Worth the Fighting For

Dan Cashman sounds cheerful and enthusiastic as he speaks the senator's memories of many famous people--Scoop Jackson, John Tower, and Admiral Rickover. The portraits McCain paints of others are much clearer than the one he provides of himself, in which he dismisses an unsuccessful marriage in a few words. Although the trip through time seems roundabout, it's fun to follow, with Cashman sounding almost like the famous writer. The stereotype of a pilot or a senator doesn't include "author," so finding that McCain is such an entertaining storyteller shows that his talent, with due credit to his coauthor, goes far beyond winning elections and flying faster than sound. J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine


John McCain has spent his career cultivating a reputation as a no-nonsense straight-shooter who isn't always politically correct and doesn't always follow conventional wisdom. In his autobiography, McCain discusses the triumphs and failures of his personal and political life. The book focuses primarily on McCain's political life, not his years as a POW in Vietnam. Whether discussing his ascension to power in Congress, his role in the savings & loan scandal, or his failure to be more candid on the presidential campaign trail, McCain sounds genuine. His reading is smooth and well paced, exuding a sincerity frequently missing when someone other than the author reads a political memoir. Unfortunately, economics seem to dictate that McCain's autobiography, like similar books, be abridged when an unabridged version would be welcome. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine