My Duh, John McCain. The Book!

Since I have a membership at Barnes & Noble, I get coupons and recommendations via email once a week. I just opened this week's email from B&N to find this recommendation for children: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?r=1&kids=y&AUD=JUV&ean=1416975284

It's an illustrated biography about John McCain, written by his oldest daughter (from McCain's second marriage).


My Dad, John McCain

Synopsis

Born the son and grandson of military men, Senator John McCain from Arizona was destined for a life serving his country in the armed forces. Like many great men, he occasionally struggled with authority, but once he found his true calling -- flying naval aircraft -- his ideals and commitment to his country took him far.

From the low point of five years as a prisoner of war to the high points of raising a large, happy family and being chosen as the Republican nominee in the 2008 presidential election, Senator McCain has lived an incredible life driven by a love of his country and a desire to serve it to the best of his ability.

This picture book biography, written with great love and insight by his oldest daughter, writer Meghan McCain, shows us the public John McCain and the personal John McCain in a way we've never seen before -- making this American hero come to life before young eyes.

Blech. Gag me. I have to wonder if she wrote about how daddy ditched his crippled first wife because she wasn't "pretty" anymore and how he cheated on her with mommy? No, probably not...

Then there's this...


Publishers Weekly

No one would expect John and Cindy McCain's oldest daughter to be objective-on the other hand, some personal touch would have been nice. She does talk a lot about family, that is, about the wartime services of McCain ancestors, all the way back to the Revolutionary War; McCain's pedigree as the son and grandson of admirals; the military duty of two McCain sons. Given this emphasis, it's odd to have omitted any mention of McCain's first family; it's not as if the concepts of ex-wives and half-sisters are unfamiliar to the target audience.

The one truly moving section details McCain's heroism under captivity in North Vietnam; the rest succumbs to an apple-pie variety of blandness. Meghan McCain discloses that her father loves his country and also that he "never gives up," whether he's playing on the boarding school football team or "fighting for what he believes in." Andreasen (Pilot Pups) steeps his accomplished, mostly realistic pictures in nostalgia: cross-hatching suggests old-time engraving, while burnished tones hint at antiqued colors. A number of spreads represent photos and newspapers-the effect is oddly distancing, as if Meghan McCain were flipping through someone else's scrapbook. Ages 5-10. (Sept.)

LOL. Well... I guess that answers my question, I suppose!

So far there are only two reviews:

(This teacher gives the book a deserving one star) My elementary students could write better than this!
A reviewer, a teacher, 09/03/2008

This is arguably the single-most boring book I have ever read. Not to mention, the illustrations don't even remotely resemble McCain. It seems to be a hasty effort to compete with Obama's picture book, which my students loved and I found to be 'outstanding.' Since I now own the book, I think I will save it for a lesson around Father's Day. That might have been a better time to release this publication.

Then there's this review by a breeder who felt the book deserved five stars:

I Respect John McCain
Nicole, mother of 3 young boys, 08/30/2008

Whether you share his political views or not, you cannot come away from this book and not respect his character. His daughter writes in a way that's somewhat disconnected, probably to make her point that this account is very objective and not biased. I'm convinced he loves this country and will work hard to see it's future remains bright.

Also recommended: Ladybug Baby Bug, by Janice and Mark Perkins

...Right. Bright for breeders, no doubt.

I'd like to know if anyone here has seen or read this book at all? I'll be going to my local Barnes & Noble on Thursday anyway, so if I remember the book I'll take a look. I love a good a train wreck...

The front cover is well illustrated. If Meghan McCain had done the illustrations, I could at least call her talented for that. I'm sure the writing is the usual drivel that any child, cousin, sibling, etc. of any famous person could get published.

bratBgone Wrote:
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> The front cover is well illustrated. If Meghan
> McCain had done the illustrations, I could at
> least call her talented for that. I'm sure the
> writing is the usual drivel that any child,
> cousin, sibling, etc. of any famous person could
> get published.


