In this episode Matt Crawford speaks with author Neil Thompson about his book, The First Kennedys: The Humble Roots of an American Dynasty. Everyone knows the Kennedy name; it is what most people consider the closest to royalty that America has. Yet, the true origins of this dynasty are misunderstood and often attributed to Joseph Kennedy and not his grandmother, Bridget Murphy. Bridget and Patrick Kennedy arrived penniless, along with thousands of other Irish escaping the potato famine. Soon a widow, Bridget would work her way up from housemaid to shop owner and property owner. What she built would be the foundation of what the Kennedy family built upon. A truly amazing and inspiring read.