{{Short description|2004 non-fiction book by John McCain}} {{Infobox book | name = Why Courage Matters: The Way to a Braver Life | title_orig = | translator = | image = File:Why Courage Matters.jpg | caption = First edition | author = John McCain with Mark Salter | illustrator = | cover_artist = | country = | language = English | series = | subject = | genre = | publisher = Random House | release_date = April 13, 2004 | english_release_date = | media_type = Hardcover | pages = 224 | isbn = 1-4000-6030-3 | oclc= | preceded_by = Worth the Fighting For | followed_by = Character Is Destiny }} '''''Why Courage Matters: The Way to a Braver Life''''' is a 2004 book by United States Senator John McCain with his frequent collaborator and aide Mark Salter. Published by Random House, it is mostly mini-biographies and mini-commentaries on others, but contains a small autobiographical element.
The book followed McCain's two memoirs, ''Faith of My Fathers'' (1999) and ''Worth the Fighting For'' (2002).<ref name="pw">{{Cite web |date= |title=WHY COURAGE MATTERS: The Way to a Braver Life by John McCain, Marshall Salter |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781400060306 |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=www.publishersweekly.com}}</ref> McCain starts by saying that in contemporary usage people talk too loosely in characterizing acts as being courageous - it should be not only "the capacity for action despite our fears" but also involve a physical self-sacrifice for the benefit of others.<ref name=pw/> He says that during his time as a POW in North Vietnam during the Vietnam War, he relied on his fellow POWs for moral support but "I was not always a match for my enemies."<ref name=pw/> In press interviews for the book, McCain said that courage materializes when "our fear is overcome by our conscience and our beliefs and forces us to act."<ref name="npr">{{Cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Juan |title=John McCain: 'Why Courage Matters' |url=https://www.npr.org/2004/04/14/1835325/john-mccain-why-courage-matters |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=npr |date=14 April 2004 }}</ref>
Most of the book consists of his portraits of people, both leaders and ordinary people, he thinks have shown courage.<ref name="cbs">{{Cite web |date=2004-04-19 |title='Why Courage Matters' - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-courage-matters/ |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The book starts with the story of U.S. Special Forces soldier Roy Benavidez, who won the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Excerpt: 'Why Courage Matters' |url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Books/story?id=127899&page=1 |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref> Others whose stories are in the book include American civil rights leader John Lewis, American Indian chiefs Manuelito and Barboncito, explorer John Wesley Powell, Jewish resistance fighter Hannah Szenes, Burmese dissident Aung San Suu Kyi, Baltimore anti-drugs-crime mass murder victim Angela Dawson, and U.S. Korean War soldier and Medal of Honor recipient Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr.<ref name=pw/><ref name=buffalo/> McCain then relates how courage is needed in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks.<ref name=pw/>
In a review, ''Publishers Weekly'' said that "These compelling life stories stand up against the best passages of McCain's previous works. Alas, his writing becomes more vague and less interesting when he shifts to a more abstract discussion of the need for courage in the post–September 11 era."<ref name=pw/> ''Booklist Review'' said "The authors draw thoughtful lessons about the sources and types of courage and the importance of facing down fear, particularly in a world defined by color-coded terrorism alerts."<ref name=buffalo>https://www.buffalolib.org/vufind/Record/1672431/Reviews Collection of library-focused review excerpts, Buffalo & Erie County Public Library</ref> ''Library Journal Review'' said that "Unfortunately, though [McCain's] message comes through loud and clear, the steps one must take to increase one's courage are not as clearly outlined as one would hope."<ref name=buffalo/> A ''St. Petersburg Times'' review said that "McCain's blunt talk and raw honesty provide a dose of reality for the nation at this critical time."<ref>[http://www.sptimes.com/2004/03/21/news_pf/Columns/McCain_vs_the_merchan.shtml McCain vs. the merchants of fear]</ref>
McCain appeared in media interviews to promote the book.<ref name=npr/><ref name=cbs/> The book was not the major commercial success ''Faith of My Fathers'' had been, nor the lesser best seller that ''Worth the Fighting For'' had been. It did not appear on the ''New York Times'' Best Seller list.<ref>http://www.hawes.com/2004/2004.htm Adult ''New York Times'' Best Seller Lists for 2004 shows nothing for it looking at each entry April onward</ref>
''Why Courage Matters'' was published in paperback by Ballantine Books on July 15, 2008, at the height of the John McCain presidential campaign, 2008.<ref>{{Cite book|isbn = 978-0345513342|title = Why Courage Matters: The Way to a Braver Life|last1 = McCain|first1 = John|last2 = Salter|first2 = Marshall|date = 15 July 2008| publisher=Random House Publishing }}</ref>
The book was mentioned during the 2016 United States presidential election, when politically embattled parent Khizr Khan said he mailed a copy of it to his U.S. Army son Humayun Khan shortly before he was killed during the Iraq War.<ref>http://www.cbs5az.com/story/32766122/gold-star-father-asks-mccain-to-dump-trump?clienttype=mobile Gold Star father asks McCain to dump Trump, CBS 5 News</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== *{{official website|https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/110337/why-courage-matters-by-john-mccain-with-mark-salter/}} *[https://www.c-span.org/video/?182450-1/courage-matters-braver-life ''Booknotes'' interview with McCain on ''Why Courage Matters'', August 1, 2004], C-SPAN
{{John McCain}}
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Category:Books by John McCain Category:Books by Mark Salter Category:2004 non-fiction books Category:American history books Category:Biographical books Category:Random House books Category:Courage Category:Collaborative non-fiction books