It was a passage from Herbert Agar's book The Price of Union about an act of courage by an earlier senator from Massachusetts, John Quincy Adams, that gave Kennedy the idea of writing about senatorial courage. In 1953, he was elected the junior Senator from Massachusetts, and served in the Senate until he was elected president in 1960. Kennedy was elected to the House of Representatives in 1946 for the state of Massachusetts. Kennedy is credited as its author, but there are credible allegations that most of it was the work of his speechwriter, Theodore Sorensen. The book was widely celebrated and became a best seller.

It begins with a quote from Edmund Burke on the courage of the English Statesman, Charles James Fox, in his 1783 attack upon the tyranny of the East Indian Company in the House of Commons. The book profiles senators who crossed party lines and/or defied the opinion of their constituents to do what they felt was right and suffered severe criticism and losses in popularity because of their actions.

About this book: Profiles in Courage is a 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning volume of short biographies describing acts of bravery and integrity by eight United States Senators throughout the Senate's history. A good book to enjoy and keep on hand for yourself, or would make a GREAT GIFT for the fan or reader in your life. DJ is very nice for age, it is priceclipped, Overall wonderfully nice copy of this early printing. Quality Hardback : hard cover in very good condition, some slight wear to edges, as normal for age of book in Mylar protected Dust Jacket nice condition, has some minor edge, spine, wear and chipping.

Kennedy courage book