The Reagan Diaries Ronald Reagan "I had the privilege of knowing President Reagan. I believe he is one of the most effective presidents in American history. We can learn a lot from his leadership and values." The System: The Glory and Scandal of Big-Time College Football Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian "The System is one of the best books on college sports in recent memory. I’m proud to have my commitment to Oklahoma State and that university profiled in such an objective and informative manner. The reporters took the time and did some great research." The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power Daniel Yergin "This is one of the greatest books on global energy ever. I’ve known Dan for years. It’s well researched, and told in an engaging manner." The First Billion is the Hardest: Reflections on a Life of Comebacks and America’s Energy Future T. Boone Pickens "This book took some time to write. I’m proud of how we structured it. It reflects a lifetime of lessons I’ve learned and practiced. To me, leadership and communication are key. This book helps explain why. Team Of Rivals Doris Kearns Goodwin "My favorite book on our most impressive president." Personal Memoirs Ulysses S. Grant "Completed just before his death, this may be the best memoir ever written by one of history’s greatest battle generals." Army At Dawn Rick Atkinson "An amazing account of how unprepared we were as a nation to enter WWII! Thanks goodness we were fast learners." 1776 David McCullough "This should be mandatory reading for every US citizen! Incredible cat and mouse account of how George Washington avoided annihilation against the greatest fighting force of the day." Steve Jobs Walter Isaacson "One of the 20th century’s greatest entrepreneurs: he was a tortured genius with a terrible leadership style but managed to accomplish so much!" Atlas ShruggedAyn Rand
How to Win Friends and Influence People Dale Carnegie "At the end of the day, life and leadership comes down to people. It’s been a classic that you think about the ways to help people." First, Break all the Rules Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman "This books is one of my favorite because it examines the real reasons people are motivated and yet still many organizations neglect the basics and their people “sub-perform” It has 12 questions everyone in leadership and management should commit to memory." Bowling Alone Bob Putnam "This book is an American classic looking at the bonds norms and trust between people. It examines what happens when communities of people work together— and when they fall apart." The Tipping Point Malcolm Gladwell "This fascinating book looks at why things actually happen. What leads to change in a group or community? How do you explain it? It’s a must read." The Da Vinci Code Dan Brown "You can’t read only non-fiction. The Da Vinci Code was the most exciting book I ever picked up. I read it in 2 todays over Christmas break one year." Any of The Travis McGee Mysteries John D. MacDonald "Travis McGee is my favorite continuing character of all time. He’s a boat bum, philosopher, veteran, and “salvage expert” who specializes in helping people who have been conned or ripped off in every way imaginable. McDonald proves better than anyone that pulp fiction can also be really great literature. They’re twenty-some titles in this series. Each references a color. Start with The Deep Blue Good by. Read them in order." A Prayer for Owen Meany John Irving "Twenty years ago, I found a dogeared copy that someone had left behind at LAX. I picked it up and started to read it on a flight to Peru. It was the fastest sixteen hours I’ve ever spent on a plane. Great writing, great story, unforgettable character. A few months later, I put it back where I found it. I hope someone else picked it up and did the same." Flashman! George MacDonald Frasier "The Flashman Chronicles are a series of adventures that involve a soldier who serves in the British Army during the Victorian era. With the exception of the titular character, the books are historically accurate, but outrageously fun because Flashman - who narrates all the adventures - is a shameless coward who somehow winds up getting promoted through the ranks because he’s constantly getting and taking the credit for things he didn’t actually do. There’s no more entertaining or politically incorrect way to learn history than through the eyes of Harry Flashman." Me Talk Pretty One Day David Sedaris "The funniest essays by the funniest writer I know of." Cryptonomicon Neal Stephenson "I normally avoid the whole techno-geek, sci-fi genre, especially when it comes in 900 pages, but this book absolutely blew me away. Nazis, code-breaking, computers, bit-coin, data-havens, U-Boats, war heroes, and some very dangerous dentists. It’s a big bite, but if you’re not afraid of a commitment, dig in. It’s a lot of fun."
