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The Last Campaign: Robert F. Kennedy And 82 Days That Inspired America (2008)

by Thurston Clarke(Favorite Author)

4.24 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0805077928 (ISBN13: 9780805077926)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Henry Holt and Co.

review 1: I started reading this with really no knowledge of the events of 1968. But I really enjoyed this read; I frequently found myself reminded of a handful of people whose political opinions I really value because of how balanced, diplomatic, and rational they are. I found myself wondering (and asking those people I was reminded of) how different our country would be if Kennedy had lived to be elected.Several things struck me most about the politics of Bobby Kennedy:He was sincere. I truly believe that you do things, "wisely if sincerely," and I was incredibly refreshed by how straightforwardly Kennedy approached his politics. He truly meant what he said when he spoke to people and he earnestly believed that he could convince you of your moral obligation to create social justic... moree. It is a rare thing today to find a politician who will tell you what he believes, not what you want to hear. "I will do that for you, and I will do it on my first day in office." Kennedy made no false promises.He was also a good listener. Sometimes, all people need is an ear to listen to them. Someone who says, "I'm listening; I hear your concerns; I see your issues." So many groups in society struggle to have a voice, often because people are afraid of them. Kennedy saw past all the social constructs and simply saw a person who needed a job, a child who needed food. He valued hard work. You feel entitled to something because of your wealth, your hometown, your race? Too bad; everyone has to pull their fair share. Even his approach to welfare and social inequity was to create a solution that put people to work for returns. I think the saddest part of this book, even more so than his death perhaps, was that there has been little to no improvement in many of the issues he fought for. What a statement that some 45 years later we still turn a blind eye to our fellow Americans in need. What a chance for self-reflection, to ponder how we can make a difference in our own communities, for our own neighbors.
review 2: The book mainly reported the facts of the 82 days of Robert Kennedy's run for the nomination of the Democratic Party in 1968. While it remained mostly un biased you could not help feel the author's admiration for his subject. After spending 82 days with him, so did I.I knew I was growing attached to Mr. Kennedy as I reached the end of the book. The facts are something I could not change and toward the last chapter I really wanted to. The book left me with the feeling of 'What If'. Would he have won? What direction would our country have taken if he had? Would our society have changed for the better? In some alternative universe out there I hope he survived and showed America what we really could be and not what we've settled for. less

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