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.
COMMANDANT'S CHOICE (ALL MARINES)
Hue 1968
By Bowden, Mark
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, despite an influx of half a million American troops, the fighting in Vietnam seemed to be at a stalemate. Yet General William Westmoreland, commander of American forces, announced a new phase of the war in which "the end begins to come into view." The North Vietnamese had different ideas. In mid-1967, the leadership in Hanoi had started planning an offensive intended to win the war in a single stroke. Part military action and part popular uprising, the Tet Offensive included attacks across South Vietnam, but the most dramatic and successful would be the capture of Hue, the country's cultural capital. At 2:30 a.m. on January 31, 10,000 National Liberation Front troops descended from hidden camps and surged across the city of 140,000. By morning, all of Hue was in Front hands save for two small military outposts.The commanders in country and politicians in Washington refused to believe the size and scope of the Front's presence. Captain Chuck Meadows was ordered to lead his 160-marine Golf Company against thousands of enemy troops in the first attempt to re-enter Hue later that day. After several futile and deadly days, Lieutenant Colonel Ernie Cheatham would finally come up with a strategy to retake the city, block by block and building by building, in some of the most intense urban combat since World War II. With unprecedented access to war archives in the U.S. and Vietnam and interviews with participants from both sides, Bowden narrates each stage of this crucial battle through multiple points of view. Played out over twenty-four days of terrible fighting and ultimately costing 10,000 combatant and civilian lives, the Battle of Hue was by far the bloodiest of the entire war. When it ended, the American debate was never again about winning, only about how to leave. In Hue 1968, Bowden masterfully reconstructs this pivotal moment in the American War in Vietnam.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780802127006
|
Hardcover
The Second Machine Age
By Brynjolfsson, Erik
A "fascinating" (Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times) look at how digital technology is transforming our work and our lives. In recent years, Google's autonomous cars have logged thousands of miles on American highways and IBM's Watson trounced the best human Jeopardy! players. Digital technologies -- with hardware, software, and networks at their core -- will in the near future diagnose diseases more accurately than doctors can, apply enormous data sets to transform retailing, and accomplish many tasks once considered uniquely human. In The Second Machine Age MIT's Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee -- two thinkers at the forefront of their field -- reveal the forces driving the reinvention of our lives and our economy.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780393350647
|
Book
Nonobvious Megatrends
By Rohit, Bhargava,
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 devices play in everything from how we communicate to what we choose to do for entertainment? The answers to these questions may not be all that obvious, and that's exactly the point. For the past 10 years, marketing expert and Georgetown University Professor Rohit Bhargava has curated his best-selling list of non-obvious trends by asking the questions that most people miss.
Series: "Non-Obvious."
Publisher: n/a
|
9781940858968
|
Book
Warfighting
By Corps., United States. Marine
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 the brute strength and large numbers of traditional forces. They have perfected tactics that manipulate the basic elements of conflict - speed, surprise, disorder, intuition, and moral confusion - to throw the opposition into chaos and disarray. Their advice shows how to achieve the spiritual and mental discipline that mark the warrior's state of mind, born of bold will, intellect, initiative, and ruthless opportunism. Warfighting inspires leaders who understand that "courage is not the absence of fear, but the strength to overcome it.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780385474856
|
Book
A World in Disarray
By Haass, Richard
"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 States unable to shape the world in its image, from the president of the Council on Foreign RelationsThings fall apart; the center cannot hold. The rules, policies, and institutions that have guided the world since World War II have largely run their course. Respect for sovereignty alone cannot uphold order in an age defined by global challenges from terrorism and the spread of nuclear weapons to climate change and cyberspace. Meanwhile, great power rivalry is returning. Weak states pose problems just as confounding as strong ones. The United States remains the world's strongest country, but American foreign policy has at times made matters worse, both by what the U.S. has done and by what it has failed to do. The Middle East is in chaos, Asia is threatened by China's rise and a reckless North Korea, and Europe, for decades the world's most stable region, is now anything but. As Richard Haass explains, the election of Donald Trump and the unexpected vote for "Brexit" signals that many in modern democracies reject important aspects of globalization, including borders open to trade and immigrants. In A World in Disarray, Haass argues for an updated global operating system - call it world order 2.0 - that reflects the reality that power is widely distributed and that borders count for less. One critical element of this adjustment will be adopting a new approach to sovereignty, one that embraces its obligations and responsibilities as well as its rights and protections. Haass also details how the U.S. should act towards China and Russia, as well as in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. He suggests, too, what the country should do to address its dysfunctional politics, mounting debt, and the lack of agreement on the nature of its relationship with the world. A World in Disarray is a wise examination, one rich in history, of the current world, along with how we got here and what needs doing. Haass shows that the world cannot have stability or prosperity without the United States, but that the United States cannot be a force for global stability and prosperity without its politicians and citizens reaching a new understanding.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780399562365
|
Hardcover
The Kill Chain
By Brose, Christian
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 military systems, such as fighter jets or aircraft carriers. And when we think about modernizing those systems, we think about buying better versions of the same things. But what really matters is not the single system but "the battle network" -- the collection of sensors and shooters that enables a military to find an enemy system, target it, and attack it. This process is what the military calls "the kill chain" -- how you get from detection to action, and do it as quickly as possible.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780316533539
|
Hardcover
Profession of Arms
After Action
By Sheehan, Dan
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 with tension and excitement as we follow his path into battle. Bullets pierce their Cobras as Dan and his comrades struggle to separate enemy fighters from civilians - ultimately deciding who lives and dies. Through blinding sandstorms, the smoke of battle and chaos of low-altitude firefights at night, Dan puts us in the front seat of the Cobra - where we white-knuckle our way through barrages of enemy fire - and into his head as he makes split-second decisions that carry lasting consequences.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781480034068
|
Paperback
First to Fight
By H., Krulak, Victor
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, and separating fact from fable, General Krulak touches the very essence of the Corps: what it means to be a Marine and the reason behind its consistently outstanding performance and reputation. Krulak also addresses the most basic but challenging question of all about the Corps: how does it manage to survive--even to flourish--despite overwhelming political odds and, as the general writes, "an extraordinary propensity for shooting itself in the foot?" To answer this question Krulak examines the foundation on which the Corps is built, a system of intense loyalty to God, to country, and to other Marines. He also takes a close look at Marines in war, offering challenging accounts of their experiences in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. In addition, he describes the Corps's relationship to other services, especially during the unification battles following World War II, and offers new insights into the decision-making process in times of crisis. First published in hardcover in 1984, this book has remained popular ever since with Marines of every rank.
Publisher: n/a
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9781557504647
|
Book
Black Hearts
By Jim, Frederick,
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, the Black Hearts found themselves in arguably the country&;s most dangerous location at its most dangerous time.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780307450760
|
Book
Forgotten Warriors
By X., Hammes, T.
