"Bobby Kennedy was a personal hero to a multitude of Americans. As the train carrying his body headed to Washington, whites and blacks alike stood along the tracks, saluting him. They loved him as a fellow patriot who believed a great country could also be a good one. Chris Matthews, the host of MSNBC's Hardball, has discovered what made him who he was. By tracing Kennedy's life from early boyhood, he's found the man's moral roots. He's answered the question of how this idealist could be called "ruthless," and how this devoutly religious man could also be deeply ambitious. We view Bobby as he grew and changed, how the causes he championed are as vital today as they were in the 1960s. We see how much the life and public career of Bobby Kennedy matters today. As a longtime student of the Kennedy family Matthews brings a keen and vivid understanding of the tribal spirit within the family's private world. As a fellow Irish Catholic, he illustrates how Bobby's faith and loyalty to family influenced him from his days as an altar boy to his years fighting for the rights of African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans. Drawing on extensive research and intimate interviews, Matthews shines a light on all the important moments of Bobby's life: his upbringing, his start in politics, his crucial role fighting for civil rights as attorney general, and his tragic run for president. The result is a resonant and uplifting portrait of a man's journey to a life of great and enduring purpose. Bobby Kennedy's spirit lives on passionately and powerfully within the pages of this book. Thanks to Chris Matthews, he continues to be a model for political bravery and moral leadership, and one of America's great figures of the twentieth century."--Dust jacket flap.
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