Book Review - "The Kennedy's - America's Emerald Kings"
OK - One of thing things I promised is book reviews. So I will do a review of what I read.
The book "The Kennedy's - America's Emerald Kings" was purchased by me because it was a. A large history book b. I ran out of reading material, and c. it was on special at Barnes and Noble for $8.00.
And that is about it's worth, not the original $30.00 price. This book focuses on two things: 1) The Kennedy's were Catholic, and b. The Kennedy's were Irish (this they apparently still believe).
And it rambles on and on about these two things. Which is why there is very little substance about their accomplishments. Not until we get into President Kennedy's Senatorial term does it focus on substance - starting with their great contributions in alliance with Senator Joseph McCarthy. Only then does the author write a bit about their accomplishments - not too much about what Congressman P.J. Kennedy did in the 19th century, not too much about the political accomplishments of Mayor Fitzgerald, very little about what John Kennedy did as a Congressman, and very little about Joseph Kennedy's great business accomplishments (and he was a very accomplished businessman) - or his governmental service in the SEC or as the pro-German English ambassador. And it brushes over the Senatorial careers of Bobby and Teddy, as well as practically ignoring the governmental careers of later-day Kennedys, and barely mentions Sargent Shriver's VP bid in 1972. When we get to the Irish Ambassadorship of Jean Kennedy Smith, however, he drones on and on about this very unimportant position. At least Chappaquidick is put in the proper perspective - which is the beginning of the end (and end that has not yet been completed, by the way).
It at least reveals something - the American Irish, for some reason, still refuse to get off the boat, despite being here for around 150 years. This refusal to assimilate creates huge problems as it leads to balkanization. Other ethnic groups who came later have assimilated much, much better (completely in fact) - even when confronted by even stronger prejudice. Which is why we still, for some reason, have some desire to still celebrate St. Patrick's day - even those who stay sober still do. If you need a reason to get drunk, fine, but I do not see a need to celebrate another nation's holiday. For Cinqo de Mayo, at least, there is a reason why Americans should celebrate it - this is the day the French got their asses whooped by a ragtag third world army, and in open battle, no less.
In any case, this book was written in 2003, right before the next prominent member of this family comes into his own politically - Ahnold, the Republican, from Osterreich. He definitely has nothing to do with the Irish - and his kids may lead a very different path from this heritage. As well as from Democratic politics.
Then again, he is heralding the demise of this political family. If the Kennedys are too attached to an island approximately the size of Washington state, then leadership will pass from them - especially since they are too left of center for America's taste. Even Teddy has trouble winning in Massachussets - a blue state that keeps electing Republican governers, and where Kennedys were once worshipped.
American history has produced it's own political families - the Adamses (for whom Calvin Coolidge was a distant member, albeit a postscript) and the Roosevelts have faded from the scene, as the became more disconnected from reality and having even greater degrees of pomposity. The Harrisons, while producing two presidents, never quite reached that stature. The Kennedys' heyday has passed, as the political efforts of the post John-Bobby-Teddy generation resembles those of FDRs' sons. Like it or not, the Kennedy's are about to be kicked off of the pedestal by the Bushes, who have quite a political legacy themselves, and are producing a new generation of members loyal to their party - and may someday even produce a Democrat politician or two.
While there are a lot of books about the Kennedys, it is still too early to get an honest book written about them. Then again, the books about American dynasties that have effectively faded from the scene that are largely incomplete (there is still no book that covers the gamut of the Adams family, for example). I figure that it will take at least another twenty years when an author can write a book about this family that covers the entire time when it mattered.
The book "The Kennedy's - America's Emerald Kings" was purchased by me because it was a. A large history book b. I ran out of reading material, and c. it was on special at Barnes and Noble for $8.00.
And that is about it's worth, not the original $30.00 price. This book focuses on two things: 1) The Kennedy's were Catholic, and b. The Kennedy's were Irish (this they apparently still believe).
And it rambles on and on about these two things. Which is why there is very little substance about their accomplishments. Not until we get into President Kennedy's Senatorial term does it focus on substance - starting with their great contributions in alliance with Senator Joseph McCarthy. Only then does the author write a bit about their accomplishments - not too much about what Congressman P.J. Kennedy did in the 19th century, not too much about the political accomplishments of Mayor Fitzgerald, very little about what John Kennedy did as a Congressman, and very little about Joseph Kennedy's great business accomplishments (and he was a very accomplished businessman) - or his governmental service in the SEC or as the pro-German English ambassador. And it brushes over the Senatorial careers of Bobby and Teddy, as well as practically ignoring the governmental careers of later-day Kennedys, and barely mentions Sargent Shriver's VP bid in 1972. When we get to the Irish Ambassadorship of Jean Kennedy Smith, however, he drones on and on about this very unimportant position. At least Chappaquidick is put in the proper perspective - which is the beginning of the end (and end that has not yet been completed, by the way).
It at least reveals something - the American Irish, for some reason, still refuse to get off the boat, despite being here for around 150 years. This refusal to assimilate creates huge problems as it leads to balkanization. Other ethnic groups who came later have assimilated much, much better (completely in fact) - even when confronted by even stronger prejudice. Which is why we still, for some reason, have some desire to still celebrate St. Patrick's day - even those who stay sober still do. If you need a reason to get drunk, fine, but I do not see a need to celebrate another nation's holiday. For Cinqo de Mayo, at least, there is a reason why Americans should celebrate it - this is the day the French got their asses whooped by a ragtag third world army, and in open battle, no less.
In any case, this book was written in 2003, right before the next prominent member of this family comes into his own politically - Ahnold, the Republican, from Osterreich. He definitely has nothing to do with the Irish - and his kids may lead a very different path from this heritage. As well as from Democratic politics.
Then again, he is heralding the demise of this political family. If the Kennedys are too attached to an island approximately the size of Washington state, then leadership will pass from them - especially since they are too left of center for America's taste. Even Teddy has trouble winning in Massachussets - a blue state that keeps electing Republican governers, and where Kennedys were once worshipped.
American history has produced it's own political families - the Adamses (for whom Calvin Coolidge was a distant member, albeit a postscript) and the Roosevelts have faded from the scene, as the became more disconnected from reality and having even greater degrees of pomposity. The Harrisons, while producing two presidents, never quite reached that stature. The Kennedys' heyday has passed, as the political efforts of the post John-Bobby-Teddy generation resembles those of FDRs' sons. Like it or not, the Kennedy's are about to be kicked off of the pedestal by the Bushes, who have quite a political legacy themselves, and are producing a new generation of members loyal to their party - and may someday even produce a Democrat politician or two.
While there are a lot of books about the Kennedys, it is still too early to get an honest book written about them. Then again, the books about American dynasties that have effectively faded from the scene that are largely incomplete (there is still no book that covers the gamut of the Adams family, for example). I figure that it will take at least another twenty years when an author can write a book about this family that covers the entire time when it mattered.
posted by EricMatthew at 7:02 PM
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