Man of the People: The Maverick Life and Career of John McCain

Praise for Man of the People

"Among the many legends who have made America great stands John McCain. Man of the People, Revised and Updated lyrically tells his quintessentially American story: a seemingly ordinary man doing extraordinarily heroic and selfless things—out of a pure devotion to his country. This dynamic biography shows why it's easy to imagine him among the ranks of Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Reagan, who led America with such daring and wisdom. McCain's life is so organically American, so true to the legacies of the leaders who preceded him, that the greatest chapter of his story is still to be written."

—Monica Crowley, panelist, The McLaughlin Group; host, The Monica Crowley Show

"John McCain is a real man. By that I mean he has faults and weaknesses like anybody else. But he has supplemented those with a ferocious courage and intensity. Paul Alexander brings McCain's life to life in a way the reader will never forget."

—Bill O'Reilly, anchor, The O'Reilly Factor

"Man of the People, Revised and Updated is nothing short of the definitive text on what makes John McCain tick. The complexity of this man is not well understood—unless you read this book. Alexander's must-read chapter on the infamous 2000 South Carolina primary—'The Dirtiest Race I've Ever Seen'—is the most comprehensive telling to date of that sad moment in our politics."

—Craig Crawford, Washington journalist, cqpolitics.com

"If I were looking for a politician to clean the corporate pigsty, it would be John McCain. In Man of the People, Paul Alexander artfully captures the drive, the integrity, and the tenacity that make John McCain such a one-of-a-kind politician." - Arianna Huffington, cofounder and Editor in Chief, The Huffington Post

The son and grandson of navy admirals, it was no surprise that a young John McCain entered active duty and quickly rose to the rank of captain as a naval aviator. What could not be foreseen was McCain's tour of duty in Vietnam, which would end with his plane being shot down by the North Vietnamese. He would go on to spend five and half years as a prisoner of war before his release in 1973, at the end of the conflict. As a result, he retired from the Navy only a captain, disappointing his Admiral father. After several years of turmoil and trying to put back the pieces of his life post-Vietnam, he would remarry, relocate, and re-emerge as a politician - a life that has been just as fascinating, challenging, and turbulent: McCain's career has seen him shift from stalwart Reaganite to a moderate, independent republican whose focus has been campaign finance reform, gun-control, and environmental issues. This revised edition will also focus on how McCain's life has changed over the past 6 years, since the first edition was published.  It will address the various elections, McCain's position on the war in Iraq and his immigration reform legislation.  Alexander will also shed light on how the conservative base of the Republican Party's distaste for McCain will affect the general election this fall.

Paul Alexander is a journalist whose work has appeared in publications such as the New York Times, the Village Voice, the Nation, and the Guardian. A former reporter for Time magazine, Alexander is the author of the original edition of Man of the People, as well as biographies of James Dean, Sylvia Plath, and most recently, J.D. Salinger. He has written about McCain for Men's Journal, Best Life, Biography, and Rolling Stone.

Acknowledgments.

Prologue.

1. Admiral McCain.

2. Anchors Away.

3. Vietnam.

4. Coming Home.

5. The Congressman From Arizona.

6. One Hundred Kings.

7. The Senator From Arizona.

8. Presidential Politics.

9. “The Dirtiest Race I've Ever Seen”.

10. The Best Man.

11. Man Of The People.

Notes.

Index.