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Faith of My Fathers (Random House Large Print (Hardcover)) | 
 enlarge | Author: John Mccain
Publisher: Random House Large Print
Category: Book
List Price: $25.00
Buy Used: $9.57
You Save: $15.43 (62%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  205 reviews
Sales Rank: 119028
Format: Large Print
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 560
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 9.7 x 6.6 x 1.7
ISBN: 0375408479
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.90922
EAN: 9780375408472
ASIN: 0375408479
Publication Date: September 7, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Cover as pictured, clean text, minor cover wear, otherwise very good condition. Media mail only (usually 4-14 business days, but occasionally may require up to twenty-five business days). 801
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Books by politicians are not often worth reading, but John McCain's Faith of My Fathers is an astonishing exception to the rule. The Republican senator from Arizona has a remarkable story to tell--better than just about any of his peers--and he tells it well, with crisp prose and an unexpected sense for narrative pacing. The first half of the book concerns his naval forbears: his grandfather commanded an aircraft carrier in the Second World War, while his father presided over all naval forces in the Pacific during the Vietnam War. They were the first father-son admirals in American history. Young John McCain knew he had enormous shoes to fill and rebelled against many of the expectations set for him. At the Naval Academy, he was nearly expelled, graduating fifth from the bottom of his class. He never became an admiral, but achieved fame another way: as a naval aviator in 1967, he was shot down over North Vietnam and spent several years in POW camps, where he was beaten, tortured, and nearly allowed to die. McCain describes the awful details of his imprisonment and tells how he stayed mentally strong during seemingly endless months of solitary confinement and how he communicated in code with fellow captives. Faith of My Fathers concludes with McCain's release and contains no information about his subsequent political career. It is, nonetheless, a complete and compelling memoir of individual heroism--one that will interest both political and military history buffs. --John J. Miller
Product Description
John McCain is one of the most admired leaders in the United States government, but his deeply felt memoir of family and war is not a political one and ends before his election to Congress. With candor and ennobling power, McCain tells a story that, in the words of Newsweek, "makes the other presidential candidates look like pygmies."
John McCain learned about life and honor from his grandfather and father, both four-star admirals in the U.S. Navy. This is a memoir about their lives, their heroism, and the ways that sons are shaped and enriched by their fathers.
John McCain's grandfather was a gaunt, hawk-faced man known as Slew by his fellow officers and, affectionately, as Popeye by the sailors who served under him. McCain Sr. played the horses, drank bourbon and water, and rolled his own cigarettes with one hand. More significant, he was one of the navy's greatest commanders, and led the strongest aircraft carrier force of the Third Fleet in key battles during World War II.
John McCain's father followed a similar path, equally distinguished by heroic service in the navy, as a submarine commander during World War II. McCain Jr. was a slightly built man, but like his father, he earned the respect and affection of his men. He, too, rose to the rank of four-star admiral, making the McCains the first family in American history to achieve that distinction. McCain Jr.'s final assignment was as commander of all U.S. forces in the Pacific during the Vietnam War.
It was in the Vietnam War that John McCain III faced the most difficult challenge of his life. A naval aviator, he was shot down over Hanoi in 1967 and seriously injured. When Vietnamese military officers realized he was the son of a top commander, they offered McCain early release in an effort to embarrass the United States. Acting from a sense of honor taught him by his father and the U.S. Naval Academy, McCain refused the offer. He was tortured, held in solitary confinement, and imprisoned for five and a half years.
Faith of My Fathers is about what McCain learned from his grandfather and father, and how their example enabled him to survive those hard years. It is a story of three imperfect men who faced adversity and emerged with their honor intact. Ultimately, Faith of My Fathers shows us, with great feeling and appreciation, what fathers give to their sons, and what endures.
Download Description
This deeply felt memoir by one of this country's most admired leaders tells the story of three generations of an American military family. The grandson and son of two of the U.S. Navy's most revered commanders, Senator John McCain shows how this legacy of military service and courage helped prepare him for the biggest challenge of his life when, as a naval aviator, he was shot down over Hanoi in 1967 and seriously injured. When his captors realized McCain's identity, they offered him early release. In what has now become a legendary act of heroism, McCain refused the offer and was subsequently tortured, held in solitary confinement, and imprisoned for more than five years.Faith of My Fathers is about what McCain learned from his father and grandfather, and how their example enabled him to survive. Told with humility, grace, and humor, it is a story of three imperfect men who faced adversity and emerged with their honor intact. It is a story to inspire and instruct, one that shows what fathers give to their sons, and what, ultimately, endures.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 200 more reviews...
 Service to your country. September 3, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was impressed with John McCain's life, and his service to his country. His life is a shinning example of courage and honor. My life by contrast is more self serving. It was something for me to think about while reading this book.
McCain's father and grandfather were in the military and were role models for him. John's mother, who is still alive is also a role model for him as well. I believe John gets his social skills from his mom, who can be quite charming. McCain makes friends easily.
I enjoyed his sense of humor and his willingness to admit his mistakes.
The time he spent as a POW was suspenseful. It was gut wrenching to read about torture and the inhumane conditions in prison. The small acts of kindness between the other POW's were touching.
It was interesting to learn about Vietnam from Senator McCain. For instance the fedreal government and the military had different viewpoints on how to fight this war. McCain explains briefly how President Johnson, and how President Nixon handled the war.McCain's father helped led the war effort in Asian, so McCain has some in side information.
