Kerry Kennedy at The Brattle Theatre

Harvard Book Store welcomes Kerry Kennedy—human rights lawyer, activist, New York Times bestselling author, and daughter of Ethel Skakel Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy—for a discussion of her highly anticipated new book, Ethel Kennedy: The Extraordinary Life and Bold Legacy. She will be joined in conversation by Mark D. Gearan—President of Hobart and William Smith Colleges, who currently serves on the board of directors of the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center.

Tickets include admission for one and one hardcover copy of Ethel Kennedy, pre-signed by the author.

Note: Books bundled with tickets may only be picked up at the venue the night of the event, and cannot be picked up in-store beforehand. Ticket holders who purchased a book-included ticket and are unable to attend the event will be able to pick up their book at Harvard Book Store up to 30 days following the event. This offer expires after 30 days. Please note we cannot guarantee signed copies will be available to ticket holders who do not attend the event.

A vivid, intimate biography of American icon Ethel Kennedy by her daughter Kerry Kennedy, told through her firsthand memories and exclusive access to Ethel’s personal papers.

When her husband Robert F. Kennedy was killed in 1968, Ethel Skakel Kennedy—then pregnant with their eleventh child—drew national attention for her grace, dignity, and resolute commitment to furthering his work in human rights, even in her grief. But as her daughter Kerry witnessed, Ethel was so much more than a dutiful wife and keeper of Robert's legacy of service. She was courageous, curious, compassionate, boisterous, and witty, always guided by faith and an instinct for speaking truth to power.

Kerry delves into her own memories, her family's recollections, and her mother's private papers, describing:

• Ethel's family's journey from a working-class Chicago background to life in tony Greenwich, Connecticut
• Ethel's fairytale romance with Kerry's father RFK—a courtship that inspired a Taylor Swift song half a century later
• How the bold, athletic Ethel quickly became "more Kennedy than the Kennedys"
• The years on the famed family properties in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, and the Hickory Hill estate in Virginia, where Kerry and her ten siblings grew up amidst presidents and politicians, Olympians and Hollywood stars, and a rambunctious menagerie of pet animals
• Moments of pain and loss—RFK’s death just five years after that of his brother; and the tragic deaths of two of Kerry’s siblings
• Ethel’s unflagging commitment to global human rights causes that carried on through the decades

Ethel Kennedy inspires us to reject cynicism and to live bigger and bolder.
The book includes 24 pages of color photographs.

"Ethel Kennedy was more than the anchoring matriarch of a history-making family. She was a force who helped to shape the turbulent times she lived in with a set of values that can serve as a beacon in our own. In this beautifully written book, Kerry Kennedy amplifies the strength of her mother’s example and gives us hope that we, too, can rise above."—Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Alphonse Fletcher University Professor, Harvard University

"Kerry Kennedy has written a beautiful and moving account of her remarkable mother. What an incredible life of triumph and tragedy, faith, and love."—Anderson Cooper, CNN anchor and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Vanderbilt and Astor

"Hers was one of the most tumultuous of American lives, led in public in years of tragedy, yet Ethel Kennedy never lost hope. Sustained by her faith and by her family, Mrs. Kennedy refused to surrender to the darkness; instead, she forever sought the light. Kerry Kennedy's moving biography of her mother tells us this story with warmth and insight, reminding us anew of our common duty to make gentle the life of this world."—Jon Meacham, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Soul of America and And There Was Light

"The Kennedy clan has had more than its share of tragedy... but this is a joyful remembrance, an intimate portrayal of Ethel, who until her death remained the north star of the family, and a force for social justice and human rights."—Nina Totenberg, NPR correspondent and New York Times bestselling author of Dinners with Ruth

Kerry Kennedy is a human rights lawyer, activist, New York Times bestselling author, and daughter of Ethel Skakel Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. Kerry is the president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, the organization Ethel founded in 1968 to continue Robert's unfinished work, and served as chair for the Amnesty International USA Leadership Council for over a decade. During her forty years working in human rights, she has led hundreds of delegations and negotiated with leaders around the globe. She is the author of three previous books: Robert F. Kennedy: Ripples of Hope; Speak Truth to Power; and Being Catholic Now. Photo Credit: Rory Kennedy

Mark D. Gearan is the President of Hobart and William Smith Colleges and has led the college through a transformative era of growth, national recognition and renewed institutional ambition – all guided by an unwavering commitment to student success and civic purpose. Gearan first served as President of HWS from 1999 to 2017, a period defined by expanded academic offerings, increased student engagement and strengthened community partnerships. After stepping down, he served as President in Residence at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and was later appointed Director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School, where he advanced national conversations on public service and leadership. Nationally recognized for his leadership in higher education and public service, Gearan has held key roles in government and national service. He served as White House Communications Director, Deputy Chief of Staff and Campaign Manager for Clinton/Gore ’92, as well as Executive Director of the Democratic Governors Association. In 1995, President Bill Clinton appointed him the 14th Director of the Peace Corps. Gearan currently serves on the board of directors of the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center and was Vice Chair of the National Commission on Military, National and Public Service, established by the U.S. Congress. He is a former chair of both National Campus Compact and
the Corporation for National and Community Service.