"RARE IS THE SOLDIER WHO IS NOT CHANGED BY WAR"

MCCAIN, John and SALTER, Mark. Thirteen Soldiers. A Personal History of Americans at War. New York: Simon & Schuster, (2014). Octavo, original half blue paper boards, original dust jacket. $250.

First edition of Senator McCain's tribute to ordinary American men and women in battle—"great and powerful stories that deserve to be retold" (Stars and Stripes), boldly inscribed on the title page by him, "To L— Best wishes, John McCain."

"A son and grandson of four-star admirals who were his larger-than-life heroes, Senator McCain carried his renowned name into battle and into political fights for more than a half-century" (New York Times). In Thirteen Soldiers, published four years before his death, Senator McCain and longtime co-author Mark Salter offer a powerful portrait of Americans who fought in wars from the Revolution to the 2006 Iraq War. "Following ancient and medieval precedent, their hope is simply to use each soldier's deeds to represent a particular aspect of war: fear, duty, honor, comradeship, sacrifice," and much more (Wall Street Journal). The volume's "deeply personal stories… track real soldiers through conditions of trying morale" as McCain and Salter "sound the themes of courage and honor represented by the regular Americans of all branches of the military" (Kirkus). "These are great and powerful stories that deserve to be retold, and McCain and Salter do an admirable job of showing us why" (Stars & Stripes). Co-author Mark Salter was McCain's longtime speechwriter and chief of staff. Issued in the same year as a signed limited edition, no priority established. With numerous black-and-white illustrations.

A fine inscribed copy.