Overview
Ted Kennedy was the youngest son of the famous Kennedy family, little brother to President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert Kennedy. Though he was often in his brothers' shadows, Ted also launched a career in politics, getting elected to the U.S. Senate at the age of thirty.
Since then, Kennedy has been a member of the Senate, spending more than four decades serving his country. But despite being born of privilege in one of the America's foremost political families, his life hasn't been easy, and he's had to contend with tragedies-such as the assassinations of his brothers-and scandals. Through it all, though, Kennedy has remained dedicated to his work, and has become one of the most prominent and important senators of his time.
Synopsis
Ted Kennedy was the youngest son of the famous Kennedy family, little brother to President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert Kennedy. Though he was often in his brothers' shadows, Ted also launched a career in politics, getting elected to the U.S. Senate at the age of thirty.
Since then, Kennedy has been a member of the Senate, spending more than four decades serving his country. But despite being born of privilege in one of the America's foremost political families, his life hasn't been easy, and he's had to contend with tragedies-such as the assassinations of his brothers-and scandals. Through it all, though, Kennedy has remained dedicated to his work, and has become one of the most prominent and important senators of his time.
Children's Literature
Edward "Ted" Kennedy, the younger brother of President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert Kennedy, has survived tragedies, scandals, and health crises to become the third longest incumbent Senator (he has held his current seat for forty seven years) and one of the most respected and effective members of the Democratic party. In this volume of the "Political Profiles" series, author Kerrily Sapet provides a richly detailed and balanced portrait of this larger-than-life icon. The book follows Kennedy from the childhood dinner table discussions that sparked his interest in politics, to his presence at Barack Obama's inauguration, where he suffered a seizure related to the brain cancer that was diagnosed and treated several months earlier. Sapet presents setbacks and scandals alike with a clear eye. The author demonstrates considerable prowess as she weaves historical context into accounts of Kennedy's family and political life, including events such as World War II, the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and more. Kennedy's major legislative accomplishments also are described in the context of the times in which they evolved. One point not mentioned is that, despite Kennedy's liberal politics, he has had uncanny success reaching across the aisle to draft and cosponsor bills that garner bipartisan support. This well-researched and engaging book includes relevant captioned photos throughout, a timeline, lists of sources and websites, a bibliography, and an index. (Senator Kennedy died in September, 2009). Reviewer: Paula K. Zeller