John Mccain Popular Books

John Mccain Biography & Facts

John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms in the United States House of Representatives and was the Republican nominee for president of the United States in the 2008 election, which he lost to Barack Obama. McCain was a son of Admiral John S. McCain Jr. and grandson of Admiral John S. McCain Sr. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1958 and received a commission in the United States Navy. McCain became a naval aviator and flew ground-attack aircraft from aircraft carriers. During the Vietnam War, he almost died in the 1967 USS Forrestal fire. While on a bombing mission during Operation Rolling Thunder over Hanoi in October 1967, McCain was shot down, seriously injured, and captured by the North Vietnamese. He was a prisoner of war until 1973. McCain experienced episodes of torture and refused an out-of-sequence early release. During the war, he sustained wounds that left him with lifelong physical disabilities. McCain retired from the Navy as a captain in 1981 and moved to Arizona. In 1982, McCain was elected to the United States House of Representatives, where he served two terms. Four years later, he was elected to the United States Senate, where he served six terms. While generally adhering to conservative principles, McCain also gained a reputation as a "maverick" for his willingness to break from his party on certain issues, including LGBT rights, gun regulations, and campaign finance reform where his stances were more moderate than those of the party's base. McCain was investigated and largely exonerated in a political influence scandal of the 1980s as one of the Keating Five; he then made regulating the financing of political campaigns one of his signature concerns, which eventually resulted in passage of the McCain–Feingold Act in 2002. He was also known for his work in the 1990s to restore diplomatic relations with Vietnam. McCain chaired the Senate Commerce Committee from 1997 to 2001 and 2003 to 2005, where he opposed pork barrel spending and earmarks. He belonged to the bipartisan "Gang of 14", which played a key role in alleviating a crisis over judicial nominations. McCain entered the race for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000 but lost a heated primary season contest to George W. Bush. He secured the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, beating fellow candidates Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, though he lost the general election to Barack Obama. McCain subsequently adopted more orthodox conservative stances and attitudes and largely opposed actions of the Obama administration, especially with regard to foreign policy matters. In 2015, he became Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He refused to support then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the 2016 election and later became a vocal critic of the Trump administration. While McCain opposed the Obama-era Affordable Care Act (ACA), he cast the deciding vote against the ACA-repealing American Health Care Act of 2017. After being diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2017, he reduced his role in the Senate to focus on treatment; he died from the disease in 2018. Early life and military career (1936–1981) Early life and education John Sidney McCain III was born on August 29, 1936, at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone, to naval officer John S. McCain Jr. and Roberta (Wright) McCain. He had an older sister, Sandy, and a younger brother, Joe. At that time, the Panama Canal was under U.S. control, and he was granted U.S. citizenship at the age of eleven months.McCain's family tree includes Scottish-Irish and English ancestors. His great-great-great-grandparents owned High Rock Farm, a plantation in Rockingham County, North Carolina. His father and his paternal grandfather, John S. McCain Sr., were also Naval Academy graduates and both became four-star admirals in the United States Navy. The McCain family moved with their father as he took various naval postings in the United States and in the Pacific.As a result, the younger McCain attended a total of about 20 schools. In 1951, the family settled in Northern Virginia, and McCain attended Episcopal High School, a private preparatory boarding school in Alexandria. He excelled at wrestling and graduated in 1954. He referred to himself as an Episcopalian as recently as June 2007, after which date he said he came to identify as a Baptist. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, McCain entered the United States Naval Academy, where he was a friend and informal leader for many of his classmates and sometimes stood up for targets of bullying. He also fought as a lightweight boxer. He earned the nickname "John Wayne" "for his attitude and popularity with the opposite sex." McCain did well in academic subjects that interested him, such as literature and history, but studied only enough to pass subjects that gave him difficulty, such as mathematics. He came into conflict with higher-ranking personnel and did not always obey the rules. "He collected demerits the way some people collect stamps." His class rank (894 of 899) was not indicative of his intelligence nor his IQ, which had been tested to be 128 and 133. McCain graduated in 1958. Naval training, first marriage, and Vietnam War assignment McCain began his early military career when he was commissioned as an ensign, and started two and a half years of training at Pensacola to become a naval aviator. While there, he earned a reputation as a man who partied. He completed flight school in 1960, and became a naval pilot of ground-attack aircraft; he was assigned to A-1 Skyraider squadrons aboard the aircraft carriers USS Intrepid and USS Enterprise in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas. McCain began as a sub-par flier who was at times careless and reckless; during the early to mid-1960s, two of his flight missions crashed, and a third mission collided with power lines, but he received no major injuries. His aviation skills improved over time, and he was seen as a good pilot, albeit one who tended to "push the envelope" in his flying. On July 3, 1965, McCain was 28 when he married Carol Shepp, who had worked as a runway model and secretary. McCain adopted her two young children, Douglas and Andrew. He and Carol then had a daughter whom they named Sidney. The same year, he was a one-day champion on the game show Jeopardy!McCain requested a combat assignment, and was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal flying A-4 Skyhawks. His combat duty began when he was 30 years old in mid-1967, when Forrestal was assigned to a bombing campaign, Operation Rolling Thunder, during the Vietnam War. Stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin, McCain and his fellow pilots became frustrated by micromanagement from Washington, and he later wrote, "In all can.... Discover the John Mccain popular books. Find the top 100 most popular John Mccain books.

