Scan barcode
tyunglebower's review
4.0
Like Robert Kennedy's actual campaign, this book about same is brief. Frank. Poignant and even sometimes painful. All because it is sincere.
It's detailed enough to be historical, but poetic and at times ironic enough to be considered at times, art.
Yet it lacks the pretentiousness of some historical books that attempt to be art. It rarely expresses its own position, the author keeping himself out of the way for much of the presentation. At the same time it is much more personal and alive than a mere fly-on-the-wall travelogue of a political campaign. Detached but not cold. Honest but not uncouth.
The Last Campaign succeeds at calmly dipping the reader into the opening of a movement, and gently lifting them out of it as it concludes. Everything in between makes us feel if not actuallythere with the campaign, (so intimate and familial was this campaign it would almost seem intrusive to try to ingratiate ourselves into its inner circle) than at least as though we are watching it all unfold on very warm home movies with little narration.
The postscript, which could have been fertile ground for saccharine nostalgia via overwrought prose is instead pitch perfect, gently bringing the curtain down not only on the truth of what was, but a brief story on what could have been, and perhaps still can be in our hearts.
This book is for anyone who admires Robert Kennedy, believes that we are our brother's keeper, and longs for such subjects to be addressed in effective but efficient writing.
It's detailed enough to be historical, but poetic and at times ironic enough to be considered at times, art.
Yet it lacks the pretentiousness of some historical books that attempt to be art. It rarely expresses its own position, the author keeping himself out of the way for much of the presentation. At the same time it is much more personal and alive than a mere fly-on-the-wall travelogue of a political campaign. Detached but not cold. Honest but not uncouth.
The Last Campaign succeeds at calmly dipping the reader into the opening of a movement, and gently lifting them out of it as it concludes. Everything in between makes us feel if not actuallythere with the campaign, (so intimate and familial was this campaign it would almost seem intrusive to try to ingratiate ourselves into its inner circle) than at least as though we are watching it all unfold on very warm home movies with little narration.
The postscript, which could have been fertile ground for saccharine nostalgia via overwrought prose is instead pitch perfect, gently bringing the curtain down not only on the truth of what was, but a brief story on what could have been, and perhaps still can be in our hearts.
This book is for anyone who admires Robert Kennedy, believes that we are our brother's keeper, and longs for such subjects to be addressed in effective but efficient writing.
twinspin's review
4.0
Gives a true insight into the passion and tragedy that followed Bobby Kennedy in the three short months between his announcement to decide to run for President in 1968 and his assassination in Los Angeles the night he won the California primary. It really leaves you wondering just how powerful a President he might have been.
bargainsleuth's review
5.0
For this and other book reviews, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com
I can’t believe it’s been fifteen years since this book first came out and I bought it and devoured it. At the time, it was the 40th anniversary of Robert F Kennedy’s groundbreaking and ultimately tragic run for the presidency. I decided to revisit the book, because a lot has changed in our society in the past 15 years, yet some things remain the same.
Clarke details RFK’s campaign for the presidency and doesn’t necessarily rehash Kennedy’s whole life. He just hits upon key information without a lot of backstory. I was glad of that, because it seems many Kennedy biographies focus too much on what came before, concentrating on Joe Kennedy and then eventually getting to his children.
I can’t imagine what it was like living in 1968 America. I’ve asked my husband, who was a young teen in those days, and he said he had much hope for Kennedy’s campaign. He knew that if Kennedy could get elected, the war in Vietnam would end, that civil rights would become more important, that poverty in America would be addressed. Instead, the country wound up with a corrupt politician who took his sweet time ending the war, and never addressed the issues Kennedy brought to the forefront of the ’68 campaign.
As good as this book is at looking at those short months when change seemed possible, there’s bitter sadness knowing how it all ended, much like reading books about RFK’s brother, John. Clarke shows how invigorating and groundbreaking Robert Kennedy’s campaign was, completely different than the 1960 election that he ran for his brother, because the country had changed so much in those eight short years. And I couldn’t help reflect upon how different our political landscape has changed in the past 15 years, and yet it also hasn’t changed much since 1968 at the same time.