Tells the story of the unsung heroes of the Korean War--the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. This remarkable air-ground unit shipped out only six days after its creation and activation--and yet won every one of its engagements and helped secure the Pusan Perimeter.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780700618927
|
Book
Hesitation Kills
By Blair, Jane
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 units throughout the initial phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Throughout her deployment, Jane kept a journal of her and her fellow lieutenants' combat experiences, which she draws on to convey the immediacy of life in the military, not just for a woman but for all Marines. Jane's stories highlight the drama and chaos of wartime Iraq along with the day-to-day challenges every Marine faced: from spicing up a "pasta with alfredo sauce" military ration to trying to stay clean after weeks without a shower. She also copes with a bullying superior officer while trying to connect with local civilians who have long been viewed as "the enemy." She recounts the struggles specific to women, including learning how to be respected as a Marine rather than dismissed as "the weaker sex" and learns strategies from other officers in her unit how to effectively battle the prejudices of male Marines who don't believe women belong in uniform. And always, she fights the personal loneliness of being separated from her husband, balanced with the challenge and joy of stealing a private moment with him when, by chance, his unit is nearby. Jane describes not only her experiences as a young lieutenant and as a woman but also those of her fellow Marines, whom she lauds as the true heroes of her story. Ultimately, she learns from her commanding officer, and her fellows in arms, what it truly means to be a leader, both in the military and in life. Weaving her story together with the experiences of the ordinary people of Iraq, this book offers compelling insights into the profound impact of the war on the lives of service members and civilians alike. Jane also weaves in the narrative her impressions of the Iraqis and draws the reader in to her changed perceptions and growing understanding of Muslims and Iraqis as a whole. Her unforgettable narrative bridges the gap between those who have experienced the Iraq War firsthand and those in America who could only follow its life-altering events from a distance.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781442208766
|
Hardcover
The Last Stand of Fox Company
By Drury, Bob
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 their way south through the Toktong Pass a narrow gorge that will need to be held open at all costs The mission is handed to Captain William Barber and the Marines of Fox Company a courageous but undermanned unit of the First Marines Barber and his men climb seven miles of frozen terrain to a rocky promontory overlooking the pass where they will endure four days and five nights of nearly continuous Chinese attempts to take Fox Hill Amid the relentless violence three-quarters of Foxs Marines are killed wounded or captured Just when it looks like they will be overrun Lt Colonel Raymond Davis a fearless Marine officer who is fighting south from Chosin volunteers to lead a daring mission that will seek to cut a hole in the Chinese lines and relieve the men of Fox This is a fast-paced and gripping account of heroism in the face of impossible odds.
Publisher: n/a
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9780802144515
|
Print book
The Marines of Montford Point
By Mclaurin, Melton Alonza
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 Point, adjacent to Camp Lejeune, near Jacksonville, North Carolina. Between 1942 and 1949 (when the base was closed as a result of President Truman's 1948 order fully desegregating all military forces) more than 20,000 men trained at Montford Point, most of them going on to serve in the Pacific Theatre in World War II as members of support units. This book, in conjunction with the documentary film of the same name, tells the story of these Marines for the first time.
Publisher: n/a
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9780807830970
|
Hardcover
Marine Sniper
By Henderson, Charles
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 only for a moment. But for a Marine Sniper, that is all that is needed. Readers now have the opportunity, from these warriors? perspective, to peer into the killing zone through a telescopic lens, down the barrel of a high-powered rifle, and into the very heart of the enemy. The training, the techniques, and the steel will necessary to survive as a sniper are all described in vivid detail. Charles Henderson also delves into the core of the enemy??the maniacal ideology, and the tactics that have sown so much violence in Iraq??and how they are all vulnerable to a single bullet from a Ghost.
Publisher: n/a
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9780425181652
|
Print book
Neptune's Inferno
By Hornfischer, James D.
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 the same for the deadliest most pivotal naval campaign of the Pacific war GuadalcanalNeptunersquos Inferno is at once the most epic and the most intimate account ever written of the contest for control of the seaways of the Solomon Islands Americarsquos first concerted offensive against the Imperial Japanese juggernaut and the true turning point of the Pacific conflict This grim protracted campaign has long been heralded as a Marine victory Now with his powerful portrait of the Navyrsquos sacrificemdashthree sailors died at sea for every man lost ashoremdashHornfischer tells for the first time the full story of the men who fought in destroyers cruisers and battleships in the narrow deadly waters of ldquoIronbottom Soundrdquo Here in brilliant cinematic detail are the seven major naval actions that began in August of a time when the war seemed unwinnable and America fought on a shoestring with the outcome always in doubt But at Guadalcanal the US proved it had the implacable will to match the Imperial war machine blow for violent blow Working from new interviews with survivors unpublished eyewitness accounts and newly available documents Hornfischer paints a vivid picture of the officers and enlisted men who took on the Japanese in Americarsquos hour of need Vice Admiral William ldquoBullrdquo Halsey who took command of the faltering South Pacific Area from his aloof overwhelmed predecessor and became a national hero the brilliant Rear Admiral Norman Scott who died even as he showed his command how to fight and win Rear Admiral Daniel Callaghan the folksy and genteel ldquoUncle Danrdquo lost in the strobe-lit chaos of his burning flagship Rear Admiral Willis Lee who took vengeance two nights later in a legendary showdown with the Japanese battleship Kirishima the five Sullivan brothers all killed in the shocking destruction of the Juneau and many others all vividly brought to lifeThe first major work on this essential subject in almost two decades Neptunersquos Inferno does what all great battle narratives do It cuts through the smoke and fog to tell the gripping human stories behind the momentous events and critical decisions that altered the course of history and shaped so many lives This is a thrilling achievement from a master historian at the very top of his game.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780553806700
|
Hardcover
We Were One
By O'donnell, Patrick K.
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, found itself in Fallujah, embroiled in some of the most intense house-to-house, hand-to-hand urban combat since World War II. In the city's bloody streets, they came face-to-face with the enemy-radical insurgents high on adrenaline, fighting to a martyr's death, and suicide bombers approaching from every corner. Award-winning author and historian Patrick O'Donnell stood shoulder to shoulder with this modern band of brothers as they marched and fought through the streets of Fallujah, and he stayed with them as the casualties mounted.
Publisher: n/a
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9780306815737
|
Book
Women at War
By Jr., James E. Wise
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 women in combat, it also reaches back to Korea, Vietnam and World War II to offer stories of inspiring women who served at the "cusp of the spear" as they fought and died for their country.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781591149729
|
Paperback
Innovation
Assault from the Sea
By Bartlett, Merrill L.
