[.ca] Why Courage Matters: The Way to a Braver Life (ISBN 1400060303)

The Meaning Of Courage, From A Man Who Knows:
This extended essay on courage comes from a man who has displayed it in abundance, although not surprisingly, he seeks to deny or minimize that. Senator John McCain endured years of physical and psychological torture as a North Vietnamese prisoner of war and has gone on to display courage of a different, but no less real sort, in the political arena. McCain introduces us to a variety of people who have displayed the dimensions of courage--Medal of Honor winner Sgt. Roy Benavidez, who rescued eight of his comrades in Cambodia despite suffering grievous wounds that would leave him hospitalized for months; Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who has endured house arrest, separation from her family and other depravations in her battle to secure freedom for the peoples of Burma; civil rights leader John Lewis; a Baltimore mother who paid the ultimate price for fighting the drug dealers in her neighborhood; and others, both famous and obscure. Courage is not easy to define, McCain suggests. For years he thought Hemingway's famous phrase ("grace under pressure") might be as good as any, but explains how decades of thinking and experience have led him to a deeper understanding, if not a more precise definition, of this significant human quality. Courage has many dimensions, he suggests; though physical bravery is often an element of it, it's not a necessity. What does seem to be an absolute, in McCain's view, is that for an action to be truly courageous it must be grounded in firm moral beliefs. Senator McCain has given us a worthwhile, empowering book.--William C. Hall

Sen. McCain is arguably the most popular politician in...:
...modern day America. He is one of the few remaining political leaders that is able to captivate citizens regardless of party affiliation. This relatively short book is just another example as to why he holds such universal appeal. The book itself is simply a collection of stories about folks who McCain thinks has demonstrated some form of courage. They range anywhere from physical acts of courage on the battlefield to the moral courage to stand up for what is right. He scatters throughout the book his personal thoughts on fear and courage, morality and virtue, and asks some open-ended questions which are not easy to answer. Despite the fact that he doesn't spend too much time discussing his experience as a POW, his thoughts and the stories he's chosen to share are just another example of why Sen. McCain continues to be such an inspirational public figure. Definitely worth the read!

He has the credibility to tell the tale -:
I read both "Faith of Our Fathers" and "Worth the Fighting For" by John McCain. Loved them both as weighty discussions on political science but I enjoyed this one too as accounts of the lives of unsung heroes. This book is filled with tales of truly courageous people. McCain is not condescending, or polemic here and he himself is one of the most courageous representatives in Washington DC. Given the tenor of this book and the others he has written, his experiences and record give him the credibilty to me to listen to whatever he has chosen to say.

Great Book by a Great Person .:
Reading this book makes you wonder, how good this country would have been if John McCain had been the President of this country today. This is a really great book. It tells us stories about courage displayed by ordinary people in extra-ordinary circumstances. It is a book that will help one become a better individual in life. Hope everyone reads it.

Grace under pressure:
Courage is, John McCain tells us, much more than Hemingway's overly laconic definition of it -- grace under pressure. It does, however, make a great starting point when recounting the prodigious heroics of the likes of the following unsung heroes: the dauntless Vietnam Medal of Honor award winner Master Sgt. Roy Benavidez, the valiant Marines in the Battle of Peleliu Island, the tenacious naturalist John Wesley Powell as he fearlessly led his expedition into The Great Unknown of the Grand Canyon, the steadfast Navajo Chief Manuelito who stood his ground against an unjust American government, the incredibly intrepid blood-spattered John Lewis fighting peacefully against grievous disenfranchisement and racism, and the amazingly selfless Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud as he dauntlessly gave his life on the incomparably bloody Hill 123 in Korea so that others may live. John McCain and Mark Salter masterfully employ these infinitely brave individuals, as well as many more that I have omitted, to embody the highly sought after, yet oftentimes elusive, virtue of courage. Why Courage Matters proves to be a most enjoyable and edifying read which, although quite short, will indubitably, not unlike JFK's Profiles in Courage, leave a profoundly indelible mark on its reader. "It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!" - Emiliano Zapata