Book Review: Ted Kennedy The Dream That Never Died by Edward Klein

Growing up, I frequently saw Ted Kennedy on the news, and I knew that many people, even Democrats, had strong, negative opinions about him. I often heard people mutter something about Chappaquiddick, but no one ever really explained what had happened. Surprisingly, the event was never covered in my history or current events classes either.

For years, I meant to learn more about Ted Kennedy’s life and legacy. So when Ted Kennedy: The Dream That Never Died by Edward Klein was published by Crown Publishers in 2009, I decided to buy it. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Klein made Kennedy’s story far more engaging than I expected.

One of my biggest criticisms of Ted Kennedy: The Dream That Never Died is its short length. At just 226 pages of actual content, the book attempts to cover the entire life of one of the most prominent members of the Kennedy family. The remaining pages consist largely of references and acknowledgments. For someone with such a long and influential political career, the book felt a bit too brief and deserved a deeper, more comprehensive exploration.

Another drawback is that Klein focuses heavily on Ted Kennedy’s darker moments, sometimes at the expense of the many positive contributions he made throughout his career. While I understand the importance of addressing controversy, I felt that some of Kennedy’s legislative achievements and public service were glossed over. That said, Klein did clearly address the Chappaquiddick incident, which was one of the main reasons I picked up the book in the first place.

Overall, Ted Kennedy: The Dream That Never Died is a well-organized and readable biography that provides a solid overview of Ted Kennedy’s life. It’s written in an accessible style that even novice readers will appreciate. While it may not be the definitive Ted Kennedy biography, it’s an engaging introduction to the man behind the headlines and earns a respectable 3 out of 5 stars for its clarity, organization, and readability, despite its lack of depth and heavy focus on controversy.

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