Christopher J. Matthews

Chris Matthews's Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit is a compelling and bittersweet tribute to RFK, but in a larger sense expresses a heartfelt longing for that type of person and politician: someone who truly cared for the oppressed and disadvantaged, and strived to lift them up. A leader with empathy. A leader to believe in.

Matthews chronicles the transformation from Bobby's early pursuit of "villains" (going after the perceived Communist threat as counsel on Joseph McCarthy's Subcommittee on show more Investigations, and his activity investigating labor corruption and organized crime) to later seeking to make a difference for those he saw as life's victims: the African Americans subjected to segregation and discrimination, the poor, the hungry.

The book also explores the remarkably strong bond between RFK and JFK, Bobby's tireless efforts and expert organizational skills that helped elect his brother president, and the overwhelming grief that consumed him after the assssination of President Kennedy. Matthews also weaves in the long-standing friction between Bobby and Lyndon Johnson, which culminated in RFK's decision to seek the 1968 Democratic nomination, opposing sitting president LBJ and the Vietnam War.

The author peppers the narrative with personal reminiscences which illuminate how he became interested in politics and how, like millions of young Americans in the 1960's, RFK inspired him; however, the periodic shift to first person narrative does tend to interrupt the flow somewhat.

Matthews clearly relishes the rough-and-tumble world of politics, and the book provides some intriguing stories of backroom dealing, double-dealing, demands, and dirty tricks. But as political biographies go, this one is on the light side. Major issues such as the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban missile crisis, and Vietnam are sketched superficially, though the civil rights movement is more thoroughly discussed. And the book seems to end too abruptly. Matthews addresses the assassination of RFK swiftly with barely any denouement, much less any epilogue. But then perhaps this approach is a statement of the suddenness of Bobby's life cut short, the void it created, with it left to us to reflect and provide our own summary appreciation. show less

In my reading of Presidential biographies, I tend to gravitate towards the larger tomes. I want to get a broad picture of the zeitgeist of the day, and I figure that in a smaller biography, those details would be the first to be edited out. This time, however, I broke pattern and went with a book that was barely over 400 pages. Mr. Matthews didn't fail me. He paints a full picture of John Kennedy and the times he lived in. Based mostly on interviews with Kennedy's friends and co-workers, Mr. show more Matthews tells the story of the rich boy who struggled with ill health and grew up in the shadow of his older brother. Service in World War II helped shape him, and after the war he turned his attention to politics, creating his own style of campaigning. As I read the book, I got a better understanding of Kennedy's charisma and appeal. Growing up in the wake of the Kennedy assassination, I sometimes wondered if his legacy in our culture was simply the response to his untimely death. This book shows that John Kennedy did indeed help shape American culture, even as he wrestled with the events of the day.
--J. show less

Entertaining read, great insights into the political game, & memorable anecdotes. Some may be put off of this because Matthews is on MSNBC but it's non-partisan. He shows true admiration for Reagan's abilities, for example.

I learned a lot listening to this audiobook. I, like many, am fascinated by the Kennedys. Although the author reads at a very fast pace (I got the feeling he was spitting as he spoke), I learned details about history, politics, and Bobby Kennedy. Matthews paints him as a tough, principled, driven man who was passionate about his beliefs. What a tragic loss! I wonder what he could have accomplished?