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.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780870210761
|
Book
Code Talker
By Nez, Chester
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 of their covert function. And, after the war, the Navajos were forbidden to speak of their service until 1968, when the code was finally declassified. Of the original twenty-nine Navajo code talkers, Chester Nez is the only one still alive. The original twenty-nine were the men who first devised the code, then proved it indispensable in combat.In this memoir, the ninety-year-old Nez chronicles both his war years and his life growing up on the Checkerboard Area of the Navajo Reservation - the hard life that gave him the strength, both physical and mental, to become a Marine.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780425244234
|
Book
Countdown to Zero Day
By Zetter, Kim
Top cybersecurity journalist Kim Zetter tells the story behind the virus that sabotaged Iran's nuclear efforts and shows how its existence has ushered in a new age of warfare - one in which a digital attack can have the same destructive capability as a megaton bomb. In January 2010, inspectors with the International Atomic Energy Agency noticed that centrifuges at an Iranian uranium enrichment plant were failing at an unprecedented rate. The cause was a complete mystery - apparently as much to the technicians replacing the centrifuges as to the inspectors observing them. Then, five months later, a seemingly unrelated event occurred: A computer security firm in Belarus was called in to troubleshoot some computers in Iran that were crashing and rebooting repeatedly.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780770436179
|
Hardcover
Curious
By Leslie, Ian
“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. So why are many of us allowing our curiosity to wane?In Curious, Ian Leslie makes a passionate case for the cultivation of our “desire to know.” Just when the rewards of curiosity have never been higher, it is misunderstood, undervalued, and increasingly monopolized by a cognitive elite. A “curiosity divide” is opening up.This divide is being exacerbated by the way we use the Internet. Thanks to smartphones and tools such as Google and Wikipedia, we can answer almost any question instantly.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780465079964
|
Hardcover
Issues on My Mind
By P., Shultz, George
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 member George Shultz offers his views on how to govern more effectively, get our economy back on track, take advantage of new opportunities in the energy field, combat the use of addictive drugs, apply a strategic overview to diplomacy, and identify necessary steps to achieve a world without nuclear weapons.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780817916244
|
Book
Learning War
By Trent, Hone,
Learning War describes the evolution of the U.S. Navy's tactical doctrine in the first half of the twentieth century, from the end of the Spanish-American War through the end of World War II.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781682472934
|
Book
The Master Algorithm
By Domingos, Pedro
Algorithms increasingly run our lives. They find books, movies, jobs, and dates for us, manage our investments, and discover new drugs. More and more, these algorithms work by learning from the trails of data we leave in our newly digital world. Like curious children, they observe us, imitate, and experiment. And in the world's top research labs and universities, the race is on to invent the ultimate learning algorithm: one capable of discovering any knowledge from data, and doing anything we want, before we even ask.Machine learning is the automation of discovery - the scientific method on steroids - that enables intelligent robots and computers to program themselves. No field of science today is more important yet more shrouded in mystery. Pedro Domingos, one of the field's leading lights, lifts the veil for the first time to give us a peek inside the learning machines that power Google, Amazon, and your smartphone.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780465065707
|
Hardcover
Military Innovation in the Interwar Period
By R., Millett, Allan
A study of major military innovations in the 1920s and 1930s. No holdings.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780521637602
|
Book
On Call In Hell
By Hayden, Thomas
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. He was too old to be called up, but not too old to volunteer. In November 2004, with the military reeling from an acute doctor shortage, Jadick chose to accompany the First Battalion, Eighth Marine Regiment (the "1/8") to Iraq. During the Battle of Fallujah, Jadick and his team worked tirelessly and courageously around the clock to save their troops in the worst street fighting Americans had faced since Vietnam. It is estimated that without Jadick at the front, the Marines would have lost an additional thirty men.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780451220530
|
Hardcover
Sgt. Reckless
By Hutton, Robin
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 leg for his sister, Kim made the difficult decision to sell his beloved companion. Lieutenant Eric Pedersen purchased the bodacious mare and renamed her Reckless, for the Recoilless Rifles Platoon, Anti-Tank Division, of the 5th Marines shed be joining. The four-legged equine braved minefields and hailing shrapnel to deliver ammunition to her division on the frontlines. In one day alone, performing fifty-one trips up and down treacherous terrain, covering a distance of over thirty-five miles, and rescuing wounded comrades-in-arms, Reckless demonstrated her steadfast devotion to the Marines who had become her herd.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781621572633
|
Book
The White Donkey
By Uriarte, Maximilian
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 service in rural Iraq. He enlists in hopes of finding that missing something in his life but comes to find out that it's not quite what he expected. Abe gets more than he bargained for when his journey takes him to the middle east in war-torn Iraq.
This is a story about a Marine, written and illustrated by a Marine, and is the first graphic novel about the war in Iraq from a veteran. The White Donkey explores the experience of being a Marine, as well as the challenges that veterans face upon their return home, and its raw power will leave you in awe.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780316362832
|
Book
Wired for War
By Singer, P W
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 and the advent of child soldiers? predictions that proved all too accurate. Now, he explores the greatest revolution in military affairs since the atom bomb?the advent of robotic warfare. We are just beginning to see a massive shift in military technology that threatens to make the stuff of I,Robot and the Terminator all too real. More than seven- thousand robotic systems are now in Iraq. Pilots in Nevada are remotely killing terrorists in Afghanistan. Scientists are debating just how smart?and how lethal?to make their current robotic prototypes.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781594201981
|
Hardcover
Leadership
Call Sign Chaos
By Mattis, Jim
#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 Marine. Call Sign Chaos is the account of Jim Mattis's storied career, from wide-ranging leadership roles in three wars to ultimately commanding a quarter of a million troops across the Middle East. Along the way, Mattis recounts his foundational experiences as a leader, extracting the lessons he has learned about the nature of warfighting and peacemaking, the importance of allies, and the strategic dilemmas - and short-sighted thinking - now facing our nation. He makes it clear why America must return to a strategic footing so as not to continue winning battles but fighting inconclusive wars. Mattis divides his book into three parts: Direct Leadership, Executive Leadership, and Strategic Leadership. In the first part, Mattis recalls his early experiences leading Marines into battle, when he knew his troops as well as his own brothers. In the second part, he explores what it means to command thousands of troops and how to adapt your leadership style to ensure your intent is understood by your most junior troops so that they can own their mission. In the third part, Mattis describes the challenges and techniques of leadership at the strategic level, where military leaders reconcile war's grim realities with political leaders' human aspirations, where complexity reigns and the consequences of imprudence are severe, even catastrophic. Call Sign Chaos is a memoir of a life of warfighting and lifelong learning, following along as Mattis rises from Marine recruit to four-star general. It is a journey about learning to lead and a story about how he, through constant study and action, developed a unique leadership philosophy, one relevant to us all.
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.
Don't miss the hourlong Netflix special Brené Brown: The Call to Courage!
Publisher: n/a
|
9780399592522
|
Book
It Worked for Me
By Powell, Colin L
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 for Me: In Life and Leadership is a trove of wisdom for anyone hoping to achieve their goals and turn their dreams into reality.A message of strength and endurance from a man who has dedicated his life to public service, It Worked for Me is a book with the power to show readers everywhere how to achieve a more fulfilling life and career.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780062135124
|
Hardcover
The Leader's Bookshelf
By (ret.), Adm. James Stavridis Usn
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 and provided them with special insights that helped propel them to success in spite of the many demanding challenges they faced. The Leader's Bookshelf synthesizes their responses to identify the top fifty books that can help virtually anyone become a better leader.
Each of the works -- novels, memoirs, biographies, autobiographies, management publications -- are summarized and the key leadership lessons extracted and presented. Whether individuals work their way through the entire list and read each book cover to cover, or read the summaries provided to determine which appeal to them most, The Leader's Bookshelf will provide a roadmap to better leadership.
Highlighting the value of reading in both a philosophical and a practical sense, The Leader's Bookshelf provides sound advice on how to build an extensive library, lists other books worth reading to improve leadership skills, and analyzes how leaders use what they read to achieve their goals. An efficient way to sample some of literature's greatest works and to determine which ones can help individuals climb the ladder of success, The Leader's Bookshelf is for anyone who wants to improve his or her ability to lead -- whether in family life, professional endeavors, or within society and civic organizations.
No holdings.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781682471791
|
Book
Legacy
By Kerr, James M
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 and practical lessons for leadership and business.
No holdings.
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9781472103536
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Book
Resilience
By Seal, Eric Greitens Navy
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 if we have the virtue of resilience.In 2012, Eric Greitens unexpectedly heard from a former SEAL comrade, a brother-in-arms he hadn t seen in a decade. Zach Walker had been one of the toughest of the tough. But ever since he returned home from war to his young family in a small logging town, he d been struggling. Without a sense of purpose, plagued by PTSD, and masking his pain with heavy drinking, he needed help. Zach and Eric started writing and talking nearly every day, as Eric set down his thoughts on what it takes to build resilience in our lives.
