FIRST EDITION OF PROFILES IN COURAGE, INSCRIBED BY JOHN F. KENNEDY
KENNEDY, John F. Profiles in Courage. New York: Harper & Brothers, (1956). Octavo, original half black paper boards, original dust jacket. Housed in a custom clamshell box.
First edition, later printing, of Kennedy’s Pulitzer-winning examination of “that most admirable of human virtues,” inscribed by him, "To Wardman Barber—with my highest regards, John Kennedy."
"A series of sketches of American politicians who risked their careers in the cause of principle… 'A man does what he must,' Kennedy wrote, —in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures—and that is the basis of all human morality'… The book was popular history of high order, and it received the Pulitzer Prize for biography in 1957" (ANB). Illustrated with eight pages of black-and-white photographic plates.
Interior fine; light rubbing to extremities. Slight wear to extremities of bright dust jacket. An about-fine inscribed copy.