Best Seller John Mccain Books of 2024

  • Conscience of a Conservative synopsis, comments

    Conscience of a Conservative

    Jeff Flake

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “A thoughtful defense of traditional conservatism and a thorough assault on the way Donald Trump is betraying it.”David Brooks, in his New York...

  • The Restless Wave synopsis, comments

    The Restless Wave

    John McCain & Mark Salter

    #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER“History matters to McCain, and for him America is and was about its promise. The book is his farewell address, a mixture of the personal and the politi...

  • Consider the Lobster synopsis, comments

    Consider the Lobster

    David Foster Wallace

    This celebrated collection of essays from the author of Infinite Jest is "brilliantly entertaining...Consider the Lobster proves once more why Wallace should be rega...

  • Tanker Pilot synopsis, comments

    Tanker Pilot

    Mark Hasara

    From a veteran airrefueling expert who flew missions for over two decades during the Cold War, Gulf War, and Iraq War comes a thrilling eyewitness account of modern warfare, with i...

  • John McCain, Updated Edition synopsis, comments

    John McCain, Updated Edition

    Richard Kozar

    Before he became a congressman, Senator, and presidential candidate, John McCain spent six years as a prisoner of war after his plane was shot down during the Vietnam War. He endur...

  • Barack Before Obama synopsis, comments

    Barack Before Obama

    David Katz

    A People Pick of the Week One of USA Today’s 5 Books Not to MissOne of Forbes’ 5 Books to Read in DecemberA personal, intimate photographic celebration of President Barack Oba...

  • John McCain synopsis, comments

    John McCain

    Robert Timberg

    From the Naval Academy to the POW camps of Vietnam to Capitol Hill and possibly to the White House one of America's most remarkable men In 1998, at the dedication of the National...

  • John McCain synopsis, comments

    John McCain

    Dani Gabriel

    Before he was a senator, John McCain fought in the Vietnam War and served in the House of Representatives. He ran for president of the United States in 2008. Get to know the maveri...

  • Hard Call synopsis, comments

    Hard Call

    John McCain & Mark Salter

    At some point in our lives, we all face tough decisions and have to make that hard call. In this remarkable book, Senator McCain and Mark Salter use experiences of both extraordina...

  • Winter Is Coming synopsis, comments

    Winter Is Coming

    Garry Kasparov

    The stunning story of Russia's slide back into a dictatorshipand how the West is now paying the price for allowing it to happen. The ascension of Vladimir Putina former lieutenant ...

