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cherrick8's review against another edition
4.0
A good study of U.S. Senators that defied popular opinion to stand by their beliefs. Well written in setting up the time and place and then describing the actions of the senators profiled.
munocr's review against another edition
3.0
I listened to this through audible Narrated by JFK Jr absolutely a great listen!
saxifrage_seldon's review against another edition
3.0
Today is the anniversary of JFK’s death. JFK was a Senator when he wrote this book, Profiles in Courage, in 1956. It profiles 8 Senators who he claims showed courage in their role. To Kennedy, courage is defined as making decisions based on the Senator’s own principles, and what they see as the good of the republic rather than on the wishes of state legislatures, the news media, or their constituents. While both inspirational and cautionary in many ways, the book is also one focused on hubris and whitewashing. JFK posits a narrative of elite wealthy white men who are tasked with monumental choices that anyone less than them would botch. Moreover JFK chooses not to analyze the less than noble acts many of these senators engaged in or how many of the compromises noted (1850 and 1877) resulted in the continued disenfranchisement of numerous Americans at the expense of others. A most recent example of one such Senator would be Liz Cheney who made a courageous decision and went against her own party but whose other policies have also come at the expense of many others. While this book was definitely an interesting read, it was more interesting to see the inner thought processes of JFK and what influenced him as a Senator and then President, then the historical narrative he is constructing.