Four-Star Leadership for Leaders - Volume II. Interviews With Distinguished Generals & Admirals
Jun 27, Jeff rated it really liked it.
The Leader's Bookshelf
A book about great books and reading topics for lovers of all things books. The ultimate reading list for those accustomed to encountering military reading lists, from our nation's elite warrior-thinkers. The main body of the book is composed of a fifty-title list of books recommended by one or more of Admiral Stavridis's four-star military contemporaries. I appreciated these leaders' insights into their reading and educational careers to start each entry, which are followed by a chosen quote fr A book about great books and reading topics for lovers of all things books.
I appreciated these leaders' insights into their reading and educational careers to start each entry, which are followed by a chosen quote from the book, brief bio information on the author, a short summary of the book, and the most valuable part, a brief summary of leadership lessons drawn from the work. Structured as such, it's as enjoyable as watching a run of summer blockbuster movie previews, like getting 50 books for the price of one. Bookending the main body of text are several short chapters that touch on the importance and benefits of reading from several different angles, from "reading and leading" to building a personal library, what younger readers are reading, writing and publishing, and more.
There's also much to be gained in these chapters from some of the finest minds leading our country today.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Well done Messrs Stavridis and Ancell, and highly recommended. First of all I am a sucker for books about what books you should or might read, so this was one right up my alley. I was familiar with the fact that Gen. Mattis was a huge reader and took with him a large collection of books wherever he was stationed but I have found out that a number of our top military leaders are also readers and not just military reports or military books.
This book begins with an essay abou "The Reader's Bookshelf" by retired Admiral James Stavridis was an interesting read. This book begins with an essay about the impact of books and chapter 2 is about making time for reading. The guts of the book are 50 titles collated from interviews by Stavridis and his coauthor R.
Manning Ancell they made with over senior military leaders. The 50 are each summarized in a chapter with an essay by various military leaders. They conclude with chapters about creating your own reading lists, encouraging you to go beyond reading and to write, a look at what younger officers are recommending and the importance of building your own personal library, be it print, electronic or a combination of both. Jun 28, Wesley Roth rated it it was amazing. Stavridis and Lt Cdr Ancell have collected a goldmine of knowledge and book recommendations, condensed into a page book that covers all aspects of leadership!
I really like how they let the senior military officers share in their own words why a certain book deeply affected them, or challenged them or molded them into the leaders they are today. Appreciated the short biography of each book's author and also a summary of th "The Leader's Bookshelf" is a fantastic book for people like me.
Appreciated the short biography of each book's author and also a summary of the book followed by the ""Leadership Lessons Summarized" for quick takeaways or for books you may not get to. I have read a couple books in the "Top 50" and have flagged a couple more to read in the near future. It would have been handy to include a URL to a website or wishlist where all 50 titles could be purchased easily from a favorite retailer. The additional chapters on reading lists, writing well and building a person library are icing on the cake. My book is highlighted throughout and will re-open frequently to review the leadership qualities nicely summarized.
This review is for the audio version of The LeadersBookshelf. It is a comprehensive book that covers the author's choices of 50 of the best leadership books for the military as compiled from many interviews with other military leaders and their reading lists. It is vast, varied, and informative both for military and leadership in civilian life. It is not stuffy, but easily understood, and the variety goes beyond strictly military guides, based on fiction, memoir, historical accounts, and even po This review is for the audio version of The LeadersBookshelf.
It is not stuffy, but easily understood, and the variety goes beyond strictly military guides, based on fiction, memoir, historical accounts, and even poetry spanning ancient through modern times. The narrator does a remarkable job of delivering a wide variety of names in varied languages, and is pleasant to listen to. This book is perfect for military libraries, presidential libraries, colleges and universities, business libraries, and public libraries.
It is perfect for an enlisted man from private to general, and covers all branches of the military. This would be good reading material for a high school or home school reading list teens. Sep 09, David J. I first heard about this earth-shattering new book that chronicles the favorite books which helped shape and inspire our many gifted and oft-over-looked Military Leaders on the PBS Newshour. Not just because it gave rare insights into our present and past leaders but many of our special presidents. It opened up a vast new vista of literature that I intend to tackle piece-by-piece over the next few years!
Author Admiral James Stavridis and Mr. Ancel have a shown a rare gift of st I first heard about this earth-shattering new book that chronicles the favorite books which helped shape and inspire our many gifted and oft-over-looked Military Leaders on the PBS Newshour.
Ancel have a shown a rare gift of stimulating the intellect of many a smoldering patriot and idealist alike! It changed my attitude to some of our current leaders by magnitudes and helped me understand the many strengths that come from our Military leadership. It is as essential for the business world as it is for the politico-military one. May 30, David rated it it was ok. Got some good reading suggestions; but I have a problem with the intro to the book. Right off the bat in the first paragraph of chapter 1 our Navy's 4-star Admiral Stavridis lists these intrinsic qualities of being a leader: What counts is attracting folks to emulate you by practicing true integrity.
As Isaiah prophecies about the Messiah, Isaiah 53 "There was nothing in his a Got some good reading suggestions; but I have a problem with the intro to the book. As Isaiah prophecies about the Messiah, Isaiah 53 "There was nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. In the author's defense, he says you also need leadership qualities that are forged through experience and reading.