With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa E.B. Sledge "As you know JFK fought in the Pacific war as commander of a PT boat so I think he would have been fascinated by Sledge’s memoir (initially published in the early 1980s). I’ll let film maker Ken Burns, who did a series about the Second World War, speak for me about this book. “In all the literature of the Second World War there is not a more honest, realistic or moving memoir than Eugene Sledge’s”" The Things They Carried Tim O’Brien "A hybrid work of fiction and nonfiction, part memoir, and part fiction about the Vietnam War. These short stories demonstrate the impact of war on individuals. I think JFK would have been fascinated because he had repeatedly overruled advisors who recommended sending combat units to Vietnam, although he did increase the number of US advisors. Six weeks before his assassination he announced that he would be withdrawing 1000 US advisors from South Vietnam by the end of the year with a view towards removing them all by 1965. This, of course, did not happen." The Liberation Trilogy-An Army at Dawn: The War in N Africa 1942-1943 Rick Atkinson "All three books manage to combine dramatic and moving descriptions of combat with an insightful analysis of strategy and tactics. JFK’s older brother Joseph was killed in action in Europe while flying a dangerous mission, and I’m sure this personal connection would have led JFK to Atkinson’s trilogy." The Liberation Trilogy - The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy 1943-1944 Rick Atkinson "All three books manage to combine dramatic and moving descriptions of combat with an insightful analysis of strategy and tactics. JFK’s older brother Joseph was killed in action in Europe while flying a dangerous mission, and I’m sure this personal connection would have led JFK to Atkinson’s trilogy." The Guns at Last Light: The War in Europe 1944-1945 Rick Atkinson "All three books manage to combine dramatic and moving descriptions of combat with an insightful analysis of strategy and tactics. JFK’s older brother Joseph was killed in action in Europe while flying a dangerous mission, and I’m sure this personal connection would have led JFK to Atkinson’s trilogy."
Letters to a Young Poet Ranier Maria Rilke "This is my absolute favorite book. Rilke receives letters from a a young, aspiring poet and this book comprises Rilke’s 10 responses to these letters. The answers transcend time, gender, occupation and religion." Racing in the Rain: My Life as a Dog Garth Stein "For those of us that have dogs, this book should be a mandatory read. I don’t often read novels but this one captured my imagination from the first chapter and had me bawling by the end." Fast Food Nation Eric Schlosser "This book changed my life. Growing up, we often thought we had no choice but to indulge in the world of fast “food.” This book takes a graphic and honest look at what goes on in the fast food industry and realities are incredibly disturbing. I think this should be a must read for children in school." The Blind Side Michael Lewis "I am a massive American football fan and I am fascinated by the inner workings of the NFL. This book obviously became a popular movie later on but it has so many interesting story lines and is so inspiring on so many levels." Outliers Malcom Gladwell "I am a big fan of Malcolm Gladwell and this book was riveting to me. Whether you agree with his theories or not, he is undeniably brilliant and forces you to look at the world in a new and different way." Mr. Vertigo Paul Auster "This is a classic American tale on hallucinogens. It was the first novel I read by Paul Auster and possibly my favorite." Middlesex Jeffrey Eugenides "There are too many protagonists to count in this story but it never loses its way or feels spread thin. It’s tragic, hilarious, inspiring and important. I stole the name of my solo record “Honey From the Icebox” from it’s pages too." A Confederacy of Dunces John Kennedy Toole "It’s been years since I read it but I remember laughing out loud and marveling at the brilliant lunacy of Ignatius J. Reilly." The Brothers Karamazov Fyodor Dostoyevsky "When I finished this novel I cried and called my mother." Moon Palace Paul Auster "Scenes from this novel still pop into my head years after reading it. It’s such a powerful dream I feel like I lived it."