  • The League of Wives synopsis, comments

    The League of Wives

    Heath Hardage Lee

    "With astonishing verve, The League of Wives persisted to speak truth to power to bring their POW/MIA husbands home from Vietnam. And with astonishing verve, Heath Hardage Lee has ...

  • A Rift in the Earth synopsis, comments

    A Rift in the Earth

    James Reston

    A Distinguished and Bestselling Historian and Army Veteran Revisits the Culture War that Raged around the Selection of Maya Lin's Design for the Vietnam Memorial A Rift in the Eart...

  • John McCain synopsis, comments

    John McCain

    Beatrice Gormley

    Learn all about the life of Senator John McCain in this enlightening biography specially written for a younger audience. Fiveterm Arizona senator John S. McCain’s indelible mark on...

  • Faith of My Fathers synopsis, comments

    Faith of My Fathers

    John McCain & Mark Salter

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER  Senator John McCain’s deeply moving memoir is the story of three generations of warriors and the ways that sons are shaped and enriched by thei...

  • Stronger synopsis, comments

    Stronger

    Cindy McCain

    In Stronger, the widow of Senator John McCain opens up about her beloved husband, their thirtyeightyear marriage, and the trials and triumphs of a singular American life....

  • The differing foreign policy perspectives of Senators John McCain, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama synopsis, comments

    The differing foreign policy perspectives of Senators John McCain, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama

    Bernadette-Julia Felsch

    Dr. Charles Doran, Professor of International Relations, titled his speech given on June 10th 2008 at the America House Munich “How Americans Choose The most important Presidentia...

  • God in the Foxhole synopsis, comments

    God in the Foxhole

    Charles W. Sasser

    From veteran military writer Charles Sasser comes a collection of inspiring personal accounts of American soldiers whose faith has guided them through the hardships of war.From the...

  • Power Forward synopsis, comments

    Power Forward

    Reggie Love

    Every path to adulthood is strewn with missteps, epiphanies, and hardearned lessons. Only Reggie Love’s, however, went through the White House by way of Duke University’s Cameron I...

  • On Virtues synopsis, comments

    On Virtues

    Sheldon Whitehouse

    This collection of quotations speaks to the forms and principles of our American democracy and laws, and to the courage, optimism and sacrifice that ennoble our great American expe...

  • The Hill to Die On synopsis, comments

    The Hill to Die On

    Jake Sherman & Anna Palmer

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER  The inside story of Donald Trump’s first two years in Washington as viewed from Capitol Hill, a startling account that turns “Congress into a G...

  • The Best and the Brightest synopsis, comments

    The Best and the Brightest

    David Halberstam

    David Halberstam’s masterpiece, the defining history of the making of the Vietnam tragedy, with a new Foreword by Senator John McCain."A rich, entertaining, and profound reading e...

  • Character Is Destiny synopsis, comments

    Character Is Destiny

    John McCain & Mark Salter

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Senator John McCain tells the stories of celebrated historical figures and lesserknown heroes whose values exemplify the best of the human spirit.He illu...

  • John McCain synopsis, comments

    John McCain

    Heather E. Schwartz

    This timely title examines the remarkable life and death of John McCain, from his time as a decorated war veteran to elder statesman. Accessible text and plentiful photos cover McC...

  • Admiral John S. McCain and the Triumph of Naval Air Power synopsis, comments

    Admiral John S. McCain and the Triumph of Naval Air Power

    William F. Trimble

    Admiral John S. McCain and the Triumph of Naval Air Power covers the life and professional career of Adm. John S. McCain Sr. (1884–1945). Spanning most of the first half of the twe...

  • Bound by War synopsis, comments

    Bound by War

    Christopher Capozzola

    A sweeping history of America's long and fateful military relationship with the Philippines amid a century of Pacific warfareEver since US troops occupied the Philippines in 1898, ...

