Customer Reviews

Hard Call: Great Decisions and the Extraordinary People Who Made Them

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4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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!!

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!

As a big fan of John McCain and one who purchased several copies (signed in person by Senator McCain) of his book, "Character Is Destiny", I took this book home and could not wait to open its covers and delve into another fine McCain piece. I was so disappointed. I closed the covers of the book and doubt I will struggle with it again anytime soon. I found the writing boring and repetitive. It seems that it takes paragraphs to make the point that could be made with one or two well crafted sentences. The characters are not fully developed; they all seem similar as viewed through the two authors' lenses.

What bothered me most about this book is that each individual depicted in the book is written about in the same, clinical and wordy style. I also found the approach of dissecting each depicted individual's decision process by trying to isolate and examine only one dimension of the decision process - "Awareness" for example - to be a limiting approach in helping the reader try to understand the dimensions of the decision process as it applies to decision-making with much at risk.

Frankly, I found this book boring, in my opinion.

McCain's book, moreso than that of other politicians, does give you a feel for how he would be as a president. His view of what is a hard call is very relevant.
I do have a quibble in that early on he criticizes the faulty intelligence leading to the Iraq war, then closes the Niebuhr/Bonhoffer chapter under "Humility" with the suggestion they would possibly back the
Iraq war today.
But it does have a variety of history of an era that I lived through but did not pick up on during my childhood, and does give a view of the man.

"I cannot offer a several-step, how-to-make-a-great-decision plan for beginners," Senator John McCain writes in the introduction to his latest book, admitting that he would be hard-pressed to describe how he comes to his own decisions. But he finds enough examples in others to present an inspirational collection.

With HARD CALL, McCain and Mark Salter stake their claim as authors of the 21st-century version of John F. Kennedy's PROFILES IN COURAGE. They offer 20 courageous men and women who made a difference in the world, either by their actions or their philosophies.

McCain, a former POW during the Vietnam War, is a credible participant in this project. He understands where many of these people are coming from. The authors divide the "profiles" into six general categories --- awareness, foresight, timing, confidence, humility and inspiration --- but these qualities seem interchangeable. Each subject is admirable, though some seem more "risk-taking" than others. Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat are hailed under "Timing" for brokering peace between Israel and Egypt, but the story could just as easily be played into "Foresight."

The selection chosen to lead off the book is startling, relatively speaking, as it focuses on Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey as they collaborated to break organized baseball's odious color line. (In a later chapter, President Harry S. Truman is similarly hailed for his decision to integrate the U.S. armed forces.) The pioneering ballplayer took the challenge at great personal risk, not only for himself, but for the entire African-American community.

Despite its sociological implications, such an accomplishment might seem low on the scale of globe-altering events faced by Winston Churchill, General Douglas McArthur, or the aforementioned Begin and Sadat. Then again, some readers might also raise an eyebrow over the inclusion of Alexander Graham Bell, who changed the way we communicate; King Camp Gillette, who revolutionized men's grooming; and William McPherson Allen, founder of Boeing Airlines, another forward thinker. Their achievements might be taken for granted, but would we recognize a world without their contributions?

Some of the subjects are household names, recognized as leaders in their fields. Others might be less well known, but their contributions are no less important, such as Gertrude Caroline Ederle, who, like Robinson, broke the barrier that precluded women from competing in sports; and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, an African American who became enmeshed in the battle against the repressive Liberian leader Samuel K. Doe.

McCain also pays respects to the likes of Gerald R. Ford, for his decision to pardon Richard Nixon; Alexander Solzhenitsyn, for bringing attention to the plight of Russian dissidents; and Robert Gould Shaw, who created the Second Massachusetts Regiment, the first all-black fighting unit in the Civil War.

--- Reviewed by Ron Kaplan

So good, I wanted to share with my four grandsons by sending each his own personal copy with a note from Grandpa.

"Hard Call" isn't just a book by a politician to advance his career. It's a powerful work that can help anyone make better decisions in his or her own life. John McCain, with the help of Mark Salter, discusses a number of factors that should be considered when evaluating a decision, and what he thinks are the most important ingredients in making the best choices for ourselves and for others. I was greatly impressed by the degree to which he has considered this question. Whether one agrees with his decisions or not, it is certainly praiseworthy that he has invested this much energy into considering the art of decision-making. His intellect and his analytical powers are extraordinary. I also appreciated the wide variety of people, male and female, whom he uses as examples of fine or not-so-fine decision-makers. There are examples from politics and the military, as we might expect, but also from such areas as the sports world, science, and retail. The book is excellently researched and certainly educational. McCain even discusses decisions he himself has made that he considers flawed, and the lessons he learned from them. In addition, I enjoyed the flow of the writing style. This is a book that will stay with you for a long time.

With all of the biased coverage of news these days, it is important to find information to give balance to the whole picture. This book, with its choices of material, is an excellent example of what a person needs to read to help form opinions and delve through all of the "stuff" that bombards us daily. Add it to your list of "must reads" today, and enjoy it all!

John McCain's "Hard Call: The Art of Great Decisions" reveals the essential character qualities required to make the "Hard Call" by retelling stories of great decision makers, past and present. I learned many new things about the character of people like Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, Abe Lincoln, and many others. As McCain illuminates the character qualities each of these people displayed in their great decisions, we get a glimpse at the character of the author as well.