Profiles in Character - Hubris and Heroism in the U.S. Senate, 1789-1990

Hernon's title is a deliberate take-off of Kennedy's Profiles in Courage. Unlike Kennedy's patriotic portrayal of various Senators, Hernon takes the position that the best-known U.S. Senators throughout history don't deserve their renown as much as some lesser-known (or completely unknown) ones who served at the same time. Each chapter of his book pairs a famous Senator with his lesser-known counterpart.

List of contents

Preface, Photographs follow page 118, Introduction, I. The Patrician Age (1789-1820), 1. "Last of the Romans": Rufus King vs. James Monroe (1789-1820), II. The National Forum (1820-1870), 2. "Samson and the Temple of Slavery": Thomas Hart Benton vs. John C. Calhoun (1820-1850), 3. Lincoln's Prime Minister: William Pitt Fessenden vs. Charles Sumner (1850-1865), 4. "Worthy of Plutarch": Fessenden vs. Sumner (1865-1870), III. The Rise and Fall of the Senate Oligarchy (1870-1940), 5. "Try Justice": George Frisbie Hoar vs. John Sherman (1870-1900), 6. The "Lamp of Experience" and "Bungalow Minds": Henry Cabot Lodge vs. Thomas J. Walsh (1900-1920), 7. "Senator-at-Large of the Whole American People": William E. Borah vs. George W. Norris (1920-1940), IV. The Imperial Presidency and the Supine Senate (1940-1990), 8. Shaping Pax Americana: Robert A. Taft vs. Arthur H. Vandenberg (1940-1950), 9. The "Politics of Joy" and "Uncle Strom's Cabin": Hubert H. Humphrey vs. Strom Thurmond (1950-1990), Epilogue: Virtue Misapplied: Modem Heroes in an Age of Hubris, Afterword, A Note on Sources, Notes, Index

About the author

Authored by Hernon, Joseph Martin

Summary

A take-off of Kennedy's "Profiles in Courage", which argues that the best-known US senators don't deserve their renown as much as some lesser-known ones. Over the course of ten biographical chapters, this book tells the story of 16 men's lives in the Senate in relation to each other.

Product details

• Authors: Joseph Martin Hernon, Hernon Joseph Martin
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.10.1996
• EAN: 9781563249372
• ISBN: 978-1-56324-937-2
• No. of pages: 320
• Weight: 453 g
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History; Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political administration; USA, Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, 20th Century, 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000, HISTORY / United States / 20th Century, HISTORY / United States / 19th Century, POLITICAL SCIENCE / American Government / National, c 1800 to c 1900, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, 20th century, c 1900 to c 1999, 18th century, c 1700 to c 1799, United States of America, USA, History of the Americas, Central / national / federal government, C 1700 To C 1800, Central government