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Review
| The Kennedys: America's Emerald Kings, by Thomas Maier. New York: Basic Books, 2004. 676 pages. $16.95, paper.
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| So much has been written about the Kennedy family that it is hard to imagine what new information might be added to the well-known history of one of America's most prominent families. What author Thomas Maier offers is a new lens for understanding the motivation and drive of the famous family. He skillfully weaves into the history of the Kennedy family "the emerald thread," which connects their Irish background with their experiences in America. Maier argues that most biographies of the Kennedys overlook the forceful influence of their religion and ethnicity on their actions and outlooks. The subtitle, "the Emerald Kings," reflects Maier's belief that the Kennedys became the equivalent of the Irish chieftains, the kings of the Emerald Isle who inspired large groups of followers. The book traces the history of the Kennedy family through five generations, starting with Patrick Kennedy, John F. Kennedy's great grandfather, who left Ireland in 1848 and immigrated to the United States, and ending with the fifth generation, the children of John, Robert, Ted and their other siblings. The first four generations of Kennedys were shaped more than anything by the ethnic prejudice and religious intolerance they experienced and their burning desire to be accepted by the Anglo-Protestant society that controlled access to economic and social success. Throughout the family's trials, tragedies and triumphs, it was their Irish Catholicism that set them apart but also gave them courage and a determination to succeed. |
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For the Irish, like other immigrant groups, politics provided an avenue of upward mobility, starting with John Kennedy's grandfather, Patrick Joseph Kennedy, who was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Being Irish and Catholic often had its advantages, especially when the electorate shared the same traits, which was the case in Boston and Massachusetts. In the country as a whole, however, it proved to be a hindrance, as John Kennedy learned in his 1960 presidential campaign. Maier devotes considerable attention to the political ambitions of the Kennedy family, especially Joseph P. Kennedy's efforts to establish political connections for himself with powerful leaders like President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and to the political career and presidency of John F. Kennedy. The vast fortune accumulated by Joseph Kennedy helped to buy support at critical times in these endeavors, as did his close ties with the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. |
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For teaching purposes the book has many strong features, not the least of which is that it is written in an engaging style. The subject matter is most appropriate for advanced high school and college students. The length of the book, nearly 700 pages, might preclude using it in its entirety for a single course, but the themes in the book offer a multitude of avenues for students to explore in classroom discussions and written assignments. Of particular interest might be the role of religion in politics, a timely subject in the current political climate. The extreme prejudice of certain segments of American society against the idea of a Catholic president nearly cost Kennedy the election in 1960. Students could contrast the issue of religion in that election with the role of religion in the 2004 election. For courses that touch on foreign policy issues, the accounts of what went on behind the scenes during the Bay of Pigs fiasco or the subsequent Cuban missile crisis could provide lively discussions about more contemporary issues and events involving Cuba. One fascinating aspect of the ill-fated Bay of Pigs invasion by Cuban exiles early in Kennedy administration's is the role that the Catholic church played in raising $1,000,000 of the exorbitant ransom demanded by the Cuban government for the 1,113 exiles taken into custody. That aspect of the Bay of Pigs episode is not widely known. The scenario offers a window into how closely connected the Kennedy family was with the Catholic Church and the lengths to which the church was willing to go to support a Catholic president. Another topic of current interest might be the efforts of the Kennedy brothers to bring about immigration reform. Motivated in large part by his own family's experiences as immigrants, President Kennedy proposed a bill to reform the United States' national-origins quota system with its implicit restrictions based on race and ethnicity. The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act became law after his death through the efforts of his brothers, Robert and Ted, both of whom were U.S. Senators. Students might research the aftermath of the immigration reform bill and link that to the current debate over immigration policy. |
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This book is highly recommended for students interested in delving more deeply into the Kennedy family history and the politics of their times. It provides an honest look at the members of the Kennedy family, accounting not only for their successes but also their personal and political failings. Those wishing to do further research on the Kennedy family and their politics will be well served by the extensive bibliography plus the annotated notes for each chapter. |
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| Indiana University Southeast |
Linda C. Gugin |
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