Why Courage Matters: The Way to a Braver Life
Written by John McCain and Mark Salter
Narrated by Dan Cashman
3.5/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this audiobook
"Courage," Winston Churchill explained, is "the first of human qualities . . . because it guarantees all the others." As a naval officer, P.O.W., and one of America's most admired political leaders, John McCain has seen countless acts of bravery and self-sacrifice. Now, in this inspiring meditation on courage, he shares his most cherished stories of ordinary individuals who have risked everything to defend the people and principles they hold most dear.
"We are taught to understand, correctly, that courage is not the absence of fear but the capacity for action despite our fears," McCain reminds us, as a way of introducing the stories of figures both famous and obscure that he finds most compelling-from the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to Sgt. Roy Benavidez, who ignored his own well-being to rescue eight of his men from an ambush in the Vietnam jungle; from 1960s civil rights leader John Lewis, who wrote, "When I care about something, I'm prepared to take the long, hard road," to Hannah Senesh, who, in protecting her comrades in the Hungarian resistance against Hitler's SS, chose a martyr's death over a despot's mercy.
These are some of the examples McCain turns to for inspiration and offers to others to help them summon the resolve to be both good and great. He explains the value of courage in both everyday actions and extraordinary feats. We learn why moral principles and physical courage are often not distinct quantities but two sides of the same coin. Most of all, readers discover how sometimes simply setting the right example can be the ultimate act of courage.
Written by one of our most respected public figures, Why Courage Matters is that rare book with a message both timely and timeless. This is a work for anyone seeking to understand how the mystery and gift of courage can empower us and change our lives.
John McCain
Senator John McCain (1936—2018) entered the Naval Academy in June of 1954. He served in the United States Navy until 1981. He was elected to the US House of Representatives from Arizona in 1982 and to the Senate in 1986. He was the Republican Party’s nominee for president in the 2008 election. He is the author of Faith of My Fathers, Worth Fighting For, Why Courage Matters, Character Is Destiny, Thirteen Soldiers, and The Restless Wave.
More audiobooks from John Mc Cain
The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights, and Other Appreciations Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Odysseus in America: Combat Trauma and the Trials of Homecoming Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Related to Why Courage Matters
Related audiobooks
Out of the Depths: An Unforgettable WWII Story of Survival, Courage, and the Sinking of the USS Indianapolis Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5God in the Foxhole: Inspiring True Stories of Miracles on the Battlefield Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hill 488 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Reluctant Warrior: A Marine's True Story of Duty and Heroism in Vietnam Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Peaceful at Heart: Anabaptist Reflections on Healthy Masculinity Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A Call for Courage: Living with Power, Truth, and Love in an Age of Intolerance and Fear Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Teddy Roosevelt The Rough Riders: Stories For Everyone Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhat They Didn't Burn: Uncovering My Father's Holocaust Secrets Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Profiles in Courage Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5America: The Last Best Hope (Volume I): From the Age of Discovery to a World at War Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Machiavelli on War Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA MIGHTY CASE AGAINST WAR: What America Missed in U.S. History Class and What We (All) Can Do Now Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Family Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5White Sun War: The Campaign for Taiwan Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jesus through Medieval Eyes: Beholding Christ with the Artists, Mystics, and Theologians of the Middle Ages Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Healing Wounds: A Vietnam War Combat Nurse's 10-Year Fight to Win Women a Place of Honor in Washington, D.C. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dwight D. Eisenhower: An Associated Press Biography Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Rough Riders Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Name Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5No Reason to Hide: Standing for Christ in a Collapsing Culture Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Man on Mao's Right: From Harvard Yard to Tiananmen Square, My Life Inside China's Foreign Ministry Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How Ike Led: The Principles Behind Eisenhower's Biggest Decisions Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Leader's Bookshelf Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Arms and Influence Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Rare Recording of President John F. Kennedy's Peace Speech Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Empire and the Five Kings: America's Abdication and the Fate of the World Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Watchman at the Gates: A Soldier's Journey from Berlin to Bosnia Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Declutter Your Mind: Stop Worrying, Reduce Anxiety And Stop Negative Thinking With Good Habits Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Self-Improvement For You
Twisted Love Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Art of Seduction: An Indispensible Primer on the Ultimate Form of Power Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 48 Laws of Power Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 5 Love Languages Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Mountain is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage Into Self-Mastery Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Alchemist Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Everything is F*cked: A Book About Hope Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Unfu*k Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and into Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Divine Rivals: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Practicing the Power of Now Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries: When To Say Yes, How to Say No Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Highly Sensitive Person Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Banish Your Inner Critic: Silence the Voice of Self-Doubt to Unleash Your Creativity and Do Your Best Work Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How to Win Friends and Influence People: Updated For the Next Generation of Leaders Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Courage to Be Disliked: How to Free Yourself, Change Your Life, and Achieve Real Happiness Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5If He Had Been with Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Reformatory: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5You’re Not the Only One F*cking Up: Breaking the Endless Cycle of Dating Mistakes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How To Win Friends And Influence People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Reviews for Why Courage Matters
24 ratings4 reviews
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Militaristic with a view toward bolstering soldiers with soldier-stories. Includes political subtext: war is an agreeable front-line action option to solve major political problems. He is kind and understanding to non-soldier styles of bravery, but applies battle terms for all styles of courage. Smoothly written, not halting.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I listened to this audiobook some time ago (long before the 2008 election debacle) and am sorry to report that I found it dull and rambling. I finished it mostly because I have a thing about needing to finish books, rather than because I liked it. I think I would have enjoyed an autobiography more, as the only parts I really enjoyed from this book are McCain's own experiences.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A collection of short stories of men and women who were courageous in their actions and in some cases paid the ultimate price for their courage. The stories are short easy to read and contemporary.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Though I was critical of some of McCain's political views in my more detailed discussions of this book, in the end I think it actually raised my opinion of him as a presidential candidate. More of a light philosophical tract than political commentary, Why Courage Matters is a series of twelve narrative stories and associated commentary of various historical events and the courageous people involved, which McCain uses to systematically explore the nature of courage as a virtue.Generally McCain addresses three main topical points, what courage is as a definition, what importance is has both individually and socially, and the sources from which courage is obtained. With each topical and sub-topical area, a story of relevance is carefully presented, highlighting the particular points McCain is making.Though my preconceptions were that this would be a mostly martial book in nature, detailing various and sundry war stories, the fact is that McCain placed more prominently and with more importance narratives concerning a Gandhian style pacifist activism. Holding up the values of social responsibility for change through passive resistance and civil disobedience. Some might argue that this is pandering to people outside of McCain's core political demographics, and there may be some small truth to that, but I think any such attribution can only be a small part of what is a well thought out and written position on the virtue of courage.The toughest question to answer is would I recommend reading this book, and if so, to whom? This work is really best fit for those interested in McCain's politics at more than a policy positional level. Those that want a deeper understanding of the principals that underlie his positions. People from his senatorial state, Arizona, or those supporting his presidential candidacy would be advised to pick up a copy. Aside from that I would not actively recommend it as general reading, but for those who have for some reason been drawn to it topically or by general interest in its authorship, I would encourage them to pick it up as it manages to be entertaining, educational and enlightening. Even if you disagree with some of the material, you will need to thoughtfully analyze your own ideas to respond to those put forth by McCain.