RFK: A Candid Biography of Robert F. Kennedy
Orgies in the White House pool, sadomasochistic sex with prostitutes, abuse of prescription drugs--if the Kennedy brothers had been forced to deal with an independent counsel investigation, the American people would likely still be plowing through their videotaped testimony. But in their heyday, even a political enemy like Jimmy Hoffa considered their personal lives off-limits, so gossip lovers have had to wait a few decades for the lurid details. Aptly subtitledA Candid Biography of Robert F. Kennedy, this lengthy tome actually includes fairly substantive coverage of RFK's political activities as well as plenty of dish. Although the author notes that he worked on RFK's 1968 presidential campaign, the book is not notable for his empathy with his subject (unless you count comments like "Bobby wasn't so much into bimbos as his two brothers were"). However, Heymann's heavy reliance on quotes from interviews--many with individuals whose motives and veracity he never analyzes--does give an intimate sense of the younger Kennedy brother's personality: competitive, aggressive, not nearly as charming as Jack, but arguably a lot more thoughtful. The portrait of Bobby that emerges here is not pretty, but it's certainly vivid.--Wendy Smith