Customer Reviews

The bridge at Chappaquiddick

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is an extremely thorough and interesting examination of Ted Kennedy's Chappaquiddick incident, meticulously presenting and analyzing the evidence surrounding the case. The author's tenacity demonstrates that passion in a subject invariably will yield complete understanding of that subject. In this case, author Olsen concludes that Kennedy and Kopechne indeed were in the car together that night, but were frightened when it appeared a policman would stop them. Kennedy evidently panicked, not wanting to be caught in the auto with her, and he got out; she then drove away, toward the bridge and her death. Kennedy walked back to his hotel room, where someone saw him (dry and calm) a little later, seeking a newspaper. The seat in the car was set for Kennedy, meaning that a shorter driver on a dark night would not have exercised as much control of the vehicle as he... thus being vulnerable to running off the road.

So, Olsen concludes that Kennedy was not in the car, he wasn't present to dive repeatedly into the water to try to save her, and he didn't even know about the drowning until the following morning -- thus Kennedy was actually innocent of the general accusation that he caused her death. Problem is, he was in fact guilty of something equally dark, and you'll have to read the book to see Olsen's comments about that.

The author's passion was admirable. It reminded me of Robert Graysmith's pursuit of the Zodiac killer, his personal immersion in the case. "The Bridge" is a terrific book. Find a copy and read it.

like the reviewer who previously broke wind above, there are those who respect facts. We won't ever know the real truth unless Kennedy himself gives a deathbed statement -- maybe not even then. But this author has covered the known facts very well -- especially why Ted seemed blissfully unaware the morning after the tragedy. (He was also comfortably walking about without a neck brace and showing not a sign of any concussion).

Even dark conspiracy theories, like dippy would favor, can't explain Ten's ability to walk on water. P.S. I have no use for Kennedy's politics.

As tragic and controversial as its subject may be, this dynamic work evokes a flavor of Edgartown and environs that stands unmatched. Regardless of one's opinion of Teddy K. and his cohorts and of the later information which may or may not negate the author's basic assumptions about the case, one is left here with simply a terrific read: boldly-presented characters and incidents, some humorous, some farcical; the mysterious nighttime goings-on on Chappaquiddick and off, pungent analysis of the accident, most of it novel--and a Hopper-esque portrait of an old resort locale bisected by the genteel and the rambunctious amidst flapping sails, the shouts of drunks in the night, classic residences, gamy fishing shacks and the "lightly saline scent of the sea".

A lot of ink has been spread over pages of books concerning the events surrounding Senator Kennedy and Chappaquiddick. For the most part, these books have been rehashes of newspaper recounts. this book is no exception. Only two people really knew exactly what happened that fateful night, and now both of them are dead. A small handful of people were close to the event and had fragments of knowledge and information, but for the most part not all of these have given a complete recounting of all the know. A handful of people on Martha's

Vineyard know most of the story, but for some strange reason they either never seem to get asked what they know, of if asked, clam up. This book could have benefited from having someone go around and solicit input and comments from the locals in and around Edgartown, Chappaquiddick and Martha's Vineyard.

Excellent writer who thoroughly researched the story we have heard so many times and provides an interesting twist on what really happened that night. His words takes us back in time, making us feel we are really there.

True crime specialist Jack Olsen proves in this 1970 book that Ted Kennedy was never in the car when Mary Jo drowned at the Chappaquiddick Bridge. This is a historic book about an important event that involves great detective skills and no nonsense writing by Olsen. I couldn't put it down.

I can't believe some idiot wrote an entire book based on the assumption that Ted Kennedy wasn't in the car at all?! ha ha - now that is funny. Did Jack Olsen ever read Senator Kennedy's statement he delivered on July 25, 1965 where he states, "Little over a mile away the car that I was driving on an unlit road went off a narrow bridge which had no guard rails and was built on a left angle to the road."

Olsen was obviously one of those poor unfortunates to be so in love with the Kennedy mystique that he sacrificed his literary reputation on it. If you are really interested in reading a legitimate account of those tragic events in 1969, I suggest "Senatorial Privilege: The Chappaquiddick Cover-Up" by Leo Damore.