JFK's coming of age in the years that also saw America transforming from economic powerhouse to global superpower.

Interview by Eve Gerber

Prelude to Leadership: The Postwar Diary of John F. Kennedy by John F Kennedy

Profiles in Courage by John F Kennedy

Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History by Ted Sorensen

The Best and the Brightest by David Halberstam

1 JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956 by Fredrik Logevall

2 prelude to leadership: the postwar diary of john f. kennedy by john f kennedy, 3 profiles in courage by john f kennedy, 4 counselor: a life at the edge of history by ted sorensen, 5 the best and the brightest by david halberstam.

A lthough 40,000 books have been published about the Kennedys, according to the estimate of Jill Abramson, there are few serious efforts, prior to yours, to take comprehensive look at the life and times of JFK, America’s famous 35th president.

Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America’s Vietnam , your 2012 history of America’s involvement in Vietnam, won both the Pulitzer and Frances Parkman prize. Is writing about Vietnam what led you to JFK?

Tell me about JFK, the man—and your book about him, the first volume of your planned two-part biography, which I asked you to discuss as one among the five books you’ve named.

Kennedy is certainly an iconic figure of the 20th century; he is also a highly consequential figure, I would argue, especially in American history, but indeed international history. His lifespan, which is 1917 to 1963, was an extraordinary period in world history and US history.

Hence the reason this became a two-volume work. In volume one, I cover his life through 1956, when he was elected to the Senate, and I also tell a second story about the rise of the United States to great power status and then to superpower status. That second story, remarkable in its own right, maps onto the life of Kennedy. That is, you can better understand some of the seminal developments of the mid-20th century through the lens of JFK’s life. Thus, the debate in the United States between so-called isolationists and interventionists prior to the U.S.’s entry into World War II ; the Second World War itself; the origins of the Cold War; the beginnings of the civil rights struggle and McCarthyism—I believe all of these important developments and controversies in the middle decades of the 20th century are illuminated by looking at them through the prism of Kennedy’s life.

It’s hard for me to imagine people not knowing the basic facts of JFK’s life, but because we have an international audience, can you please convey what is most important for people to grasp about the man who became America’s thirty-fifth president?

We need to grasp that he lived through an extraordinary half century, and that he came of age during the Second World War. Also, he was one of nine children, in a family that became fabulously wealthy.  As a result, Jack Kennedy did not suffer during the Great Depression in the way that many others did. He grew up as a young man of privilege.

“Kennedy kept wonderful diaries”

But he also had intense challenges throughout his life. He was sickly from a young age to the end, and he lost the siblings closest to him in age. His older brother was killed in World War II. Kathleen (or Kick), his older sister and the sibling he was in many ways closest to, died in a 1948 plane accident. And he effectively lost his sister Rosemary to a botched lobotomy in 1941. So, he had a lot of frailty and tragedy to overcome.

Turning to the books you selected, I thought the place to start was Prelude to Leadership: The Postwar Diary of John F. Kennedy .

Kennedy kept wonderful diaries, which are quite useful from a biographer’s perspective, at various points in his life, particularly while travelling. This book, edited by Deirdre Henderson, is composed of what he wrote while he toured Europe in 1945, right after the Germans surrendered and immediately before the Japanese sued for peace. There is a foreword by Hugh Sidney, the journalist, who knew Kennedy quite well. The book is fascinating because it is a window into what a young Kennedy, just decommissioned from the Navy, was thinking as he’s seeing up-close the destruction wrought by World War II in Europe and interacting with a lot of high-powered people. He’s clearly fascinated by politics and by international relations.

How do you think his familiarity with the horrors of war as a reporter and as a Navy man influenced his views?

When he wrote these diaries, it was only about a year and a half since he’d returned from his own service in the Pacific theatre. He’s clearly skeptical about the wisdom of using military power to solve political problems. That’s one thing that comes through in the diaries. At the same time, he makes clear his conviction that the United States must play a leadership role in the new international system that is emerging from the rubble of war. Kennedy is convinced, as he travels in these middle months of 1945, that the United States has newfound responsibilities in the global arena, but that it cannot go it alone; it must work in concert with other nations. He endorses the concept of collective security.

Your book begins by detailing Kennedy’s pre-war travels throughout Europe, which would not have been possible without the extraordinary wealth and position of his father, who was Ambassador to the United Kingdom on the eve of World War II.

There’s no question that Joe Kennedy helped pave the way for JFK, his second son. Through his wealth and through his connections, he made it possible for Jack to undertake these travels both before and after World War II, which proved really important to JFK’s maturation as a thinker and his emergence as a political leader. As you say, I open my book with his travels in Europe in 1939. And though now, in 1945, he is emerging from his father’s shadow, it would have been very hard undertaking these travels, maybe impossible, without the older man’s help.

Kennedy has two things in common with the 45th president of the United States. Both he and Trump were sons of extreme fortune and both were second sons whose older brothers were long thought to be the heirs apparent.

It’s true that Trump and JFK were second sons who lost their older brothers. They were both born to privilege and to wealth. And you can say that there’s one more thing that they had in common, they were both sons of very domineering fathers.

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Profiles in Courage is your next recommendation. Of the books written by JFK this is the most familiar to readers, but it may still be unfamiliar to some, so please tell us about it.

This book is about US senators from throughout the nation’s history, who in his judgment had taken principled stands, even at the risk of hurting their political self-interest by going against the wishes of their constituents or region. It’s a book that he published in 1956, as a U.S. Senator who was beginning to think about a White House run, but it concerns issues and conundrums that had fascinated him since his undergraduate days. His senior thesis at Harvard, which became his first book, Why England Slept , concerns the development of British appeasement policy in the 1930s. But in a broader sense it’s about the dilemmas of leadership in democracies in times of crisis, and in this way is a kind of prequel to Profiles .

“He’s clearly skeptical about the wisdom of using military power to solve political problems”

The core question in Profiles in Courage is: When and in what circumstances should politicians seek to go beyond their own personal self-interest and consider what’s best for the nation? When should politicians defy the wishes of their constituents, their party or their region to take policy positions that they think are in nation’s interest? The book investigates why certain senators took such stances throughout U.S. history, how they did it and what we can learn from them. In this way I would argue it’s a timeless book that still has resonance for us today, almost seven decades after publication.

There is controversy about whether Kennedy wrote the book himself. My conclusion is that his role was crucial. His assistant, Ted Sorensen, drafted the case studies that compose the middle of the book, with help Jules David, a scholar at Georgetown. But Kennedy was responsible for the broad themes and the argument, as laid out in the introduction and the conclusion—the most important parts of the book, both then and today. Long before he met Sorensen, he had been fascinated by the concept of political courage and had honed his views on the matter.

You’ve named a book by Sorensen next on your list of books to read about JFK. Before we talk about that one, I wanted to ask whether you think Kennedy can be seen as ‘a profile in courage’ for any stance that he took during his time in the Senate.

I think so. For example, to take a rather esoteric topic, there is his stance in favour of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, even though powerful interests in Massachusetts were against it and even though allies warned Kennedy he might be committing political suicide in supporting it. He favoured the Seaway because he thought it was in the interest of the nation, and ultimately also of Massachusetts.

Moving on to the book by his assistant and speechwriter, Theodore Sorensen, please tell me about Counselor .

Counselor is the memoir of Ted Sorensen, who joined JFK’s staff in early 1953, just as JFK was entering the Senate. He swiftly became Kennedy’s most important aide, a distinction he arguably held right to the end, in November 1963. I argue it was one of the most remarkable partnerships in American political history, as the two men collaborated closely on speeches, on articles, as well as on policy issues. I suggest we can think of them as composer and lyricist, as the Rodgers (JFK) and Hart (Sorensen) of American politics.

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Sorensen is really a rare creature in Washington. He’s somebody who helps devise the substance of policy positions and is then able to translate those positions into elegant, concise prose. It’s not that common that one person can perform both of those functions. Sorensen did. This book, Counselor , which he wrote toward the end of his life, provides insights into this remarkable partnership and what made it work so well. Though Sorensen would have a long and productive career after Kennedy’s death, his name would be forever associated with JFK.

The back of this book characterizes Sorensen as Kennedy’s closest adviser, I assume whoever wrote that is not factoring in Robert Kennedy, his younger brother, who was his attorney general during his presidency. To what extent was the Kennedy presidency a partnership between brothers?

Last on your list of books to read about JFK is a title that is so familiar in the American political and historical lexicon that it’s become a meme. Tell me about David Halberstam’s The Best and the Brightest .

Halberstam was a New York Times reporter, one of the first members of the American press to report in-depth from Vietnam itself. He arrived in South Vietnam during mid-1962, in the middle of the Kennedy administration. Initially, he believed in the cause, believed it important for the United States to help the South Vietnamese prevail against the insurgency. Over time, he began to doubt this belief. As problems plagued the war effort, he reported the fact, much to the annoyance of the White House, including Kennedy himself. That’s the background.

It’s a sprawling, mesmerizing work. It belongs on any short shelf of essential Vietnam War books. Halberstam looks at the Kennedy years and the Johnson years, asking the question: What brought the so-called ‘best and the brightest,’ referred to in the somewhat ironic title, to undertake this large-scale war in Vietnam? Halberstam doesn’t get everything right. For example, to my mind he exaggerates the amount of hubris in American decision-making in these years; my research and that of others indicates that US officials were more pessimistic, more gloomily realistic, than Halberstam lets on. Still, The Best and The Brightest is altogether an extraordinary work—vivid, incisive, engrossing. Reading it as an undergraduate helped convince me to go to grad school and become a historian.

The most common ‘counterfactual’ question of the twentieth century, next perhaps to, what if Hitler hadn’t been born, is surely, what if Kennedy hadn’t been shot? Many argue that so-called ‘Americanization’ in Vietnam would not have happened, while others insist it would have. Is hypothesizing about what might have been a thought experiment that historians should engage in?

