Courage Is Contagious: Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things To Change The Face Of America

by John Kasich

A modern-day Profiles in Courage about twenty people who are doing heroic things to improve the lives of their fellow Americans.

Now available in trade paperback, Courage Is Contagious is a remarkable document about everyday people helping to reshape America. Written by Congressman John Kasich, the book profiles twenty men and women from across the country who have, through their own courage, determination, and generous hearts, attempted to improve the lot of their fellow citizens. The values they exhibit, Congressman Kasich argues, are the very values we as a society need to encourage and support if we are to end our nation's divisiveness and fulfill its glorious promise. Among the people Kasich writes about are Cheryl Krueger, who started a successful cookie business that puts people ahead of profits by employing women who often wouldn't be given a chance by other companies; and Dr. Jack McConnell, who, shocked by the poverty outside his neighborhood, organized over one hundred retired doctors, nurses, and dentists to create a free medical clinic that now serves over ten thousand people in the Hilton Head area of South Carolina and has inspired similar volunteer programs nationwide.

A heartfelt and optomistic message in a world grown increasingly distrustful, Courage Is Contagious offers hope and inspiration to all who read it.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

John Richard Kasich Jr. is an American politician and author who was the 69th governor of Ohio from 2011 to 2019, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 2001, and a Republican candidate for the presidential nomination in 2000 and 2016.
Kasich was born and grew up in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, and moved to Ohio in 1970 to attend college. After a single term in the Ohio Senate, he served nine terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio's 12th congressional district. His tenure in the House included 18 years on the House Armed Services Committee and six years as chair of the House Budget Committee. Kasich was a key figure in the passage of both 1996 welfare reform legislation and the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Kasich decided not to run for re-election in 2000 and ran for president instead. He withdrew from the race before the Republican primaries.
After leaving Congress, Kasich hosted Heartland with John Kasich on Fox News from 2001 to 2007 and served as managing director of the Lehman Brothers office in Columbus, Ohio. He ran for governor of Ohio in 2010, defeating Democratic incumbent Ted Strickland. He was re-elected in 2014, defeating Democratic challenger Ed FitzGerald by 30 percentage points. Kasich was term-limited and could not seek a third gubernatorial term in 2018; he was succeeded by fellow Republican Mike DeWine.
Kasich ran for president again in 2016, finishing in fourth place in the Republican primaries behind Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and Marco Rubio. He won the primary in his home state of Ohio and finished second in New Hampshire. Kasich declined to support Trump as the Republican presidential nominee and did not attend the 2016 Republican National Convention, which was held in Ohio. From 2019 to 2023, Kasich was a CNN contributor. Since March 2023, he has been an analyst on NBC News. Kasich is known as one of Trump's most prominent critics within the Republican Party, and endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for president in a speech at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

Reviews

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Kasich pens an interesting book that pulls from his experiences travelling the US and meeting people who live with a spirit of service to others. I think Kasich's point is a valid one, that if we give to each other in our communities, that we can help to solve many of the social problems that plague us. The idea that a central government which is slow to react and is given to one size fits all approaches to problem solving, often limits the very volunteerism it hopes to promote. I was truly inspired by many of the amazing people in this book and wonder why we, as a nation and culture, do not do more to celebrate these everyday heroes. Instead, we constantly focus on the negative. I was left to wonder how to instil the can do spirit of giving in a culture that has become obsessed with consumerism and individuality. Perhaps Kasich can run again in 2020 and help make that vision more of a reality.

[Teresa Biggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are 20 stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Yes it shows all of the places government is failing our citizens but call me cycnical.. I don't think government is going to solve all of our problems so it was refreshing and inspiring to see how people notice a need and just go about filling it ... from making bologna sandwhiches for the homeless to starting Schools on Wheels to tutor the homeless children. This book is almost 30 years old and none of the problems mentioned in this book have been solved. We still have a growing homeless society, we still have hospice, we still need tutors for homeless children or hospital bills paid that insurance does not cover and we all can make a difference in our neighbors lives and our communities.

[Leslie W · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this at a thrift store and since he lives in the same town, I thought I should hear what he has to say. He seemed to suggest that people should fill in the gaps in our social net, but to me many of the stories just reinforced the failures in our healthcare system. Regardless, many of the stories were very moving and it was a good reminder that everyone can make a positive difference in their communities.