Profiles in Courage for Our Time

Rating:
Summary: Every amercian should read it
Review: The "profiles" in this update to JFK's classic, are varied in both their subjects and their presentation. These accounts are not uniform in quality. Most stirring are those with a personal flavor such as Bob Woodward's profile of Gerald Ford, wherein we see a hidden profile of Woodward as well. However, others seem either too detached or tediously narrative, such as Michael Daly's "The Irish Peacemakers" which outlines the alphabet soup of the political/religious strife in Ireland, but does little to connect the overall themes of courage to anything outside the situation.

It is a good read, but not all the selections hold interest. I'd recommend particular excerpts for good classroom reading. I also commend the acknowledgement of politicians, leaders, and activists on both local and global levels.


Rating:
Summary: Inspirational
Review: This book is a compilation of short biographies of the winners of the Profile in Courage Award. It is a group effort, being the work of numerous historians and writers. I found these stories inspiring because many of them illuminate political leaders who took actions they knew would be detrimental to their careers. Yes, most of the award winners have been on the liberal side, but personally I find that a healthy antidote to the sort of "leadership" the mainstream media prefers to applaud these days. And don't forget good old Gerald Ford, whose biography (by Bob Woodward, no less) eloquently makes his case for his pardoning of Richard Nixon. Many readers will disagree with some of the choices for the awards and with some of the conclusions of the authors of these biographies. Nevertheless Profiles in Courage For Our Time is an inspiring effort meant to remind us of the highest qualities we should expect from our leadership.

Rating:
Summary: Real courage inspired by the man who defined leadership.
Review: This is a great buy for anyone who admires real courage and those who define it not through grandstanding and media posturing but through selfless acts with outcomes that cannot be controlled. Courage is not simply reacting to a situation with correct but obvious actions, but rather stepping out of the box and a zone of self comfort to right a wrong situation regardless of the personal consequence. After September 11th, many politicians, right up to the top, have acted admirably, but have not done anything particularly courageous. This is not to say they are bad people or bad leaders, or that they have not acted correctly, but they either aren't like, or haven been given the opporutinty to be like, the individuals whose stories grace this well written, well researched and entertaining collection; People like Representative Elliot, who fought bigotry and hatred and was subjected to practical homelessness and bankrupcy long after the country came around because of it. Since the heady days of the 1960's, the nation has been searching for heroes like those men and women who led the country through the decade and into the future, some making, in the case of Ms. Kennedy's father and uncle, the ultimate sacrifice. Hopefully this book will help us to better identify those people who are quitely working through conviction and nobility to make the country and the world a better place.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Though it is laudable that Caroline Kennedy would want to keep her father's spirit alive by revising the concept of his original book to something more suited to courage in our time, the essays here highlight little known people. Some of their stories are touching or inspiring, and the writing is quite good. However, the book is devoted to liberal politicans, the message being that only liberals show courage. I don't think, for instance, that the men and women serving as rescuers at the world trade center tragedy worried about each other's politics. I think this book is really an attempt to cause schisms and controversies, none of which are constructive in these tenuous times. Great courage is shown by many, but C. Kennedy profiles only the few and only those who suit the political philosphy that the authors wanted to support. Most insulting to me, though, was that only one woman is profiled here. Only one woman has courage, in a world of 3 billion??? And how about the courage shown by political dissidents everywhere, not just in the US? Kennedy couldn't include everyone, but the stories here, though interesting, are only examples of some courage (token female included). These people didn't put their lives on the line, only their comforts. Nor does one incident, even one not performed single handedly, such as James Florio and the gun control bill, merit inclusion in this book, but single incidents are covered as if lifetime achievements. Sorry I read it -- despite the good press, the political bias, the masculine bias, the domestic bias, well, just made me angry.

Rating:
Summary: Hyping the Kennedy Name for Dollars
Review: Well, I never thought I would see the day, but even Caroline is cashing in on the Kennedys. There was a lot of hype about this book. I think it would have been much, much more interesting if Caroline had written it herself, weaving her own memories and thoughts of these PIC Award winners, as well as their biographical profiles. Just having big name writers doesn't do it. That said, these are truly people who showed genuine courage in politics. The Congresswoman's story was most interesting and I would have liked to know even more. A new view of Ford is also shown. But again, just using her famous name instead of using these not very good but well-hyped writers...somehow I can't imagine her mother, or her brother ever doing that.

Rating:
Summary: Mostly Marketing and Hype
Review: When you look at all of the promotion and compare it with the book the book falls very, very short. It does not live up to its expectations and after reading this boring, trite, "already-published" book I wanted my money back.