Senator Edward M. “Ted” Kennedy succumbed to a malignant brain tumor in August 2009, but not before he could finish his memoirs. Released in September 2009, True Compass (Publisher: Twelve; Hardcover: 532 pages) chronicles the life and public service career of the Kennedy family’s youngest son. In telling his story, Kennedy is unflinchingly honest about his many triumphs and public failings, and he gives readers a full portrait of his forty-six year Senate career along with some interesting insights into a life spent in the public eye.
Early Life of Ted Kennedy
Anyone familiar with the Kennedy family and their story will find little new in the years detailed in True Compass prior to 1962. The familiar stories of the privileged but hard-working, rough-and-tumble but loving, hypercompetitive but fiercely loyal Kennedys are detailed as they have been in so many biographies; however, Ted Kennedy’s personal lens on these stories does occasionally make them new. For example, Kennedy often relates incidents that occurred between himself and older brother/godfather Jack, the future president -- stories that add a new layer of insight into the Kennedy sibling relationships while injecting additional poignancy when Kennedy discusses Jack's assassination later in the book.
The Sea as Comfort
Although death is a recurring meme in Kennedy’s life, he chooses not to dwell on the details that readers will likely already know. Instead, Kennedy focuses on the impacts that these deaths ultimately had on his life and work. With each tragedy in the family, Ted Kennedy writes of turning to the sea for solace (and he notes that his older brothers were the ones who taught him to sail as a youngster). Sailing and the calming effect it has on his life during times of turmoil gives Kennedy a metaphor to return to throughout the book and provides the memoir with its sea-faring title.
Personal Failings
Ted Kennedy’s personal scandals have been well documented, and he wisely chooses not to rehash details in favor of accepting blame and discussing personal lessons learned. For example, the cheating scandal that resulted in his expulsion from Harvard becomes a larger story about responsibility and redemption (Kennedy was ultimately readmitted to Harvard after a stint in the military). And the family drinking outing in Palm Beach that resulted in the rape trial and acquittal of nephew William Kennedy Smith becomes a warning to Kennedy to curb his destructive behaviors.
Kennedy Deals with Chappaquiddick
Readers will be curious about how Kennedy addresses his most public scandal, the car accident on Chappaquiddick Island in 1969 that resulted in the drowning death of Mary Jo Kopechne and in Kennedy pleading guilty to leaving the scene of an accident. Other than stating emphatically that he and Kopechne were not romantically involved, Kennedy adds little new to the story that isn’t part of the public record, noting that he has avoided publicly addressing tabloid scandals: “I knew that once I started, I would be forced to engage in a back-and-forth on every allegation, no matter how ludicrous or impossible. And I knew that no matter what I said, it would not satisfy those who had already made up their minds.” Kennedy accepts responsibility for the incident and apologizes, but he does not dwell on it.
Senate Career
The most fascinating parts of the memoir are in the discussions of Kennedy’s Senate career, from the behind-the-scenes workings of his many Senate campaigns to the revelations about his relationships with fellow senators and the discussions of quirky Senate traditions of which readers may be unaware. After realizing that a successful presidential run would not be his fate, Kennedy devotes himself whole-heartedly to the Senate and the people of Massachusetts, and readers will likely be impressed with Kennedy’s intimate knowledge of and drive to learn about the diverse issues that affect not only his constituency but that also affect all Americans.
Hope in the Face of Darkness
Ultimately, True Compass is the story of a man who devoted himself to public service, learned from his mistakes, and remained hopeful and positive in the face of tragedy. As his memoir ends, Kennedy is facing certain death due to a malignant brain tumor but remains focused on work that Congress has not yet accomplished (primarily, health care reform). He attributes second wife Vicki with much of his renewed optimism (while being remarkably fair and delicate in addressing his first wife, Joan, throughout the book) and, as always, he notes that he takes great comfort in the sea and plans to sail as long as he can.
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