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Summary:
On June 6, 1968, at the age of 42 and at the height of his popularity, Robert F. Kennedy was tragically assassinated. Presidential candidate, U.S. Senator, father—Kennedy was all of these things—and, to many Americans, he embodied the power of possibility and positive change during a period of social unrest, racial inequality, and war.
Renowned Life photographer Bill Eppridge followed and photographed Kennedy during his early campaign days up to his untimely death, and A Time It Was features dynamic images of the public Kennedy, as well as rare, intimate ones, many of which have never before been published. An essay by Pete Hamill places the events in historical context, while Eppridge shares his insider’s perspective on Kennedy. Released to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of Kennedy’s death, A Time It Was reveals why the memory and legacy of Kennedy and his dreams continue to be relevant today.
Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Rating:
A glimpse of history
Customer Rating:
This is an amazing journey through an historic time in America's history. A wonderful photographic essay that gives us important insight into joy and tragedy.
Photographs, Lies, and Videotape
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First, I caution against relying on any book written 40 years after an incident as people tend to embellish and make false statements. For an unbiased account of Bob's campaign then Jack Newfield's RFK: A Memoir, is a must read.
When it comes to photography Steve Shapiro has published some excellent work involving Kennedy. No one book seems to have it all. A Time it Was left me feeling sad and angry as it goes against many of the values Kennedy stood for. On a side note, he always asked to be called Bob, and so I do out of respect.
One of the first things that stands out with this book is Pete Hamill's assertation that Bob was killed by a lone assassin. This is not very consistent with what Bill Eppridge later writes. Hamill sees his young daughter's anxiousness over him leaving town to join the campaign as a bad omen. I brace myself for more exaggerations. Several pages later some really poor proofreading becomes notable regarding events in Kennedy's hotel room the night he died.
Then there's the outright lying. Bill Eppridge claims that in L.A.'s Chinatown firecrackers were actually "thrown at" the campaign convertable, that Bob "froze in terror", dove for the floor of the car, and that there is no film footage of this incident. Apparently no one was interested in doing any fact checking.
Bob was traveling through Chinatown and standing upright with Ethel while reaching out to greet the crowd. In the distance some firecrackers went off. Ethel ducked back into the safety of the car and Bob looked down at her with a look of disappointment/disapproval. He was calm and made no attempt to shield himself. This event was filmed, I have a digital copy, and it has been showcased on PBS.
Eppridge offers no apologies or justifications for taking the infamous photo of Kennedy lying on the floor after being shot. In fact, the author admits that while the bus boy cried out for help, he snapped another frame. The miraculous survival of the original photograph in a fire - in spite of carelessness - is simply dismissed.
Perhaps it was God's way of trying to tell Mr. Eppridge something. It's never about the truth when it comes to books on the Kennedy's but rather about the profit that can be made from exploitation or exaltation.
Great pics!
Customer Rating:
Bought this for my dad for father's day. Great pictures of a memorable time in history with a visonary who lost his light too soon!
Back to The Future
Customer Rating:
This book and its images were all the more gripping having been an observer at the time. The photos and the words provide an image of a nation trying to be the sum of its promise, only to be plunged into a tragic self assessment after the assassination. It is paramount, 40 years later, that we take the opportunity to remember how far we have come. This book reminds us that we can do better, that we must do better, that we are better.
a time it was
Customer Rating:
it's photgraphs of the campain are stunning the brief narrative gives a true sense of sumer 1968
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