I can’t believe it’s been fifteen years since this book first came out and I bought it and devoured it. At the time, it was the 40th anniversary of Robert F Kennedy’s groundbreaking and ultimately tragic run for the presidency. I decided to revisit the book, because a lot has changed in our society in the past 15 years, yet some things remain the same.
Clarke details RFK’s campaign for the presidency and doesn’t necessarily rehash Kennedy’s whole life. He just hits upon key information without a lot of backstory. I was glad of that, because it seems many Kennedy biographies focus too much on what came before, concentrating on Joe Kennedy and then eventually getting to his children.
I can’t imagine what it was like living in 1968 America. I’ve asked my husband, who was a young teen in those days, and he said he had much hope for Kennedy’s campaign. He knew that if Kennedy could get elected, the war in Vietnam would end, that civil rights would become more important, that poverty in America would be addressed. Instead, the country wound up with a corrupt politician who took his sweet time ending the war, and never addressed the issues Kennedy brought to the forefront of the ’68 campaign.
As good as this book is at looking at those short months when change seemed possible, there’s bitter sadness knowing how it all ended, much like reading books about RFK’s brother, John. Clarke shows how invigorating and groundbreaking Robert Kennedy’s campaign was, completely different than the 1960 election that he ran for his brother, because the country had changed so much in those eight short years. And I couldn’t help reflect upon how different our political landscape has changed in the past 15 years, and yet it also hasn’t changed much since 1968 at the same time.
gwechsler's review
4.0
Interesting book about Bobby's Kennedy frenetic and sadly short-lived campaign for the Democratic nomination for President in 1968. His assassination in June of that year crushed the dreams of many and left a scar on the nation. His style was unique and his honesty and compassion for issues like racial justice and poverty is not seen much anymore in our politicians.
pearl35's review
3.0
Microhistory, centered on the frantic last days of RFK's campaign in Oregon and California.
vailerin's review
5.0
A heartbreaking, devastating, and insightful account into one of the most legendary and doomed political campaigns of all time. RFK clearly cared so much about the disenfranchised and disadvantaged in America, and was able to unite people across economic class and skin color. His passion for his country and its people is an inspiration; the lessons of the fraught 1960s are extremely resonant today.
jmdaly95's review
5.0
Robert Kennedy's campaign for the presidency lasted 82 days that included some of the most traumatic moments of the sixties.
Thurston Clarke in this short book examines those 82 days of 1968 campaign and it captivates you instantly and makes you long to hope that maybe it could have been RFK and not Nixon standing on west side of the Capital facing the mall taking the oath on January 20, 1969.
One of the most powerful moments of the book is the descriptions of the events of the night of April 4th just two hours after the assassination of Dr. King RFK was in Indianapolis and despite the request from police not to speak to the mostly African American audience RFK got up to speak and inform the audience of Kings death.
This words included this "Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world. Let us dedicate ourselves to that, and say a prayer for our country and for our people."
It's interesting to note that only Indianapolis was spared a major race riot that night.
After finishing this book I've picked up a copy of the classic The Making of a President 1968 by Theodore H. White to get a fully picture of how the general election ended.
Thurston Clarke in this short book examines those 82 days of 1968 campaign and it captivates you instantly and makes you long to hope that maybe it could have been RFK and not Nixon standing on west side of the Capital facing the mall taking the oath on January 20, 1969.
One of the most powerful moments of the book is the descriptions of the events of the night of April 4th just two hours after the assassination of Dr. King RFK was in Indianapolis and despite the request from police not to speak to the mostly African American audience RFK got up to speak and inform the audience of Kings death.
This words included this "Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world. Let us dedicate ourselves to that, and say a prayer for our country and for our people."
It's interesting to note that only Indianapolis was spared a major race riot that night.
After finishing this book I've picked up a copy of the classic The Making of a President 1968 by Theodore H. White to get a fully picture of how the general election ended.