Chappaquiddick Speaks

July 18, 1969: A car goes off a bridge on the bucolic Chappaquiddick Island. The car carries a young woman named Mary Jo Kopechne. The driver was Senator Ted Kennedy. Kopechne never made out of the car. Kennedy would receive a slap on the wrist for leaving the scene, the ramifications of the accident snuffing out Kennedy’s presidential aspirations. Almost five decades have passed, and numerous authors have come forth with theories as to what really happened. Chappaquiddick Speaks is the latest entry, which brings forth new witness testimony that may alter the official timeline of Kopechne’s final hours. The new book features the official version interspersed with eyewitness testimony, scientific research, and an alternative view of the tragedy.

Chappaquiddick Speaks is a well written true-crime narrative that re-opens a dark chapter in Senator Kennedy’s life. The author faced criticism for not letting sleeping dogs lie. But truth is never pretty, and it should always come out. The work done by the author is staggering, the research laudable. An excellent true-crime/history book for the new year!