"Courage," Winston Churchill explained, is "the first of human qualities . . . because it guarantees all the others." As a naval officer, P.O.W., and one of America's most admired political leaders, John McCain has seen countless acts of bravery and self-sacrifice. Now, in this inspiring meditation on courage, he shares his most cherished stories of ordinary individuals who have risked everything to defend the people and principles they hold most dear. "We are taught to understand, correctly, that courage is not the absence of fear but the capacity for action despite our fears," McCain reminds us, as a way of introducing the stories of figures both famous and obscure that he finds most compelling--from the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to Sgt. Roy Benavidez, who ignored his own well-being to rescue eight of his men from an ambush in the Vietnam jungle; from 1960s civil rights leader John Lewis, who wrote, "When I care about something, I'm prepared to take the long, hard road," to Hannah Senesh, who, in protecting her comrades in the Hungarian resistance against Hitler's SS, chose a martyr's death over a despot's mercy. These are some of the examples McCain turns to for inspiration and offers to others to help them summon the resolve to be both good and great. He explains the value of courage in both everyday actions and extraordinary feats. We learn why moral principles and physical courage are often not distinct quantities but two sides of the same coin. Most of all, readers discover how sometimes simply setting the right example can be the ultimate act of courage. Written by one of our most respected public figures, Why Courage Matters is that rare book with a message both timely and timeless. This is a work for anyone seeking to understand how the mystery and gift of courage can empower us and change our lives. From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Courage, And Politics:
"Why Courage Matters" is the thoughts of a hero on what courage is and how each of us can exhibit it. Author John McCain begins with his views of problems which arise in every day life when courage is lacking. He defines what is and what is not courage and cautions against watering it down to include things which are not really courageous. He expounds on the types of courage, including moral and physical. Most of the book consists of the stories of courageous individuals. Some came from World War II,... more info
Read it and weep for your country:
McCain's book is not original, but the technique is sound. The technique is to show good examples to follow. McCain won't be the next President. That is unfortunate. The book shows the character of the man, which is of an honorable and decent man. This is going out of style, which is more a reflection of this country than upon McCain himself. He fought the good fight, no need for regrets. I don't agree with him on important matters, but there is no question about his loyalty to his country. JFK's... more info
Surprising tidbits about McCain's colorful past!:
I was hesitant at first to read a book that I thought might be critical of war hero John McCain. I mean, there are things in McCain's past (agoraphobia, divorcing his first wife, extramarital affairs, substandard hygiene) that should be left alone. But after the initial shock of these wore off, I was treated to many insider moments...McCain suprising wife cindy with three fur coats, McCain treating daughter Meghan to a $500,000 shopping spree at Tiffany's, McCain buying himself the red Ferrarri he always... more info
Courage to whip his supporters into patriotic frenzy:
Like everyone else who talks about him, I have the greatest respect for what McCain did for his country 40 years ago. He is a man of great honor and bravery and blah-di-blah-di-blah. He, and his equally bold running mate Sara Palin have shown great courage recently during their campaign rallies when they bravely spew their completely false yet necessary statements about Obama's un-American and terrorist-like activities to their deeply patriotic and extremely well informed supporters. As this wonderful... more info
