Hard Call: The Art of Great Decisions [Paperback]

John McCain (Author), Mark Salter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 29, 2008

In Hard Call, acclaimed authors John McCain and Mark Salter describe the anatomy of great decisions in history by telling the remarkable stories of men and women who have exemplified composure, wisdom, and intellect in the face of life's toughest decisions. The authors identify six qualities typically represented in the best decisions: Awareness. Timing. Foresight. Confidence. Humility. Inspiration. These qualities are personified by the exceptional individuals in this book, each of whom made a hard call:

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  Branch Rickey's awareness of the opposition he would face in integrating the Brooklyn Dodgers, and his sagacity in choosing the right man, Jackie Robinson, to break baseball's color barrier.


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  Winston Churchill's foresight in preparing England's Navy for war.


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  Anwar Sadat's and Menachem Begin's timing in choosing to risk their lives and political careers by seeking peace in the aftermath of war.


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  Gertrude Ederle's confidence in deciding to swim the English Channel - and her fortitude in continuing the quest against the wishes of her coach, despite the fact that no woman had ever succeeded.


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  Reinhold Niebuhr's humility in deciding to abandon his pacifist views and endorse the use of violence against persecution in Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.


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  Abraham Lincoln's historic act of inspiration: His decision to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, the role of faith in his life, and his willingness to suffer for a cause greater than himself.

Woven into these stories are John McCain's own views on the process and art of decision-making and examples of the hard calls we face in our lives. "When I assess a decision," McCain writes, "I want to know all I can about the character of the decision maker before I examine the properties of the decision, its outcome or how it was arrived at."

Hard Call is a testament to the people whose choices serve as a beacon for us all.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As he faces down the perplexing issues of war in Iraq and immigration reform at home, it's fitting that Arizona senator McCain, a contender for the 2008 Republican presidential bid, would spend time reflecting on principled stands that either "win a hero's welcome or indefinite pain and suffering." McCain and co-author Salter follow the blueprint of their previous book, Why Courage Matters, to provide readers with a series of character-as-history profiles of the men and women who shaped seminal moments in 20th century political and cultural history, from the integration of professional baseball to the pardoning of Richard Nixon to the end of the Cold War, as well as seemingly trivial accomplishments like the invention of the disposable razor ("Sell the shave, not the razor"). Throughout, an insider's view provides keen insight on the caprices of history and more than a few echoes of current events, most importantly the interplay between personal experience and national destiny. Meticulously crafted, this collection will appeal to those who respect McCain's reputation as a maverick for whom "faith and courage" ranks among the most important forces in human history.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Much admired for his integrity, McCain offers profiles of individuals who have been confronted with difficult situations and made heroic choices. He begins Bud Day, an air force major who escaped captivity in Vietnam in 1967 only to be recaptured and help others—including McCain—survive. McCain details the qualities represented in making the hard calls in life: awareness, foresight, timing, confidence, humility, and inspiration. The most important part of the equation is self-awareness, and McCain recalls how his own lack of self-awareness caused him to be captured in Vietnam. In separate chapters, he explores each of those qualities and provides examples of people who exemplify them. Branch Rickey, who broke the color barrier in American baseball by hiring Jackie Robinson, is profiled for his awareness of the pernicious impact of racism. Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, the former pacifist, who turned his considerable intellect to support World War II, is profiled for his humility in recognizing the paradox of war in the context of moral responsibility. McCain also cites former President Gerald Ford for his humility in showing mercy for disgraced President Nixon and pardoning him, at great political cost. Among the inspirational profiles are Apollo II mission commander Neil Armstrong and Captain Robert Gould Shaw, who commanded the all-black Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Infantry during the Civil War. McCain and cowriter Salter treat all of those profiled in great detail, providing the historical context for their hard calls. Bush, Vanessa --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Twelve; 1st. TRADE EDITION edition (February 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044669911X
• ISBN-13: 978-0446699112
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1.5 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,147,951 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Once Again A Good McCain Book, August 21, 2007

By 

Notnadia (Currently upstairs.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hard Call: Great Decisions and the Extraordinary People Who Made Them (Hardcover)

Yes, I know it probably serves his political career to co-write the books he does, but this is the second time I've read one of McCain's collaborations (the other was Character Is Destiny) and once again I'm impressed by what I read. Be assured that nowhere in Hard Call is there a divisive political message; no place is there anything that could be called a clear-cut campaign commercial for McCain `08. What McCain and Salter have done is celebrate acts of personal courage on behalf of figures from recent and more distant history, and they've done it in an inspiring way. Once upon a time stories like these were known to Americans great and small and were the cornerstone of civics classes mandatory at virtually all schools in America, but no longer: and our culture is the worse for that. Telling tales of peacemakers who risked it all, and warriors who saved democracy, of capitalists whose actions benefited millions, to inventors who stood true to idealistic dreams in the face of scorn, these authors have given us examples of occasions when individualism and tenacity combined with sheer bravery to achieve what was best, and what was right. Concentrating on six qualities that constitute the best path in decision making, and emphasizing each in due course, McCain and Salter have given us a book that's as enjoyable to read as it is enlightening and inspiring. I hope to see it on the best seller lists for a long time to come.

