In 2020 the USMC Commandant's Professional Reading List (CPRL) removed the rank distinction and consolidated the list of publications into five categories: Commandant's Choice, Profession of Arms, Innovation, Leadership, and Strategy. Marines are instructed to read a minimum of five books from the CPRL each year.
In addition to the updated reading list, the Gray Research Center in coordination with the Brute Krulak Center for Innovation and Creativity has added new content to the CPRP to include the current podcasts, articles, and discussion guides. The CPRL and related information can be found at https://grc-usmcu.libguides.com/usmc-reading-list-2020. There previous CPRL book titles remain available under the heading “Archive” along with a list of significant national and Marine Corps related titles listed under the heading “Foundational.”
Marines are highly encouraged to incorporate periodicals and podcasts into their reading regimens. Scholarly and professionally oriented articles published by independent magazines and journals foster innovation, professional military education (PME) development, critical study of the profession of arms, and serious discussion regarding topics of interest within the Marine Corps. Professional publications inform debate on current, topical issues of relevance to the Marine Corps and promote intellectual growth of the individual Marine.
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COMMANDANT'S CHOICE (ALL MARINES)
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Hue 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam
Mark Bowden - Atlantic Monthly Press
Format: Hardcover
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Not since his #1 New York Times bestseller Black Hawk Down has Mark Bowden written a book about a battle. His most ambitious work yet, Hue 1968 is the story of the centerpiece of the Tet Offensive and a turning point in the American War in Vietnam. By January 1968,... |
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Nonobvious Megatrends
Bhargava, Rohit - IDEAPRESS PUB
Format: Book
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Featuring 10 Bold New Mega Trend Predictions from award-winning trend curator Rohit Bhargava What can the rise of women and growing reevaluation of the role of gender in politics, products and people teach us about the future of our culture? How will the growing tech backlash change the role... |
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Warfighting
United States. Marine Corps. - United States. Marine Corps.
Format: Book
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Warfighting shows how to use the Marine Corps's battle strategies of strength and straightforwardness to manage your way to victory in every confrontation, whether at a corporate, departmental, or personal level. Marines are masters of the art of maneuver warfare where small teams overwhelm... |
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A World in Disarray: American Foreign Policy and the Crisis of the Old Order
Richard Haass - Penguin Press
Format: Hardcover
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"A valuable primer on foreign policy: a primer that concerned citizens of all political persuasions - not to mention the president and his advisers - could benefit from reading." - The New York TimesAn examination of a world increasingly defined by disorder and a United... |
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The Kill Chain: Defending America in the Future of High-Tech Warfare
Christian Brose - Hachette Books
Format: Hardcover
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From a former senior advisor to Senator John McCain, an urgent wake-up call about how new technologies are threatening America's military might.When we think about the future of war, the military and Washington and most everyone gets it backwards. We think in terms of buying single... |
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Profession of Arms
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After Action: The True Story of a Cobra Pilot's Journey
Dan Sheehan - CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Format: Paperback
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Not all wounds are visible. Dan Sheehan is a third-generation naval aviator. He was eager to test his skills as a Cobra gunship pilot in the theatre of combat – and then he got his chance, first, in East Timor, then during two tours of duty in Iraq. The scenes in After Action crackle... |
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First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps
Krulak, Victor H. - Naval Inst Pr
Format: Book
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In this riveting insider's chronicle, legendary Marine General "Brute" Krulak submits an unprecedented examination of U.S. Marines--their fights on the battlefield and off, their extraordinary esprit de corps. Deftly blending history with autobiography, action with analysis,... |
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Black Hearts: One Platoon's Descent into Madness in Iraq's Triangle of Death
Frederick, Jim - Crown Pub
Format: Book
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This is the story of a small group of soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division&;s fabled 502nd Infantry Regiment&;a unit known as &;the Black Heart Brigade.&; Deployed in late 2005 to Iraq&;s so-called Triangle of Death, a veritable meat grinder just south of Baghdad,... |
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Hesitation Kills: A Female Marine Officer's Combat Experience in Iraq
Jane Blair - Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Format: Hardcover
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This riveting memoir is the first book written by a female Marine about the war in Iraq and one of the only books written by a woman who has experienced combat firsthand. Deploying to Iraq in 2003, Jane Blair's aerial reconnaissance unit was assigned to travel ahead of and alongside combat... |
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The Last Stand of Fox Company: A True Story of U.S. Marines in Combat
Bob Drury - Grove Press; First Trade Paper Edition edition
Format: Print book
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November the Korean Peninsula After General MacArthur ignores Maos warnings and pushes his UN forces deep into North Korea his First Division Marines find themselves surrounded and hopelessly outnumbered by Chinese soldiers near the Chosin Reservoir Their only chance for survival is to fight... |
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The Marines of Montford Point: America's First Black Marines
Melton Alonza McLaurin - The University of North Carolina Press
Format: Hardcover
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With an executive order from President Franklin Roosevelt in 1941, the United States Marine Corps--the last all-white branch of the U.S. military--was forced to begin recruiting and enlisting African Americans. The first black recruits received basic training at the segregated Camp Montford... |
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Marine Sniper: 93 Confirmed Kills
Charles Henderson - Berkley; Reissue edition
Format: Print book
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In the chaos of the combat zone, there are the living, the dead, and the Ghost. In the ongoing Iraq conflict, there are no battle lines, no direct offensives, no ground won or lost??just the daily fight against an enemy who hits and runs, hides and sneaks. If the enemy shows himself, it?s... |
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Neptune's Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal
James D. Hornfischer - Bantam; First edition
Format: Hardcover
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With The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors and Ship of Ghosts James D Hornfischer created essential and enduring narratives about Americarsquos World War II Navy works of unique immediacy distinguished by rich portraits of ordinary men in extremis and exclusive new information Now he does... |
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We Were One: Shoulder to Shoulder with the Marines Who Took Fallujah
Patrick K. O'Donnell - Da Capo Press
Format: Book
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A riveting first-hand account of the fierce battle for Fallujah during the Iraq War and the Marines who fought there--a story of brotherhood and sacrifice in a platoon of heroes Five months after being deployed to Iraq, Lima Company's 1st Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment,... |
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Women at War: Iraq, Afghanistan, and Other Conflicts
James E. Wise Jr. - Naval Institute Press; Reprint edition
Format: Paperback
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Wise and Baron relate the compelling war experiences of thirty American female soldiers in the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan, highlighting their extraordinary display of dedication to their mission and to the soldiers and sailors with whom they served. While the book's focus is on today's... |
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Innovation
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Assault from the Sea: Essays on the History of Amphibious Warfare
Merrill L. Bartlett - Naval Institute Press
Format: Book
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This collection of 51 essays provides a history of amphibious landings that include European, Asian, and American operations. It describes in detail some of history's most significant amphibious assaults, as well as planned attacks that were never carried out.
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Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir by One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII
Chester Nez - Berkley Hardcover; First Edition, First Printing edition
Format: Book
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The first and only memoir by one of the original Navajo code talkers of WWII-includes the actual Navajo Code and rare photos. Although more than 400 Navajos served in the military during World War II as top-secret code talkers, even those fighting shoulder to shoulder with them were not told... |
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Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends On It
Ian Leslie - Basic Books
Format: Hardcover
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“I have no special talents,” said Albert Einstein. “I am only passionately curious.”Everyone is born curious. But only some retain the habits of exploring, learning, and discovering as they grow older. Those who do so tend to be smarter, more creative, and more successful.... |
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Issues on My Mind: Strategies for the Future
Shultz, George P. - Hoover Institution Press
Format: Book
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How to achieve a better future for the United States and the world The world is awash in change. What can be done to re-create the sense of relative stability that emerged from the creative efforts of statesmen after the end of World War II? In this book, former Nixon and Reagan cabinet... |
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On Call In Hell: A Doctor's Iraq War Story
Thomas Hayden - NAL Hardcover; First Edition edition
Format: Hardcover
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A riveting memoir from the Navy doctor praised as "Hero, M.D." on the cover of Newsweek. Cdr. Richard Jadick's story is one of the most extraordinary to come out of the war in Iraq. At thirty-eight, the last place the Navy doctor was expected to be was on the front lines.... |
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Sgt. Reckless: America's War Horse
Robin Hutton - Regnery History
Format: Book
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From the racetrack to the battlefielddauntless, fearless, and exemplar of Semper Fishe was Reckless, pride of the Marines. A Mongolian mare who was bred to be a racehorse, Ah-Chim-Hai, or Flame-of-the-Morning, belonged to a young boy named Kim-Huk-Moon. In order to pay for a prosthetic... |
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The White Donkey: Terminal Lance
Maximilian Uriarte - Little, Brown and Company
Format: Book
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A graphic novel of war and its aftermath.
A powerful, compulsively page-turning, vivid, and moving tribute to the experience of war and PTSD, The White Donkey tells the story of Abe, a young Marine recruit who experiences the ugly, pedestrian, and often meaningless side of military... |
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Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century
P W Singer - Penguin Press
Format: Hardcover
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A military expert reveals how science fiction is fast becoming reality on the battlefield, changing not just how wars are fought, but also the politics, economics, laws, and ethics that surround war itself P. W. Singer?s previous two books foretold the rise of private military contractors... |
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Leadership
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Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead
Jim Mattis - Random House
Format: Hardcover
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#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A clear-eyed account of learning how to lead in a chaotic world, by General Jim Mattis - the former Secretary of Defense and one of the most formidable strategic thinkers of our time - and Bing West, a former assistant secretary of defense and combat... |
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Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.
Brené Brown - Random House
Format: Book
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Brené Brown has taught us what it means to dare greatly, rise strong, and brave the wilderness. Now, based on new research conducted with leaders, change makers, and culture shifters, she's showing us how to put those ideas into practice so we can step up and lead.
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It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership
Colin L Powell - Harper
Format: Hardcover
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Colin Powell, one of America's most admired public figures, reveals the principles that have shaped his life and career in this inspiring and engrossing memoir.A beautiful companion to his previous memoir, the #1 New York Times bestseller My American Journey, Powell's It Worked... |
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The Leader's Bookshelf
Adm. James Stavridis USN (Ret.) - Naval Institute Press
Format: Book
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For the last several years Adm. James Stavridis and his co-author, R. Manning Ancell, have surveyed over two hundred active and retired four-star military officers about their reading habits and favorite books, asking each for a list of titles that strongly influenced their leadership skills... |
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Legacy
James M Kerr - Constable
Format: Book
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Champions do extra. They sweep the sheds. They follow the spearhead. They keep a blue head. They are good ancestors. In Legacy, bestselling author James Kerr goes deep into the heart of the world's most successful sporting team, the legendary All Blacks of New Zealand, to reveal 15 powerful... |
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Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life
Eric Greitens Navy SEAL - Houghton Mifflin
Format: Hardcover
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Best-selling author, Navy SEAL, and humanitarian Eric Greitens offer a masterpiece of warrior wisdom that will change your life. You cannot bounce back from hardship. You can only move through it. There is a path through pain to wisdom, through suffering to strength, and through fear to courage... |
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Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business
Charles Duhigg - Random House
Format: Print book
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From the author of the New York Times bestselling phenomenon The Power of Habit comes a fascinating new book that explores the science of productivity, and why, in today's world, managing how you think - rather than what you think - can transform your life. A young... |
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Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
Simon Sinek - Portfolio
Format: Book
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The inspiring, life-changing bestseller by the author of LEADERS EAT LAST and TOGETHER IS BETTER.
In 2009, Simon Sinek started a movement to help people become more inspired at work, and in turn inspire their colleagues and customers. Since then, millions have been touched... |
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Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging.
Junger Sebastian - Twelve
Format: Book
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We have a strong instinct to belong to small groups defined by clear purpose and understanding--"tribes." This tribal connection has been largely lost in modern society, but regaining it may be the key to our psychological survival.
Decades before the American Revolution,... |
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Unbroken A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
Laura Hillenbrand - Random House
Format: Book
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On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane's bombardier, who was struggling... |
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You Are Worth It: Building a Life Worth Fighting For
Kyle Carpenter - William Morrow
Format: Hardcover
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From the youngest living recipient of the Medal of Honor, an extraordinary inspirational memoir that will change the life of every reader. "Kyle displayed a heroism in the blink of an eye that will inspire for generations" - President Barack Obama, at Kyle Carpenter's Medal of Honor... |
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Strategy
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Cybersecurity and Cyberwar: What Everyone Needs to Know
P.W. Singer - Oxford University Press
Format: Hardcover
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A generation ago, "cyberspace" was just a term from science fiction, used to describe the nascent network of computers linking a few university labs. Today, our entire modern way of life, from communication to commerce to conflict, fundamentally depends on the Internet. And the cybersecurity... |
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Fleet Tactics and Coastal Combat, 3rd ed.
Hughes, Wayne P., Jr - Naval Institute Press
Format: Book
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The revised edition of this indispensable work still covers battle tactics at sea from the age of fighting sail to the present, with emphasis on trends (factors that have changed throughout history), constants (things that have not changed), and variables (things pertinent to each individual... |
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