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Make Gentle the Life of This World: The Vision of Robert F. Kennedy

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Maxwell Kennedy gives the reader, and perhaps follower, of Robert Kennedy insight into his father's thinking in this short, but well structured compilation. Not only does the memoir account for the speeches of Kennedy and the impact they continue to have. The reader is also given a rare insight into the quotations Kennedy loved most and the authors and people he admired through their words. It is interesting to see how Robert Kennedy was inspired by other's words and moved by the writing of those in history.

I found the book most interesting for what it conveys of Kennedy's admiration for the thoughts of the ancient Greeks and Albert Camus. Maxwell Kennedy has covered various writers and people who have inspired his father, yet it is the Greeks and Camus who share the front seat in this collection. It is obvious in the number of references to each that Robert Kennedy was truly touched by what he read in the Ancient Greeks and Albert Camus.

It is a superb book, and especially so for those who are interested in how those in the past have been inspired by others. In the speeches and words of his father that Maxwell Kennedy uses, he reminds us also of just what it was and still is that inspires us about Robert Kennedy.

In this day and age of politicians afraid to tell it like it is, it was wonderful to read a book by a man who did. For all the media hyped personal travails, Robert Kennedy was still a political figure unlike any we have today. He not only got people involved with politics but got them excited as well. In this age of "dumbing down", he knew that the words of Dante, and Camus, and Aeschylus would not necessarily be recognized but would certainly be understood by the masses. Maxwell Taylor Kennedy is to be commended for bringing to light this side of his father, one that has been largely overlooked in the press. Truly an inspirational book for anyone who wants to believe in our government and our politicians again.

A few months ago I was recommended "Make Gentle the Life of This World." When I actually received it, I was shocked to find it was a book of quotes (I did not do the proper background work on the book or I might never have read it). My thought process was something like: "oh geeesh...bathroom lit 101."

There are way--WAY too many little books of "quotations" and "advice" in the world. The Christian ghetto subculture suffers from a corresponding abundance of "devotional" books. Thankfully, "Make Gentle the Life of This World" does not really belong in the same breath as such books.

Robert Kennedy's son assembled this book. It is a collection of quotes by Kennedy (topically arranged) which are combined with quotes that Kennedy himself encountered in his reading and subsequently wrote down in a book he kept. These quotes show the breadth and surprising depth of Kennedy's reading and thoughts.

I found myself moved by much of the material here. Even the quotes by Sartre (whose works I have been unable to slog through) were of great insight.

This is probably the highest recommendation a book like this is ever going to get out of me. I wholeheartedly encourage you to get a copy of "Make Gentle the Life of This World."

One of my earliest political memories is waking up one morning to turn on the TV, only to see Bobby Kennedy lying in his own blood after his assassination. In the days that followed, I learned more about this charismatic leader who had been struck down at the height of his promise.

Since those days, I have been on many political journies, right and left; and one constant has been the challenge of Robert Kennedy to try to make a difference, to not forget the least powerful of our nation, and always, always, strive to do better. Put simply: Robert F. Kennedy is my political hero, the last politician to really try and reach out with conviction to Americans of all colors and classes, but with particular attention to the poor. Bobby's appeal was to the black man trapped in the inner city, the white blue collar worker in Indiana, and to Hispanics laboring in the fields of California. It wasn't just that he evoked his martyred brother -- it was that he, in tending to his brother's flame (as he surely did, cast a retrospective glow of the Kennedy promise that had not hitherto existed; and in so doing, in coping with the pain of the loss of his brother, he created a new RFK as well.

It is remarkable that the first time RFK ever referred directly to his brother's murder in public was when he was reaching out to the Black community of Indianapolis after Martin Luther King, Jr. had met a similar fate. You will find that short, beautiful speech in this little book; and if all Americans could read and hear that speech, so stark in its contrast of the two roads that Americans could take in the future of race relations, then we would go a long way towards healing that still-bleeding wound. Bobby Kennedy's message was one of hope. This book is the distillation of the words he read, as well as the words he spoke that conveyed that hope to millions. A bullet ended his life, and with it his campaign for the presidency and all the roads left untaken at that time. But his inspiration remains as long as compassion and hope and courage are valued.

Robert Kennedy was one of the most fascinating public figures in recent history. He was clearly an intelligent man and he had the foresight to combine that with hard work and effort. It was only in adult life that he became interested in classical literature and he used this interest to become self-educated. That is one mark of high intelligence and motivation.

In reading the quotes that moved and motivated Robert Kennedy, one can see the character development that was taking place during his life during this period. It was late in his life when he publicly admitted that he "did not stay awake nights" worrying about poverty and minorities. Unlike so many public figures of that era, Robert Kennedy personally got involved in these issues and as a result, developed a very wide following. A large part of his appeal lay in his sincerity -- one really got the feeling that he spoke straight from his heart, his gut, his instincts. My mother would say that "Robert Kennedy is a man who cares about people."

