Cover of Profiles in courage

Book · 1998 · History

Profiles in courage

by John F. Kennedy · Recommended by 8 people on 6 podcasts

Why people recommend it

Profiles in Courage is a Pulitzer Prize-winning examination of moral courage written by American politician John F. Kennedy, highlighting senators and historical figures who took unpopular yet principled stands. On the Lex Fridman Podcast, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. mentioned his uncle John F. Kennedy's book while discussing his family's legacy of political and moral courage. Similarly, Ryan Holiday discussed the text on Modern Wisdom to analyze how John F. Kennedy viewed political bravery and whether specific historical actions were truly courageous. The work has also drawn diverse commentary across various media discussions. On Interesting Times, Steve Bannon referenced the book to emphasize the unprecedented nature of Donald Trump's contemporary political struggles, arguing that the totality of the volume does not compare to current events. Bari Weiss brought up the famous title on Honestly with Bari Weiss to make a rhetorical point regarding political bravery and Chuck Schumer. Additionally, critics and historians such as Jennifer Szalai, Brenda Wineapple, and Tina Jordan referenced the landmark publication on The Book Review during discussions of historical perspectives on impeachments, Civil Rights era viewpoints, and archival records. Finally, Brian Domitrovic touched upon the publication on The Rubin Report while reviewing Kennedy's background and senatorial recovery from back surgery.

Who recommended it

Brian Domitrovic — 2 mentions
Discussed
“and that's really when the Kennedys became the one of the top richest families in the United States so how political was the Kennedy family at that time”
Discussed
“he was in fact had to be reclined for a very long time because of his back injury and that's when he decided to write profiles encourage his 1956 book 1955 when the appeal in 1956 about the Great's of the Senate over time”
Steve Bannon — 1 mention
Discussed
“go read Jack Kennedy's profiles and courage you can add up the whole book and it doesn't come close”
Bari Weiss — 1 mention
Discussed
“I don't think uh if I writing a book profiles en courage I don't think uh Schumer would be in that book”
Jennifer Szalai — 1 mention
Discussed
“when JFK wrote profiles and courage I think it was 1959 it was still the case that there was a sense”
Brenda Wineapple — 1 mention
Discussed
“and John Kennedy in profiles and courage in 1957 and it was a riging view and that height of the Civil Rights Movement”
Tina Jordan — 1 mention
Discussed
“they have wangled the quote youthful senator from Massachusetts John F Kennedy who had just published mere weeks before profiles ENC courage”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — 1 mention
Discussed
“And then he had come home and he had written a book, on moral courage among American politicians, and won the Pulitzer Prize, that book "Profiles and Courage."”
Ryan Holiday — 1 mention
Discussed
“well so so kennedy uh famously writes a book called profiles in courage where he uh writes about a number of politicians who did unpopular but what he felt like were courageous stands”

Also mentioned in the same episodes

Other mentions (4: passing, ad reads, own books)
Passing
“I don't think uh if I writing a book uh profiles en courage I don't think uh Schumer would be in that book”
Passing
“I thought it was really funny to give her a profiles en courage like I said she's sitting in a messy disorganized Room reading a written statement”
Passing
“and she asked him what his best quality was and she expected him to say courage because he'd been a war hero and he had written a book and run a pit prize for profiles and courage”
Passing
“But I think trying to figure out what leeway a person has—I don't expect everybody that I'm dealing with to appear in the second edition of the Profiles in Courage, nor me; I mean, it's hard.”