I believe they should. I’m one of those historians who believes that asking ‘what if’ questions, beyond whatever parlour-game fascination it may hold, has historical utility. We can better understand what happened in history if we consider what might’ve happened, if we consider the plausible unrealized alternatives. I’ve written about the question of what might have happened in Vietnam if Kennedy had lived, if Lyndon Johnson remained Vice President and Kennedy had to make the decisions regarding whether to send in more troops in 1964-65 when South Vietnam was on the brink of defeat. I’ll consider it anew as I research and write Volume 2.

February 1, 2021

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Fredrik Logevall

Fredrik Logevall is Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government and a Professor of History at Harvard University.

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By Jeff Shesol

• Oct. 28, 2020

CATCHING THE WIND Edward Kennedy and the Liberal Hour By Neal Gabler

By the time Edward Kennedy died , in August 2009, he had represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate for nearly 47 years — longer than any of his brothers had lived. He was eulogized as one of the most important legislators in American history, an assessment reflecting not only the affection he enjoyed on both sides of the aisle, but also genuine awe at his achievements. Over the course of five decades, Ted Kennedy had sponsored nearly 700 bills that became law, and left his imprint on scores of others. The Voting Rights Act of 1965; the Immigration and Nationality Act of that same year; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 — all bore his influence or were advanced by his efforts.

None of this was foreordained — or even all that likely. He was a Kennedy, of course, and Kennedys were born to advantage; but as a child and young man, he was seen within the family not merely as the last of the Kennedy brothers, but the least: the least talented, serious, capable, promising. The press, initially, saw him that way, too. During his first campaign for the Senate, at the age of 30 in 1962, he was derided as President John F. Kennedy’s callow kid brother — a man so obviously unqualified that his election, in the view of The New York Times, could only demean “the dignity of the Senate and the democratic process.” Kennedy won that race, and set to work defying expectations. Still, the long, consequential career that followed would to the end remain, in profound ways, a struggle — against the fates, the tides of history and, in no small part, his own failings.

That struggle and its significance are the subjects of “Catching the Wind,” the first installment of a two-volume treatment by Neal Gabler , the author of well-regarded books on Walt Disney and Walter Winchell. Kennedy’s expansive life has yielded no shortage of biographies, but Gabler’s is on its way toward becoming the most complete and ambitious. As a character study it is rich and insightful, frank in its judgments but deeply sympathetic to the man Gabler regards as “the most complex of the Kennedys.” The story of Ted’s brother Bobby is typically written in two acts: before and after the assassination of President Kennedy in November 1963. Ted’s time at center stage, so much longer than Bobby’s, was more varied, consisting of numerous acts, twists, turns and apparent endings — less a linear progression than, as Gabler describes it, a “cycle of sin and expiation,” loss and renewal.

Within weeks of entering office, Kennedy talked about staying there the rest of his life. He adored the Senate’s traditions; he adapted quickly to its rhythms and norms. And, to the surprise of many, he was willing to work. John Kennedy had served eight years in the Senate without ever investing much of himself in it; he was — often visibly — bored by its slow-moving machinery. But Ted Kennedy relished it: the pressing of levers, the working of gears, the intricate business of cutting a deal. No less important, as Gabler writes, “there was a joy in him, a great love of people.” He drew them in — whether voters back home or the Southern septuagenarians who ran the Senate — won them over, made them willing, even eager, to support him. He was the most natural politician in his family, a close match in temperament to his grandfather John “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald , who had taught him, Gabler notes, “what empathy meant.”

“Catching the Wind” lends a cinematic sweep to Kennedy’s legislative crusades — for example, his failed if noble campaign in 1965 to ban use of the poll tax, that old, racist roadblock to the African-American vote, in state elections. (The 24th Amendment, ratified in 1964, had prohibited its use in federal elections. The year after Kennedy’s effort foundered, the Supreme Court ruled the poll tax unconstitutional at the state level.) Gabler makes these battles exciting, though at times he seems intent on making everything exciting; scenes are often over-egged, amped up by incantation: “And then Ted quoted at length, great length, from a speech, a remarkable speech,” reads a typical passage. “Richard Nixon was wounded now, badly wounded, wounded and reeling from his wounds,” begins another.

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Congressman John Fitzgerald Kennedy (circa 1946-47) in his Congressional Office.

Courtesy of John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

A portrait of JFK, in full

Brett Milano

Harvard Correspondent

New biography aims to chronicle a complex life amid a pivotal time for a nation

One of the revelations about John F. Kennedy in Fredrik Logevall’s new biography, “JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917‒1956,” is that the man was an excellent letter-writer and diarist. The Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School and professor of history makes effective use of the collection at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, part of which has become available only recently.

“He always had a knack for the English language, even if he was an indifferent student in prep school and in his first years at Harvard,” Logevall says. “His teachers, frustrated by his lack of application overall, were always impressed by his way with words. It is an interesting contrast with his older brother, Joe Jr., the family’s supposed golden child, whose writings had a more dutiful, less imaginative quality.”

The first of a two-volume set, “JFK” aims to give the clearest picture yet available of the 35th president set against the historical, political, and cultural context of a pivotal age. The book begins with great-grandfather Patrick Kennedy’s arrival in Boston during the Irish potato famine and runs through Jack’s childhood, studies at Harvard, and military duty, and finally his rise in politics in 1956, when he almost became the Democrats’ vice presidential pick. Logevall spoke with the Gazette recently about the man and the book.

Fredrik Logevall

GAZETTE: There have certainly been many books written about JFK. What were you able to find that hadn’t been found before?

LOGEVALL: You’re quite right. There are a lot of excellent books out there on various aspects of his life and career, and especially the presidency — one thinks, for example, about the many studies of the Cuban missile crisis, Civil Rights, the Bay of Pigs disaster, the marriage with Jackie, and the assassination in Dallas. But we don’t have many true biographies, even one that is a full-scale examination of the entire life and that looks closely at his early life, in particular his teens and 20s, which I believe were key years for him (as they are for most of us). Mine is a “life and times” biography that places Kennedy in his own context, that of a rising American power in world affairs. I guess the conceit of the book is that I can tell two stories together: the story of John F. Kennedy’s rise and the story of America’s rise. I believe we can better understand the first half of the so-called American Century through the lens of Kennedy’s life.

Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (from left), Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., and John F. Kennedy in Southampton, England, July 2, 1938.

Courtesy of John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

GAZETTE: What did you find that people have missed about JFK in the past?

LOGEVALL: One thing that people have underplayed is the degree to which he was a serious student of democracy and world affairs at an earlier point than we imagine. We tend to think of him as a callow playboy, not serious about public policy or his career until quite late, until he runs for Congress in 1946, and maybe not even then. But you can look at the papers he wrote as an undergraduate at Harvard, some of which are available, and you can look at his senior thesis which became a best-selling book [“Why England Slept”] and see a young man already thinking deeply and in sustained fashion about important issues. A second finding is that the young Jack Kennedy was in important respects his own master. Though his father was a towering force in his life and those of his eight siblings, Jack proved willing and able, to a degree I did not expect, to chart his own course. The Harvard years are interesting in this regard: In 1939‒40, as World War II began and debate raged in the U.S. about how to respond, Jack showed himself willing in a way his older brother, Joe Jr., never was to separate himself from his father. Long before Pearl Harbor, Jack had become an interventionist while his father adhered throughout to a staunch isolationist position. Later, during his political campaigns, Jack always kept the key decision-making role for himself, notwithstanding the common misconception that his father called the shots. [gz_soundcloud title=”John F. Kennedy recording for public speaking class at Harvard, 1937″ track_id=”321147626″ playlists=”” height=”350″ show_artwork=”false”] [/gz_soundcloud]

GAZETTE:   Another family relationship we learn more about is with his brother Bobby, and how this became increasingly important.

LOGEVALL:  Yes, the age difference between the two brothers was such — 8½ years — that in the early years, when Jack was at prep school and then at Harvard, they weren’t particularly close. But what we see especially in 1951, when they traveled together along with their sister Patricia on an extended tour of the Middle East and Asia, is that they developed a strong bond. Bobby admired his brother to no end, and Jack could now see Bobby’s intelligence and loyalty and good cheer. Then in 1952 Bobby, all of 26 at the time, came aboard to take charge of Jack’s floundering Senate campaign against Henry Cabot Lodge and helped to turn the thing around. Jack could now see just how important Bobby could be to his career, could see the powerful combination of doggedness, shrewdness, and ruthlessness that his brother possessed.

The Kennedy family at Hyannisport, Mass., 1931. Robert (from left), John, Eunice, Jean (on lap of) Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (behind) Patricia, Kathleen, Joseph, Rosemary.

Photo by Richard Sears, courtesy of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

GAZETTE: He was quite a complex character. He did have his playboy side, but some of his war actions can be called heroic.

LOGEVALL:  Yeah, I think that is right. There is a seriousness of purpose which you see in his letters home from the South Pacific, and more dramatically in the actions he took to help save his crew after his boat, the PT-109, was rammed by a Japanese destroyer. Was there heroism there? I believe so, even if he deserves no accolades for allowing his boat to be rammed. The efforts he made in the succeeding days to try to save his crew were really quite extraordinary. We might note here as well that he came back from the war, as many of the servicemen did, with a seriousness of purpose evinced to some degree before but deepened as a result of seeing combat. He was convinced that the U.S. would need to play a leading role in world affairs, even as he also had a skepticism about the use of the military’s power that he would carry with him for the rest of his days.

GAZETTE: His coming out against Joseph McCarthy seems to be a bit of a political turning point.

