John McCain: An American Odyssey (Paperback)

~ (Author) "As a teenager, John McCain didn't talk much about the Navy, but when he did it was evident that he understood he was the inheritor..." (more)
Key Phrases: North Vietnamese, Jay Smith, Ronald Reagan (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If, as you're reading John McCain: An American Odyssey, you feel a sense of déjà vu, don't be alarmed--you may very well have read this book before. Robert Timberg has extracted from his 1995 book The Nightingale's Song, which dealt with several Naval Academy graduates who went on to serve in Vietnam, those passages that involved Senator John McCain, a candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2000 presidential elections. To this Timberg has added some new, updated material.

Roughly half of this story is covered in McCain's own memoir, Faith of My Fathers, including McCain's early military career and an internment in a North Vietnamese POW camp that lasted nearly six years. But it's presented here from an objective, journalistic perspective (and Timberg's own stint at Annapolis informs the sections on the Naval Academy immeasurably). But there's also strong material on McCain's political career, from his first campaigns in Arizona through the dark days of his involvement in the "Keating Five" scandal of the early '90s up to his role in 1999 as a critic of American involvement in the NATO attack on Serbia (which, McCain said, wasn't strong enough).

From Booklist

To buy or not to buy: that is the question. Librarians may recall Timberg's The Nightingale's Song (1995), which took a nuanced look at the U.S. Naval Academy and its role in American life by examining the careers of five graduates: McCain; Iran-contra figures Oliver North, John Poindexter, and Bud McFarlane; and novelist and former navy secretary James Webb. In this volume, the author draws on his earlier McCain research but adds "new chapters on McCain's boyhood and youth, on the Keating Five scandal, and on the years since that ordeal ended," as well as a recast Prologue and a new Epilogue. Timberg, himself an Academy graduate, was White House correspondent for the Baltimore Sun during the Reagan administration; he is now deputy chief of that paper's Washington bureau. Where interest in the Arizona senator's presidential candidacy is strong, this focused volume may be popular, especially because McCain's own recent work (Faith of My Fathers ) covers only the military careers of the senator and his father and grandfather. Mary Carroll

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Fireside (August 17, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 068486794X
• ISBN-13: 978-0684867946
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #947,779 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A riveting book about a true American hero, September 6, 1999

By A Customer

It is quite refreshing to read a biography of a political figure who hasn't been involved in a sex scandal and is truly an American hero. In this day and age we apply this tag to public figures from rap stars to baseball players, when none have accomplished or endured anything along the lines of John McCain. Timberg chronicles the senator's life from his roudy days in high school to his five and a half year imprisonment in a Vietnamese POW camp, all the way to his election as a Congressman, senator, and presidential candidacy. Facing numerous challenges, the largest of those being the years of torture and abuse at the hands of his captors, McCain manages to overcome the spectre of both his father and grandfather being four star admirals and carves out his own niche while maintaning individuality, integrity, and a deep sense of personal responsibility. Timberg graphically describes the events which transpired during his years in Vietnam, the horrendous conditions, and McCain's steadfast desire to not be given any preferrential treatment. The book is also filled with hilarious anecdotes along with many observations from Timberg himself regarding McCain's involvement in Vietnam, the Naval Academy, and involvement in the Keating Five scandal. A somewhat biased book, but a great book nonetheless on a truly remarkable American figure who could very well end up as our next president.

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A solid introduction to an intriguing man, February 1, 2000

By	Todd Weiner (Gambier, OH) - See all my reviews

Love him or hate him, John McCain is one of the most interesting and provocative public figures in America today. This book, by Robert Timberg, does a nice job of introducing McCain to the voting public, much of which knows little about this presidential candidate. Timberg's book is short - you can read it in a day - but it is surprisingly deep and well-researched. Timberg's judgement of McCain is positive, although not gushy. You will come away from this book not only with a better understanding of Senator McCain but a better appreciation of his positive impact on our country.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars John McCain: An American Odyssey, December 17, 1999

By	Gregory J. Scougall "gscougall" (Belchertown, MA) - See all my reviews

An excellent objective account of John McCain. I was looking for as unbiased book on this presidential hopeful as possible. I found it in this book. Although somewhat biased myself, I appreciated the candid remarks about his renegade attitude and well publicized short temper. I firmly believe that this book will help one form his/her own opinion of McCain rather than attempt to lead you in one direction or another. If nothing else, after reading this book, you will surely walk away with an appreciation if not admiration for what John McCain went through as a 5 1/2 year POW in Viet Nam.