This is a marvelous peek inside Robert Kennedy's efforts against corrupt labor unions. I had long been intrigued with the whole RFK-Jimmy Hoffa "feud," so this was a treat for me. Robert Kennedy's writing style is at once humorous and pragmatic. He provides a detailed account of the inner workings of the McClellan Committee. Moreover, he meticulously describes the corruption within the labor organizations, with particular emphasis on Jimmy Hoffa. A word of warning: When I use words like "detailed" and "meticulously," I'm being serious. The book is a must for anyone interested in RFK, Jimmy Hoffa, the McClellan Committee, or American labor history; but someone who wants an action movie packaged as a book, will probably be disillusioned. Having said that, I loved the book. I highly recommend it.

This is a wonderful book that is filled with hope that is in despereate need for those of us who have grown up since Watergate and Bill Clinton. Senator Kennedy's 1966 South Africa speech("The Day of Affirmation") and his powerfully truthful message at Los Angeles' Greek Theater on March 24, 1968 gives young people an idea of a long-ago time when people really believed in politicians and politicians really believed in the people. Hopefully, younger generations may be inspired by this so that one day, we can beleive in each other again!

You can hear the compassion and conviction in Bobby's voices. I have listened to these two tapes many times over... I've read the speeches in text ... but nothing is like listening to Bobby's voice, slightly shaken, slightly rushed, but always genuine and sincere. Bobby Kennedy is an American leader. Though his short life span did not allow him to accomplish enough, his vision and integrity examplified what spiritual growth could be. Even with all the mistakes he might have made, you could never doubt his conviction and his good will towards all mankind. Listen to his voice, not just his words ... and let his voice give you a desire to give more than what you are required ... to live for something greater than ourselves. Even in death, Bobby left the youths of every generation the challenge, a torch to carry on.

the texts are very complete, but a little bit boring.the best part were the photos! there are some very rare ones.
not buy it if you are not interessed in RFK.

This beautifully written biography of the late Senator Robert Kennedy does an excellent job of focusing on not only the man's career, but the issues and questions he was confronted with, such as civil rights, poverty and the disenfranchised citizens.

Robert Kennedy had a very impressive resume -- father of 11, an undergraduate degree from Harvard, a law degree from University of Virginia, attorney, Attorney General, Senator and lastly, presidential candidate for the 1968 election.

This was a man who apparently set high standards for himself throughout his life. The seventh of 9 children, he fought to prove himself among his siblings. As a boy, he strove to develop his physical prowess. One can smile at the young Bobby, then 4 trying to teach himself to swim despite his older brothers' chagrin. The same small boy who kept jumping in deep water would, 35 years later climb a previously unscaled mountain. Robert Kennedy, by then a senator suffered from acrophobia his entire life, yet pushed himself to climb that mountain. In March of 1965 he would table his fear and, with veteran mountain climbers Jim Whittaker and Barry Prather (both of whom had scaled Mt. Everest in 1963) ascend Mt. Kennedy in Canada. He climbed that mountain out of love for his slain brother, the late President. This particular event is inspirational; this man faced his biggest fear and acted out of love.

As a boy, Robert Kennedy grappled with a mild form of dyslexia. Although by all accounts he learned to read within normal limits and was certainly an intelligent man, he learned early to combine his intelligence with diligence and very hard work. In adult life he would seek solace in classic literature; by 1964 he was able to quote long passages by authors such as Camus and Aeschylus by heart. The title of this book is a nod to the Senator's love of classic literature; "An Honorable Profession" is from "The 39 Steps" by Lord Tweedsmuir.

Diligence appeared to be the core Robert Kennedy; the man who drilled himself in academic pursuits was the man who would also set high standards for himself throughout his professional/political career. In reading this work one cannot help drawing the conclusion that Robert Kennedy was at core a good man and a sincere man and a man who would stop at nothing to accomplish all tasks he had set for himself. His daughter Kerry Kennedy Cuomo's input provides some enlightening insights into the characteristics of this complex, often driven man.

In reading this work as with many on Robert Kennedy, one can readily draw the conclusion that this man genuinely cared about people; his work with and for civil rights certainly attests to his deep level of empathy. He appeared to move and blend with equal ease among all people. Robert Kennedy could easily be described as the man for everybody. He was certainly a strong voice and considered by many to be the advocate for all.

In 1968 Robert Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles, California. His loss leaves the questions open today of what he would have accomplished had he lived to win the 1968 election.

There are beautiful poems, touching stories, and inspirational words in this book. I learned a lot about the good and decent man and his course. I sensed the feelings and spirits of so many Americans at that troubled time. There has never been a book of tributes after reading which I have been filled with so many hopes, though so sad at the same time... Robert F. Kennedy died in the course of the honorable profession, but he did not die in vain. His course made the profession an HONORABLE one, and made people believe that we can do better, and that we can also make our profession honorable.

Edwin Guthman met Bob Kennedy during RFK's labor- management corruption investigations. Guthman was a skeptical newsman who had to decide whether RFK, an unknown, was worth trusting with sensitive source information.

He later worked closely with Bob Kennedy in the Justice Department, and his memoir gives fascinating insights into this most capable and best-motivated of the WWII Kennedy brothers. Note: the title *does not* refer to those brothers; and note further: the "Band of Brothers" initials form "Bob." (In Arthur Schlesinger's "Robert Kennedy and His Times," near the end of chapter 11 on staffing the DoJ, Schlesinger mentioned Guthman's book with that terrific title. Soon after I'd read that, much publicity emerged about the 2001 TV series of almost the same name, which coincidence was intriguing enough to move me to locate the Guthman book.)

Guthman provides a unique and warm, respectful but not worshipful, set of insights into RFK's strengths and struggles as a survivor of the Joe Kennedy household, Senate investigator, and officeholder. He was present with Bob Kennedy for many meetings, plans, and conversations which directly determined the course of powerful events for the US, especially during the almost- unbelievable 1960s. It's high- energy material.

We now live in times of school shootings and terrorism, with ordinary people rising to the challenges of extraordinary demands. There has been a remarkable amount of Cuba news as well (Elian Gonzales, Castro's condition). That makes it all the better to see how Guthman shows JFK-RFK leading the nation to deal with labor- management corruption, the Cuba-nukes and Bay of Pigs crises, and attempts to keep civil rights away from much of the population. For many younger US readers now, it will probably be hard to imagine those times, as urgently important as they were to where we are now.