Kerry Kennedy will tell the life story of her mother, Ethel Kennedy, in a new biography.
HarperOne will publish Kerry Kennedy’s Ethel: Faith, Hope, Family, and an Extraordinary American Life next fall, the press announced in a news release. It says the book “offers a unique window into the life of a woman whose compassion, resilience, and dedication to justice have left an indelible mark on American history.”
Ethel Kennedy was born in Chicago, the daughter of Great Lakes Carbon Corporation founder George Skakel, and raised in Greenwich, Connecticut. She married Robert F. Kennedy in 1950, 11 years before he was appointed U.S. attorney general by his brother, John F. Kennedy.
Shortly after Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1968, Ethel Kennedy founded the nonprofit Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization—now led by Kerry Kennedy—and dedicated the rest of her life to activism. Ethel Kennedy died last year and was survived by 9 of her 11 children, including Kerry Kennedy, a lawyer and activist, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. secretary of health and human services.
“Written with unparalleled access to personal letters, family archives, and private reflections, Ethel transcends the pages of history to bring readers a heartfelt narrative of triumphs, profound losses, and enduring hope,” HarperOne says.
Kerry Kennedy announced the new book on the social platform X, writing, “Co-written with the brilliant Maryanne Vollers, this book is both an intimate portrait and a celebration of Mum’s extraordinary life and legacy. I can’t wait to share her story with you!”
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
