Join the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, Senator Paul G. Kirk, and acclaimed author Neal Gabler for a dynamic conversation about Gabler’s newest book AGAINST THE WIND: Edward Kennedy and the Rise of Conservatism.

With the publication of AGAINST THE WIND: Edward Kennedy and the Rise of Conservatism, 1976-2009 (Crown; on-sale November 15, 2022), Gabler now completes his epic narrative, twelve years in the making. Where volume one ended with Kennedy’s own constituents chasing him through the streets of Boston outraged by court-mandated school integration, volume two offers Gabler’s insight into a man who fought to keep liberalism alive when so many were determined to extinguish it. Against the Wind sheds new light both on a revered figure in the American Century and on America’s current existential crisis.

The conversation between the author and Senator Kirk will explore Gabler’s journey in researching and writing the second volume of his magisterial two-part biography of Senator Kennedy. It is a book that asks incisive, timely questions about the role of morality in American politics, especially: How did the project of liberal democracy fail, and how can we resurrect it now, in this moment of profound national tension?

The conversation will include:

• Neal Gabler, author of AGAINST THE WIND: Edward Kennedy and the Rise of Conservatism

• Senator Paul G. Kirk, former U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, Moderator

This is a free program; tickets are available in advance by registration.


Event Timeline:

6:00pm - Doors open

7:00pm - Program Start

8:15pm - Program End

8:15pm - Book signing

We hope to see you in-person for this dynamic conversation in our replica Senate Chamber, followed by a book signing and reception in the lobby. Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions.