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Summary: Robert Kennedy and His Times
Review: After reading many RFK books over the course of a History Degree I can say that this book is well done in its examinations but is flawed. First and foremost Mr. Schlesinger was a Kennedy insider to both JFK and RFK and his prose reads more like a reccolection then an actual history. While I do respect his works, I do not belive the author to have written a complete work. I believe that his inside knowledge, while insightful, has skewed his slant on his subject. My only other problem with this work is that as an isider Mr. Schlesinger has chosen to gloss over the assassination itself. Considering that was one of the biggest parts of Kennedy's history it would reson that it would beget more mention. All in all I found the book well written taking into consideration the above mentioned faults. Two works that I would reccomend over this one are James Hilty's ROBERT KENNEDY: BROTHER PROTECTOR and Jules Whitcovers' 85 DAYS: THE LAST CAMPAIGN OF ROBERT KENNEDY.
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Summary: Brings RFK back to life
Review: Although long (approximately 950 pages), the book is by far an exceptional look at the life of RFK. You realize what a truly and personal man that he was; and how he would have made a difference had he been elected President (speculation, of course). Nevertheless, we read what a caring and compassionate man that we was - a great supporter of the poor, the needy, the Blacks, civil rights - we could definitely use more people like him today who truly believe in these causes.
The book deals with his fights in the McCarthy era; his fights with Hoffa and other organized crime figures; the Cuban crises, and so on. The book seems compartmentalized, in this respect, and may have read better if it had been written in a chronological type order. Nevertheless, the book is exceptional. I think Arthur Schlesinger writes objectively and I disagree that the book is written in a worship style. For my purposes, once the book gets to the part where RFK joins his brother in the administration, the book really takes off.
After reading this book, you realize what a loss the world is without a human like RFK.
Rating: 
Summary: SCHLESINGER'S MASTERPIECE
Review: Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr hit a gold mine with Robert Kennedy and His Times, not only is it well written and well reaserched, it is highly informative for the novice RFK historian, or anyone for that matter. This book is perhaps Schlesinger's best work yet and it should have won the Pullitzer Prize; I, personally, found it better than his rendition of John Kennedy, A Thousand Days. I would advise anyone who wants to learn about this great man, and President who should have been, to purchase this book, but read it slowly because it is full of detail.
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Summary: A compassionate look at the man from an admiring friend
Review: Arthur Schlesinger gives a truly informed look at the developmental years of Bobby Kennedy through the final days of his life. Schlesinger's position in the Kennedy administration gives him a special insight into the relations between RFK and the JFK cabinet as well as the powerful, long standing beaurocrats of the day. One is left with an incredible sense of loss upon completion of this book as RFK's life was so busy and so incomplete when he was killed. Sources are well documented and Schlesinger takes great care to avoid opinion and speculation.
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Summary: The Problem with Insider Biographies
Review: As a Kennedy insider still suffering the terrible shock of RFK's untimely death, Schlesinger wrote an anthem instead of a history. One wonders whether Schlesinger would have written a different book had he waited 25 years. The RFK presented here is a budding idealist who overcame a bit of youthful exuberance. However, more dispassionate historians have shown us an RFK that preferred action over thought, political expedience over ideals. For example, in "Robert Kennedy: His Life," Evan Thomas provides a much more balanced, albeit critical, look at RFK's public record and political motives. For that matter, the references to RFK in David Halberstam's "The Best and the Brightest" depict a much darker RFK. He may well have changed later in life. However, given his past, how can we ever be sure that his populist rhetoric in 1968 was grounded in new-found ideals as opposed to political zeitgeist? Alas, Schlesinger is a close friend, and he never asks such questions in his book.
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Summary: Political Biography
Review: Despite his close relationship with the Kennedys, Schlesinger's biography paints a fair picture of Bob Kennedy's political and legal career. Unlike more recent books about Jack and Bobby, this one sticks to the facts, and is not weighted down with stories of their sexual escapades. But, it also lacks detail about Robert Kennedy's childhood and college years, instead focusing mainly on his years as attorney general. It also profiles other famous people of the time, including Joe McCarthy and Jimmy Hoffa. Great if you just want the political stuff.
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Summary: Not as bad as some of Artie's Camelot gushing
Review: Is this book impossibly biased? You bet your New England Clam Chowdah. Is it as bad as some of the other books Artie has written to perpetuate the Camelot myth? Amazingly, no. Perhaps it is because Artie doesn't have the same sort of man-crush on RFK as he does on JFK, I do not know. In any case, the treacly sentiment that has pervaded much of Schlesinger's work on the Kennedys is a bit more subdued in this work.
That having been said, this can be considered a work of only marginal usefulness for students of the period. I suspect that we still need a few more years' distance from the events in question before a truly definitive RFK biography can be written. Definitely Schlesinger, well into his dotage, has nothing more of use to say on the subject.
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Summary: Very Interesting Story
Review: Mr. Schlesinger is famous for his ties to the Kennedys and it's obvious he admires his subject, but this is still a pretty balanced account of an interesting life. You see the turbulent world of the 60's from a very present force of the times. I read this first in college and was very moved and inspired by it at that time. It's a big book, but worth the time.
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Summary: Detailed, balanced, and moving: simply the best bio on RFK
Review: Schlesinger outdoes himself in the most thorough and fair biography of Robert Kennedy in print. As a Kennedy advisor for many hears, Schlesinger paints with deep and compelling account the words and actions, public and private, of RFK's short life. From his ambitous youth to his rise to national leadership in the mid 60s, Kennedy is shown to be deeply compassionate, capable, and immensely popular. Speaking to a crowd in a black ghetto the day of Martin Luther King's assination, Kennedy asked us all to dedicate ourselves "to tame the savageness of man and to make gentle the life of this world." It is clear that Kennedy dedicated his life to this. We are left to wonder how different our nation would be had he not been murdered during his presidential bid in 1968. Without sensationalizing any aspect of his or his brother's life, Schlesinger's biography is a detailed, fair, and very moving account of one of the most inspiring leaders of the 20th century.
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Summary: One of the best
Review: This book is fascinating, not only because of its priciple subject, but because Schlesinger brings to life the personalities and events surrounding RFK's life. J. Edgar Hoover, Joe Macarthy, Martin Luther King, and the kings of organized crime all play prominantly, and the reader learns as much about the zeigeist of Kennedy's time as RFK himself.This is one the best biographies and history books that I have read. It is also long and detailed, and written from an intimate and personal perspective. Schlesinger was a family friend of the Kennedy's and many of his observations about their family life are recorded. This book is still considered the definative biography on Kennedy's life, and I highly recommend it.
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