The book was well written. I was disappointed that it ended so abruptly.
He came home from Vietnam when he was thirty eight, but didn't write about his adjustment to civilian life or his time in the senate. I wonder if this book was written after he decided to run for president? The first edition was published in 1999.
Perhaps John McCain will write another book, and hopefully I can find ways to be more of service to others.
Story of a family of true American patriots September 2, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I am not 100% behind McCain's politics. I think he is a great American but a terrible Republican. Though I admit, his character amazes me. He has suffered so much and has done a lot for the United States. His father and grand fathers have done a lot for the country and haven't asked for much. I am amazed. This book is also a lot about American military since Sen McCain comes from a remarkable family with a long history of military involvement. When I think of his daily beatings at the hands of N. Vietnamese, it makes me support him more than ever. He's a true hero while his opponent is a zero. Put a Liberal in Hanoi Hilton for 48 hours and see how they would act. I am not sure if a Leftie could endure as much as a purpose driven, faithful and strong Conservative like McCain did. I salute Senator McCain and wish him success in this campaign. This book is highly recommended to every one especially young people.
Heroism at its best August 17, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
I was moved to tears while reading this book. This is a man that loved his country so much he suffered many years of physical, medical, and psychological torture at the hands of the enemy, even when they asked him if he wanted to be released. He put his fellow POW's first as well as his country. Certainly a better fit for commander-in-chief than any other candidate. Slow moving at first, but interesting just the same. He is a genuine patriot!!!!
 THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND August 17, 2008
2 out of 14 found this review helpful
No doubt, McCain will go about the usual business of feverishly "sacrificing" Americans at the black altar of an immoderate patriotism. McCain recounts how his father oversaw the U.S. Pacific Command during Vietnam, a war supposedly fought to stop the domino effect of communism in the east. Yet in his campaign, McCain maintains that "the Cold War was won without firing a shot." Tell that to the millions of dead Vietnamese. Tell that to the 700,000 people slaughtered in Indonesia in 1965 at the hands of the U.S.-backed, anti-Soviet dictator Suharto. Tell that to the dead in Afghanistan, Nicaragua, and the long list of "third world" countries that the two empires used as proxy war zones. The faith of McCain's fathers was a dark faith full of deception, mass murder, and hypocrisy. Witness Walter Bedell Smith writing to Dwight D. Eisenhower, confessing the nation's fundamental duplicity at the end of WWII: "The difficulty under which we labor is that in spite of our announced position, we really do not want nor intend to accept German unification" (December 10, 1947). Here's another faithful patriot confessing the deepest guilt imaginable: "the use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender...In being the first to use it, we adopted an ethical standard common to the barbarians of the Dark Ages...Wars should not be won by destroying women and children (Admiral William D. Leahy, "I Was There: The Personal Story of the Chief of Staff to Presidents Roosevelt and Truman," p. 441. Aside from having been chief of staff to both presidents, Leahy, a five star admiral, presided over the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Combined American-British Chiefs of Staff). President Dwight D. Eisenhower himself confessed America's secret guilt: "Japan was already defeated. Dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary..I thought that our country should avoid shocking world opinion by the use of a weapon whose employment was, I thought, no longer mandatory as a measure to save American lives. Japan was, at that very moment, seeking some way to surrender with a minimum loss of 'face'" (Dwight D. Eisenhower, "Mandate for Change," pp.312-13). Of course, even if we discount all the newly revealed evidence (as compiled by, for example, Carolyn Eisenberg and Gar Alperovitz) and retain the standard, politically correct version (the version provided to the American troops and public), it remains a martial abomination to destroy women and children -- indeed, in the tens of thousands -- for the sake of soldiers. In either case, to hide behind the word "faith" is an insult to all that is fair and just. As for authorship, it looks like the old man did the talking, Mr. Salter the writing.
New Insight into John McCain August 9, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I found the first four chapters a bit boring because I was looking for more about McCain. However, as I got into it further, I realized the need for this background. I see the importance of the connections he felt with his parents, grandparents, other people as the events in the "Hanoi Hilton" unfolded and what these connections meant to fellow POW's as well as to us today. He is a true hero who puts his country and his fellow citizens above self-interest. He gives credit to many other people. He has a pattern of serving interests larger than just his self-interests. We don't need to be told. We see this in action.
I found that several emails circulating around the internet are true: support from a POW named Day, the secretive Christian encouragement, a kindness from a guard, etc. The horrors are un-nerving. How many young people today think of the Hogan's Heroes image of prison camps!
When I got to the part about John McCain in Vietnam, I could not put the book down. We see rather than are told about the importance of faith in God, family and friends, and country. He isn't a hero just because of his suffering. He is a hero because of the way he handles life and the way he connects to people!
They say one measure of character is to look at what makes the person angry. Is it petty things or important things? He has had cause to be angry about things which he feels are hurtful to our country! Even in his worst temptations, he didn't say "God damn America." He never was inspired by people who wanted to do harm to the USA.
He was not my first choice in the primaries, but now I feel secure and hopeful in voting for him. This is not just influenced by the book but this book and other books about him have helped. I've also been helped by watching him in town hall meetings, getting more understanding about his not voting for something that sounded good except for "bad strings" attached to the bill, etc.
I appreciate the insight this book provided. In spite of the seriousness of this book, there are some parts which are very funny.
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