I became a history major and Robert Kennedy was the subject of my senior project. I read Camus, Tennyson, Sophocles, Plato and other literary figures Robert Kennedy popularized in his speeches. In so doing, I not only gained a greater appreciation of classical literature, I also applied that knowledge to my history paper. Indirectly, Robert Kennedy shaped my academic career -- I have more than a pedestrian knowledge of classical writings. My senior sponsor loved the paper and it remains the thing I am most proud of during my senior year. Robert Kennedy was a realist, a man for everyone and I honestly believe his hard work and awareness of human rights have indeed left indelible stamps for the better in this world.

(Just for the record, Douglas H. Kennedy was the Senator's youngest son and not Matthew Maxwell Kennedy, the author).

While those alive during 1968 clearly remember his assassination and cannot help but be moved when reminded of the young leader, the power of Robert F. Kennedy's actions and the emotion of his words are still able to make those of a younger generation yearn for the type of leadership he provided. Divided into appropriately title sections, such as "A Citizen in a Civil Society" or the "Life of the Heart," this book is a collection of the thoughts and feelings written in the day journal he kept during the 1960s. Maxwell Taylor Kennedy's tribute to his father is filled with quotes, either read or heard, from different sources, along with reactions to those words. A man whose life was cut short in its prime, Kennedy did not have the chance to change the world in the way he wanted to, the way only he could have. This book gives the reader a little insight into the mind of a great politician, a inspirational philospher, an idealistic dreamer, a kind man. Like Martin Luther King Jr, Kennedy had a vision of the world that he wanted his children, and all people, to live and prosper in. This touching tribute reminds us that peoples are not all that different from each other and the path to equality and a peaceful environment is not as hidden or unattainable as it seems. In a society where doing right and good is less and less commendable, this book provides encouragement to dream and reminders of what society should be. Robert F. Kennedy was a man unlike any other, and this book, through his own words, reminds us why he is to be missed.

By reading the excerpts from his speeches and thoughtful quotations, one can come to an understanding of the complexity and intellectual depth of this American politician. Had it not been for his assasination after winning the California Democratic Primary in 1968, RFK would probably have become president instead of Nixon. Indeed his views on America, how Americans interact and view each other and his belief in the endurance of the human heart are profoundly insightful and give hope to a new generation of Americans concerned with these same issues. Amazingly, over 30 years after these words were spoken, the problems of racism, environmental degredation, lack of community and his hopes for the future still need to be heard. The wisdom recorded in this book transcend party affiliation and petty differences haggled over by the talking political heads seen nightly on American television. From time to time I dip into this tome and read its brief quotes of political wisdom and wonder what might have been had he lived. This book is RFK's eternal flame.

For those who missed the time in which those now called "Reagan Democrats" and those opposed to the ongoing war in Vietnam were inspired by the same voice, especially who cannot even begin to imagine how that could be, this small book is a must-read that will enable you to experience what is possible through inspiring [rather than angry divisive cynical] leadership.

Some quotes from the book, which seems as if it could have been written this morning:

"An understanding of what America really stands for is going to count far more than missiles, aircraft carriers, and supersonic bombers."

"Insurgency aims not at the conquest of territory but at the allegiance of man. ... Counterinsurgency might best be described as social reform under pressure...any effort that becomes pre-occupied with gadgets and techniques and force is doomed to failure."

"Thus does false principle destroy the credibility of our wisdom and purpose that is the true foundation of influence as a world power."

"America was a great force in the world, with immense prestige, long before we became a great military power. That power has come to us and we cannot renounce it, but neither can we afford to forget that the real constructive force in the world comes not from bombs but from imaginative ideas, warm sympathies, and a generous spirit.
These are qualities that cannot be manufactured by specialists in public relations.
They are the natural qualities of a people pursuing decency and human dignity in its own undertakings without arrogance or hostility or delusions of superiority toward others, a people whose ideals for others are firmly rooted in the realities of the society we have build for itself."

"Whatever the costs to us, let us think of the young men we have sent there: not just the killed, but those who have to kill; not just the maimed, but those who must look upon the results of what they do."

[AND, to remind us not to sink into frustrated despair at our current mean-spirited divisive administration, RFK's words spoken in courage during the dark days of Apartheid in South Africa:]
"Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."

"Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of those acts will be written the history of this generation."

RFK's son has put together a collection of thoughts, quotes, and inspirational material on various topics from life to race relations. I think this book would make a great graduation gift! Also it is a positive book, full of hope and improvement. A great sources for quotes for papers and speeches. I enjoyed learning more about Bobby Kennedy through the words that inspired him to make a difference.

A biography this is not, but it does give us insight into the mind of Robert Kennedy. His face is etched in our national conscience, making America wonder what could have been. Through this book, we see the principles he believed.

This collection of quotes is taken from RFK's speechs and the private journal in which he collected quotes and ideas. A wide spectrum of ideas is covered from political life to social ideas. Robert Kennedy's social conscience has gone unmatched in the political arena since his life ended.

One of the things I most enjoyed about this book is the candid photographs scattered throughout the book. These images show the softer, more personable side of the man. It is the side of the man that Americans were never allowed to see come into fruition.

A great quote to end this review is located on p 89. Although it refers to education, I think it is very applicable.
"All things are at odds when God sets a thinker loose on the planet." Edith Hamilton