Who was the most influential Kennedy? Maybe not who you think.

Photo/Mike Lovett

Professor of the Practice Eileen McNamara is garnering praise for her new biography of Eunice Kennedy Shriver titled "Eunice: The Kennedy Who Changed the World," set to be released on April 3. McNamara's book has been reviewed by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews and elsewhere. Inspired by her sister Rosemary, Kennedy Shriver dedicated much of her life to changing the way society views and treats people with intellectual disabilities. Perhaps best known for launching the Special Olympics, she also helped found the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), a part of the National Institutes of Health, among many other efforts throughout her lifetime.

For those in the Boston area, McNamara will speak about the book at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library on April 3 at 6 p.m.

Read an exclusive excerpt in the Boston Globe.