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The Kennedy Brothers
- The Rise and Fall of Jack and Bobby
- Narrated by: Peter Altschuler
- Length: 15 hrs and 17 mins
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Editor reviews
With family connections as his starting point, former Arizona Secretary of State and scholar at the Kennedy Library Mahoney probes the intriguing relationship between Kennedy brothers "cool" Jack and "hot tempered" Bobb to provide a new perspective to a well-studied slice of American history. Their mutual devotion, as well as their loyalty to family patriarch Joseph, is explored with a serious, somber yet vibrant reading by Peter Altschuler and offers an engaging look at an iconic family as well as a persuasive take on the tumultuous 1960s: what led up to the era and how it continues to influence events of today.
Summary
Books about the Kennedys are legion. Yet missing until now has been the exploration of the bond between Jack and Bobby, and the part that it played in their rise and fall. Eight years apart in age, they were wildly different in temperament and sensibility. Jack was the born leader—charismatic, ironic, capable of extraordinary growth and reach, yet also pathologically reckless. Bobby was the fearless, hardworking Boy Scout—unafraid of dirty work and ruthless about protecting his brother and destroying their enemies. Jack, it was said, was the first Irish Brahman, Bobby the last Irish Puritan.
As Mahoney demonstrates with brilliant clarity in this impeccably documented, magisterial book, the Kennedys lived their days of power in dangerous, trackless territory. The revolution in Cuba had created a poisonous cauldron of pro- and anti-Castro forces, the CIA, J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI, and the Mafia. Mahoney gives us Jack and Bobby in all their hubris and humanity, youthfulness and fatalism. Here is American history as it unfolds. The Kennedy Brothers is a fresh and masterful account of the men whose legacy continues to hold the American imagination. (Originally published under the title Sons and Brothers.)
Richard D. Mahoney is Kennedy Scholar Emeritus of the University of Massachusetts. He is an expert on international economics and foreign policy. He is the author of two histories of the Kennedy administration, and was the Democratic secretary of state and acting governor of Arizona. He lives in Phoenix.
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What listeners say about The Kennedy Brothers
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- Mr. N. J. Murphy
- 09-01-19
RUINED BY THE NARRATION
An interesting book and I learned a lot about the complex Kennedys. The narration, however, was awful, ruined by a gabbling monotone with little inflection it really spoiled the book.
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- Amazon Customer
- 01-12-21
Harrowing
I grew up well after the Kennedys but always heard of their good work. The only detail I learned was from tv programs surrounding the assassination of Jack.
I must say, that this book puts a spotlight on RK and does so with respect. I feel I have a better understanding of what happened/ what it was like then. I had to remind myself time and again that this is a true story because the events are so poignant, one might easily feel like it were fictional.
The book is a fairly long read/listen with such rich content one has to hang onto every word. A lot of characters there as well, I’d have to read it again.
Might get a hard copy just to look at on the shelf.
I will not forget this read for a very long time…….
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- Kim
- 28-12-22
Interesting but didn’t like reader
It supported what I had always thought. Gave quite an in depth insight to their beliefs and dreams, although some important facts were washed over. Overall I enjoyed it
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- Rick
- 08-10-22
Closest thing there is to time travel.
It’s always difficult to know what a politician was like. With the left and the right exaggerating the good and the bad. This book is based on the recordings of real conversations throughout the administration. You step back in time to 1960s America and feel as if you are in the Oval Office with them, following word for word every major event from the brink of nuclear war with the Cuban Missile crisis - right up to the assassination and the turbulent aftermath. Unprecedented detail offering an intimate look behind the curtain of the inner workings of running the free world. If you like history you’ll love this book if you like JFK & politics you’ll like this book, if you like all three just download the Damn Book already!
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- Anonymous User
- 17-08-19
Exactly what I wanted
This book gives objective insight of many different perspectives, which gives you all you need to form an opinion. It's perfect.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Dorset Tortoise.
- 19-03-22
Quote quote quote
Nearly gave up because of all the "quotes. Some were really not necessary - we can follow speech
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- PinkyPonky
- 18-05-22
Such an interesting story, but quote/unquote became insufferable
This is a well written and very insightful story of two of America’s political brothers. However, the constant quote/unquote became so irritating I’m not sure how I managed to continue.
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not bad but narrator can be grindi
the narrator is constantly saying "quote" and "unquote".. gets annoying after a while. once you catch it in your ear you can undo.
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- Anonymous User
- 26-08-22
Quote....Unquote
Brilliantly research ed book utterly spoilt by the over use of verbal punctuation. This audible book would be half the length if the quote "proliferation of verbal punctuation" unquote was removed. Totally ruined by poor narration!!!! I suggest that you would be better investing in the paperback.
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- Mrs Valda R Chapman
- 01-12-21
Politics, Mafia and Hollywood all meshed together
A bit heavy in places but interesting to hear the warts and all story of the golden boy of American politics.
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