Kerry Kennedy has authored a new book titled "Ethel Kennedy: The Extraordinary Life and Bold Legacy," scheduled for release on October 13, 2026. The book, published by HarperOne, provides an account of her mother’s life and religious faith.
The book details the period following the death of Robert F. Kennedy, who was married to Ethel Kennedy for nearly 18 years. The couple had 11 children together before he was killed in June 1968. Kerry Kennedy, who was eight years old at the time, describes her mother’s composure and reliance on her Catholic faith during the national mourning period.
According to the book's excerpt, 100,000 mourners filed past Robert F. Kennedy’s coffin while he lay in state at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. The subsequent funeral train to Washington, D.C., for burial consisted of 21 rail cars carrying hundreds of friends and family members. Kennedy writes that her mother walked through the train cars to comfort other grieving passengers, at one point telling a mourner, "We’ll cry later."
The memoir’s release by HarperOne, a division of HarperCollins, follows Kerry Kennedy’s 40-year career in human rights activism. As the president of the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, her work includes advocacy regarding child labor, indigenous land rights, and judicial independence. The book adds to her previous publications, including the New York Times bestseller "Being Catholic Now." The retail price for the hardcover edition is $31.00 at Amazon and $36.00 at Barnes & Noble.
The book is set to be published on October 13, 2026. Prior to the release, Kerry Kennedy is scheduled to appear on "CBS Sunday Morning" for a conversation with Rita Braver on October 11, 2026. The memoir will be available in hardcover, eBook, and audio formats.