The illustrations are done by Dan Andreasen.

A writer, huh? Ohhkayy. This ankle-biter hagiography is her only book. She also has a blog, whoopee, and is in fact a fashion designer by trade.

I'll pass.

I can't get past his leaving the love of his life for another woman because she was disfigured when he came back from Vietnam. I have read as much as I can about that from various perspectives, and there doesn't seem to be any other reason. The first wife either still loves him very much ( it seems that way) or she is afraid to speak out against him because of the provisions in their divorce settlement that he pays for all of her medical bills for life and probably alimony as well. I would be willing to bet that if he had come back from Vietnam short a few arms and legs and a useless gnarled weenie hanging between his legs, that his first would have taken care of him and stayed by his side for the rest of his life. It takes a shallow person to leave a spouse of 10-15 years because of a physical disfigurement. To me, all of his wartime heroic efforts pale in comparison to his leaving the first family high and dry emotionally to take up with a beautiful, healthy, and wealthy woman, and then spawn a whole new famblee.

Wow, Kidlesskim, I didn't know that info about McCain's first wife, or about all of his affairs. I just Wikied her. So much was made about Clinton and his infidelities, but not much has been said about McCain. Here's the link in case others want to see what a piece of shit he is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_McCain

I notice it is often the Family Values set who will leave a wife because she is not 'pretty' any longer and take up with a new and younger woman only to start Family #2. It is shallow! Did this man even think of how long the first wife waited for her husband to come back from Vietnam? I would also assume Wife #1 would have taken care of of her husband had he come back from the prison in 'Nam with no legs and limitations on his body that prevented working for pay.

I am moderate Republican and will still cast my vote for McCain as I am voting for President rather than on personal lives. I would not want my personal choices in my life to be the decision factor if I interviewed for a job such as being childfree, pro-choice, and stepping out on a husband because the marriage had died years before and so forth. At first, I was naive enough to believe there was still affection and caring by the first wife. Now, I am inclined to believe the first Mrs. McCain is only 'supportive' and caring to her ex-husband due to possible provisions not to speak of the divorce and for her being cared for financially for life. I am not an alimony supporter but switch on cases like this one.

I stopped expecting the elected officials to act like caring and decent human beings because they are often anything but. Look at John Kerry with how he was conveniently married to two wealthy women. At least, Cindy McCain's father insisted on a pre-nup since she came from he very moneyed Anhauser-Busch fortune. The father knew what this man was about but also was wise enough to understand how he could not stop a naive and starry-eyed young daughter "in love" so he protected her legally. If there was no pre-nup, I wonder how long that marriage of The Love of His Life would have lasted?

bratBgone Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wow, Kidlesskim, I didn't know that info about
> McCain's first wife, or about all of his affairs.
> I just Wikied her. So much was made about Clinton
> and his infidelities, but not much has been said
> about McCain. Here's the link in case others want
> to see what a piece of shit he is.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_McCain


I believe a lot of cute young women need to read this before marriage. So many ladies have this notion of how they will never have a catastrophe where they will no longer be 'pretty' to their spouses and how the husbands will be so shallow to take up with another woman. Call me cynical but it seems to happen all of the time. Instead of fancy weddings with white dresses, flowers, and parties, a bride-to-be should be schooled about the desire in a husband's heart for other women and how it is very likely it will happen. If this was done, maybe many women would not be so quick to want to marry and risk their future with those babies only to be dropped for the next sweet thing after gaining some pounds or wrinkles. I may have a cold heart but will never be anyone's fool again. Better to have "arrangements" in marriage and know what is up rather than be so horribly shocked after years of devotion.

.
I hope he leaves the old beauty queen, Cindy, for the new beauty queen, Sarah. Though I think the Heath fortune is a bit smaller than the beer fortune.

