Rating: 
Summary: A highly recommended book
Review: I picked up this book cautiously believing it to be another campaign focused bore. I found it to be just the opposite. John McCain and Mark Salter have written a candid and impressive memoir that I couldn't put down. Their story ends long before Senator McCain even enters politics. This is a refreshing book and John McCain's story reminds us that honor and integrity are more than just words.
Rating:
Summary: Very Inspirational - Highly recommended
Review: John McCain serves as an inspiration for everyone who thinks that all hurdles we face in life are insurmountable. From his terrible experiences as a POW in Vietnam to his stature as a respected politician today, his story gives us a different perspective on how to approach these hurdles. Very rarely do you see a man with such integrity and commitment to honor - especially for a politician and with someone with a remarkable background. He definitely is the leader our country needs for the next mellenium.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best autobiographies I've ever read.
Review: No writer of fiction could create this plot: three generations of McCain's, all graduates of Annapolis, all unique in their own ways, but similar in their devotion to serving their country in the Navy. I would not be surprised if this became required (or at least recommended) reading for students at the US Naval Academy. The major strength of this book lies in it's understanding of the complexity of life, families, and individual personalities. The stories of the men in this book, including the group of prisoners in Viet Nam, present a real, unglorified portrayal of what courage and patriotism mean. John McCain has the right stuff. So did his father and his grandfather. So did the men imprisoned with him in Viet Nam. The stories of their lives are told well, warts and all.
Rating: 
Summary: A brave man
Review: There is no doubt what John McCain has to say here about the Vietnam war and the hardship he and his fellow prisoners suffered is an important reminder that the feat of surviving such appalling and cruel treatment took formidable guts. Keeping his sanity and honour was paramount, and because of his training and natural resolve he succeeded. There are lessons here for all of us, not least the folly of the war itself, or the way it was carried out and America's eventual defeat through bungling politicians and their lack of understanding military affairs. Once a war is on fight it for all you're worth otherwise don't sacrifice your men. John McCain was a naval career man, graduating from Annapolis, a naval aviator, a lieutenant commander, a marine. His training must have to some extent prepared the thirty-one year old for his ordeal after he was shot down over Hanoi in 1967. I couldn't help wondering about the draftee soldier on the ground, most of them much younger. Would such men have had such resolve, such honour? It is doubtful. And to be fair to John McCain he admits it. In the book he doesn't allow himself much leeway and is self-critical throughout. This is indeed a family memoir, McCain's grandfather and father were both highly regarded admirals who fought in World War 11, his father also in the Vietnam war. It was known by McCain's captors that he was the son of a famous admiral, and according to John McCain his treatment was occasionally the better for it, though to me he had to endure more torture and humiliation than most men could stand. He seems to have gone out of his way in this book to humble himself, more than he should have done. The writing itself leaves a lot to be desired, for instance the first ninety-six pages refer mostly to McCain's grandfather and father. This is one of the most wooden pieces of writing I have read in years, paragraphs are simply blocks that fail to flow into one another and stabs at humour often fall flat. It is obvious that the information gathered during the research was more or less roughly woven together by amateurs. John McCain admits in the Acknowledgments at the beginning of the book "... a tough assignment when working with a couple of amateur writers." he says about their editor and agent. Obviously, the editor and agent in this case allowed McCain and Mark Salter to publish a flawed book. It is also a shame that this book lacks an index. After the first section the writing improves enormously and is more or less consistent to the end, this is when McCain begins to tell his own story, though often refers to his father and grandfather. The rendition is, however, told in a mater-of-fact style, which lead me to believe McCain was holding back, and I wanted more flow more details, descriptions, embellishments. But that is not the man. At around the time this book was published Robert Timberg released a book of extracts, concerning McCain, taken from his excellent 1995 book The Nightingale's Song. I thought this was a bit steep and a cheap shot. It would have been far better had Timberg collaborated with John McCain instead of Mark Salter. I'm certain that Faith of my Fathers would have been a far better book if that had happened. Alas it did not.
Rating:
Summary: Very, Very Interesting
Review: This book was truly fascinating, but I must admit to being somewhatuninformed about the Senator, as I felt the book just dropped off at the end.I didn't feel it was necessary to continue his life story, but I would like to know how the "sainted" Carol turned into Cindy. If this sounds a bit cryptic, I suggest one reads the book, and perhaps they'll agree that some explanation is in order.
Rating:
Summary: Liberals Supporting Hanoi Should Be Shamed
Review: The family McCain represents a treasure of American History. It's not surprising that liberals that supported the North Vietnamese Communists by undermining the men and women required to go there are pained into attacking this exceptional book. Words like honor, code and dignity mean something grand to honest and respectful people. The family McCain epitomizes these things with real dedication.
Rating:
Summary: McCain demonstrates real moral stature!
Review: McCain has a witty, understated, and self-deprecatory way of relating the earlier years of his "misspent youth." One can see how he grew during his trials in Vietnam, and how his father and grandfather have always stood as icons to him, to help guide him through difficult times, and help him shape his values. John McCain has moral stature and strength of character--something we need in our leaders!
Rating:
Summary: this book is an inspiration
Review: I'm a fifteen year old high school senior and this book was truly an inspiration. In a time when so many politicians are corrupt to the bone, it's refreshing to read about a true American hero, someone who believes that "America is still the greatest force for good on earth." John McCain is a patriot in the truest and deepest sense of the word and it would be an honor to have him as our next president.
Rating: 
Summary: An Outstanding Story of One American Family
Review: John McCain does an excellent job of showing readers an America that existed before integrity and the concept of honor became an anachronism. He traces his family roots and the impact that they had on his life, including the strength he derived from his family while spending time being tortured as a POW in Vietnam. Regardless of your political beliefs, you must respect the character and common-sense approach that John McCain brings to an American political system. If you enjoyed JFK's Profiles in Courage, Brokaw's The Greatest Generation, or anything by Tom Clancy, you'll love McCain's book. In fact, John McCain may be the real Jack Ryan!
Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly enjoyed it!
Review: Just finished this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. My dad is retired Air Force, so I could relate to this lifestyle so well. I was 15 and at Hickam when the POW's returned and we would stay late at night or get up early to meet each flight coming in. I (along with many, many people) shook his hand along with all the other POW's returning, they are memories I have often shared with my children as they study that time. My father was an escort for a POW so he had spent alot of time at Clark during the release as his POW was one of the last bunch to come home. We had been stationed at Clark before we moved to Hickam so this book stirred up alot of old memories. So glad to hear he is doing well, I often wondered how they all readjusted. Thanks for the book!
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