LOGEVALL: Well, he never fully came out in stark opposition, which was a problem. The relationship with McCarthy was complicated, partly because of family ties. He never felt the kind of personal connection to McCarthy that Joe Sr. felt and that Bobby felt. And there were a lot of aspects of McCarthy’s political persona that he found off-putting — the disdain for senatorial good manners, the disregard for facts, for reasoning from evidence. That said, liberals at the time had good reason to be frustrated by JFK’s reluctance to really condemn McCarthy. Even in 1954, when McCarthy’s influence was in decline and the Senate held a censure vote, JFK, recovering in the hospital following a serious surgery, did not instruct his aide Ted Sorensen to register his position on the vote. He could have done so, but he didn’t, and that caused a lot of grief for him with liberals later on. He preferred to sidestep the issue, aware that there were an awful lot of Irish Catholic voters in Massachusetts who still backed McCarthy. He didn’t want to get on their bad side.

A page in Kennedy’s diary from fall 1951. The first part reads: “Oct. 3 — Paris — I talked with General Eisenhower Biddle and MacArthur at SHAEF Headquarters. Eisenhower looking very fit — seemed disturbed at news of last few days.” Lt. Kennedy on board PT 109, July 1943.

Photo by Joel Benjamin (left), courtesy of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

GAZETTE: The book deals a lot with the influence of World War II on his character development. Do you think he took a lot from other aspects of American life at the time, including popular culture?

LOGEVALL: To a degree, certainly. When he returned from the war and was figuring out what he wanted to do, he had a fascinating stint as a journalist. He showed good reporting instincts and could have made it a career. In this period he also liked to pal around in Hollywood, where his father had been a movie mogul in the 1920s and still had connections. Jack dated actresses like Gene Tierney and liked to be on the set, liked to go to movies. Popular music I think interested him less, and until Jackie came along he evinced little interest in art. He did like poetry, and he memorized a lot of it starting already in prep school at Choate. But the Hollywood connection is interesting to me, and probably plays some role in his later skill at using images and film to advance his political career. He was among the first politicians to see that images matter, that the right use of film can make a powerful difference. Television was a huge emerging thing as his career builds, and he had that savvy understanding of the medium and how he could use it to his advantage, kind of like FDR used radio so effectively.

GAZETTE: Many of the reviews I’ve read have focused on his womanizing, which we already knew about. Do you think that’s ultimately that important a part of his character?

LOGEVALL:  Yes, the womanizing is an important part of who he is. His father led by example, carrying on with innumerable women in the 1920s and 1930s, and the older kids knew very well what was going on. Joe Sr. made clear he expected his sons to follow his ways. But I can’t have it both ways: If I’m going to argue that JFK was able to resist his father’s pressure and be his own man when it came to politics and career choices, I have to maintain that he could have broken with him on this issue too. Here he was his father’s son, with a tendency to see women as objects to be conquered. But there are paradoxes here, among them the fact that his administration took important progressive steps, establishing, for example, the President’s Commission on the Status of Women, with Eleanor Roosevelt as chair. In 1962, at the urging of the commission, Kennedy ordered federal agencies to cease sex discrimination in hiring.

Sen. John Kennedy and his then-fiancée Jacqueline Bouvier in Hyannis Port, Mass.

Photo courtesy of Harvard Fine Arts Library, Digital Images & Slides Collection

GAZETTE: In the second volume you’ll have to unravel the mystery around the assassination. Do you have a sense of how you will approach that?

LOGEVALL: There is certainly a fascination, and it shows few signs of fading. It is a vexing issue to any biographer of JFK, and it has spawned a whole cottage industry of its own. I haven’t yet written Volume 2 so I haven’t fully decided how I will proceed on this. But certainly I will talk about Lee Harvey Oswald’s background, about what led him to take this action, and will give the reader a full sense of how it all culminated in this terrible moment. And I think I will owe the reader my assessment of what I believe happened. So I will provide it. I don’t think I will get heavily into the deliberations of the Warren Commission or the various conspiracy theories that have sprouted up over the years. That’s another book, not to mention a potential morass.

GAZETTE: What do you think happened?

LOGEVALL: My reading of the evidence we have indicates pretty clearly to me that Oswald was the lone gunman. Claims to the contrary all come up short. Oswald’s associations and meetings in the weeks leading up to the assassination are worthy of investigation, however, and have been examined in recent studies. I will delve into that material and be interested to see what I find.

Interview was lightly edited for clarity and length.

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5 Books to Read in Honor of JFK’s Centennial

C ountless pages have been written about John F. Kennedy , and America’s 35th president will likely serve as fodder for biographers for decades and centuries to come. In addition to general biographies, authors have honed in on niches from his famous Anglophilia to how the Vietnam War would have ended differently if he’d lived longer.

For those who don’t have infinite time to sort through these manifold volumes, here are five of the most essential books about JFK , in honor of the 100th anniversary of his May 29, 1917, birth.

An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917 – 1963

By Robert Dallek

Dallek essentially rewrote the story of JFK, surprising readers with revelations about his poor health, love affairs and family dynamics. Many critics and historians now consider the 2003 book to be the essential general interest biography of Kennedy.

A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the White House

By Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.

For a look at Kennedy as his friends and associates knew him, try Schlesinger’s 1965 volume covering the period from JFK’s presidential campaign to his funeral. While the coverage was perhaps friendlier than the average biography, given Schlesinger’s relationship with its subject, it’s a valuable close-up and provides insight on how Kennedy wished to be seen.

Profiles in Courage

By John F. Kennedy

In Kennedy’s own landmark 1955 book, the then-senator profiled eight U.S. senators throughout history who had bravely taken stands against threats to democracy, from John Quincy Adams to Robert A. Taft. The book (written in collaboration with ghostwriter Ted Sorensen) went on to win a Pulitzer Prize.

The Death of a President: November 20-November 25, 1963

By William Manchester

Manchester began work on this 1967 account of Kennedy’s assassination at the request of his widow Jacqueline — but by the time he finished, after two intense years of work, she and Robert F. Kennedy were unhappy with the result and asked him to make changes that would be more flattering. A major bestseller at the time, the book went on to fade into obscurity before returning to prominence with a 50th anniversary edition. It continues to hold a special place in the canon of JFK literature.

JFK: A Vision for America

By Stephen Kennedy Smith and Douglas Brinkley

This new volume combines JFK’s speeches with commentary by leading historians and thinkers, from David McCullough to Kofi Annan. Edited by Brinkley and Smith, a nephew of JFK’s, the volume is illustrated with more than 500 photos and facsimiles of documents from the archives.

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A Guide to the Kennedy Family Tree

When JFK was assassinated 60 years ago, he was survived by his wife and children—along with his parents, maternal grandparents, six siblings, and many other relatives.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Today marks 60 years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963.

On that fateful day in Dallas, Texas, President Kennedy was shot as he rode in a motorcade alongside Texas Governor John Connally and his wife, Nellie Connally. He was rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital, but there was nothing to be done; he pronounced dead just 30 minutes later. Governor Connally was shot in the back, but recovered from his injuries.

JFK was survived by his wife, First Lady Jackie Kennedy , their two small children, Caroline and John Jr. , his parents, and his maternal grandparents. JFK had a large extended family, though—he grew up in a large Irish Catholic household with eight siblings, and was survived by six of them: Rosemary, Eunice, Patricia, Robert ("Bobby"), Jean, and Edward ("Ted"). (His older brother, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., was killed in action during World War II, and one of his sisters, Kathleen Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington, died in a plane crash in 1948.) Five of those siblings married, and had children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of their own, making the Kennedy family tree one with many, many branches.

Here, Town & Country presents a guide to John F. Kennedy's family tree, descendants, and as many relatives as we could write about:

JFK's parents: Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy

Both of JFK's parents, Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. (1888 - 1969) and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (1890 - 1995) outlived their son JFK. They married in October 1914, and had nine children: Joseph Jr., John, Rosemary, Kathleen, Eunice, Patricia in 1924, Jean, and Edward. ( More details on all, except Joseph Jr., JFK, and Kathleen, below.)

Joseph was the son of Mary Hickey (1857 - 1923) and P. J. Kennedy (1858 - 1929), an influential figure in the Bostonian Irish community and a Massachusetts politician. He was an investor, involved in the nascent Hollywood industry, was the first chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and served as the US ambassador to the UK in the lead-up to World War II. He died in 1969 at age 81, outliving four of his eight children.

Rose was the daughter of Boston mayor John F. "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald (1863 - 1950) and Mary Josephine Hannon (1865 - 1964). (JFK's maternal grandparents also outlived their grandson.) She was involved in the political careers of her family members, and published an autobiography in 1974, Times to Remember . At her son JFK's funeral, she told Ethiopia's Emperor Haile Selassie and said: "It's wrong for parents to bury their children. It should be the other way around." Rose died in 1995 at age 104.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

1929 - 1994.

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on July 28, 1929 to John Vernou "Black Jack" Bouvier III (1891 - 1957) and Janet Norton Lee (1907 - 1989). She studied at Vassar College and George Washington University, and after graduation in 1951, stayed in D.C., where she worked as a photographer . In 1952, she met John Kennedy at a dinner party— they married in September 1 953 in Newport, Rhode Island. Jackie and JFK had four children, two of whom who died as infants: Arabella , born stillborn in 1956, Caroline , born 1957, John Jr. , born 1960, and Patrick , who died two days after his premature birth in 1963. (Read more on Caroline and John Jr. below . )

During her husband's tenure as president, she was an influential First Lady— she was a style icon , she renovated the White House , promoted the arts, and so much more. She was with her husband in Dallas on November 22, 1963, and he was killed as she rode next to him the motorcade, making her a widow at age 34. She soon planned his funeral, and as the Kennedy Library notes , "as it was broadcast around the world, millions of people shared her grief and admired her courage and dignity."

