Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit

Well written book that included many insights into RFK and his sense of loyalty to family and friends, while bringing out RFK' s strong sense of justice. Also provided insight into the author and his experiences in this milieu.

We just forget what a good, decent person Bobby was as both a politician and humanitarian! He captured the minds and hearts of the youth and enlightened voters who suspected that the President and military had been lying to the citizens for years about the Viet Nam war!

Always admired Bobby Kennedy. (Preferred Bob to the diminutive, Bobby).

I learned an incredible amount. He was a man of heart and he acted on it. Sensitive and compassionate. No matter how small the job he gave it his all.

No matter your political views, this is a man to learn about.

John, Martin, and Bobby . How different America would be if they'd not been taken. Fifty years later, civil rights are mostly unrealized and at times, the divisions are deeper. This book is masterfully researched and written. Matthews enabled me to more deeply grasp our history and feel a true closeness to the man and raging spirit of Bobby Kennedy.
Let's make his dream become reality and be not afraid.

I enjoyed the personal reflections of Chris Matthews of the times involved and the effects on him, sine I am from the same era. I think it ended too abruptly. The book needed some further summing up- What might have been if he had lived and become President?

Author wrires with clarity and purpose. Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit pays homage to a great leader and leaves you wondering just what might have been. Very poignant last chapter and I am still humming The Battle Hymn of the Republic. Read this one!

Since I lived during these turbulent times, this book by Chris Mathews brought me immediately back in time. My family and friends readied a beautiful home in Sacramento to host Bobby Kennedy and because we loved the Kennedys’ so much his assassination was devastating both personally and on a national level. We never got to know where he could have taken this country. So unlike what we have now.

If you want a cursory treatment of Bobby Kennedy, the book offers a nice overview of his life. If you want depth, you won't find it. It's not a historian's book, but it is a nice reminder of a remarkable human being by someone who clearly respects and honors him.

A comprehensive picture of a complicated man who died to soon. We see Bobby grow and become a more effective leader as he is exposed to more of the countries problems. He would have made a great President and our world would be much better if we had 8 years of his leadership.

I was in college at the University of Oklahoma when John Kennedy and Bobby Kennedy were assassinated. The book brought back a flood of memories. The book mentioned Bobby Kennedy making a campaign stop at OU. I was in that audience that heard his speech. It was painful revisiting those memories.

Valuable book for me for following reasons:
1. It took me back through a history I've lived and allowed me, by seeing the history through different folks' eyes to see the limits in the critical thinking of my younger me.
2. The style of writing, pithy, made for a very easy yet informative read.
3. It gave me a good perspective of the political maneuvering which are always intriguing to a political "semi-junkie."
4. Putting the Bobby Kennedy history in concise perspective re: influences of family, religion, brotherly devotion and ideology it is quite fascinating to see the psychological transformation that took place in a span of 10-12 years. Many of BK's positions changed, his attitude changed one could even say his morality, but there remained a type of emotional naievte in his certainty that he could practically implement his positions.
5. Finally, the relevance to today: Near the end Matthews paraphrases Richard Goodwin's believe that BK had "...found his inner urge toward definance -of unjust privilege, indifferent power, concentrated wealth, which provide so much hatred among some -was also the source of his greatest strength, arousing the hopes and expectations of millions who felt themselves victimized." To this I ponder - didn't Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Obama and now Trump all play to the same hopes and expectations of self anointed and real victims to get elected? Perhaps each had his own rhetoric to promote their charisma, but the strategy was election by addressing the alienation that exists in this country. And here I am 57 years later observing that same alienation. But I am typing this on an ipad so that I guess things must be better for everyone else too. Great read. Get it.

Once you start reading you have to finish. I made extremely sad... knowing now a days we don't seem to have learned many lessons... We have learned somethings from past, but have gotten so complacent now that those lessons are fading... what a shame. I think this book makes one want to be part of a better country and a better world. Chris Matthews does a masterful job.