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "WHAT A DIVERSE COLLECTION, OF INTERESTING, HISTORICAL FIGURES!", August 20, 2007

By 

Rick Shaq Goldstein "*SHAQ*" (Danville, Ca, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Hard Call: Great Decisions and the Extraordinary People Who Made Them (Hardcover)

For the first time in memory, the hyperbole, on the inside of the book cover jacket, was less, than actually provided in the book! The jacket preview, mentioned Branch Rickey, Jackie Robinson, Winston Churchill, Anwar Sadat, Menachem Begin, Gertrude Ederle, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Abraham Lincoln. Yet, unbelievably, there are many more, astounding, historical figures, chronicled in this poignant, absorbing, trip through history.

The author's, zero in on six qualities, that they feel influence the best decisions: Awareness, timing, foresight, confidence, humility and inspiration. Though that might be evident, in the historical situations set forth in this book, I feel, the author's, are being a bit reticent, in not openly stating, how much more information they provide, on these amazing subjects.

The book is divided into six sections. One for each of the qualities listed above. Within those sections, the individual historical characters are divided, and I purposely have not used the phrase, chapters. Because chapters wouldn't do justice, to what I personally, would call "mini-biographies".

Some of the characters not mentioned above, include: Marshall Field, Alexander Graham Bell, Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev, King Gillette, Robert Goddard, Werner von Braun, and more. The writing style is so well done, that the reader, many times, feels like he is the proverbial "fly on the wall", during worldwide, historical events. There are many amazing little tid-bits, or sidelights, to history, that add to your reading enjoyment. A few examples: Did you know that two other men had invented, what was needed to create the telephone, before Alexander Graham Bell? One didn't think it was that big a deal, and said: "While this is very interesting scientifically, it has no commercial value." And Alexander Graham Bell, beat the other inventor, to the patent office by a few hours. Did you know that by the late 1870's Western Union was the largest corporation in the country? Did you know that Russia and the United States almost committed to the abolition of all nuclear weapons, if only "ONE" word was omitted, and Russia refused! "One lousy word," Reagan later lamented. Again, there are many more, unique moments in time, capsulated to perfection, by the authors.

One other shining light, in this successfully, ambitious book, is the ability to crystalize, the epic character's, like a fine piece of shimmering jewelry, to whit:
IN DESCRIBING MENACHEM BEGIN AND ANWAR SADAT: "They were warriors who unapologetically sanctioned violence in service to their causes. They had no blooodlust, but no doubts either over decisions they had made to make war, to sacrifice human life. They neither wanted to nor could have escaped the memories of their pasts. Both men had taken risks to fight for their countries, and both men perceived in the events of their time the moments when peace became possible and when it became their responsibility to take risks to achieve it. They shared a single concern in every negotiation, every decision, every call to arms, every offer for peace: was it right for their people? They took each other's measure, and believed they could create a peace that was right for their peoples, a peace that would endure for generations born long after their striving had ended, and they themselves had found the peace of a quiet grave."

Portions of this book, such as the quote just provided, is nothing less than historical poetry. There is so much, important, educational material in this book, that a good teacher, could use it for an entire semester's class. If you're looking for a good "beach" read, this isn't your book. If you want to improve your mind, and feel like you're a part of some dramatic history, this is the book you've been hoping for!!

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Discover how the road to success is filled with potholes., February 7, 2008

By 

Bernie L. Malonson "B. Malonson" (Chandler, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hard Call: Great Decisions and the Extraordinary People Who Made Them (Hardcover)

If you are looking for insights into John McCains political leanings then you will have to look elsewhere.

If on the other hand you are looking for insight into his thought processes this is a solid read. McCain has had to make hard calls in his life, and his book emphasizes what can be learned from others who have been called upon to make hard choices.

You will find Hard Call divided into Six Major theme sections.

1. Awareness
2. Foresight
3. Timing
4. Confidence
5. Humility
6. Inspiration

Rather than giving you his version of the story in each lesson, McCain and co-author Mark Salter let you the reader come to your own conclusion.

It is a book that on first impression may seem a little thin, but in the days following you will find much to think about and reflect upon.

Cheers!