A week after his death, she was interviewed by Life magazine, comparing the Kennedy administration to the mythical Camelot. "At night, before we'd go to sleep, Jack liked to play some records; and the song he loved the most came at the very end of this record. The lines he loved to hear were: Don't let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief, shining moment that was known as Camelot ," she said . "There'll be great presidents again ... but there will never be another Camelot again."

Jackie would go on to remarry, in 1968, to Aristotle Onassis . When he died in 1975, she became a widow again. As her children were older, Jackie went on to have a second career as a book editor, and she spent her final years with Maurice Tempelsman . She died in 1994 at age 64.

JFK's daughter: Caroline Kennedy

Caroline Kennedy , the only member of JFK's immediate family who is still alive today, was born on November 27, 1957. She was nearly six when her father was assassinated, and then her mother moved her and her brother to Manhattan for school. She attended Harvard University for undergrad, and earned a J.D. from Columbia Law School. In 1986, she married designer and artist Edwin Schlossberg (b. 1945); she did not change her name upon their marriage.

Caroline currently serves as the U.S. Ambassador to Australia . "My family legacy is something I’m really proud of, and I try to live up to and and I think the fact that it means something to people around the world makes me really proud and want to be worthy of it and do what I can to continue the values that my father would like," she said. She previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Japan under President Obama.

Caroline and Edwin have three children: Rose Schlossberg (b. 1988), Taitana Schlossberg (b. 1990), and Jack Schlossberg (b. 1993). Last year, Rose married restaurateur Rory McAuliffe , and in 2017, Tatiana married George Moran , who is now a doctor. Tatiana and George have one child, Edwin Garrett Moran (b. 2022) making Caroline a grandmother .

JFK's son: John Kennedy Jr.

1960 - 1999.

John Kennedy Jr. was born on November 25, 1960, two weeks after his dad was elected president. He spent the first three years of his life in the White House; his third birthday coincided with his father's funeral, where John Jr. famously saluted his father's casket. He largely grew up in Manhattan, then attended Brown University and law school at NYU. He worked in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, and co-founded George magazine. He married Carolyn Bessette (1966 - 1999) in September 1996. In 1998, he received his pilot's license.

John Jr. tragically died in 1999 in a plane crash with his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy , and her sister, Lauren Bessette.

Rosemary Kennedy

1918 - 2005.

Rosemary Kennedy, born Rose Marie Kennedy , was Joseph and Rose's oldest daughter. She had learning disabilities, and at age 22, her father decided she should have a lobotomy. The horrific procedure left her permanently disabled, unable to walk or talk. As Lyz Lenz wrote , " Rosemary Kennedy's legacy is not a story of tragedy—it's a story of quiet power that would eventually change the quality of life for disabled and mentally ill people across the country." She died in 2005 at age 86.

Read more here:

Eunice Kennedy Shriver

1921 - 2009.

Eunice has one of the more interesting branches of the Kennedy family tree, as it's how Arnold Schwarzenegger is related to JFK. Here is part of it:

Eunice, born Eunice Mary Kennedy on July 10, 1921, was Joseph and Rose's fifth child. She's best known for her philanthropic work, specifically founding the Special Olympics. In 1953, she married Robert Sargent Shriver (1915 - 2011), an American diplomat and politician. Shriver helped create the Peace Crops, and was the Democratic Party's nominee for vice president in 1972.

Eunice and Sargent had five children: Robert Sargent Shriver III (b. 1954), Maria Owings Shriver (b. 1955), Timothy Perry Shriver (b. 1959), Mark Kennedy Shriver (b. 1964), and Anthony Paul Kennedy Shriver (b. 1965). They have 19 grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren.

The big Hollywood connection between the Kennedy family is here, in Eunice's branch of family tree: Maria married Arnold Schwarzenegger (b. 1947) in 1986 (they divorced in 2021) and they have four children: Katherine Schwarzenegger (b. 1989), Christina Schwarzenegger (b. 1991), Patrick Schwarzenegger (b. 1993) and Christopher Schwarzenegger ( b. 1997). In 2019, Katherine married actor Chris Pratt (b. 1979), and they have two daughters, Lyla Pratt (b. 2020) and Eloise Pratt (b. 2022).

Eunice died in 2009 at age 88.

Patricia Kennedy

1924 - 2006.

Patricia , the sixth of Rose and Joseph's children, was born on May 6, 1924. She married British actor Peter Lawford (1923 - 1984), who became a member of the "Rat Pack," and they had four children: Christopher Lawford (1955 - 2018), Sydney Lawford (b. 1956), Victoria Lawford (b. 1958) and Robin Lawford (b. 1961), and numerous grandchildren. Patricia and Peter separated in 1963, shortly after JFK's death, and officially divorced in 1966. Patricia died in 2006 of pneumonia.

Robert F. "Bobby" Kennedy

1925 - 1968.

Robert Kennedy , also known as RFK, born November 20, 1925, had a similarly tragic end to his brother. He served in the Navy, and then graduated from Harvard University.

In 1950, he married Ethel Skakel (b. 1928), and they had 11 children: Kathleen Kennedy (b. 1951), Joseph P. Kennedy II (b. 1952), Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (b. 1954), David Kennedy (1955 - 1984), Mary Kennedy (b. 1956), Michael LeMoyne Kennedy (1958 - 1997), Mary Kerry Kennedy (b. 1959), Christopher Kennedy (b. 1963), Matthew "Max" Kennedy (b. 1965), Douglas Kennedy (b. 1967), and Rory Kennedy (b. 1968). Rory was born six months after her father's assassination.

Bobby managed his older brother John's campaign for the Senate, then his campaign for president. After JFK was elected, he was appointed Attorney General. After his brother was killed, he resigned, and in 1964, was elected Senator from New York. In 1968, he decided to run for president, and after winning the Democratic primary in California on June 5, 1968, he was shot by Sirhan Bishara Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. He was just 42 years old.

Bobby and Ethel have 33 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. (This is perhaps the most complicated family tree of all of JFK's siblings, because of all the children.) Ethel Kennedy is still alive; she turned 95 earlier this year.

Jean Kennedy Smith

1928 - 2020.

The Nine of Us: Growing Up Kennedy

The eighth of the nine children of Joseph and Rose, Jean Ann Kennedy was born on February 20, 1928, the 8th birthday of her older sister, Kathleen. In 1956, she married Stephen Edward Smith (1927 - 1990), they had four children—two biological sons and two adopted daughters: Stephen Edward Smith, Jr. (b. 1957), William Kennedy Smith (b. 1960), Amanda Mary Smith (b. 1967), and Kym Maria Smith (b. 1972).

Jean was involved in her older brother JFK's political campaigns, and founded Very Special Arts in 1974, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting those with disabilities. In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Jean the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, where she worked on the peace process and the historic Good Friday Agreement.

She was JFK's last surviving sibling, and wrote a memoir, The Nine of Us . "I hope that people who read this book better understand who my parents, brothers and sisters truly were," she told T&C in 2016 . "They were real people who loved each other and loved this country. They kidded each other, played together, learned hard lessons, and tried to make the most out of every day." Jean died in 2020 at the age of 92 .

Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy

1923 - 2009.

True Compass: A Memoir

The youngest Kennedy sibling, Edward "Ted" Kennedy was born on February 22, 1932. A lawyer and politician, he was elected to the Senate in 1962 when he was just 30 years old, and continued serving until his death in 2009. (He is the fifth longest-serving member of the U.S. Senate in American history.)

In 1958, he married Joan Bennett (b. 1936), and they had three children: Kara Kennedy (1960 - 2011), Ted Kennedy Jr. (b. 1961) and Patrick J. Kennedy II (b. 1967). They divorced in 1982. In 1992, he married divorcee Victoria Anne Reggie (b. 1954), who had two children from a previous marriage, Curran Raclin (b. 1982) and Caroline Raclin (b. 1985).

He died in 2009 of a brain tumor; Ted was 77 years old.

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

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The 10 Best Books on Robert F. Kennedy

Essential books on robert kennedy.

There are countless books on Robert Kennedy, and it comes with good reason, he was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 64th United States Attorney General under his brother President John F. Kennedy, and as a U.S. Senator from New York until his assassination in June 1968.

“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance,” he remarked.

In order to get to the bottom of what inspired one of America’s most consequential figures to the heights of societal contribution, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best books on Robert Kennedy.

Bobby Kennedy by Larry Tye

History remembers RFK as a racial healer, a tribune for the poor, and the last progressive knight of a bygone era of American politics. But Kennedy’s enshrinement in the liberal pantheon was actually the final stage of a journey that began with his service as counsel to the red-baiting senator Joseph McCarthy. In  Bobby Kennedy ,  Larry Tye peels away layers of myth and misconception to capture the full arc of his subject’s life.

Tye draws on unpublished memoirs, unreleased government files, and fifty-eight boxes of papers that had been under lock and key for forty years. He conducted hundreds of interviews with RFK intimates, many of whom have never spoken publicly, including Bobby’s widow, Ethel, and his sister, Jean. Tye’s determination to sift through the tangle of often contradictory opinions means that  Bobby Kennedy  will stand as the definitive biography about the most complex and controversial member of the Kennedy family.

Thirteen Days

During the thirteen days in October 1962 when the United States confronted the Soviet Union over its installation of missiles in Cuba, few people shared the behind-the-scenes story as it is told here by the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy. In this unique account, he describes each of the participants during the sometimes hour-to-hour negotiations, with particular attention to the actions and views of his brother, President John F. Kennedy.