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9780544323988
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Hardcover
Smarter Faster Better
By Duhigg, Charles
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 woman drops out of a PhD program and starts playing poker. By training herself to envision contradictory futures, she learns to anticipate her opponents' missteps - and becomes one of the most successful players in the world. A group of data scientists at Google embark on a four-year study of how the best teams function, and find that how a group interacts is more important than who is in the group - a principle, it turns out, that also helps explain why Saturday Night Live became a hit. A Marine Corps general, faced with low morale among recruits, reimagines boot camp - and discovers that instilling a "bias toward action" can turn even the most directionless teenagers into self-motivating achievers. The filmmakers behind Disney's Frozen are nearly out of time and on the brink of catastrophe - until they shake up their team in just the right way, spurring a creative breakthrough that leads to one of the highest-grossing movies of all time. What do these people have in common? They know that productivity relies on making certain choices. The way we frame our daily decisions; the big ambitions we embrace and the easy goals we ignore; the cultures we establish as leaders to drive innovation; the way we interact with data: These are the things that separate the merely busy from the genuinely productive. At the core of Smarter Faster Better are eight key concepts - from motivation and goal setting to focus and decision making - that explain why some people and companies get so much done. Drawing on the latest findings in neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral economics - as well as the experiences of CEOs, educational reformers, four-star generals, FBI agents, airplane pilots, and Broadway songwriters - this painstakingly researched book explains that the most productive people, companies, and organizations don't merely act differently. They view the world, and their choices, in profoundly different ways.In The Power of Habit, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Charles Duhigg explained why we do what we do. In Smarter Faster Better, he applies the same relentless curiosity, deep reporting, and rich storytelling to explain how we can improve at the things we do. It's a groundbreaking exploration of the science of productivity, one that can help anyone learn to succeed with less stress and struggle, and to get more done without sacrificing what we care about most - to become smarter, faster, and better at everything we do.Advance praise for Smarter Faster Better "As he did in The Power of Habit, Duhigg melds cutting-edge science, deep reporting, and wide-ranging stories to give us a fuller, more human way of thinking about how productivity actually happens." - Susan Cain, author of Quiet "Duhigg uses engaging storytelling to highlight fascinating research and core principles that we can all learn and use in our daily lives. A masterful must-read for anyone who wants to get more (and more creative) stuff done." - David Allen, author of Getting Things Done "Duhigg has a gift for asking just the right question, and then igniting the same curiosity in the rest of us. In Smarter Faster Better he finds provocative answers to a riddle of our age." - Jim Collins, author of Good to Great
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9780812993394
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Print book
Start with Why
By Sinek, Simon
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 by the power of his ideas, including more than 28 million who've watched his TED Talk based on START WITH WHY -- the third most popular TED video of all time.
Sinek starts with a fundamental question: Why are some people and organizations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others? Why do some command greater loyalty from customers and employees alike? Even among the successful, why are so few able to repeat their success over and over?
People like Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, and the Wright Brothers had little in common, but they all started with WHY. They realized that people won't truly buy into a product, service, movement, or idea until they understand the WHY behind it.
START WITH WHY shows that the leaders who've had the greatest influence in the world all think, act, and communicate the same way -- and it's the opposite of what everyone else does. Sinek calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired. And it all starts with WHY.
Publisher: n/a
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9781591842804
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Book
Tribe
By Sebastian, Junger
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, Benjamin Franklin lamented that English settlers were constantly fleeing over to the Indians-but Indians almost never did the same. Tribal society has been exerting an almost gravitational pull on Westerners for hundreds of years, and the reason lies deep in our evolutionary past as a communal species. The most recent example of that attraction is combat veterans who come home to find themselves missing the incredibly intimate bonds of platoon life. The loss of closeness that comes at the end of deployment may explain the high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder suffered by military veterans today.
Combining history, psychology, and anthropology, TRIBE explores what we can learn from tribal societies about loyalty, belonging, and the eternal human quest for meaning. It explains the irony that-for many veterans as well as civilians-war feels better than peace, adversity can turn out to be a blessing, and disasters are sometimes remembered more fondly than weddings or tropical vacations. TRIBE explains why we are stronger when we come together, and how that can be achieved even in today's divided world.
Publisher: n/a
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9781455566389
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Book
Unbroken A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
By Hillenbrand, Laura
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 to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.
The lieutenant's name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he'd been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.
Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * The incredible true story of survival and salvation that is the basis for two major motion pictures: 2014's Unbroken and the upcoming Unbroken: Path to Redemption.
Publisher: n/a
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9781400064168
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Book
You Are Worth It
By Carpenter, Kyle
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 ceremonyI want my story to help others see what's extraordinary in themselves. - Kyle CarpenterOn November 21, 2010, U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Kyle Carpenter was posted on a rooftop in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, when an enemy grenade skittered across the roof. Kyle's post that afternoon, with his friend and fellow Marine Nick Eufrazio, had been eerily quiet; now, with no time to escape, they had to make a split-second decision or they would both be dead. Without a second thought, Kyle jumped on the grenade, a brutal killing device. His vision went blank, his entire body numb, he tried to move but could not. His gear had melted. It felt as though someone was pouring warm water all over him; he dazedly realized that the liquid was his own blood. He had made an instantaneous decision, almost on instinct, one that would change his life forever.Kyle's heroic act saved Nick Eufrazio's life, but nearly cost Kyle his own. His heart flatlined three times. Wounded from head to toe, Kyle lost his right eye, as well as most of his face from the nose down. It would take dozens of surgeries and almost three years in and out of the hospital to reconstruct his body - and from there, he began the process of rebuilding his life. What he has accomplished in the last five years is truly extraordinary: he's undergone extensive physical rehabilitation, graduated from college, ran three marathons, and embarked on a new career as a motivational speaker. And in 2014, he was awarded the nation's highest military decoration, Medal of Honor, by President Barack Obama, making Carpenter the youngest living recipient of the award."With that singular act of courage, Kyle, you not only saved your brother in arms, you displayed a heroism in the blink of an eye that will inspire for generations," stated the president.You Are Worth It is a memoir about the War in Afghanistan and Kyle's heroics, yes, but it also is a manual for living. Organized around the credos that have guided Kyle's life (from "Don't Hide Your Scars" to "Call Your Mom") , the book encourages us to become our best selves in the time we've been given on earth. Above all, it's about finding purpose in life, despite the significant challenges that may come your way. As Kyle writes, addressing us all: "You are worth it. You are. You are worth protecting, you are worth fighting for, you are worth time in a hospital bed and deep scars on my body - because all Americans, the people of Afghanistan, and so many people around the world who go to bed at night wishing to one day taste freedom and peace have inherent worth as human beings. If we don't spend our time on this earth looking out for one another, what are we really doing with our lives?"Moving and unforgettable, You Are Worth It is an astonishing memoir from one of our most extraordinary young leaders.
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9780062898548
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Hardcover
Strategy
Cybersecurity and Cyberwar
By Singer, P.w.
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 issues that result challenge literally everyone: politicians wrestling with everything from cybercrime to online freedom; generals protecting the nation from new forms of attack, while planning new cyberwars; business executives defending firms from once unimaginable threats, and looking to make money off of them; lawyers and ethicists building new frameworks for right and wrong. Most of all, cybersecurity issues affect us as individuals. We face new questions in everything from our rights and responsibilities as citizens of both the online and real world to simply how to protect ourselves and our families from a new type of danger.
