Books: The Great What-If

A superb look at the good Bobby Kennedy, the bad Bobby Kennedy and all the Bobbys in between

Here is an early core sample of the famous ruthlessness: when Bobby Kennedy was young, he took a friend out sailing off Hyannis on one of the family boats. The friend did not know how to sail. The wind died. Lunchtime approached. Old Joe Kennedy was a tyrant about punctuality. Bobby, who was worrying that they could not make it ashore in time, simply dove overboard and swam for home. His friend drifted and flapped about helplessly until rescued by a passing boat. Good thing it was a nice day. Bobby never apologized. He was not a boy at the time,...

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