Robert Kennedy: His Life by Evan Thomas

He was “Good Bobby,” who, as his brother Ted eulogized him, “saw wrong and tried to right it… saw suffering and tried to heal it.” And “Bad Bobby,” the ruthless and manipulative bully of countless conspiracy theories. Thomas’s unvarnished but sympathetic and fair-minded portrayal is packed with new details about Kennedy’s early life and his behind-the-scenes machinations, including new revelations about the 1960 and 1968 presidential campaigns, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and his long struggles with J. Edgar Hoover and Lyndon Johnson.

Robert Kennedy and His Times by Arthur M. Schlessinger, Jr.

Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. chronicles the short life of the Kennedy family’s second presidential hopeful in “a story that leaves the reader aching for what cannot be recaptured” ( Miami Herald ). Schlesinger’s account vividly recalls the forces that shaped Robert Kennedy, from his position as the third son of a powerful Irish Catholic political clan to his concern for issues of social justice in the turbulent 1960s.  Robert Kennedy and His Times is “a picture of a deeply compassionate man hiding his vulnerability, drawn to the underdogs and the unfortunates in society by his life experiences and sufferings” ( Los Angeles Times ).

The Revolution of Robert Kennedy by John R. Bohrer

On November 22nd, 1963, Bobby Kennedy received a phone call that altered his life forever. The president, his brother, had been shot. JFK would not survive.

In  The Revolution of Robert Kennedy , journalist John R. Bohrer focuses in intimate and revealing detail on Bobby Kennedy’s life during the three years following JFK’s assassination. Torn between mourning the past and plotting his future, Bobby was placed in a sudden competition with his political enemy, Lyndon Johnson, for control of the Democratic Party.

No longer the president’s closest advisor, Bobby struggled to find his place within the Johnson administration, eventually deciding to leave his Cabinet post to run for the U.S. Senate, and establish an independent identity. Those overlooked years of change, from hardline Attorney General to champion of the common man, helped him develop the themes of his eventual presidential campaign. This gem among books on Robert Kennedy follows him on the journey from memorializing his brother’s legacy to defining his own.

Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit by Chris Mathews

Overlooked by his father, and overshadowed by his war-hero brother, Bobby Kennedy was the perpetual underdog. When he had the chance to become a naval officer like Jack, Bobby turned it down, choosing instead to join the Navy as a common sailor. It was a life-changing experience that led him to connect with voters from all walks of life: young or old, black or white, rich or poor. They were the people who turned out for him in his 1968 campaign. RFK would prove himself to be the rarest of politicians – both a pragmatist who knew how to get the job done and an unwavering idealist who could inspire millions.

Drawing on extensive research and interviews, Matthews pulls back the curtain on the public and private worlds of Robert Francis Kennedy. He shines a light on all the important moments of his life, from his early years and his start in politics to his crucial role as attorney general in his brother’s administration and his tragic run for president.

The Enemy Within

From 1956 to 1959 the Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in the Labor or Management Field (chaired by Sen. McClellan and guided by chief counsel Robert Kennedy) heard more than 1500 witnesses and uncovered a shocking story, proving that labor leaders, management, the underworld, and public officials, sometimes in combination, sometimes separately, had worked to cheat and intimidate the rank-and-file union members.

Writing crisply, with indignation but also with humor, Kennedy focuses on how unions are bought, sold, and sometimes stolen; how ‘democracy’ actually operated in Jimmy Hoffa’s captive unions and what happened to the men who dared to oppose him; how Hoffa was tried on charges of attempting to plant a spy in the McClellan Committee; how an investigating committee works; how the Committee resisted external pressures, threats, and ploys to derail its efforts; and more.

A Lie Too Big to Fail by Lisa Pease

In  A Lie Too Big to Fail , longtime Kennedy researcher (of both JFK and RFK) Lisa Pease lays out, in meticulous detail, how witnesses with evidence of conspiracy were silenced by the Los Angeles Police Department; how evidence was deliberately altered and, in some instances, destroyed; and how the justice system and the media failed to present the truth of the case to the public. Pease reveals how the trial was essentially a sham, and how the prosecution did not dare to follow where the evidence led.

The book asserts the idea that a government can never investigate itself in a crime of this magnitude. Was the convicted Sirhan Sirhan a willing participant? Or was he a mind-controlled assassin? It has fallen to independent researchers like Pease to lay out the evidence in a clear and concise manner, allowing readers to form their theories about this event.

Robert F. Kennedy: Ripples of Hope by Kerry Kennedy

Robert F. Kennedy staunchly advocated for civil rights, education, justice, and peace; his message transcended race, class, and creed, resonating deeply within and across America. He was the leading candidate for the Democratic nomination for the presidency and was expected to run against Republican Richard Nixon in the 1968 presidential election, following in the footsteps of his late brother John. After winning the California presidential primary on June 5, 1968, Robert Kennedy was shot, and he died the following day. He was forty-two.

Ripples of Hope  captures the legacy of former senator and U.S. attorney general Robert F. Kennedy through commentary from his daughter, as well as interviews with dozens of prominent national and international figures who have been inspired by him. They include Barack Obama, John Lewis, Marian Wright Edelman, Alfre Woodard, Harry Belafonte, Bono, George Clooney, Gloria Steinem, and more. They share personal accounts and stories of how Kennedy’s words, life, and values have influenced their lives, choices, and actions.

Delta Epiphany by Ellen B. Meacham

In April 1967, a year before his run for president, Senator Robert F. Kennedy knelt in a crumbling shack in Mississippi trying to coax a response from a listless child. The toddler sat picking at dried rice and beans spilled over the dirt floor as Kennedy, former US attorney general and brother to a president, touched the boy’s distended stomach and stroked his face and hair. After several minutes with little response, the senator walked out the back door, wiping away tears.

In this profound installment to the ever-growing index of books on Robert Kennedy, Ellen B. Meacham tells the story of his visit to the Delta, while also examining the forces of history, economics, and politics that shaped the lives of the children he met in Mississippi in 1967 and the decades that followed.

All This Marvelous Potential by Matthew Algeo

In early 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy ventured deep into the heart of Appalachia to gauge the progress of President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty. Kennedy viewed his two days in Kentucky as an opportunity to test his antiwar and antipoverty message with hardscrabble white voters.

Among the strip mines, one-room schoolhouses, and dilapidated homes, however, Kennedy encountered a strong mistrust and intense resentment of establishment politicians.

Author Matthew Algeo meticulously retraces RFK’s tour of eastern Kentucky, visiting the places he visited and meeting with the people he met. Algeo explains how and why the region has changed since 1968, and why it matters for the rest of the country.

The Last Campaign by Thurston Clarke

After John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Robert Kennedy – formerly Jack’s no-holds-barred political warrior – almost lost hope. He was haunted by his brother’s murder, and by the nation’s seeming inabilities to solve its problems of race, poverty, and the war in Vietnam. Bobby sensed the country’s pain, and when he announced that he was running for president, the country united behind his hopes.

Over the action-packed eighty-two days of his campaign, Americans were inspired by Kennedy’s promise to lead them toward a better time. And after an assassin’s bullet stopped this last great stirring public figure of the 1960s, crowds lined up along the country’s railroad tracks to say goodbye to Bobby.

With new research, interviews, and an intimate sense of Kennedy, Thurston Clarke provides an absorbing historical narrative that goes right to the heart of America’s deepest despairs – and most fiercely held dreams – and tells us more than we had understood before about this complicated man and the heightened personal, racial, political, and national dramas of his times.

Make Gentle the Life of this World ; Edited by Maxwell Taylor Kennedy

Throughout the 1960s, Robert F. Kennedy kept a private journal of favorite quotations, recording the philosophies of great leaders and thinkers throughout history. Thirty years after his father’s tragic death, Maxwell Taylor Kennedy has culled the highlights of this journal, along with moving portions of Robert Kennedy’s most memorable speeches, to create an inspiring, immortal voice for his father’s vision.

With passages on freedom, democracy, civil rights, education, justice, tragedy, and peace, Make Gentle the Life of This World speaks powerfully to America’s unstoppable drive for a better world. Complemented by poignant photographs of Robert Kennedy, this is an extraordinary tribute to an extraordinary hero, whose dream for America has never been extinguished.

If you enjoyed this guide to the best books on Robert Kennedy, check out our article about John F. Kennedy’s Reading Obsession !

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What was John F. Kennedy’s family like?

John F. Kennedy was reared in a large Roman Catholic family of Irish descent that demanded intense physical and intellectual competition among its nine siblings. Steeped in Democratic Party politics, the family produced three presidential candidates: John and his brothers Robert and Ted .

What were John F. Kennedy’s parents’ names?

John F. Kennedy’s father was Joseph P. Kennedy , who acquired a multimillion-dollar fortune in banking, bootlegging, shipbuilding, motion pictures, and the stock market and who served as U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom. His mother, Rose , was the daughter of John F. (“Honey Fitz”) Fitzgerald, onetime mayor of Boston .

When was John F. Kennedy born and when did he die?

John F. Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917, in Brookline , Massachusetts , and he was assassinated in Dallas , Texas , on November 22, 1963. While riding in a motorcade, he was struck by two rifle bullets and died shortly after hospitalization. Lee Harvey Oswald was accused of the slaying.

What were John F. Kennedy’s jobs?

John F. Kennedy served in the U.S. Navy during World War II , represented the Massachusetts 11th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for three terms (1947–53), served two terms as a U.S. senator for Massachusetts (1953–60), and was the 35th president of the United States (1961–63).

What was John F. Kennedy famous for?

John F. Kennedy, the first Roman Catholic president of the United States, sparked the idealism of “a new generation of Americans” with his charm and optimism, championed the U.S. space program , and showed cool dynamic leadership during the Cuban missile crisis , before becoming the victim of an assassination .

Whether the U.S. should maintain its embargo enforced by John F. Kennedy against Cuba is hotly debated. Some say Cuba has not met the conditions required to lift it, and the U.S. will look weak for lifting the sanctions. Others say the 50-year policy has failed to achieve its goals, and Cuba does not pose a threat to the United States. For more on the Cuba embargo debate, visit ProCon.org .