Street Without Joy Bernard Fall "The late Dr. Bernard Fall’s best work on Indochina. I carried this book in my pack in Vietnam to read and re-read and occasionally scare the crap out of myself when we would transit the pass where the Viet Minh ambushed Group Mobile 100 in last days of the French war." This Kind of War T.R. Fehrenbach "The best single volume history of the Korean War. Col. Fehrenbach’s work is unflinching and impeccable. I carried this fat volume in my pack in Vietnam as well!" Gates Of Fire Steven Pressfield "Mr. Pressfield tells the story of the 300 Spartans who held off thousands upon thousands of Persians at the pass….and tells it so vividly that by the end you are ready to sign on as a Spartan yourself!" The Praetorians, The Centurions Jean Larteguy "Two interlocking volumes that tell the story of the French paras captured at DienBienPhu and their trial by fire at hands of the Viet Minh. Those who survive return to fight in Algeria, using the torture tactics used against them on the Algerian rebels. Ultimately they drift into the plot to assassinate President Charles de Gaulle. Very well written stories in these two books. If they intrigue you see if you can find a lesser known Larteguy book titled Yellow Fever." Barrack Room Ballads Rupyard Kipling "No reading list for warriors would be complete without a volume of Kipling. I love this one for a short dedication at the front in which Kipling celebrates his years covering the British Indian Army. Kipling’s words illustrate and illuminate my own years covering America’s soldiers and Marines at war: “I have eaten your bread and salt; Drunk your water and wine. The deaths you’ve died I watched beside, and the lives you’ve lived were mine.”" Skippy Dies Paul Murray "Skippy Dies Paul Murray Skippy, our main character, dies on page 6 of this novel, and the rest of the book spans the hilarious/tragic moments in a Catholic boarding school leading up to his death. In a plot that’s half Dead Poet’s Society half The Sandlot, a group of libido-driven, insult-spewing, catholic school boys experiment with drugs, girls, and time travel." Red Harvest Dashiell Hammett "The inspiration for movies like Fist Full of Dollars and Yojimbo and Last Man Standing, this is a noir about a detective pinning all the gangs in one town against each other. This is a badass book, and it’s written in a perfect noir voice that has since been parodied/copied by everyone." Why Does The World Exist? Jim Holt "This book seeks to answer the question posed in its title. The author decides by page 30 that the question is not a scientific nor purely religious one, but something that must be considered through the lens of philosophy. It sounds difficult (and, at times, it is) but Holt carries you through the complicated math and philosophy with a kind of nerdy excitement that’s contagious." Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar Cheryl Strayed "Cheryl Strayed became famous for her book Wild, about a hike along the Pacific Crest Trail following a divorce and the death of her mother, but after all that living she spent time as an anonymous advice columnist for a website called The Rumpus. BEFORE you judge me: this is not a “gushy” book. Open it up, and see for yourself Strayed’s no-bullshit approach to helping people out." The Watchmen Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons "Maybe you’re reading too many novels and think comic books aren’t “smart” literature. Or maybe you’ve read too many issues of Spiderman without picking this book up. In any case, this Graphic Novel about semi-retired superheroes is a near-perfect piece of art. Moral quandaries! Meta-comics within a comic! Lessons about grief and loss! Plus: murder and suspense." I love to read in bed with my cat snuggled next to me. As a Driven Leaf Milton Steinberg "I love historical fiction. This book takes place around the time Jesus lived and focuses on the politics of religion and secular society." To Be Sung Underwater Tom McNeal "The plotline might sound like this is a book about a woman longing for a love affair but it’s actually a very male-heavy story about lost opportunities." Geek Love: A Novel Katherine Dunn "This is an incredible novel about a group of circus performers and “sideshow freaks”. It is really bizarre but really fantastic." The Secret History Donna Tartt "I love this book because it focuses on a group of college students who find themselves committing a horrendous crime. They all have to figure out how to cover it up and it’s a really interesting portrait of a really exceptional situation." One Hundred Years of Solitude Gabriel Garcia Marquez "This is a very long book about one family’s history, set over a hundred years. It’s written in the style of magical realism, which literally means anything can and does happen." The March of Folly Barbara W. Tuchman In it, Tuchman examines Tuchman examines 4 major conflicts: The Trojan Horse, The Protestant Secession, The American Revolution, and The American War in Vietnam. Interestingly all had success or lack thereof because one side either grossly underestimated the opponent, became complacent or let their guard down. Eisenhower in War and Peace Jean Edward Smith An intriguing look at one of this nation's timeless leaders in very different world circumstances - not a dry or boring biography by any stretch. Leaders Richard Nixon A fantastic look at some of the most notable leaders of the 20th century - their differing styles, challenges and personalities, and interestingly, the author, President Nixon, knew each one of the leaders he writes about personally. The Years of Lyndon B. Johnson: The Passage of Power Robert A. Caro It is a clear and real depiction of what happens at this country's highest levels in times of emergency and bewilderment.
