The Luckiest Man: Life with John McCain

(Paperback)

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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.

More so than almost anyone outside of McCains immediate family, Mark Salter had unparalleled access to and served to influence the Senators thoughts and actions, cowriting seven books with him and acting as a valued confidant. Now, in The Luckiest Man, Salter draws on the storied facets of McCains early biography as well as the later-in-life political philosophy for which the nation knew and loved him, delivering an intimate and comprehensive account of McCains life and philosophy.

Salter covers all the major events of McCains lifehis peripatetic childhood, his naval servicebut introduces, too, aspects of the man that the public rarely saw and hardly knew. Woven throughout this narrative is also the story of Salter and McCains close relationship, including how they met, and why their friendship stood the test of time in a political world known for its fickle personalities and frail bonds.

Through Salters revealing and psychological portrait (The Washington Post) of one of our countrys finest public servants, McCain emerges as both the man we knew him to be and also someone entirely new. Glimpses of his restlessness, his curiosity, his courage, and sentimentality are rendered with sensitivity and careas only Mark Salter could provide. The capstone to Salters intimate and decades-spanning time with the Senator, The Luckiest Man is the authoritative last word on the stories McCain was too modest to tell himself and an influential life not soon to be forgotten.

Reviews

One of John McCains key staffers turns in an affecting memoir....Saltergives a highly readable, blow-by-blow account.... One of the best fly-on-the-wall political memoirs in recent memory. Highly recommended.Kirkus Starred Review
Franklin Roosevelt had Louis Howe and Harry Hopkins, JFK had Ted Sorensen and Arthur Schlesinger Jr., and John McCain had MarkSalter. In this compelling, honest, and much-needed book,Salter, McCains longtime coauthor and adviser, captures the raucous, resilient, and invigorating spirit of the late war hero and legendary senator. McCain wasnt always right, but he was always decent, andSalters terrific account reminds us of what public serviceand public servantsought to be like.JonMeacham
A moving and lucidly written memoir....Mr. Salters admiration for his old boss is profound, but he is aware, too, of McCains complexity....reading Mr. Salters fine memoir, I am confirmed in an old opinion: that it is one of the great tragedies of our politics that John McCain was never elected president. America was just unlucky, I guess."Wall Street Journal
"Salters psychological portrait of McCain is informed and convincing....McCain may have considered himself 'the luckiest man on earth,'but we too are lucky to have counted him among our leaders and to have this intimate biography that will keep his memory bright."The Washington Post

Author Bio

Mark Salter has collaborated with John McCain on all seven of their books, including The Restless Wave, Faith of My Fathers, Worth the Fighting For, Why Courage Matters, Character Is Destiny, Hard Call, and Thirteen Soldiers. He served on Senator McCains staff for eighteen years.