reasonfaith's Full Review: John McCain and Mark Salter - Character Is Destiny
Senator John McCain (Rep. Ariz) and co-author Mark Salter, his legislative assistant, have put together this remarkable collection of 34 biographical essays and commentary as a teaching tool to help us learn what determines good character. I believe this book could not be more timely and relevant, and McCain is one of only a few who has earned the right to tell it.
I first became familiar with McCain, the writer, after admiring his "Why Courage Matters" and "Faith of My Fathers." This new work, "Character is Destiny" opens to an audience of young adults, but is suitable reading for any age that can handle the vast and very real historical and biographical accounts.
McCain tells us that integrity is something no friend can give you and no one can deny you. Also, that no rival can steal from you. The only person who needs to believe in yourself is you. Further, although reputation can be a reflection of good character, that is not always the case, as evidenced by the struggles of such people as Dr. Martin Luther King. He does not hold back from telling us the trials his biographical real-life characters endure through childhood, poverty, war and politics.
The book is nicely laid-out with topic headings such as Character, Purpose, Strength, Understanding, and Creativity as well as subheadings describing each person's virtue accompanied by that specific person's biography, for example Respect/Gandhi (India), Loyalty/Shackelton (South Pole).
To give you a taste there are topics on dignity taken from Holocaust survivors, the diligence, strength and self-control of World famous leaders such as Winston Churchill, George Washington and Lord Nelson. We even get a glimpse into John McCain's personal ordeal as a Vietnam prisoner of war. When the guards who are trying to torture information out of him tell him, "No one needs to know." He reminds us, "I will know" and that makes the difference.
There are a few contemporary figures such as Pat Tillman, the football star who died in Iraq (citizenship), as well as Charles Darwin (curiosity) and Aung San Suu Kyi, the Noble Peace Prize recipient from the formerly-named country of Burma (courtesy). She tells us, "to acquire truly good taste one has to be able to recognize both ugliness and beauty" and that they are both applicable to human experience.
One of my favorites was the essay on Mark Twain (humor). McCain tells us he taught us to rebel against "injustice, cruelty and falsehood, even when they were our own creations" (pg 223).
Nelson Mandela's story on forgiveness and his struggle through South African apartheid helped give me new insight into the work Oprah Winfrey is currently doing there.
The book covers a vast array of famous figures down through history that everyone should know about and for that alone the book would make a great gift for any young adult graduating high school or college.
My only warning is that John McCain is just as outspoken about his personal beliefs and the book is quite heavy on military language as well as Christian beliefs, particularly when he is covering Mother Teresa or other religious nuns, priests and chaplains.
I was delighted to be introduced to a philosopher I was unfamiliar with - Eric Hoffer, who explains "it is the crowded life that is most easily remembered," which made me think of the famous line from the movie "THE VERDICT" starring Paul Newman, where he tells his fellow cronies at the bar, "It is a long road that has no turns."
John McCain will be entering the Presidential race again, he has served as Senator for many years and lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife Cindy. Salter is from Alexandria, Virginia. The book I read was published by Random House, the index/sources are nicely outlined which even includes web links. The price is approximately $18 or so for the hardback. It is also available in audio.
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