Publisher: n/a
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9780199918096
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Hardcover
Fleet Tactics and Coastal Combat, 3rd ed.
By Jr, Hughes, Wayne P.,
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 battle). Fleet Tactics and Naval Operations continues to emphasize combat data, including how hitting and damage rates and maneuvering have been conducted to achieve an advantage over the centuries. The third edition highlights the current swift advances in unmanned vehicles, artificial intelligence, cyber warfare in peace and war, and other effects of information warfare, and how they are changing the ways battles at sea will be fought and won. It also describes how the interaction between naval operations, wartime campaigns, and coalition tactics have affected war at sea, with special emphasis on the U.S. Navy. It also points out the growing connection between land and sea in littoral combat.
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.
COMMANDANT'S CHOICE (ALL MARINES)
Hue 1968
By Bowden, Mark
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, despite an influx of half a million American troops, the fighting in Vietnam seemed to be at a stalemate. Yet General William Westmoreland, commander of American forces, announced a new phase of the war in which "the end begins to come into view." The North Vietnamese had different ideas. In mid-1967, the leadership in Hanoi had started planning an offensive intended to win the war in a single stroke. Part military action and part popular uprising, the Tet Offensive included attacks across South Vietnam, but the most dramatic and successful would be the capture of Hue, the country's cultural capital. At 2:30 a.m. on January 31, 10,000 National Liberation Front troops descended from hidden camps and surged across the city of 140,000. By morning, all of Hue was in Front hands save for two small military outposts.The commanders in country and politicians in Washington refused to believe the size and scope of the Front's presence. Captain Chuck Meadows was ordered to lead his 160-marine Golf Company against thousands of enemy troops in the first attempt to re-enter Hue later that day. After several futile and deadly days, Lieutenant Colonel Ernie Cheatham would finally come up with a strategy to retake the city, block by block and building by building, in some of the most intense urban combat since World War II. With unprecedented access to war archives in the U.S. and Vietnam and interviews with participants from both sides, Bowden narrates each stage of this crucial battle through multiple points of view. Played out over twenty-four days of terrible fighting and ultimately costing 10,000 combatant and civilian lives, the Battle of Hue was by far the bloodiest of the entire war. When it ended, the American debate was never again about winning, only about how to leave. In Hue 1968, Bowden masterfully reconstructs this pivotal moment in the American War in Vietnam.
The Second Machine Age
By Brynjolfsson, Erik
A "fascinating" (Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times) look at how digital technology is transforming our work and our lives. In recent years, Google's autonomous cars have logged thousands of miles on American highways and IBM's Watson trounced the best human Jeopardy! players. Digital technologies -- with hardware, software, and networks at their core -- will in the near future diagnose diseases more accurately than doctors can, apply enormous data sets to transform retailing, and accomplish many tasks once considered uniquely human. In The Second Machine Age MIT's Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee -- two thinkers at the forefront of their field -- reveal the forces driving the reinvention of our lives and our economy.
Nonobvious Megatrends
By Rohit, Bhargava,
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 devices play in everything from how we communicate to what we choose to do for entertainment? The answers to these questions may not be all that obvious, and that's exactly the point. For the past 10 years, marketing expert and Georgetown University Professor Rohit Bhargava has curated his best-selling list of non-obvious trends by asking the questions that most people miss. Series: "Non-Obvious."
Warfighting
By Corps., United States. Marine
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 the brute strength and large numbers of traditional forces. They have perfected tactics that manipulate the basic elements of conflict - speed, surprise, disorder, intuition, and moral confusion - to throw the opposition into chaos and disarray. Their advice shows how to achieve the spiritual and mental discipline that mark the warrior's state of mind, born of bold will, intellect, initiative, and ruthless opportunism. Warfighting inspires leaders who understand that "courage is not the absence of fear, but the strength to overcome it.
A World in Disarray
By Haass, Richard
"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 States unable to shape the world in its image, from the president of the Council on Foreign RelationsThings fall apart; the center cannot hold. The rules, policies, and institutions that have guided the world since World War II have largely run their course. Respect for sovereignty alone cannot uphold order in an age defined by global challenges from terrorism and the spread of nuclear weapons to climate change and cyberspace. Meanwhile, great power rivalry is returning. Weak states pose problems just as confounding as strong ones. The United States remains the world's strongest country, but American foreign policy has at times made matters worse, both by what the U.S. has done and by what it has failed to do. The Middle East is in chaos, Asia is threatened by China's rise and a reckless North Korea, and Europe, for decades the world's most stable region, is now anything but. As Richard Haass explains, the election of Donald Trump and the unexpected vote for "Brexit" signals that many in modern democracies reject important aspects of globalization, including borders open to trade and immigrants. In A World in Disarray, Haass argues for an updated global operating system - call it world order 2.0 - that reflects the reality that power is widely distributed and that borders count for less. One critical element of this adjustment will be adopting a new approach to sovereignty, one that embraces its obligations and responsibilities as well as its rights and protections. Haass also details how the U.S. should act towards China and Russia, as well as in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. He suggests, too, what the country should do to address its dysfunctional politics, mounting debt, and the lack of agreement on the nature of its relationship with the world. A World in Disarray is a wise examination, one rich in history, of the current world, along with how we got here and what needs doing. Haass shows that the world cannot have stability or prosperity without the United States, but that the United States cannot be a force for global stability and prosperity without its politicians and citizens reaching a new understanding.
The Kill Chain
By Brose, Christian
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 military systems, such as fighter jets or aircraft carriers. And when we think about modernizing those systems, we think about buying better versions of the same things. But what really matters is not the single system but "the battle network" -- the collection of sensors and shooters that enables a military to find an enemy system, target it, and attack it. This process is what the military calls "the kill chain" -- how you get from detection to action, and do it as quickly as possible.
After Action
By Sheehan, Dan
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 with tension and excitement as we follow his path into battle. Bullets pierce their Cobras as Dan and his comrades struggle to separate enemy fighters from civilians - ultimately deciding who lives and dies. Through blinding sandstorms, the smoke of battle and chaos of low-altitude firefights at night, Dan puts us in the front seat of the Cobra - where we white-knuckle our way through barrages of enemy fire - and into his head as he makes split-second decisions that carry lasting consequences.
First to Fight
By H., Krulak, Victor
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, and separating fact from fable, General Krulak touches the very essence of the Corps: what it means to be a Marine and the reason behind its consistently outstanding performance and reputation. Krulak also addresses the most basic but challenging question of all about the Corps: how does it manage to survive--even to flourish--despite overwhelming political odds and, as the general writes, "an extraordinary propensity for shooting itself in the foot?" To answer this question Krulak examines the foundation on which the Corps is built, a system of intense loyalty to God, to country, and to other Marines. He also takes a close look at Marines in war, offering challenging accounts of their experiences in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. In addition, he describes the Corps's relationship to other services, especially during the unification battles following World War II, and offers new insights into the decision-making process in times of crisis. First published in hardcover in 1984, this book has remained popular ever since with Marines of every rank.
Black Hearts
By Jim, Frederick,
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, the Black Hearts found themselves in arguably the country&;s most dangerous location at its most dangerous time.
Forgotten Warriors
By X., Hammes, T.
Tells the story of the unsung heroes of the Korean War--the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. This remarkable air-ground unit shipped out only six days after its creation and activation--and yet won every one of its engagements and helped secure the Pusan Perimeter.