Through My Eyes Tim Tebow with Nathan Whitaker "I’m reading it to my son and daughter at bedtime. Tim is an excellent role model for young men, and I hope my daughter will someday find a mate with his unwavering character." Blood and Whiskey Peter Krass "A must read for the Jack Daniel’s fan. This was an unauthorized biography of Jack Daniel, but it serves to reinforce the authenticity of the man and his whiskey." Traveling Light Max Lucado "I love anything by Max Lucado. He is one of the most uplifting Christian authors of our time. You feel like he’s having a personal conversation with you through his writings." Crazy Love Francis Chan "My Sunday School class used this as a bible study guide a few months ago. It is one of the more thought provoking books we have read over the last several years." The Firm, The Testament, Bleachers, Etc. John Grisham "I’ve read most of John Grisham’s books and always enjoy them. He does a great job of building characters and suspense in his writing."
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt Edmund Morris "An incredible story of growth from an incredible man." Lord Jim Joseph Conrad "The study of ethics and leadership…one of the Conrad’s best books, which is saying much." 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen Covey "I reread this once every couple of years" Anna Karenina Leo Tolstoy "Currently reading. Fantastic example of fiction and the inner monologue we all think…Tolstoy articulates." 4 Hour Work Week Timothy Ferriss "I hate to admit it but there are some powerful maxims in here. Ferris is not a man to model in many ways but his perspective on delegation and choices is important."
The Big Short Michael Lewis "It was one of the best explanations of the financial crisis, providing an important perspective on how it happened and how to prevent it from happening again." Einstein: The Life of a Genius Walter Isaacson "Einstein had a fascinating scientific and creative brain. This biography explores the complex life and personality behind one of the 20th century’s greatest thinkers." Steve Jobs Walter Isaacson "This was a candid and thorough tale of American innovation. Steve Jobs contributed to a sea change in technology that has impacted every aspect of our lives." To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee "One of my favorite books growing up, it examines racism in a small town in the 1930s through the eyes of a child, emphasizing the importance of tolerance and courage of conviction." Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of a Movement John Lewis "Congressman John Lewis wrote this memoir of his days in the Civil Rights movement, from speaking at the March on Washington to leading the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and meeting horrific violence while marching in Selma, Alabama. I have visited Selma with John, and I am proud to serve with him."
Who Moved My Cheese? Spencer Johnson, M.D. "What I really like about this book is that it can apply to so many different professions and life experiences. It’s an amazingly easy read – but such a powerful message." Good to Great Jim Collins "First – Collins is an amazing author – and like Johnson – offers real life examples that can be applies to many different professions and companies. There are lessons that can be applies to any business to achieve greatness!" The Hot Zone Richard Preston "I read this book before the “age of terrorism” and it is an even more compelling read now. Graphic, gory and hard to put down." A Painted House John Grisham "Love all of John’s books – but this one really caught me by surprise – especially since it is out of his usual legal thriller genre. An amazing story of innocence and innocence lost." The Celestine Prophecy James Redfield "Makes you think about life, all of its coincidences and helps you think about what our own spiritual mission in life is." |
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April 2016
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