Profiles in Courage

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Profiles in Courage is a Pulitzer prize winning series of biographies published in 1956.^[1] The "courage" from the title stems from the book's coverage of the courage politicians in the book had in disobeying their constituents or "the party line" in order to do what is right.

One reason the book is notable is because it was instrumental in propelling first-term Senator John F. Kennedy into the Presidential spotlight. Having a Pulitzer prize winning book added significantly to his credentials.

There are charges that the book was actually ghostwritten by Kennedy's speechwriter, Ted Sorenson, who denied it at the time and in 1992.^[2]

When asked about this Kennedy was known to bristle, and had maintained that he had written the book but had only had help. Another theory is that the book was "shoehorned" into receiving a Pulitzer by JFK's influential father.

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