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True compass [sound recording]
Kennedy, Edward M. 1932-2009.
Adult Fiction E840.8.K35 A3 2009
From Publishers' Weekly:
Of course, the recent death of Senator Kennedy adds an extra layer of poignancy, but this would be a welcome addition to the political memoir bookshelf under any circumstances. Drawing upon a series of oral history interviews, and with the help of Ron Powers (Flags of Our Fathers), Kennedy devotes more than half of the book to the first half of his life-growing up as the youngest of his generation, gaining a political education while touring the western U.S. for Jack's presidential campaign in 1960, clashing with Lyndon Johnson over Vietnam, and the heartache of Jack and Bobby's assassinations. After a brief section on Chappaquiddick, Kennedy tends to the anecdotal when discussing his political career from clashing with Nixon over Supreme Court nominations to campaigning for Barack Obama. (Recollections of courting his second wife, Vicki, bring a welcome spark of personal charm.) Some readers may feel there is not quite enough introspection-while acknowledging his first wife's alcoholism, for example, Kennedy glosses over his own drinking problems-but despite the firm line he draws in the sand about discussing his personal life, Kennedy's tone of contrition is sincere. When he was a child, Kennedy's father told him, "You can have a serious life or a nonserious life." He chose the former, and at the end, seems genuinely grateful not just for what that life gave him, but what it enabled him to do for others. (Sept.) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
From Library Journal:
Kennedy's posthumously published memoir begins with the late Massachusetts senator's remembrances of childhood and focuses mostly on his career in politics, touching only lightly on more personal issues. In a clear, precise voice, actor John Bedford Lloyd manages an easy-to-understand and pleasant-sounding Massachusetts accent. He also does a fine job with the voices of the well-known figures Kennedy encountered in his long career, including Richard Nixon and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. While the writing is not as compelling as it could be, given the world in which Kennedy lived, the public's seemingly inexhaustible interest in the Kennedy family recommends this for libraries. [Includes a bonus PDF file containing photos from Kennedy's life; see Audio Newsbriefs, LJ 10/1/09; the Twelve: Hachette hc, published in September 2009, was a New York Times best seller.-Ed.]-Barbara Valle, El Paso P.L., TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kennedy, Edward M. 1932-2009.
Adult Fiction E840.8.K35 A3 2009
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From Publishers' Weekly:
Of course, the recent death of Senator Kennedy adds an extra layer of poignancy, but this would be a welcome addition to the political memoir bookshelf under any circumstances. Drawing upon a series of oral history interviews, and with the help of Ron Powers (Flags of Our Fathers), Kennedy devotes more than half of the book to the first half of his life-growing up as the youngest of his generation, gaining a political education while touring the western U.S. for Jack's presidential campaign in 1960, clashing with Lyndon Johnson over Vietnam, and the heartache of Jack and Bobby's assassinations. After a brief section on Chappaquiddick, Kennedy tends to the anecdotal when discussing his political career from clashing with Nixon over Supreme Court nominations to campaigning for Barack Obama. (Recollections of courting his second wife, Vicki, bring a welcome spark of personal charm.) Some readers may feel there is not quite enough introspection-while acknowledging his first wife's alcoholism, for example, Kennedy glosses over his own drinking problems-but despite the firm line he draws in the sand about discussing his personal life, Kennedy's tone of contrition is sincere. When he was a child, Kennedy's father told him, "You can have a serious life or a nonserious life." He chose the former, and at the end, seems genuinely grateful not just for what that life gave him, but what it enabled him to do for others. (Sept.) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
From Library Journal:
Kennedy's posthumously published memoir begins with the late Massachusetts senator's remembrances of childhood and focuses mostly on his career in politics, touching only lightly on more personal issues. In a clear, precise voice, actor John Bedford Lloyd manages an easy-to-understand and pleasant-sounding Massachusetts accent. He also does a fine job with the voices of the well-known figures Kennedy encountered in his long career, including Richard Nixon and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. While the writing is not as compelling as it could be, given the world in which Kennedy lived, the public's seemingly inexhaustible interest in the Kennedy family recommends this for libraries. [Includes a bonus PDF file containing photos from Kennedy's life; see Audio Newsbriefs, LJ 10/1/09; the Twelve: Hachette hc, published in September 2009, was a New York Times best seller.-Ed.]-Barbara Valle, El Paso P.L., TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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