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John F. Kennedy (born May 29, 1917, Brookline , Massachusetts , U.S.—died November 22, 1963, Dallas , Texas) was the 35th president of the United States (1961–63), who faced a number of foreign crises, especially in Cuba and Berlin, but managed to secure such achievements as the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty and the Alliance for Progress . He was assassinated while riding in a motorcade in Dallas.

(Read John Kennedy’s Britannica entry on Oliver Ellsworth.)

The second of nine children, Kennedy was reared in a family that demanded intense physical and intellectual competition among the siblings—the family’s touch football games at their Hyannis Port retreat later became legendary—and was schooled in the religious teachings of the Roman Catholic church and the political precepts of the Democratic Party. His father, Joseph Patrick Kennedy , had acquired a multimillion-dollar fortune in banking, bootlegging, shipbuilding, and the film industry, and as a skilled player of the stock market . His mother, Rose , was the daughter of John F. (“Honey Fitz”) Fitzgerald, onetime mayor of Boston. They established trust funds for their children that guaranteed lifelong financial independence. After serving as the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission , Joseph Kennedy became the U.S. ambassador to Great Britain, and for six months in 1938 John served as his secretary, drawing on that experience to write his senior thesis at Harvard University (B.S., 1940) on Great Britain’s military unpreparedness. He then expanded that thesis into a best-selling book, Why England Slept (1940).

In the fall of 1941 Kennedy joined the U.S. Navy and two years later was sent to the South Pacific. By the time he was discharged in 1945, his older brother, Joe, who their father had expected would be the first Kennedy to run for office, had been killed in the war, and the family’s political standard passed to John, who had planned to pursue an academic or journalistic career.

John Kennedy himself had barely escaped death in battle. Commanding a patrol torpedo (PT) boat, he was gravely injured when a Japanese destroyer sank it in the Solomon Islands. Marooned far behind enemy lines, he led his men back to safety and was awarded the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism. He also returned to active command at his own request. (These events were later depicted in a Hollywood film, PT 109 [1963], that contributed to the Kennedy mystique.) However, the further injury to his back, which had bothered him since his teens, never really healed. Despite operations in 1944, 1954, and 1955, he was in pain for much of the rest of his life. He also suffered from Addison disease , though this affliction was publicly concealed. “At least one-half of the days he spent on this earth,” wrote his brother Robert , “were days of intense physical pain.” (After he became president , Kennedy combated the pain with injections of amphetamines —then thought to be harmless and used by more than a few celebrities for their energizing effect. According to some reports, both Kennedy and the first lady became heavily dependent on these injections through weekly use.) None of this prevented Kennedy from undertaking a strenuous life in politics. His family expected him to run for public office and to win.

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New Kennedy Family Books To Read on the 25th Anniversary of JFK Jr.’s Death

See PEOPLE's picks for the best new books about the Kennedy family

Carly Tagen-Dye is the Books editorial assistant at PEOPLE, where she writes for both print and digital platforms.

Much has been written about the Kennedy family, their triumphs, tragedies and their enduring legacy. Through fiction and nonfiction, the stories of former President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy , Ted Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy and more have seen many iterations over the years. The Kennedy family is on the public’s mind even more this year, with the 25th anniversary of the death of John F. Kennedy Jr ., 38, his wife Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy , 33, and her sister, Lauren, 34, in a plane crash on July 16, 1999.

To commemorate the day, consider picking up one of the newest books about the Kennedy family, below.

Never miss a story — sign up for  PEOPLE's free daily newsletter  to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

‘Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy ’ by Elizabeth Beller

Gallery Books

Twenty-five years after her death, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy continues to capture the public's imagination. In this in-depth account of her life, featuring exclusive interviews and photographs, Beller explores Bessette-Kennedy’s legacy, her complex marriage to JFK Jr. and more.

‘Jackie’ by Dawn Tripp

Random House 

Before she became the First Lady, the woman who would charm the world as Jackie Kennedy was a 21-year-old dreaming of traveling abroad. When she meets the charismatic Jack Kennedy, a young congressman, in Washington, D.C., her life takes a new, unexpected turn. Following the two throughout the years — from their budding romance to their time in the White House to JFK’s untimely death — this novel is perfect for those who can’t get enough from one of the country’s most iconic couples.

‘Ask Not: The Kennedys and the Women They Destroyed’ by Maureen Callahan

Journalist Maureen Callahan explores the scandals associated with the Kennedy family in this explosive new book. From Mary Jo Kopechne and the Chappaquiddick incident to Rosemary Kennedy’s lobotomy, this book delves into the family’s complicated history amongst their power and wealth.

‘JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography’ by Liz McNeil and RoseMarie Terenzio

From his childhood as the late president's son to his own adulthood in the spotlight, the public has been fascinated by John F. Kennedy Jr., whose life was tragically cut short. Including never-before-told stories from close friends and colleagues, the first oral biography of JFK Jr., written by his former assistant and close friend RoseMarie Terenzio and PEOPLE editor-at-large Liz McNeil, shows a new side to the beloved figure.

‘The Kennedys' New York’ by Tim English

New York City is an iconic place for many, and the Kennedy family is no different. The Kennedys’ New York is a literary tour of the places the family frequented — and how they shaped them. From the W. 16th St. doctor’s office that John F. Kennedy visited to ease his back pain to the Greenwich Village club that hosted the Velvet Underground (with Bobby Kennedy in the audience), this is a romp through the city like no other.

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The Kennedy Family

Learn about John F. Kennedy's family, including his parents, Joseph P. Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, and his eight brothers and sisters, and their spouses.

Joseph P. Kennedy

Rose fitzgerald kennedy, joseph p. kennedy jr., rosemary kennedy, kathleen kennedy, eunice kennedy shriver, r. sargent shriver, patricia kennedy lawford, robert f. kennedy, ethel skakel kennedy, jean kennedy smith, stephen e. smith, edward m. kennedy, victoria reggie kennedy.

Presidential Libraries

JFK Biography

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts, a few miles outside of Boston. His parents were Joseph Kennedy, a successful businessman, and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. He was the second of nine children. While Jack grew up with every material advantage, he suffered from a series of medical ailments but learned to underplay the effects of his illnesses.

President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy pose for a portrait with their children, Caroline Kennedy and John F. Kennedy, Jr., on a porch in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. August 4, 1962. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum Local Identifier: ST-C22-1-62

World War II changed Kennedy in many ways. He joined the Navy and served in the Pacific, where his PT boat was sunk by a Japanese destroyer. He never forgot his own war experience and the bravery of his Navy crew.

After the war, JFK decided to run for office. In 1946 he won election as congressman for Massachusetts and served for six years. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1952. In 1953 he married Jacqueline Bouvier, and their daughter, Caroline, was born in 1957, and their son, John Jr., was born in 1960.

At 43 years old, he became the youngest man elected President of the United States, defeating Richard Nixon in 1960.

One of his first actions after taking office was creating the Peace Corps, which today still sends volunteers on two-year missions to live and work with people around the globe.

The Cuban Missile Crisis in late 1962 threatened the world with possible nuclear war. The United States confronted the Soviet Union over the placement of nuclear weapons on Cuba, and in secret negotiations, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles.

Kennedy challenged the U.S. to be the first country to send a man to the moon by the end of the 1960s. The United States reached President Kennedy’s goal on July 20, 1969, when the crew of Apollo 11 landed on the lunar surface.

At home, Kennedy urged an end to racial segregation and asked Congress for a civil rights bill. Before the bill could get through Congress, JFK was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963.

People remember John F. Kennedy as a President who was young and energetic. But he is also remembered as a leader who made a difference. His words and actions made people want to help others and serve their country.

Ted Kennedy

Known as the "Lion of the Senate," Democrat Ted Kennedy was a staunch liberal who was elected to Congress nine times, spearheading many legislative reforms.

(1932-2009)

Who Was Ted Kennedy?

Ted Kennedy was the youngest brother of John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy . He was elected to the Senate when he was 30, and continued to work in Congress throughout his life. Though marked by scandal, Kennedy was viewed as an icon of political progressivism and liberal thought by the time of his death, on August 25, 2009.

Ted Kennedy was born Edward Moore Kennedy in Boston, Massachusetts, on February 22, 1932. The youngest of nine children, Ted grew up in a privileged, Irish Catholic family steeped in tradition. His mother, Rose Fitzgerald , was the daughter of Boston mayor John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald. His father, millionaire businessman Joseph P. Kennedy , held many important posts in and out of government.

As a result, the family moved frequently to accommodate Joesph's various posts. The children also changed schools often; by the age of 11, young Ted had already transferred schools 10 times. Despite his busy job, Joseph was careful to put his family first, always writing letters and sending telegrams when he was away, and welcoming any interruptions to his work that had to do with matters involving his children.

Ted's mother, Rose, was the member of the family who enforced a high level of academic performance in her children. Both parents, however, discouraged idleness and emphasized the importance of healthy competition and success. Dinner was often the staging ground for various quizzes on politics, history, and literature. Discussion and debate were highly encouraged. This taught Ted at an early age to immerse himself in his education and worldly pursuits. "If I wanted to contribute something worthwhile to the conversation, I would have to talk about a book I was reading or an interesting place I had visited," he later said about his time at the Kennedy dinner table.

But Ted preferred sports to academics and lagged behind his brothers and sisters in school performance, so he learned other ways to hog the spotlight. He quickly became the family jester and an extrovert, always cracking jokes, planning family outings, and charming strangers with his friendly nature. As the baby he also developed a close emotional bond with both his parents. Their soft spot for their youngest child also took the pressure off of him to perform as rigorously as his elder siblings. This sense of lowered expectations would later haunt Kennedy as he tried to make his way into the professional world.