"It truly is the one commonality that every designation of humans you can think of has, there's at least one asshole."
--Me

The McCain's 4th child, who was adopted from Mother Teresa's orphanage, had facial deformities. This was mentioned at the RNC. Of course they panned over to her and she's had gorgeous plastic surgery done. That child was good political strategy for old John. No one could say he cheated on and left his wife because she was disfigured if he would adopt a precious child with facial deformities. I'm sure nannies raised all of their kids anyway.

It is different to adopt a deformed child than to promise to love and cherish a deformed woman and only sleep with her.

bratBgone Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here's the link in case others want
> to see what a piece of shit he is.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_McCain

Wow, I had no idea. Piece of shit is right!

Didn't he call his new wife a whore 'cause she wears too much makeup for his liking? Piece of shit indeed.

From a review of the book "The Real McCain":

"Three reporters from Arizona, on the condition of anonymity, also let me in on another incident involving McCain's intemperateness. In his 1992 Senate bid, McCain was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, as well as campaign aide Doug Cole and consultant Wes Gullett. At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain's hair and said, "You're getting a little thin up there." McCain's face reddened, and he responded, "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt." McCain's excuse was that it had been a long day. If elected president of the United States, McCain would have many long days."

What an asshole piece of shit indeed! it also highlights the quandry female fundies can find themselves in...if they don't wear make up, they're condemned as "dowdy" or worse. If they do wear make up they can be condemned as "trollop". And how is calling one's wife a "cunt" indicative of love and respect???!!!

His daughter writes in a way that's somewhat disconnected, probably to make her point that this account is very objective and not biased.

Wha? That doesn't even make sense. If her writing is disconnected, likely she's just a poor writer. Objectivity has nothing to do with "disconnected" writing...and duh, of course it's biased; it's her father fer Pete's sake...dumb comment!

MerlynHerne Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What an asshole piece of shit indeed! it also
> highlights the quandry female fundies can find
> themselves in...if they don't wear make up,
> they're condemned as "dowdy" or worse. If they do
> wear make up they can be condemned as "trollop".
> And how is calling one's wife a "cunt" indicative
> of love and respect???!!!

Yet, people wonder why Mrs. McCain suffers from depression and has had to take medication. Cindy's father was correct re: insisting on that pre-nup before the 2 married. If the lady wore no make-up, I am certain the man would have called her an "ugly cunt".

I'm not bashing John McCain in anyway, but all these people that write don't impress me. I'm specifically talking about the "beautiful people" (celebs).

Why don't they impress me?

Because it seems as though anybody even remotely famous thinks they can and should write, simply because they are famous. "Everybody wants to hear what I have to say!"

Look at all the actors/actresses writing children's books. Look at all of them writing stupid books about their lives.

They're diluting the "writer gene pool" and taking away from the real, talented writers.

KidFreeLuvnLife Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm not bashing John McCain in anyway, but all
> these people that write don't impress me. I'm
> specifically talking about the "beautiful people"
> (celebs).
>
> Why don't they impress me?
>
> Because it seems as though anybody even remotely
> famous thinks they can and should write, simply
> because they are famous. "Everybody wants to hear
> what I have to say!"
>
> Look at all the actors/actresses writing
> children's books. Look at all of them writing
> stupid books about their lives.
>
> They're diluting the "writer gene pool" and taking
> away from the real, talented writers.



I agree. I also don't think that most of them are actually writing shit either. Since they are "famous," most any publisher would be willing to cash in on their name for a best seller, so they negotiate the rights to a book deal. Then they probably have some staff writers who don't write well enough to be published on their own merit, with various levels of writing skills and experience, who meet up with the "celeb", jot down their basic story, and then actually write the book themselves rather than the celebs actually writing anything much. Most of these celeb books are written in a similar and familiar style as if it's a single writer or group of writers who write them all by some sort of a fill in the blank template . They ALL just about seem void of any writing talent, individuality, or flair, but seem to be "cookie cutter" books that any good high school English student could write. I doubt that these celebrity "writers" actually write little more than checks to pay the real authors off, and perhaps what amounts to a daily journal/diary full of chicken scratch.