Faith of My Fathers, John McCain
Faith of My Fathers, John McCain
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Faith of My Fathers

Author: John McCain, Mark Salter

Narrator: John McCain

Abridged: 4 hr 50 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/26/2008


Synopsis

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.

About The Author

Senator John McCain entered the Naval Academy in June of 1954. He served in the United States Navy until 1981. He was elected to the US House of Representatives from Arizona in 1982 and to the Senate in 1986. He was the Republican Party’s nominee for president in the 2008 election.Mark Salter is the author, with John McCain, of several books, including Thirteen Soldiers and Faith of My Fathers. He served on Senator McCain’s staff for more than fifteen years.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jean on June 14, 2018

Before reading John McCain’s new book “The Restless Wave”, I decided to reread his book “Faith of My Fathers”. I originally read this book in 2009. I am glad I reviewed McCain’s life considering his cancer and the politics of the day. In “Faith of My Fathers” McCain reviews his early life and tells a......more

Goodreads review by aPriL does feral sometimes on August 25, 2018

Edit August 25, 2018 RIP Edit July 20, 2017: Yesterday it was announced that John McCain had a cancerous brain tumor surgically removed. I am very sad. I had read his memoir a few months ago and I have the greatest admiration for Senator McCain because of his service and sacrifices for his country.......more

Goodreads review by Philip on January 13, 2009

This book reminded me about everything I love and hate about patriotism. Although it initially dragged, (and I mean really dragged) McCain's stories of his internment in Vietnam along with his father's stories of being in a submarine while the Japanese were dropping depth charges were fascinating. B......more

Goodreads review by Jessica on September 19, 2008

Wow! I loved this book so much. John McCain is a great storyteller and he has many too tell. It was a fascinating and educational read, full of ups and downs. The things he indured throughout his navy carrier and as a POW are amazing and make me so proud of all those who serve our country. He has ha......more

Goodreads review by Michael on October 04, 2019

The memoir Faith of My Fathers by John McCain and Mark Salter is an incredibly moving and important story. It provides an extremely detailed view into McCain’s experiences throughout the Vietnam War. This book made me wish that one day war will be irrelevant and all the atrocities that come with it w......more


Quotes

"The most engrossing book to appear in a long time from a presidential candidate....McCain's memoir is too good to be dismissed as simply another campaign book. It is a serious, utterly gripping account of faith, fathers, and the military."
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Faith of My Fathers may also appeal to those who flocked to Saving Private Ryan and kept Brokaw's The Greatest Generation near the top of the bestseller lists." —Library Journal

"Faith of My Fathers is the powerful story of a war hero. In it we learn much of what matters most. As prisoner (and later Senator) McCain instructs us: Glory is not an end in itself, but rather a reward for valor and faith. And the greatest freedom and human fulfillment comes from engaging in a noble enterprise larger than oneself. Faith of My Fathers teaches deep truths that are valid in any age but that warrant special attention in our own." —William J. Bennett
                
"Faith of My Fathers is a gripping story of character and courage: character passed down from generation to generation by sterling examples of family bonds and devotion to duty; courage that ultimately comes from within, as John McCain learned in the brutual prison camps of North Vietnam. This is a sobering and glorious book that you won't be able to put down." —General Colin L. Powell (retired)

"A candid, moving, and entertaining memoir...Impressive and inspiring, the story of a man touched and molded by fire, who loved and served his country in a time of great trouble, suffering, and challenge."
—Kirkus Reviews