Hesitation Kills
By Blair, Jane
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 units throughout the initial phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Throughout her deployment, Jane kept a journal of her and her fellow lieutenants' combat experiences, which she draws on to convey the immediacy of life in the military, not just for a woman but for all Marines. Jane's stories highlight the drama and chaos of wartime Iraq along with the day-to-day challenges every Marine faced: from spicing up a "pasta with alfredo sauce" military ration to trying to stay clean after weeks without a shower. She also copes with a bullying superior officer while trying to connect with local civilians who have long been viewed as "the enemy." She recounts the struggles specific to women, including learning how to be respected as a Marine rather than dismissed as "the weaker sex" and learns strategies from other officers in her unit how to effectively battle the prejudices of male Marines who don't believe women belong in uniform. And always, she fights the personal loneliness of being separated from her husband, balanced with the challenge and joy of stealing a private moment with him when, by chance, his unit is nearby. Jane describes not only her experiences as a young lieutenant and as a woman but also those of her fellow Marines, whom she lauds as the true heroes of her story. Ultimately, she learns from her commanding officer, and her fellows in arms, what it truly means to be a leader, both in the military and in life. Weaving her story together with the experiences of the ordinary people of Iraq, this book offers compelling insights into the profound impact of the war on the lives of service members and civilians alike. Jane also weaves in the narrative her impressions of the Iraqis and draws the reader in to her changed perceptions and growing understanding of Muslims and Iraqis as a whole. Her unforgettable narrative bridges the gap between those who have experienced the Iraq War firsthand and those in America who could only follow its life-altering events from a distance.
The Last Stand of Fox Company
By Drury, Bob
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 their way south through the Toktong Pass a narrow gorge that will need to be held open at all costs The mission is handed to Captain William Barber and the Marines of Fox Company a courageous but undermanned unit of the First Marines Barber and his men climb seven miles of frozen terrain to a rocky promontory overlooking the pass where they will endure four days and five nights of nearly continuous Chinese attempts to take Fox Hill Amid the relentless violence three-quarters of Foxs Marines are killed wounded or captured Just when it looks like they will be overrun Lt Colonel Raymond Davis a fearless Marine officer who is fighting south from Chosin volunteers to lead a daring mission that will seek to cut a hole in the Chinese lines and relieve the men of Fox This is a fast-paced and gripping account of heroism in the face of impossible odds.
The Marines of Montford Point
By Mclaurin, Melton Alonza
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 Point, adjacent to Camp Lejeune, near Jacksonville, North Carolina. Between 1942 and 1949 (when the base was closed as a result of President Truman's 1948 order fully desegregating all military forces) more than 20,000 men trained at Montford Point, most of them going on to serve in the Pacific Theatre in World War II as members of support units. This book, in conjunction with the documentary film of the same name, tells the story of these Marines for the first time.
Marine Sniper
By Henderson, Charles
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 only for a moment. But for a Marine Sniper, that is all that is needed. Readers now have the opportunity, from these warriors? perspective, to peer into the killing zone through a telescopic lens, down the barrel of a high-powered rifle, and into the very heart of the enemy. The training, the techniques, and the steel will necessary to survive as a sniper are all described in vivid detail. Charles Henderson also delves into the core of the enemy??the maniacal ideology, and the tactics that have sown so much violence in Iraq??and how they are all vulnerable to a single bullet from a Ghost.
Neptune's Inferno
By Hornfischer, James D.
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 the same for the deadliest most pivotal naval campaign of the Pacific war GuadalcanalNeptunersquos Inferno is at once the most epic and the most intimate account ever written of the contest for control of the seaways of the Solomon Islands Americarsquos first concerted offensive against the Imperial Japanese juggernaut and the true turning point of the Pacific conflict This grim protracted campaign has long been heralded as a Marine victory Now with his powerful portrait of the Navyrsquos sacrificemdashthree sailors died at sea for every man lost ashoremdashHornfischer tells for the first time the full story of the men who fought in destroyers cruisers and battleships in the narrow deadly waters of ldquoIronbottom Soundrdquo Here in brilliant cinematic detail are the seven major naval actions that began in August of a time when the war seemed unwinnable and America fought on a shoestring with the outcome always in doubt But at Guadalcanal the US proved it had the implacable will to match the Imperial war machine blow for violent blow Working from new interviews with survivors unpublished eyewitness accounts and newly available documents Hornfischer paints a vivid picture of the officers and enlisted men who took on the Japanese in Americarsquos hour of need Vice Admiral William ldquoBullrdquo Halsey who took command of the faltering South Pacific Area from his aloof overwhelmed predecessor and became a national hero the brilliant Rear Admiral Norman Scott who died even as he showed his command how to fight and win Rear Admiral Daniel Callaghan the folksy and genteel ldquoUncle Danrdquo lost in the strobe-lit chaos of his burning flagship Rear Admiral Willis Lee who took vengeance two nights later in a legendary showdown with the Japanese battleship Kirishima the five Sullivan brothers all killed in the shocking destruction of the Juneau and many others all vividly brought to lifeThe first major work on this essential subject in almost two decades Neptunersquos Inferno does what all great battle narratives do It cuts through the smoke and fog to tell the gripping human stories behind the momentous events and critical decisions that altered the course of history and shaped so many lives This is a thrilling achievement from a master historian at the very top of his game.
We Were One
By O'donnell, Patrick K.
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, found itself in Fallujah, embroiled in some of the most intense house-to-house, hand-to-hand urban combat since World War II. In the city's bloody streets, they came face-to-face with the enemy-radical insurgents high on adrenaline, fighting to a martyr's death, and suicide bombers approaching from every corner. Award-winning author and historian Patrick O'Donnell stood shoulder to shoulder with this modern band of brothers as they marched and fought through the streets of Fallujah, and he stayed with them as the casualties mounted.
Women at War
By Jr., James E. Wise
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 women in combat, it also reaches back to Korea, Vietnam and World War II to offer stories of inspiring women who served at the "cusp of the spear" as they fought and died for their country.
Assault from the Sea
By Bartlett, Merrill L.
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.
Code Talker
By Nez, Chester
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 of their covert function. And, after the war, the Navajos were forbidden to speak of their service until 1968, when the code was finally declassified. Of the original twenty-nine Navajo code talkers, Chester Nez is the only one still alive. The original twenty-nine were the men who first devised the code, then proved it indispensable in combat.In this memoir, the ninety-year-old Nez chronicles both his war years and his life growing up on the Checkerboard Area of the Navajo Reservation - the hard life that gave him the strength, both physical and mental, to become a Marine.
Countdown to Zero Day
By Zetter, Kim
Top cybersecurity journalist Kim Zetter tells the story behind the virus that sabotaged Iran's nuclear efforts and shows how its existence has ushered in a new age of warfare - one in which a digital attack can have the same destructive capability as a megaton bomb. In January 2010, inspectors with the International Atomic Energy Agency noticed that centrifuges at an Iranian uranium enrichment plant were failing at an unprecedented rate. The cause was a complete mystery - apparently as much to the technicians replacing the centrifuges as to the inspectors observing them. Then, five months later, a seemingly unrelated event occurred: A computer security firm in Belarus was called in to troubleshoot some computers in Iran that were crashing and rebooting repeatedly.
Curious
By Leslie, Ian
“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. So why are many of us allowing our curiosity to wane?In Curious, Ian Leslie makes a passionate case for the cultivation of our “desire to know.” Just when the rewards of curiosity have never been higher, it is misunderstood, undervalued, and increasingly monopolized by a cognitive elite. A “curiosity divide” is opening up.This divide is being exacerbated by the way we use the Internet. Thanks to smartphones and tools such as Google and Wikipedia, we can answer almost any question instantly.
