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Rating: 
Summary: Balanced.
Review: Although the book does contain some factual errors, overall it is nicely written and well researched. Love him or hate him, the senior senator from Massachusetts HAS and CONTINUES to wield signifigant influence over domestic and international affairs.At this point, Kennedy wields more self earned power and influence than anybody could have imagined when he used to be compared to Jack and Bobby. Kennedy would not be as influential as a president.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing Followup to "The Education of Edward Kennedy"
Review: Hersh's 1972 biography "The Education of Edward Kennedy" is still, after nearly three decades, one of the best Kennedy books out there. "The Shadow President," however, fails to live up to the high standards Hersh set in his earlier book. While "The Shadow President" includes a lively account of the 1994 Kennedy-Romney Senate race, the rest of the book is dreadfully dull, containing many well-worn anecdotes and familiar tales that have been better recounted elsewhere. Replete with glaring factual errors (Maryland senator Paul Sarbanes is described as representing Delaware, and more strangely, Wyoming's Alan Simpson is referred to a senator from Nevada) which a self-described "Washington insider" like Hersh should not have made. Hersh offers his own highly-speculative and undocumented "insights" as fact, while blasting other authors like Joe McGinniss who have done the same. His tendency to quote at length anonymous sources identified merely as "a longtime friend" or "an influential senior staffer" is also grating and serves to further degrade a frustratingly slapdash book. Hersh can and has done better, and the sense one gets reading "The Shadow President" is that this book was quickly hobbled together to make a few bucks. All in all, a disappointing sequel to a classic work of political reportage.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing Followup to "The Education of Edward Kennedy"
Review: Too many Kennedy books either laud or trash the family. Some nitpick over voting records, while many focus entirely on their personal lives. In this book, author Hersh, gives us a balanced and fair look at Ted Kennedy's long and distinguished senate career, without ignoring Kennedy's flaws that have kept him from moving down to the other end of Pennsylvania Ave. Hersh has been following Kennedy for years, and is trusted enough by the senator to have rare access, but a good enough journalist and author to not be compromised by friendship. The book contains lots of inside analysis of Kennedy's realtionship with his large family and even larger staff, his 1980 presidential run which failed but reinforced Kennedy's role as a liberal leader, and his continued effort to shape national policy while trying to overcome his image problems. For those who have followed Teddy Kennedy's career over the years, this book does a good job of putting it all together.
Rating: 
Summary: The Dream Lives On
Review: Too many Kennedy books either laud or trash the family. Some nitpick over voting records, while many focus entirely on their personal lives. In this book, author Hersh, gives us a balanced and fair look at Ted Kennedy's long and distinguished senate career, without ignoring Kennedy's flaws that have kept him from moving down to the other end of Pennsylvania Ave. Hersh has been following Kennedy for years, and is trusted enough by the senator to have rare access, but a good enough journalist and author to not be compromised by friendship. The book contains lots of inside analysis of Kennedy's realtionship with his large family and even larger staff, his 1980 presidential run which failed but reinforced Kennedy's role as a liberal leader, and his continued effort to shape national policy while trying to overcome his image problems. For those who have followed Teddy Kennedy's career over the years, this book does a good job of putting it all together.
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