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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
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.
informative
slow-paced
I listened to this through audible Narrated by JFK Jr absolutely a great listen!
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
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.
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
I really only read fictional books so this was something I was experimenting with.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
I bought a copy of this book after visiting the JFK Presidential Museum in Boston, and am incredibly glad I did. Kennedy's testament to courage -- in this case, what it means to speak out for what's right regardless of what the people around you think -- is incredibly well articulated in the context of American politics, and the opening chapter thoroughly unpacks the myriad of forces that vie for every senator and representative's attention. I knew very little about the eight senators portrayed here before reading this book, and learned a lot as a result, particularly about the pre-Civil War era (in the Daniel Webster, Thomas Hart Benton, and Sam Houston chapters) and the impeachment of Andrew Johnson (in the Edmund G. Ross chapter).
Aside from all this, I would argue that Kennedy's exploration of courage and taking action for what's right is more relevant today than ever before in our own age of tribalism and party loyalty -- a reminder that things could be done differently, and that many courageous officials have done them differently in the past. The HarperCollins "PS" edition also includes a biography of Kennedy and speeches from John Lewis on the Freedom Riders movement and Georgia state representative Dan Ponder on anti-hate crime legislation, powerful additions I wouldn't have stumbled across otherwise.
Aside from all this, I would argue that Kennedy's exploration of courage and taking action for what's right is more relevant today than ever before in our own age of tribalism and party loyalty -- a reminder that things could be done differently, and that many courageous officials have done them differently in the past. The HarperCollins "PS" edition also includes a biography of Kennedy and speeches from John Lewis on the Freedom Riders movement and Georgia state representative Dan Ponder on anti-hate crime legislation, powerful additions I wouldn't have stumbled across otherwise.