Issues on My Mind
By P., Shultz, George
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 member George Shultz offers his views on how to govern more effectively, get our economy back on track, take advantage of new opportunities in the energy field, combat the use of addictive drugs, apply a strategic overview to diplomacy, and identify necessary steps to achieve a world without nuclear weapons.
Learning War
By Trent, Hone,
Learning War describes the evolution of the U.S. Navy's tactical doctrine in the first half of the twentieth century, from the end of the Spanish-American War through the end of World War II.
The Master Algorithm
By Domingos, Pedro
Algorithms increasingly run our lives. They find books, movies, jobs, and dates for us, manage our investments, and discover new drugs. More and more, these algorithms work by learning from the trails of data we leave in our newly digital world. Like curious children, they observe us, imitate, and experiment. And in the world's top research labs and universities, the race is on to invent the ultimate learning algorithm: one capable of discovering any knowledge from data, and doing anything we want, before we even ask.Machine learning is the automation of discovery - the scientific method on steroids - that enables intelligent robots and computers to program themselves. No field of science today is more important yet more shrouded in mystery. Pedro Domingos, one of the field's leading lights, lifts the veil for the first time to give us a peek inside the learning machines that power Google, Amazon, and your smartphone.
Military Innovation in the Interwar Period
By R., Millett, Allan
A study of major military innovations in the 1920s and 1930s. No holdings.
On Call In Hell
By Hayden, Thomas
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. He was too old to be called up, but not too old to volunteer. In November 2004, with the military reeling from an acute doctor shortage, Jadick chose to accompany the First Battalion, Eighth Marine Regiment (the "1/8") to Iraq. During the Battle of Fallujah, Jadick and his team worked tirelessly and courageously around the clock to save their troops in the worst street fighting Americans had faced since Vietnam. It is estimated that without Jadick at the front, the Marines would have lost an additional thirty men.
Sgt. Reckless
By Hutton, Robin
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 leg for his sister, Kim made the difficult decision to sell his beloved companion. Lieutenant Eric Pedersen purchased the bodacious mare and renamed her Reckless, for the Recoilless Rifles Platoon, Anti-Tank Division, of the 5th Marines shed be joining. The four-legged equine braved minefields and hailing shrapnel to deliver ammunition to her division on the frontlines. In one day alone, performing fifty-one trips up and down treacherous terrain, covering a distance of over thirty-five miles, and rescuing wounded comrades-in-arms, Reckless demonstrated her steadfast devotion to the Marines who had become her herd.
The White Donkey
By Uriarte, Maximilian
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 service in rural Iraq. He enlists in hopes of finding that missing something in his life but comes to find out that it's not quite what he expected. Abe gets more than he bargained for when his journey takes him to the middle east in war-torn Iraq.
This is a story about a Marine, written and illustrated by a Marine, and is the first graphic novel about the war in Iraq from a veteran. The White Donkey explores the experience of being a Marine, as well as the challenges that veterans face upon their return home, and its raw power will leave you in awe.
Wired for War
By Singer, P W
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 and the advent of child soldiers? predictions that proved all too accurate. Now, he explores the greatest revolution in military affairs since the atom bomb?the advent of robotic warfare. We are just beginning to see a massive shift in military technology that threatens to make the stuff of I,Robot and the Terminator all too real. More than seven- thousand robotic systems are now in Iraq. Pilots in Nevada are remotely killing terrorists in Afghanistan. Scientists are debating just how smart?and how lethal?to make their current robotic prototypes.
Call Sign Chaos
By Mattis, Jim
#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 Marine. Call Sign Chaos is the account of Jim Mattis's storied career, from wide-ranging leadership roles in three wars to ultimately commanding a quarter of a million troops across the Middle East. Along the way, Mattis recounts his foundational experiences as a leader, extracting the lessons he has learned about the nature of warfighting and peacemaking, the importance of allies, and the strategic dilemmas - and short-sighted thinking - now facing our nation. He makes it clear why America must return to a strategic footing so as not to continue winning battles but fighting inconclusive wars. Mattis divides his book into three parts: Direct Leadership, Executive Leadership, and Strategic Leadership. In the first part, Mattis recalls his early experiences leading Marines into battle, when he knew his troops as well as his own brothers. In the second part, he explores what it means to command thousands of troops and how to adapt your leadership style to ensure your intent is understood by your most junior troops so that they can own their mission. In the third part, Mattis describes the challenges and techniques of leadership at the strategic level, where military leaders reconcile war's grim realities with political leaders' human aspirations, where complexity reigns and the consequences of imprudence are severe, even catastrophic. Call Sign Chaos is a memoir of a life of warfighting and lifelong learning, following along as Mattis rises from Marine recruit to four-star general. It is a journey about learning to lead and a story about how he, through constant study and action, developed a unique leadership philosophy, one relevant to us all.
Dare to Lead
By Brown, Brené
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.
Don't miss the hourlong Netflix special Brené Brown: The Call to Courage!
It Worked for Me
By Powell, Colin L
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 for Me: In Life and Leadership is a trove of wisdom for anyone hoping to achieve their goals and turn their dreams into reality.A message of strength and endurance from a man who has dedicated his life to public service, It Worked for Me is a book with the power to show readers everywhere how to achieve a more fulfilling life and career.
The Leader's Bookshelf
By (ret.), Adm. James Stavridis Usn
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 and provided them with special insights that helped propel them to success in spite of the many demanding challenges they faced. The Leader's Bookshelf synthesizes their responses to identify the top fifty books that can help virtually anyone become a better leader. Each of the works -- novels, memoirs, biographies, autobiographies, management publications -- are summarized and the key leadership lessons extracted and presented. Whether individuals work their way through the entire list and read each book cover to cover, or read the summaries provided to determine which appeal to them most, The Leader's Bookshelf will provide a roadmap to better leadership. Highlighting the value of reading in both a philosophical and a practical sense, The Leader's Bookshelf provides sound advice on how to build an extensive library, lists other books worth reading to improve leadership skills, and analyzes how leaders use what they read to achieve their goals. An efficient way to sample some of literature's greatest works and to determine which ones can help individuals climb the ladder of success, The Leader's Bookshelf is for anyone who wants to improve his or her ability to lead -- whether in family life, professional endeavors, or within society and civic organizations. No holdings.
Legacy
By Kerr, James M
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 and practical lessons for leadership and business. No holdings.
Resilience
By Seal, Eric Greitens Navy
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 if we have the virtue of resilience.In 2012, Eric Greitens unexpectedly heard from a former SEAL comrade, a brother-in-arms he hadn t seen in a decade. Zach Walker had been one of the toughest of the tough. But ever since he returned home from war to his young family in a small logging town, he d been struggling. Without a sense of purpose, plagued by PTSD, and masking his pain with heavy drinking, he needed help. Zach and Eric started writing and talking nearly every day, as Eric set down his thoughts on what it takes to build resilience in our lives.
