Customer Reviews

John McCain: An American Odyssey

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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.

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.

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.

Written at a time when John McCain was preparing for a presidential run in 2000, this book can hardly considered up to date. Nevertheless, it paints a useful picture of the man who figures to be the Republican standard bearer in 2008. If a better biography (leaving aside McCain's memoir) is available, I am not aware of it.

"An American Odyssey" is by journalist Robert Timberg (Baltimore Sun), also a graduate of the Naval Academy but in a more recent year. The portrayal of McCain is sympathetic - military tradition of his family, distinguished service record, heroism as a prisoner of war, passion for doing what he thinks right. No wonder that so many people who crossed paths with McCain remember him with affection and respect.

This is not a puff piece, however, and many incidents are related that show McCain in a less than a flattering light - disrespectful of authority, impulsive, lacking a clear sense of direction. I found this aspect of the book invaluable, as it provides a basis for evaluating the character flaws (terrible temper, broken by North Vietnamese captors, etc.) that critics have attributed to McCain.

Timberg's conclusion: here is a man with flaws, no "early bloomer" for sure, but when the chips were down he did far better than most of us would have done. Crucially, McCain emerged from the dark days of the Vietnam War with a determination to look ahead rather than wasting the rest of his life in anger and regret.

My recommendation: read the book and decide whether you agree.

I read this book before McCain withdrew from the Presidential race. Though there was some "selling of the candidate," I found the book to be mainly quite objective. I wish I could feel so informed about all candidates and will try in the future to read biographies before I vote. I now see that as my responsibility.

What more can be said? John McCain makes me proud to be an American.

Margaret Marshall Rhyne, Remembering Alexis, Finding Perspective in Love and Loss

I first became acquainted with John McCain upon reading a December 1982 Reader's Digest article entitled "Joyful and Triumphant" which of course is from the Christmas Hymn "O, Come all ye Faithful". He wrote about a Christmas service which he led, (Bud Day nominated him chaplain for the evening), for the two dozen American prisoners gathered together for a Christmas eve service in Hanoi, Vietnam. I have the entire article somewhere in my apartment which I've saved all these years. I've followed his career all these years, and he's never disappointed me. Would have voted for him in 2000 even when I considered myself a diehard Democrat. I'm an Independent now.

This book is a great one to start with if you know absolutely nothing about Senator John McCain. The author is a former marine who did a tour in Vietnam in 1966-1967. He first wrote this book in the 90's, some years before Senator McCain started his first bid for the Presidency. I had many laughs reading this book, particularly when I found out what "IHTFP", the title of one of his chapters, stood for. Students at the Naval Academy used this anacronym when referring to their school . It stands for "I hate the f'in place!" I also got a laugh reading about a slip of the tongue McCain had when campaigning for his Arizona Senate seat early in his senate career. He referred to an Arizona retirement community as "Seizure World" instead of Leisure World. He is probably THE ONLY person in U.S. history to get away with such a gaffe and still win an election!

I will continue to hunt for that Reader's Digest article; I have it on hand somewhere-don't throw stuff like that away. For years I had it in my bible along with other articles, poems, mementos. One year, on reformation day or all Saint's day, November 1, I removed them from my bible in what I thought at the time was a symbolic gesture! That article can also be found "The best of Christmas in my heart" by Joe Wheeler which came out a year ago.

I also haven't trashed an email I got a year or so ago from another Naval Academy grad, Roger Staubach, also a McCain 2008 supporter. (My mother was the HUGEST Dallas Cowboys fan, Tom Landry fan, Roger Staubach fan, for decades, when they were losing, long before they'd even come close to winning a super bowl)!

He may be Arizona's Senator, but I claim him too. I think this country will be sorry that he didn't get elected to the most powerful country in the world. That's what I predict. Mark my words.

This is a book which i have had on my bookshelf for 5 years, and have not read until this past month. Mccain is the man i will vote for president, so it was about time i read. It is not a great literary read however i have learned much about this man and my respect for him has grown. Of course since this book was written in advance of his 2000 campaign I would reccomend one of his more updated books.

McCain is a bon vivant. He likes the booze. He loves to conquer women. He does not work. He is the grand-son and the son of the U.S. Navy amirals. In short, Robert Timberg gives us a portrait of a spoiled child, very proud of himself, very egocentric.

Just the Vietnam War. At the 3rd exit, he was sent down when he bombed a radar station in Hanoi, in the city. Of the civilian casualties, he doens not care. He manages to propel his zing and falls into a swamp where he almost drowned himself. Vietnamese people rush and save his life! Lead at the edge of the marsh, he is beaten and only the intervention of a man saved the life of someone who few minutes ago could have died by the bombing of this soldier. No thanks ever came from him.

Then the man showed some courage, refusing to be freed despite multiple fractures, very badly treated, which he suffered during his crash. He is tortured. He is resistant to a certain extent. 5 years and a half. That is a lot to endure.

Then, back home, he finds that his wife following a car accident, is disabled. He plate some time later a young blonde woman, from whom, as the biographer swears, McCain was attracted only for her beauty and not for her money (rich heiress).

Stroke of luck, after his military career (22 years) he started in politics in Arizona, which he did not know and won only thanks to his charms (and probably also through the wealth and interpersonal bonds of his step-family). As a true believer in the republican way of life, he is also an admirer of Reagan.

His vision of the world is as rich as that of Mickey. His positions on Serbia and Kosovo have the same simplicity of the ones that Kouchner, the French Foreign Affairs minister, who is by all standards a winner in Europe in the competition of fatal errors. In Iraq, he is an advocate of the stronger commitment of the United States because he believes in the victory ...

Such ordinary guy is really uncommon. This biography is boneless. Politics is all show-off. Nothing disturbs the liberal doctrine, suicidal, anti-social, depleted, McCain. Are we near the end of the show ?

An especially revealing passage indicates that McCain does not practice what he preaches, hardly a surprise. While he supposedly now supports abstinence education and favors the repeal of Roe v. Wade, previously he supported legalized abortion and clearly does not practice abstinence, by his own admission in this book (his last nite in Rio). Wake up and don't fall for this power-hungry septagenarian. America can do better.