Courage Is Contagious

Courage Is Contagious is a 1998 book by Ohio Governor (then-Representative) John Kasich.

Courage Is Contagious is often compared to the 1957 book Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy, then a United States Senator planning to run for president, profiled acts of political heroism by eight United States Senators.^[1] Kasich wrote Courage Is Contagious as a United States Representative contemplating running for the Presidency, which he did in the early Republican Party presidential primaries, 2000.^[1][2] In contrast with Kennedy's book, Kasich's book describes the lives of ordinary Americans who perform extraordinary feats of public service.^[1]

Kasich says that he wrote the book after being asked by a conservative think tank to write a book about government budgets but decided to write a more inspirational book instead.^[3] The book highlights the surging popularity of volunteering in charitable and civic improvement activities of all kinds.^[4][5]

Royalties from the book were donated to fund the work of the men and women who Kasich had profiled.^[6]

Courage Is Contagious was a New York Times bestseller in November and December 1998.^{[7][8][9][10]}