The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights, and Other Appreciations

I was curious...after seeing and listening to the rhetoric about this man by the president, I wanted to learn more about him... And by the time I had finished his latest book, I wondered what it would have been like to have John McCain as our President. It was easy to recognize that with McCain's vast experience, education, and basic moral concerns, he was a man I would feel certainly had the credentials to become president of the United States. That he didn't, perhaps only because he didn't have the money to compete in the race, is an important statement in itself.This is not meant to compare him with others, rather to consider the man, read his own words, see his actions and experience, and recognize that, though there may have been some issues of concern, I would surely have considered him as a strong candidate.Most of the beginning chapters follow McCain as he travels to foreign lands. As he talked about what he was doing, I began to see and understand his vision of America as an international leader in the world... and the reason why.Readers will come across parts in the book that are stunning in their awareness of the America we have all loved. We stop and ponder McCain's words and then we catch a caveat, a warning, that America, as an international leader, has an obligation that goes well beyond any feelings we might have to make nationalism the thrust of our country. Cutting straight to the point of emphasis: To fear the world we have organized and led for three-quarters of a century, to abandon the ideals we have advanced around the globe, to refuse the obligations of international leadership for the sake of some half-baked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems is unpatriotic...McCain talks about the many trips into various countries across the world, where it seemed there was always somebody he knew...and who knew and respected McCain. White there were others, it seemed that McCain was the man who had made an impact sometime in the past, and was accepted as somebody who was going to try to help... How disheartening it seemed to have him return, seeking support for this location or another, only to be turned down for this reason or another...McCain did not see politics as he traveled--he saw people in need and he wanted his America to help those in need... Though he failed often, still readers see the type of man, his character, his moral code, as he fought to serve those in need.It has been clear to all who watched this past year's activities, that McCain sought and also demanded bipartisan participation--a return to what it once was...Readers will surely realize that much of this book undoubtedly had been written earlier and then merged into its final manuscript...It is somewhat of a memoir, but it has little about the man--rather it shares all that he has done in support of the United States, in all of the many roles he has played. I found it informative and educational with the historical perspective, but there is really little added that could be said to have been written since he became ill... Except...readers will surely recognize the potential president that we missed having... We see a man who fought both in the service and later in Congress in support of America. We see a man who acted on what he felt was right for the country, not necessarily right for his political party. But most of all, we see the humanity, the strong desire to help those across the world, in need, and helpless, seeking somebody's help. He thought it should be America... And he took the time to speak to us with what might be our last words from him... (See Book Readers Heaven for excerpts)It is that desire, the drive, to do what is right for the world that would have guided him to become one of the greatest presidents we would have had, in my opinion. And as he speaks to us through this, perhaps, last book, he is still urging us to remember the Constitution and the moral imperatives upon which our country was formed. I believe this is a must-read and recommend it to each of you who live in America...GABixlerReviews

Nobody's perfect, but only a select few among us are both conscious of the full range of our shortcomings and transparent with the world about them. John McCain lived a very public life with this self-awareness on extraordinary display. His final salutation to us all, "The Restless Wave", was written not only with McCain's unusual degree of self-awareness, but with an acute awareness of his imminent mortality.As a result, "The Restless Wave" doesn't read like other political books (though McCain himself produced several). Nor does it read like a conventional memoir of public life -- many of which are written with the express intent of hinting at something "to be continued". This was it for McCain: He knew this would be his last full-length opportunity to speak to his fellow Americans uninterrupted. And so he did with enthusiasm and a sort of defiance: Not the petty defiance of a toddler who doesn't want to do as he or she is told, but the kind of defiance that defined McCain's time as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.This book is John McCain's valedictory. It lays down a marker on a sense of what is right, why that right should be not just defended but promoted, and to whom the responsibility falls for undertaking the task. He confronts the immediate political climate head-on, defining not just his open hostilities with Donald Trump but also his honest regrets about what his one-time rival Barack Obama failed to do, as well.But despite the fact that McCain's book carries a spirit of itching for a fight, what is more important is that he left behind dozens of thoughtful, quotable passages that remind us what is actually worth fighting for, like these:1. "More people have lived free and prosperous lives here than in any other nation. We have acquired unprecedented wealth and power because of our governing principles, and because our government defended those principles."2. "There have been times in the past and there will be times in the future when America's conduct at home and in the world will fall short of our own high standards. That doesn't mean that our values are imperfect, only that we are. In those instances, our true friends will encourage us to change course. But we should never believe that our fallibility disqualifies us from supporting the rights of others. That isn't humility. It's an abdication of moral responsibility."3. "Humility is the self-knowledge that you possess as much inherent dignity as anyone else, and not one bit more. Among its other virtues, humility makes for more productive politics."McCain's sensibility, particularly when expressed with the hand of his long-time speechwriter and writing collaborator Mark Salter, is most certainly an important (restless) wave within a much broader current of belief in things like civic virtue, personal liberty, and the dignity of individual lives. It was untimely for his life to be taken before he could see more of his work accomplished, but there is a sense that "The Restless Wave" at least permitted John McCain to say a few words that should echo long into the future.

I did not expect this, but Sen. McCain offers a deep insight into the political fights of his career. Very intersting and insightfull, especially for non-americans who want to learn a bit more on past political decisions in the US. Apart from this, you receive a good view on the political agenda of a person who is certainly truely missed.

This book is well written and gives an insight into the man, his inherent integrity and politics. It emphasizes the importance of bipartisan cooperation...something that doesn’t seem to be done nowadays! It’s a book that is well worth reading a few times throughout the years.

John McCains impending death - which he refers to often - has focused his mind like little else. This is the result of a great deal of thought and the desire to put down for the record how he sees it. He accepts his blame in mistakes and is self effacing when it comes to victories. Most of all though he is deeply worried and saddened about Trump’s Administration and what it has done to America. If he could save his own life it would be for the primary purpose of ensuring the rest of his senate term was spent as the concience of the Republican Party. Without him god knows where it will go. It’s a very important book - it tells us what we know, but sharpens the focus on things we might have brushed over. Intelligent, well written, comprehensive and honest. John McCain will be deeply missed.

Got this just after John McCain's passing and thought it was a really good insight into his life. He goes into great detail about decisions he made as a senator, candidate in the 2008 presidential election, as well as those during the Obama and Trump administrations. It ends with his cancer diagnosis and what he hopes for America's future. Rest in peace sir

Bought this book for myself as a souvenir for my book collection. It is extremely interesting, I only wished I could have had Mr. McCain autograph but never-the-less it will always remain in my collection. Excellent for gifting