Profiles in Courage by Kennedy, John F - 1956

New York: Harper and Brothers, 1956 First edition, first printing, with copyright code M-E. Presentation copy; signed and inscribed by Kennedy to the front endpaper. Publisher's blue and black cloths, lettered in gilt; in the original white and blue dust jacket, lettered in red, white, black and blue, with a photograph of Kennedy by Hank Walker to the rear panel. Near fine, with some light wear and rubbing to the extremities; unclipped dust jacket with some wear and slight loss to the extremities, several small tears and a larger tear to the upper front panel. Profiles in Courage is a collection of short biographical sketches of "decisive moments in the lives of celebrated Americans" and the winner of the 1957 Pulitzer Prize for Biography. In this text, Kennedy, then a Senator of Massachusetts, provides a history of Senators who defied the opinions of their political parties during moments of important historical decision. Specifically, he discusses Quincy Adams' departure from the Federalist Party, Daniel Webster's support of the Compromise of 1850, and Sam Houston's denouncement of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, among others.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Dust Jacket Included.