While he mentions sacrifice, he still is not too clear on what those other qualities are. Dec 15, Lilkidneys rated it really liked it Shelves: A fantastic gift idea for the military person you know, or any young person interested in military history. Outstanding overview and introduction to some very important works of military history, biography, and general leadership.
Although the authors intend this to extend beyond the military to business leadership as well, the focus of the books is clearly on developing military leaders. Particularly insightful are the background on each work's author, the circumstances under which the book was A fantastic gift idea for the military person you know, or any young person interested in military history. Particularly insightful are the background on each work's author, the circumstances under which the book was written, and the leadership lessons in each work.
Like a compendium of cliff notes for 50 or so military reading list classics. I've read hundreds of books on military history and leadership, but this piqued my interest in many more that I have yet to encounter. Jun 14, Brett Martinez rated it liked it. This book is very valuable.
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It takes a unique perspective on leadership book. Admiral James Stavridis interviewed many military officers a found out what they read for personal development. Then he highlighted the top books. Each has a short synopsis and write up about the book. First, do not get this in an e-book, as I did. This book is made not necessarily to be read linearly. It is much better to reference back to each entry. That is why I do not think it lends itself well to th This book is very valuable.
That is why I do not think it lends itself well to the electronic format. However, it is a very unique take on leadership literature and I recommend everyone take a look. Aug 25, Paul rated it it was amazing. Try six stars, this book has great ideas throughout because it taps into other authors great ideas. But that is the point. Possibly the best book so far this year. This book is an extended booklist which tells the reader why each book is important to the recognized leader who recommended it. Many of the books are already on my shelves.
ADM Stavridis emphasizes the importance for leaders to make Ike for reading. Personally I have a regular reading program, but I'll avoid my scatological pun. But h Try six stars, this book has great ideas throughout because it taps into other authors great ideas. But he also defends the personal library; I'll have to get my wife to read that part. This is more than a collection of good books to read but provides context for each entry in the list.
Not only does the book provide a great list to start but provides important insights beyond the reading. I look forward to going through the list and growing. Oct 05, Iris rated it liked it Shelves: I love the idea of this book. For someone who is interested in the military and wars, this is a great reading list. However, I am not and found very few books on the list I would actually read. Jan 27, Ginger rated it liked it Shelves: Wonderful concept, could use some serious editing.
Both major and minor issues including repeating paragraphs in close proximity pp. Gives you the basis for a strong leadership library. Does a great job of covering the overarching themes to be pulled from each book and offers a primer to a more thorough, informal education. Jul 27, Andrew Leede rated it really liked it. A book about books!
- The Remembrance - Harp;
- The Leader's Bookshelf by James G. Stavridis.
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You know me so well! I added upwards of 14 books to my reading list based on the summaries presented here. It's certainly military focused, but the leadership lessons are applicable throughout life. Looking forward to delving into some of the suggested titles. Sep 12, Nick Woodall rated it it was amazing Shelves: This book is a book about what military men read regarding leadership.
The list of books is pretty diverse, not just military books. There are science fiction books, business books, novels. I got some pretty good recommendations from this book.
May 04, Brian Weisz rated it really liked it. The main part of the book is a list of the 50 most-read books by senior leaders in the US military, and a short discussion of why each book is on the list. All-in-all, a very good book. I added several new books to my reading list after reading this. Jan 06, Matt Stearns rated it liked it. A good reading list.
Nov 10, Loren rated it it was amazing. A very good overview book, great for getting more ideas with useful leadership lessons mixed in. In fact, it was to read everything interesting in the world and ignore the boring, which was about the only challenge. I learned a lot from it, obviously. They were not there to help me through my midlife crisis or find my inner child, so it was rather a blunt organization in terms of taking responsibility for your own development. History was just natural as well as biography, and for me, even fiction must be a part of it.
When your library started to grow, what were the major titles that you had decided on that would be the foundation of your library? I mean, looking at reading in its basics as one of the three legs of the stool of personal development. Well, personal development is a broader issue when you deal with violence. I guess on a tactical level there was a novel by M.
Then you realize how few things are really new under the sun if you do good reading. This is about the raid that shattered the dry dock at Saint-Nazaire, France, so that Bismarck would never have a place to be repaired if they went out to sea. You see how you can apply strategy to operations to the tactical costs and all. She wrote a book called For Country and Corps: The Life of General Oliver P. He was the general who brought the 1st Marine Division on its way out of North Korea when it was surrounded there in that first bad winter in at the Chosin reservoir.
That sort of approach to how I looked at strategy versus operations, tactics versus ethics, and the spiritual sense shows up repeatedly in many of these. When I started getting rid of books it was heartbreaking because I had to get rid of thousands because I was tired of hauling them all around. I kept my geology books, some of my military books, a lot of my history, especially of the West, the American West. So as you think through how to put together a personal library, remember that it is an intensely personal adventure.
You may be entranced with the ability to hold a book in your hands, scribble in the margins, show the volume to friends who are visiting. Or you may want an entirely electronic library that resides remotely in the Cloud, available in a moment over your smart phone, tablet, or home computer.
The Leader's Bookshelf
What matters is that it is your library, invested with your intellectual capital, and serves as a garden of the mind to which you can return again and again. A distinguished graduate of the U. He commanded destroyers and a carrier strike group in combat, and served for seven years as a four-star admiral, culminating with four years as the sixteenth Supreme Allied Commander at NATO.