Tragedy would also mar Ted Kennedy's early life. In 1941, his father secretly had his older, developmentally delayed sister Rosemary lobotomized. The operation failed, and the family had her permanently institutionalized. Several years later, in 1944, brother Joe Jr. was killed when his plane was shot down during a Navy mission. In 1948, his sister, Kathleen, died in a private plane crash over the French Alps. These incidents, and the others to soon follow, would become part of what was later referred to as "The Kennedy Curse." Ted worked hard to cheer his grief-laden family.

In 1946, Ted entered Milton Academy, an exclusive college prep boarding school eight miles south of Boston. At Milton, Ted immersed himself in athletics, drama, debate, and the glee club. While he performed well, he failed to be a standout student when compared to his over-achieving brothers. His father rode him relentlessly about his grades as well as his weight, and encouraged his son to push himself harder. Ted graduated in 1950, and followed his brothers to Harvard University.

Ivy League Life

The youngest Kennedy immediately immersed himself in Harvard's football team, but that Spring, he discovered that he was failing his Spanish class. In order to stay on the team, he would have to pass his final Spanish exam. Ted was expelled when, in desperation, he had another student take a Spanish exam in his place. The school would allow the boys to return in two years if they demonstrated good behavior. As a result, Kennedy enlisted for a two-year term in the U.S. Army and, through his father's influence, received an assignment as a guard at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Command in Paris, France.

In 1952, Kennedy enrolled again at Harvard and was accepted. He returned to his football career, where his performance attracted the interest of the Green Bay Packers, who tried to recruit Ted in 1955. Kennedy declined the offer, saying he was flattered but wanted to go to law school and enter another contact sport—politics. After Harvard, he studied for a brief time at the International Law School (The Hague) before entering Virginia Law School, where he received his law degree in 1959.

Senate Career

Ted Kennedy campaigned for his brother, John F. Kennedy, in the 1960 presidential race. In 1962, shortly after his brother's victory, Ted was elected to John's former U.S. Senate seat. At the age of 30, he became a representative for the state of Massachusetts.

But tragedy was to plague the Kennedy family yet again. In 1963, John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. A year later, Ted was in a plane crash and spent weeks in the hospital recovering from a back injury and internal bleeding. The injuries resulted in chronic pain, from which he would suffer throughout his life. Although he was unable to campaign actively for reelection for a full term in 1964, he was swept back into office by a landslide vote.

By 1967, Ted Kennedy began to speak out against the Vietnam War, which the United States had become deeply involved in during his brother John's administration. The United States government set a policy of containing communist expansion worldwide, and it felt Vietnam was the first line of defense. The U.S. government supported the protection of the fledgling democratic government in South Vietnam from the communist government in North Vietnam.

Kennedy, like many Democratic "cold warriors," initially supported the war. However, as revelations of poor military planning on the part of the United States and political corruption in South Vietnam arose, Kennedy grew critical of America's involvement. He specifically debated the merits of the military draft, and decried the failure of the United States to provide for the victims of the war. Kennedy visited South Vietnam after the disastrous Tet Offensive, in which North Vietnamese regulars and Viet Cong insurgents simultaneously attacked more than 100 South Vietnamese cities. Kennedy stepped up his criticism, yet managed to stay on good terms with the Democratic administration of President Lyndon Johnson.

Ted Kennedy encountered family tragedy again when his closest brother, Robert Kennedy, was assassinated in 1968 during his presidential campaign. Eulogizing his brother, Ted stated, "My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it."

After Robert's death, Ted became the standard-bearer of the Kennedy clan. In 1969, he became the youngest-ever majority whip in the U.S. Senate, and an early front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination. A year later, on the night of July 18, 1969, he accidentally drove his car off an unmarked bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, near Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. His companion in the car, 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne, drowned. A judge later found Ted Kennedy guilty of leaving the scene of an accident.

Kennedy was reelected to the Senate in 1970 despite the scandal, but the incident dogged his subsequent political career and discouraged him from running for president in 1972 and 1976. In 1980, however, Kennedy decided to launch a presidential campaign against Democratic incumbent Jimmy Carter . Kennedy felt Carter's difficult first term threatened to give control of the government to the Republicans, and the senator was unafraid of publicly criticizing the president. He vowed, however, to support Carter if he happened to win in the presidential primaries. Kennedy won only 10 of the primaries. At the 1980 Democratic National Convention, Kennedy conceded his presidential bid, but gave a hallmark convention speech.

As the 1980s transpired, President Ronald Reagan 's sweeping changes of government gained a stronghold on both the presidency and Congress. Ted Kennedy's liberalism soon lost favor with many mainstream Democrats. Those years proved to be difficult for Kennedy as he grappled with minority party status and wrestled with his ideological nemesis, Reagan.

Kennedy also faced trouble in his personal life, as accusations of philandering and alcohol abuse surfaced. In 1982, after 24 years of turbulent marriage, he and wife Joan Bennett Kennedy divorced. In spite of his private struggles, Kennedy won reelection to the Senate in 1982 and again in 1988. In 1992 he remarried — this time to Washington, D.C., lawyer Victoria Reggie — and credits his recovery to his new relationship. Together the couple had two more children: Curran and Caroline Raclin.

With the Democratic victory of Bill Clinton for president in 1992, Ted Kennedy became once again an influential legislator supporting health-care reform. He was an author of the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which allows those who change or lose their job to maintain health insurance and protects the privacy of patient information. He also helped author the 1997 Children's Health Act, which increased access to health care for children age 18 and under.

But by the late 1990s, Ted Kennedy had become one of the Senate's most prominent members. He amassed a monumental legislative record, passing bills that affected the lives of many Americans of all classes and races. Kennedy sponsored legislation on immigration reform, criminal code reform, fair housing, public education, health care, AIDS research, and a variety of programs to aid the poor. On the Senate Judiciary Committee, he upheld liberal positions on abortion, capital punishment, and busing. Kennedy did this through political skill and bipartisan friendships with conservative Republicans, all the while maintaining his principled liberal roots. Teaming up with conservative stalwarts such as Senators Nancy Kassebaum, John McCain , and Orrin Hatch, Kennedy has cosponsored legislation on worker's healthcare benefits, immigration, and funding for traumatic brain injuries.

Kennedy extended his legislative record in the new millennium. He worked with both Democrats and Republicans to pass the No Child Left Behind Act, in an effort to close the achievement gap in public schools. Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, he coordinated with various agencies to respond to the mental health needs of victims' families. He also helped sponsor the bipartisan Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act to prevent, prepare for, and respond to bioterrorism emergencies. An initial opponent of the war in Iraq, Kennedy sponsored legislation to procure additional armored Humvees in Iraq battle zones. Throughout the rest of the decade, Kennedy sponsored or cosponsored legislation to enhance the ability of law enforcement to protect abducted children; reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; boost support for Hurricane Katrina victims; and expand Medicaid coverage.

Final Years and Death

On May 17, 2008, Ted Kennedy entered Cape Cod Hospital after suffering a seizure. Three days later doctors diagnosed the senator with a malignant glioma, an especially lethal type of brain tumor. Kennedy underwent surgery on June 2. "I am deeply grateful to the people of Massachusetts and to my friends, colleagues and so many others across the country and around the world who have expressed their support and good wishes as I tackle this new and unexpected health challenge," Kennedy said in a statement released hours before the surgery began. "I am humbled by the outpouring and am strengthened by your prayers and kindness."

Following the operation, doctors pronounced the procedure successful, saying Kennedy should experience no permanent neurological effects. A spokeswoman for Kennedy also said the senator spoke with his wife shortly after surgery, telling her, "I feel like a million bucks. I think I'll do that again tomorrow."

As the 2008 presidential primaries moved into full throttle in January, Kennedy endorsed Illinois Senator Barack Obama for president. After the primaries had all but determined Obama to be the presidential candidate, Kennedy made an emotional appearance at the Democratic Convention in Denver, Colorado. Looking somewhat weak, but elated, Kennedy delivered a short but rousing speech to hundreds of delegates.

On January 20, 2009, during Obama's post-inauguration luncheon at the U.S. Capitol, Kennedy suffered another seizure. Paramedics arrived quickly, and he was escorted to an ambulance by Senators John Kerry, Chris Dodd and Orrin Hatch. His doctor released a statement saying he believed the incident was a result of "simple fatigue."

After convalescing in Florida for several weeks, Kennedy called Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and said, "Kennedy, reporting for duty." On the following Monday, he came to the Senate to vote for its version of the economic stimulus package. In a statement released that day, he said, "I returned to the Senate today to do all I can to support our President and his plan to get our country back on track. We face a historic crisis and must act quickly, boldly and responsibly to enable our economy to begin growing again in Massachusetts and across America."

On August 20, 2009, Kennedy made a sudden request to change Massachusetts state law, allowing for his swift replacement. The note to state leaders asked for an interim senator to be appointed in the case that his seat was suddenly vacated. Current law requires a special election to be held within five moths of the seat vacancy. It was Kennedy's hope that if his seat were to be unexpectedly empty, another Democratic senator could continue work on new healthcare legislation that Kennedy felt was vital to the country's progress.

Kennedy's aides insisted the move had nothing to do with the senator's health. But several days later, on August 25, 2009, Kennedy's struggle with brain cancer came to an end. He passed away in the evening at his Cape Cod, Massachusetts, home.

Senator Kennedy was considered the "liberal lion of the Senate." His massive compilation of legislative acts reflect his savvy political skills, pragmatic vision, and ability to reach across party lines. As the youngest member of a family with many larger-than-life figures, Ted Kennedy consistently proved that he was a formidable force in American politics—and one that left a legacy of public service to be studied, admired, and emulated.

