“To understand a topic you have to read around it.”

I took this advice to heart from an unknown mentor in my life.  This is a list of books I have found helpful over the years.  Some are about leadership and honor.  Others discuss economics, diplomacy, and strategic thinking.  There is definitely a military theme as that was my profession. Whatever your career field or interests ensure you read and listen to opposing views as well as those who agree with you.  I try every day to listen to and read news from all ends of the political spectrum.  Let me know if you have any suggestions for this list because I like to buy books…

In no particular order my library shelves contain:

• Five Years to Freedom, James Nick Rowe
• The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power, Daniel Yergin
• Biko, Donald Woods
• The Words of George C. Marshall, The George C. Marshall Foundation
• Arabian Sands, Wilfred Thesiger
• The Bible, Quran, and many other religious texts
• On War, Carl von Clausewitz
• Ideas and Action, George P. Shultz
• naked economics: undressing the dismal science, Charles Wheelan
• Defeat Into Victory, Field Marshal the Viscount Slim
• Team of Teams, Stan McChrystal and company
• Dutch, Edmund Morris
• The Fierce Pawns (Signal Catastophe) Patrick Macrory
• The Great Game, Peter Hopkins
• Forrest Pogue’s 4 volume biography of George C. Marshall
• Blackhawk Down, Mark Bowden
• Soldier, Matt Ridgway
• The Sugar Season, Douglas Whynott
• Rigged, Ben Mezrich
• Running the World: The Inside Story of the NSC, David Rothkopf
• Nelson Speaks: Admiral Lord Nelson in his own words, Joseph Callo
• Diplomacy, Henry Kissinger
• The Utility of Force, General Rupert Smith
• My Life with the Taliban, Abdul Salam Zaeef
• Contemporary Conflict Resolution, Ramsbotham etc. 
• Victory on the Potomac, Locher
• Moltke on the Art of War, Hughes
• Can We Be Neutral, Dulles and Armstrong, 1936
• Generalship: It’s Diseases and Their Cure, JFC Fuller, 1933
• A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, Eric Newby
• American Generalship, Edgar Puryear
• US National Security, (latest edition) Sarkesian, Williams, Cimbala
• Flawed by Design: CIA, JCS, NSC, Amy Zegart
• Who guards the guardians and how, Ed. Thomas Bruneau
• The Hawk and the Dove, Thompson
• Lead Yourself First, Kethledge and Erwin
• Directorate S, Coll