Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy, First Edition, First Printing, 1956

Kennedy Jr., John F. Profiles in Courage. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1956. First edition, first printing. Octavo. Original publisher’s dust jacket and blue linen hardboards with black leather gilt titled spines. 

Presented is a first edition, first printing of John F. Kennedy’s Pulitzer Prize winning book, Profiles in Courage. The book was published in 1956 by Harper & Brothers, New York. It is presented in its original publisher’s dust jacket and blue linen hardboards with black leather gilt titled spines. 

Profiles in Courage highlights the careers of eight United States Senators whom Kennedy felt had shown great courage under enormous pressure from their parties and their constituents. The topic of political courage was one of serious interest to John F. Kennedy. Beginning with his senior thesis at Harvard, later published as Why England Slept, Kennedy studied the British political leaders in the 1930s who were swayed by popular resistance to rearming. He argued that those leader’s lack of political courage ultimately left the country ill-prepared for World War II. As an elected house representative in 1946 and senator in 1952, Kennedy experienced firsthand the decisions political leaders had to make while pressured by outside forces and special interest groups, constituents, and the election cycle. 

With the help of researcher and ghost writer Ted Sorensen, Kennedy started writing on the topic more seriously in 1954. That project resulted in the publication of Profiles in Courage. First published on January 1st, 1956, by Harper and Brothers, the book was reviewed on the front page of the New York Times Book Review along with a large photo of Kennedy. Cabell Philips, the reviewer, wrote: “it is refreshing and enlightening to have a first rate politician write a thoughtful and persuasive book about political integrity.” 

An important book on political courage and U.S. Senate history, Profiles in Courage profiles Senators John Quincy Adams, Daniel Webster, Thomas Hart Benton, Sam Houston, Edmund G. Ross, Lucius Lamar, George Norris, and Robert A. Taft. Each man is given his own chapter discussion, in which Kennedy describes their courage in defying their party lines or constituent opinion, as well as their contributions to bipartisanship and history on a larger scale. 

Kennedy writes: “In whatever arena of life one may meet the challenge of courage, whatever may be the sacrifices he faces if he follows his conscience – the loss of his friends, his fortune, his contentment, even the esteem of his fellow men – each man must decide for himself the course he will follow. The stories of past courage can define that ingredient – they can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For this each man must look into his own soul.”

CONDITION: 

Stated First Edition, with “M-E” on copyright page. Octavo. In the publisher’s blue cloth boards with black leather at the spine, spine titled in gilt.  Very good condition. Gilt intact. Light wear, bumping, creasing to top and bottom of boards, and corners. Interior pages are healthy and bright, save staining on both front and back pastedown endpaper. One small ‘X’ inscribed in blue ink on the first free endpaper, no other markings are visible.

With the original dust jacket. Jacket in fair condition. Not price-clipped, priced at $3.50 Significant brown tape stains on top and bottom of jacket panels, including interior flaps. Colors faded and tones. Creases, small chips, and tears throughout, including into the title on the spine. 

Book Dimensions: 8 5/8' H x 6'' W x 1 1/4'' D.

Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.