  • The Luckiest Man synopsis, comments

    The Luckiest Man

    Mark Salter

    A “moving and lucidly written memoir” (The Wall Street Journal) of the late Senator John McCain from one of his closest and most trusted confidants, friends, and political advisors...

  • Rising Star synopsis, comments

    Rising Star

    David Garrow

    New York Times BestsellerRising Star is the definitive account of Barack Obama's formative years that made him the man who became the fortyfourth president of the United Statesfrom...

  • For Whom the Bell Tolls synopsis, comments

    For Whom the Bell Tolls

    Ernest Hemingway

    Introduced by Hemingway’s grandson Seán Hemingway, this newly annotated edition and literary masterpiece about an American in the Spanish Civil War features early drafts and supple...

  • For Whom the Bell Tolls synopsis, comments

    For Whom the Bell Tolls

    Ernest Hemingway

    Ernest Hemingway's masterpiece on war, love, loyalty, and honor tells the story of Robert Jordan, an antifascist American fighting in the Spanish Civil War.In 1937 Ernest Hemingway...

  • Anything for a Vote synopsis, comments

    Anything for a Vote

    Joseph Cummins

    An updated and illustrated compendium of mudslinging, character assassinations, and belowboard election strategies from U.S. presidential politics throughout history! Discover the ...

  • Citizens of the Green Room synopsis, comments

    Citizens of the Green Room

    Mark Leibovich

    Author of the groundbreaking #1 New York Times bestseller This Town and Big Game: The NFL in Dangerous Times, Mark Leibovich returns with a masterly collection of portraits of Wash...

  • A Leader Born synopsis, comments

    A Leader Born

    Alton Keith Gilbert

    This biography of one of World War II’s great military leaders is a “rich tribute to a staunch American naval hero” (WWII Quarterly).John S. “Slew” McCain was an oldschool sai...

  • On Becoming a Leader synopsis, comments

    On Becoming a Leader

    Warren G. Bennis

    A timeless classic from a pioneer in the field of leadership studiesthe only book you need to read on becoming an effective leader. Warren Bennis (19252014) was a pioneer in leader...

  • Worth the Fighting For synopsis, comments

    Worth the Fighting For

    John McCain & Mark Salter

    NATIONAL BESTSELLER  Senator John McCain tells the story of his great American journey, from the U.S. Navy to his electrifying campaign for the presidency in 2000, interw...

  • Why Courage Matters synopsis, comments

    Why Courage Matters

    John McCain & Mark Salter

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER  In this inspiring meditation on courage, Senator John McCain shares his most cherished stories of ordinary individuals who have risked eve...

  • John McCain synopsis, comments

    John McCain

    Marc Shapiro

    There’s a lot people don’t know about John McCain. They know the war hero, the prisoner of war. Those are the things that have made the headlines and the history books. But there i...

  • Presidential Leadership synopsis, comments

    Presidential Leadership

    James Taranto

    What makes a president great? Two of America's most prominent institutions, The Wall Street Journal and the Federalist Society, with the help of a wide array of eminent scholars, j...

  • John McCain synopsis, comments

    John McCain

    Heather E. Schwartz

    This timely title examines the remarkable life and death of John McCain, from his time as a decorated war veteran to elder statesman. Accessible text and plentiful photos cover McC...

  • An American Family synopsis, comments

    An American Family

    Khizr Khan

    This “moving [and] wonderful” memoir by the Muslim American Gold Star father, captivating DNC speaker, and 2022 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient is “a story about family and...

  • Wicked Prey synopsis, comments

    Wicked Prey

    John Sandford

    For twenty years, John Sandford's novels have been beloved for their "ingenious plots, vivid characters, crisp dialogue and endless surprises" (The Washington Post), and nowhere ar...

  • The Fall of the House of Zeus synopsis, comments

    The Fall of the House of Zeus

    Curtis Wilkie

    “Masterful . . . an epic tale of backbiting, shady dealmaking, and greed [that] reads like a John Grisham novel.”The Wall Street Journal A reallife legal thriller as timeless ...