Smarter Faster Better
By Duhigg, Charles
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 woman drops out of a PhD program and starts playing poker. By training herself to envision contradictory futures, she learns to anticipate her opponents' missteps - and becomes one of the most successful players in the world. A group of data scientists at Google embark on a four-year study of how the best teams function, and find that how a group interacts is more important than who is in the group - a principle, it turns out, that also helps explain why Saturday Night Live became a hit. A Marine Corps general, faced with low morale among recruits, reimagines boot camp - and discovers that instilling a "bias toward action" can turn even the most directionless teenagers into self-motivating achievers. The filmmakers behind Disney's Frozen are nearly out of time and on the brink of catastrophe - until they shake up their team in just the right way, spurring a creative breakthrough that leads to one of the highest-grossing movies of all time. What do these people have in common? They know that productivity relies on making certain choices. The way we frame our daily decisions; the big ambitions we embrace and the easy goals we ignore; the cultures we establish as leaders to drive innovation; the way we interact with data: These are the things that separate the merely busy from the genuinely productive. At the core of Smarter Faster Better are eight key concepts - from motivation and goal setting to focus and decision making - that explain why some people and companies get so much done. Drawing on the latest findings in neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral economics - as well as the experiences of CEOs, educational reformers, four-star generals, FBI agents, airplane pilots, and Broadway songwriters - this painstakingly researched book explains that the most productive people, companies, and organizations don't merely act differently. They view the world, and their choices, in profoundly different ways.In The Power of Habit, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Charles Duhigg explained why we do what we do. In Smarter Faster Better, he applies the same relentless curiosity, deep reporting, and rich storytelling to explain how we can improve at the things we do. It's a groundbreaking exploration of the science of productivity, one that can help anyone learn to succeed with less stress and struggle, and to get more done without sacrificing what we care about most - to become smarter, faster, and better at everything we do.Advance praise for Smarter Faster Better "As he did in The Power of Habit, Duhigg melds cutting-edge science, deep reporting, and wide-ranging stories to give us a fuller, more human way of thinking about how productivity actually happens." - Susan Cain, author of Quiet "Duhigg uses engaging storytelling to highlight fascinating research and core principles that we can all learn and use in our daily lives. A masterful must-read for anyone who wants to get more (and more creative) stuff done." - David Allen, author of Getting Things Done "Duhigg has a gift for asking just the right question, and then igniting the same curiosity in the rest of us. In Smarter Faster Better he finds provocative answers to a riddle of our age." - Jim Collins, author of Good to Great
Start with Why
By Sinek, Simon
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 by the power of his ideas, including more than 28 million who've watched his TED Talk based on START WITH WHY -- the third most popular TED video of all time.
Sinek starts with a fundamental question: Why are some people and organizations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others? Why do some command greater loyalty from customers and employees alike? Even among the successful, why are so few able to repeat their success over and over?
People like Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, and the Wright Brothers had little in common, but they all started with WHY. They realized that people won't truly buy into a product, service, movement, or idea until they understand the WHY behind it.
START WITH WHY shows that the leaders who've had the greatest influence in the world all think, act, and communicate the same way -- and it's the opposite of what everyone else does. Sinek calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired. And it all starts with WHY.
Tribe
By Sebastian, Junger
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, Benjamin Franklin lamented that English settlers were constantly fleeing over to the Indians-but Indians almost never did the same. Tribal society has been exerting an almost gravitational pull on Westerners for hundreds of years, and the reason lies deep in our evolutionary past as a communal species. The most recent example of that attraction is combat veterans who come home to find themselves missing the incredibly intimate bonds of platoon life. The loss of closeness that comes at the end of deployment may explain the high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder suffered by military veterans today.
Combining history, psychology, and anthropology, TRIBE explores what we can learn from tribal societies about loyalty, belonging, and the eternal human quest for meaning. It explains the irony that-for many veterans as well as civilians-war feels better than peace, adversity can turn out to be a blessing, and disasters are sometimes remembered more fondly than weddings or tropical vacations. TRIBE explains why we are stronger when we come together, and how that can be achieved even in today's divided world.
Unbroken A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
By Hillenbrand, Laura
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 to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.
The lieutenant's name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he'd been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.
Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * The incredible true story of survival and salvation that is the basis for two major motion pictures: 2014's Unbroken and the upcoming Unbroken: Path to Redemption.
You Are Worth It
By Carpenter, Kyle
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 ceremonyI want my story to help others see what's extraordinary in themselves. - Kyle CarpenterOn November 21, 2010, U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Kyle Carpenter was posted on a rooftop in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, when an enemy grenade skittered across the roof. Kyle's post that afternoon, with his friend and fellow Marine Nick Eufrazio, had been eerily quiet; now, with no time to escape, they had to make a split-second decision or they would both be dead. Without a second thought, Kyle jumped on the grenade, a brutal killing device. His vision went blank, his entire body numb, he tried to move but could not. His gear had melted. It felt as though someone was pouring warm water all over him; he dazedly realized that the liquid was his own blood. He had made an instantaneous decision, almost on instinct, one that would change his life forever.Kyle's heroic act saved Nick Eufrazio's life, but nearly cost Kyle his own. His heart flatlined three times. Wounded from head to toe, Kyle lost his right eye, as well as most of his face from the nose down. It would take dozens of surgeries and almost three years in and out of the hospital to reconstruct his body - and from there, he began the process of rebuilding his life. What he has accomplished in the last five years is truly extraordinary: he's undergone extensive physical rehabilitation, graduated from college, ran three marathons, and embarked on a new career as a motivational speaker. And in 2014, he was awarded the nation's highest military decoration, Medal of Honor, by President Barack Obama, making Carpenter the youngest living recipient of the award."With that singular act of courage, Kyle, you not only saved your brother in arms, you displayed a heroism in the blink of an eye that will inspire for generations," stated the president.You Are Worth It is a memoir about the War in Afghanistan and Kyle's heroics, yes, but it also is a manual for living. Organized around the credos that have guided Kyle's life (from "Don't Hide Your Scars" to "Call Your Mom") , the book encourages us to become our best selves in the time we've been given on earth. Above all, it's about finding purpose in life, despite the significant challenges that may come your way. As Kyle writes, addressing us all: "You are worth it. You are. You are worth protecting, you are worth fighting for, you are worth time in a hospital bed and deep scars on my body - because all Americans, the people of Afghanistan, and so many people around the world who go to bed at night wishing to one day taste freedom and peace have inherent worth as human beings. If we don't spend our time on this earth looking out for one another, what are we really doing with our lives?"Moving and unforgettable, You Are Worth It is an astonishing memoir from one of our most extraordinary young leaders.
Cybersecurity and Cyberwar
By Singer, P.w.
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 issues that result challenge literally everyone: politicians wrestling with everything from cybercrime to online freedom; generals protecting the nation from new forms of attack, while planning new cyberwars; business executives defending firms from once unimaginable threats, and looking to make money off of them; lawyers and ethicists building new frameworks for right and wrong. Most of all, cybersecurity issues affect us as individuals. We face new questions in everything from our rights and responsibilities as citizens of both the online and real world to simply how to protect ourselves and our families from a new type of danger.
Fleet Tactics and Coastal Combat, 3rd ed.
By Jr, Hughes, Wayne P.,
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 battle). Fleet Tactics and Naval Operations continues to emphasize combat data, including how hitting and damage rates and maneuvering have been conducted to achieve an advantage over the centuries. The third edition highlights the current swift advances in unmanned vehicles, artificial intelligence, cyber warfare in peace and war, and other effects of information warfare, and how they are changing the ways battles at sea will be fought and won. It also describes how the interaction between naval operations, wartime campaigns, and coalition tactics have affected war at sea, with special emphasis on the U.S. Navy. It also points out the growing connection between land and sea in littoral combat.