"Marshaling an impressive array of organizational records and archival sources, including Kennedy family records never before seen by historians, Edward Shorter presents the intriguing story of how one family truly made a difference in the struggle to educate Americans and redirect our research agenda regarding Mental Retardation.
"A lively, wonderfully engaging account of the momentous contributions of Eunice Kennedy Shriver to the Mental Retardation movement, the book is also a deserved tribute to the families of the mentally retarded. Moreover, Shorter details the chilling history of how the treatment and perception of the mentally retarded only recently evolved from the barbarisms to commonly practiced in prior decades. Shorter's unique professional perspective adds cachet to the deft sensitivity with which he tells this compelling story. A fascinating study, it will resonate with many audiences."
—James W. Hilty, Professor of History, Temple University, and author of Robert Kennedy: Brother Protector (Temple)