QUICK FACTS

• Name: Ted Kennedy
• Birth Year: 1932
• Birth date: February 22, 1932
• Birth State: Massachusetts
• Birth City: Boston
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Known as the "Lion of the Senate," Democrat Ted Kennedy was a staunch liberal who was elected to Congress nine times, spearheading many legislative reforms.
• U.S. Politics
• Astrological Sign: Pisces
• International Law School (The Hague)
• Virginia Law School
• Harvard University
• Milton Academy
• Cultural Associations
• Irish American
• Death Year: 2009
• Death date: August 25, 2009
• Death State: Massachusetts
• Death City: Hyannis Port
• Death Country: Unites States

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CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Ted Kennedy Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/political-figures/ted-kennedy
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: June 22, 2021
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014
• In short, I hope for an America where neither 'fundamentalist' nor 'humanist' will be a dirty word, but a fair description of the different ways in which people of good will look at life and into their own souls.
• The great adventures which our opponents offer is a voyage into the past. Progress is our heritage, not theirs."[stated at 1980 Democratic National Convention.]
• My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it."[excerpt from Ted Kennedy's eulogy to brother Robert Kennedy.]
• If I wanted to contribute something worthwhile to the conversation, I would have to talk about a book I was reading or an interesting place I had visited."[on his time at the Kennedy dinner table.]

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Iconic Vintage Photos of the Kennedy Family

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The Kennedy family has been a source of attention, adulation, and scrutiny over the decades—both for their wealth and glamour but also for their tragedy. Joseph Kennedy Sr. amassed a large fortune and became the first chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as well as the U.S. Ambassador to the UK. Many of his nine children went into politics and public work, including President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Senator Ted Kennedy (Joseph Sr. had plans for his oldest son, Joseph Jr., to become president, before the latter passed away during World War II).

The First Family—John, First Lady Jackie Kennedy, and Caroline and John Jr.—were the source of much media attention while they were in the White House; after John's assassination and then subsequently Bobby's, many members of the family withdrew from public life. These throwback photos show a plethora of moments from the family's life and legacy. Keep scrolling to see iconic vintage photos of the Kennedy family.

Posing with five of her children in Brookline, Massachusetts, Rose sits with (from left) Joseph Kennedy Jr, John F. Kennedy, Kathleen Kennedy, Rosemary Kennedy, and Eunice Kennedy. Three of those children would go on to have tragic ends to their lives (Joe Jr. killed in WWII, John assassinated, and Rosemary undergoing a failed lobotomy that led to her being institutionalized).

November 1960

Here, the family congregates in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts after hearing the news that John had won the presidential election. John is in the middle (with Bobby next to him, looking like he's in the middle of saying something). Jackie is seated next to Ted, with John's parents seated to our left.

At Buckingham Palace for a dedication of a British memorial to John after his death, Jackie, Caroline, and John watch soldiers go by. They're joined by Jackie's sister, Lee Radziwill, as well as her children Tina and Anthony (who adorably holds his head in his hands).

Circa 1930s

Here's the Kennedy family with all nine of their children, plus their parents: in the front from left, Patricia, Robert (Bobby), Rose Kennedy, John, and Joseph Sr. with Edward on his lap. Standing from left: Joseph Jr., Kathleen, Rosemary, Eunice, and Jean Kennedy.

In a sweet image of domesticity, Jackie and John sit in front of their summer home reading to Caroline. (John Jr. would be born that November, if you're curious about the timeline.) Fans pored over these images of the young family in the White House.

With Rose and Joseph Sr. on the left, the children stand in height order: Edward (Ted), Jeanne, Robert, Patricia, Eunice, Kathleen, Rosemary, and John. Joseph Jr. is not pictured; he would have been late in his college career at Harvard University.

Here, Joseph Sr. (who was American ambassador to Great Britain and was representing the U.S. at Pope Pius XII's coronation) poses at Vatican City with Rose and eight of his children—the only one missing being Joseph Jr., who had recently graduated from Harvard.

Circa 1960s

Here, John kisses his father on top of the head. Joseph Sr. (who at this point was in declining health) had some pretty big aspirations for his children, with the end goal that one of them would be president. When Joseph Jr. was killed in action, Joseph Sr. transferred those goals to John.

January 1963

Here, First Lady Jackie Kennedy watches her husband deliver a State of the Union address; beside her is her mom, Janet Auchincloss, and her sister, Princess Lee Radziwill. You can really see the resemblance between them, especially with the similar hairstyles.

The Kennedys were very into horseback riding, and many a photo showed them on horses, including this one with Caroline atop a pony—perhaps the one the family owned, named Macaroni—and John Jr. giving it a sweet pet. It's an incredibly picturesque photo of the little family, not many months before tragedy struck them in November.

November 1970

Here, Jackie and John Jr. take a casual bike ride in Central Park, New York. Jackie was by this point married to Aristotle Onassis and still received a lot of (unwanted) press attention in her everyday life—but she and her family still found time for fun.

The Kennedys were quite a sporty bunch. In addition to horseback riding, skiing, and sailing, they also golfed. According to the original caption of this photo, John and sister Pat (to the left) are playing a round "after the usual boat ride aboard the Honey Fitz" (a boat named after their grandfather).

Here, Robert "Bobby" Kennedy and his bride Ethel (to our right) celebrate their wedding, while Eunice Kennedy, who was a bridesmaid, speaks animatedly to them. Honestly, my favorite part here is the (era-appropriate) big floppy hat and tulle skirt.

December 1960

In a very sweet moment, John and Jackie pose for a photo with John Jr. shortly after he was born in November 1960 (this is at his christening). John Jr. was born just before John took office 1961, and much press coverage centered around the new addition to their family.

September 1953

In a casual moment, Joseph Sr. leans in to whisper something privately to Jackie on the day of her and John's wedding. The two were married in Newport, Rhode Island, and Jackie's iconic, ornate, off-the-shoulder gown would go on to be emulated for decades.

Here, we see Jackie and John cut the cake on the day of their wedding, with Bobby (on our left), and I believe Jackie's sister, Lee, on our right. These were lovely, candid moments, with the young couple exclaiming over their beautiful white cake together.

Here, the whole (enormous) bridal party poses for photos at Hammersmith Farm in Newport on the day of John and Jackie's nuptials. Robert Kennedy stands in profile to our right, saying something (as he often was in photos), with Ted on our far left laughing along.

In an adorable candid moment, and according to the original photo caption, Bobby Kennedy Jr. is explaining aviation (so sweet!) to his uncle John as the family flies from Los Angeles to Boston from the Democratic National Convention while John was campaigning.

It's the Kennedy politician brothers: from left to right, John, Bobby, and Ted. Obviously, this is also a tragic photo, with both John and Bobby being assassinated. Their older brother, Joseph Jr., who had a bright political future, was killed in action during World War II.

Circa 1940s

John and Joe Jr. sit side by side in naval uniforms sometime in the 1940s; Joe Jr. enlisted in 1941 and entered flight training to be a naval aviator; he died in a top-secret mission in 1944. John was medically disqualified but, with the help of family connections, joined the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1941 and became a war hero.

We didn't get as many photos of Caroline, John Jr., and Jackie in their later years (they retreated from public life, despite pronounced media interest). But this sweet moment shows Caroline graduating from Harvard University with her family (John Jr., Ted, and Jackie) beside her.

October 1993

During a somber moment, Jackie, John Jr., and Caroline sit during the opening ceremony of the renovated John F. Kennedy Library. Not long after this photo was taken, Jackie would be diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma and die in 1994. John Jr. would die in a plane crash in 1999.

Caroline Kennedy was born in November 1957, which would place this photo around 1958. A year prior, John and Jackie had a stillborn daughter; John Jr. was born in 1960. Another boy, Patrick, died two days after being born prematurely in 1963. Caroline was three when her father became president.

Here, in a sweet moment of Jackie visiting Caroline's school, Jackie sits at a classroom table as Caroline runs her fingers through her mother's hair. This would have been while the Kennedy family was in the White House, and there were a number of candid moments captured.

November 1962

Jackie, John Jr., and Caroline gently ride horses on the Kennedy estate (Glen Ora) in Middleburg, Virginia. According to the original caption, "Kennedy and her son ride on Sardar, while Caroline rides Macaroni," which is an exceptionally sweet detail.

I can't help but love the photos of the young Kennedys playing together in a play room just like a regular family...except they're in the White House. Here, John Jr. plays with a wooden toy figure, with a rag doll flung across a chair behind him, while his mother helps him.

February 1961

Caroline looks inquisitively up at her mother. According to the original caption, they're relaxing at home, with Caroline's dolls strewn across their laps. Equally adorable is their quasi-matching hairstyles and shift dresses (the two often wore similar outfits when Caroline was young).

With John Jr. peeking out of a stroller, Jackie shows him off to the Empress Farah of Iran as the three walk around the grounds of the White House. In a fun little detail that you might have missed at first, Jackie holds the reins to their pony, Macaroni, standing behind her.

John Jr., looking like a little rambunctious fellow at 18 months, is "prancing about" his father's office. According to the original caption, "Members of the staff said John Jr. emerged from his crawling stage about two weeks ago and began walking."

Caroline, who clearly knows she's the main attraction, strides confidently along ahead of her father and a group of men behind her. It's incredibly sweet to see John carrying one of Caroline's dolls in his hand as an eager crowd of onlookers watches.

Apparently aboard the yacht Honey Fitz in Hyannis, Massachusetts, Caroline and her father share a sweet little moment together. These are probably the loveliest photos from the First Family, of John, Jackie, Caroline, and John Jr. looking happy and relaxed on vacation.

In one of the most famous photos of John's presidency, John Jr. peeks out from inside the Oval Office desk while his father goes over some (probably very important) paperwork above him. John Jr. would have only been less than two years old in this photo.