Books

2021

The Good American by Robert D. Kaplan
Most people do not know who Bob Gersony is, but they should. He steered U.S. foreign policy for decades by interviewing thousands of people, usually in the most dangerous places in the world. The ground truth he discovered, and effectively communicated to senior leaders, led to better decision making and bettered the lives of millions of people. Senior leaders should read this book to understand the power of truly listening to those affected by the choices they make.

How I Built This by Guy Raz
How I Built This is an excellent podcast featuring interviews with founders of successful companies. Guy Raz’s book summarizes the shared lessons of the entrepreneurs he has interviewed into one book. If you have listened to the podcast, you will be familiar with many of the stories, but this is still an enjoyable book.

2020

Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends On It by Ian Leslie
Curiosity is undervalued. Many ills of poor leadership and poor organizational climate can be traced to a lack of curiosity. Curious people seek new information, seek to understand why things happen, and understand that they may not have the right answers. In his book, Ian Leslie argues for the significance of curiosity and describes how people become curious. A brief and worthy read for leaders.

Hit Refresh: The Quest to Rediscover Microsoft’s Soul and Imagine a Better Future for Everyone by Satya Nadella
I hoped Satya Nadella would write about how he changed Microsoft’s culture, convincing long time employees to move past desktop software to mobile computing and the cloud. I hoped to learn more about his own story, and the challenges he faced as he changed the company. Sadly in this book he doesn’t share much detail. In an early chapter he states that it is too soon to tell that story. I’m sure that a future book will be insightful, but Hit Refresh is not remarkable.

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
This has been the most moving book of the year for me. The Warmth of Other Suns tells the stories of three black Americans and their families as they endured life in the Jim Crow south, escaped to northern or western cities, and made the best of their lives in their new homes despite the less conspicuous but still-present racism. Their courage and determination will inspire you, and the behavior of their antagonists will remind you that people are capable of awful things. Today’s leaders should be on guard for the latter, and find ways to support the former. Reading this book will help you do both.

The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker
This is the best book I’ve read about non-fiction writing. Most writing books are geared for novelists and focus on the creative process. This one focuses more on how to clearly communicate ideas and construct arguments. I found the entire book refreshing as the author confidently explained why you should never say “never” when it comes to many of the commonly held rules of writing.

The Fix: Overcome the Invisible Barriers That Are Holding Women Back at Work by Michelle King
A comprehensive explanation of the ways most of the American working world prevents women from achieving their greatest potential. Our cultural preference for leaders that are competitive, directive workaholics harms men almost as much as women. This is not just an issue of equality. We’re holding ourselves back from achieving to our potential because we ignore potential leaders who don’t match the cultural preference.

Shorter: Work Better, Smarter, and Less - Here’s How by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
See my reading reflection article here. Like in his previous book Rest (see below, 2017), Alex Soojung-Kim Pang argues that we will be more successful by working less, not more. In this book he profiles several companies that switched to a four-day work week. Not every leader has the authority to direct that kind of change, but this book would help any leader frame their thinking about time spent working.

The British are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777 by Rick Atkinson
A detailed history of the first months of the American revolution with takeaways we don’t normally discuss. First, although there was popular support for the revolution, many Americans were still loyal to the king. It was not a happy time for all Americans. Particularly escaped slaves who flocked to British forces in the south, only to be abandoned to American violence when the British campaign retreated north. And second, the British lost the war by their own hubris about a population whose feelings they didn’t understand. I think the lesson for leaders today is: we’re in danger of being more like the British than like the revolutionary patriots we like to see ourselves as.

Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World by Laura Spinney
I think we are all struggling to put the covid-19 pandemic in context. I read this book to learn more about the 1918 flu pandemic hoping to find that context. I enjoyed the book but I’m not sure there is much about the 1918 pandemic to help us now. The world is too different.

A Powerful Mind: The Self Education of George Washington by Adrienne M. Harrison
George Washington did not have the benefit of a college education, but he made up for it by reading extensively throughout his life. This history, written by a West Point graduate and history professor, traces Washington’s life by examining the books, speeches, and pamphlets in his library. Inspiring for anyone who loves reading.

Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts by Brené Brown
Brené Brown writes about the good stuff, and by good, I mean the difficult stuff. So many leadership and management books discuss leadership behaviors at the surface level. Like all her books, this one dives deep. Fear, vulnerability, shame, and anger can all be found in our relationships both personal and professional if you look close enough, and Brene is not afraid to do it. My favorite section in this book discussed empathy, describing key behaviors to build skill with empathy, as well as a similar list of actions that seem empathetic but may actually make someone feel worse.

10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works--A True Story by Dan Harris
A book about meditation by someone who is not a meditation teacher, did not spend nine years in Nepal, and does have a high pressure job. Dan Harris shares his personal journey with brutal honesty, sharing his enthusiasm for meditation as well as his doubts, frustrations and setbacks along the way.

When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel Pink
See my reading reflection article here. People usually concern themselves with what to do and how to do it, but seldom think carefully about when to do it. Daniel Pink’s 2019 book explores the science behind the impacts of time, and timing, on our behavior and performance. Most people are familiar with the circadian rhythms of a day, but I really appreciated the discussion of the importance of beginnings, middles and ends.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
I seem to have a penchant for technology-focused dystopian views of the future. Like Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, this book describes a world where the organizations of reality have failed and people have formed replacements in virtual reality. Ready Player One is fun and engaging. Even if it’s fiction, it can spark some leadership thinking. Was Sorrento playing a finite game while Wade and his friends were playing an infinite one?

Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant
If there is a rock star in the little-known field of organizational psychology, it’s Adam Grant, a professor at the Wharton School. This book presents his research into the topic of creativity. There are some unsurprising insights (“find the fault in the default”) but other findings are genuinely interesting. My favorite: there is a link between creativity and procrastination. If you have a week to work on something…spend 4 or 5 days just thinking about it before you start. The period of divergent thinking may lead you to a new and better idea.

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
A humorous, honest, and enjoyable take on writing fiction. Most impactful for me was the chapter entitled Giving, where the author describes the need for writers to honestly share who they are on the page. I think leaders need to do the same thing.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
I’ve never read any of his novels, but I thought this would be an interesting read and it was. Part biography, part guide to writing fiction. I found it interesting that he recommends against determining the plot in advance; instead, he suggests writers should create characters, put them in a particular situation, and then just see where they go.

2019

Sandworm by Andy Greenberg
An investigation into the cyber attacks on the Ukrainian power grid, the Seoul Olympics, the 2016 U.S. election, and the NotPetya ransomware attack that crippled Maersk, the largest shipping company in the world. All signs show these attacks were carried out by Russian military hackers, including a group known in the west as Sandworm. This book shows why cyber warfare is a new and very different domain of battle between states.

The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek
A finite game has known players, fixed rules, a clear definition of victory, and an arbitrarily determined timespan. An infinite game never ends and there is no way to determine who wins. Players come and go, but are motivated by a desire to be in the game. Leaders with an infinite mindset pursue a just cause, while finite mindset leaders pursue short term metrics. Once again, Simon Sinek nails it.

Creativity, Inc by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace
Ed Catmull is one of the co-founders of Pixar. This book is his accounting of his lessons learned trying to lead a creative organization. I liked his insights into developing a culture accepting to negative feedback, even to senior leaders.

Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead by Jim Mattis and Bing West
General Mattis tells the remarkable story of his professional career. Great ideas about the differences between strategic, senior leadership and tactical, deckplate leadership.

Tune in Tokyo by Tim Anderson
A light-hearted and slightly irreverent story about the author’s decision to spend a year teaching English in Japan. A quick read that shows the benefit, and difficulty, of learning to live and work in another culture.

The Volunteer: One Man, an Underground Army, and the Secret Mission to Destroy Auschwitz by Jack Fairweather
This is the astonishing story of a Polish officer who volunteered to be captured by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz with the mission of collecting intelligence and eventually staging a revolt. You will be horrified by the Nazi brutality and inspired by the prisoner’s courage and ingenuity.

Tubes: a Journey to the Center of the Internet by Andrew Blum
The author traces the physical infrastructure of the Internet and shares what he learns about the world in the process.

The Weather Machine: A Journey Inside the Forecast by Andrew Blum
Similar to his earlier book Tubes, the author describes where weather observations and forecasts actually come from. If you are a consumer of weather information, you’ll find this one interesting.

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Science fiction set in a future world where technology rules but governments have collapsed.

Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark
Written by a leading artificial intelligence researcher, this book describes the issues presented by artificial intelligence. There are many, but the interesting challenge is that no one knows if, or when, AI will surpass human intelligence.

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg
A classic written by a writer for aspiring writers. Ms. Goldberg advocates writing every day, without form or structure, just writing, as a way to build skill. Her audience is more fiction writers than non-fiction, but I appreciated the idea that anyone can decide to write and do it.

The Artist’s Journey: the Wake of the Hero’s Journey and the Lifelong Pursuit of Meaning by Stephen Pressfield and Shawn Coyne
Another one to inspire aspiring writers. This book is centered on the idea that our biggest barrier to creativity is ourselves. Overcome that resistance to achieve your creative potential.

Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life by Winifred Gallagher
See my reading reflection article here. Physically, you are what you eat. Mentally and emotionally, you are what you pay attention to. Excellent read.

Chernobyl: The History of a Nuclear Catastrophe by Serhii Plokhy
See my reading reflection article here. A sobering narrative of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Excellent lessons about the dangers of diffuse responsibility.

Why Buddhism is True: the Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment by Robert Wright
Don’t fret about the title…this is a great book about meditation without any religious or spiritual arguments. You do not need to give away all your possessions or move to Nepal to benefit from meditation.

Napolean by Adam Zamoyski
You can learn a lot about what to do and what not to do as a leader from Napolean. Although this book is over 700 pages, its actually a page-turner.

The Web of Life: A New Scientific Understanding of Living Systems by Fritjof Capra
This was assigned reading in my grad school program and I read it again this year. Although it’s not specifically written about organizations of people, the fundamental rules of biological systems in nature apply to organizations. Key lesson: you cannot change anything in a biological system without affecting everything else.

Creativity: The Psychology of Discovery and Invention by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
I love his classic book Flow, so I was a bit disappointed in this one. It describes the author’s study of creative people, but the lessons learned were a bit dull. The good news is that creative people are not different from the rest of us. They just sit down to work every day even if it feels like a struggle.

Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins
An autobiography by a former Navy SEAL and elite endurance athlete. Inspiring, but I think the author’s extreme approach has drawbacks and may not be helpful for everyone.

2018

Not for the Faint of Heart: Lessons in Courage, Power, and Persistence by Wendy Sherman
Ambassador Wendy Sherman led the team that negotiated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, better known as the Iran nuclear deal. Her book describes the process of negotiation, but in a rather high level way that I suspect protects the confidence of the involved parties. I was hoping for more detail. Nevertheless, this book is a worthwhile read.

1983: Regan, Andropov, and a World on the Brink by Taylor Downing
An excellent book that shows how important it is for leaders to understand how their actions are perceived by others. Regan and Andropov were both inadvertently scaring the daylights out of each other. That fear increased the likelihood of nuclear war. Thankfully, spy agencies and diplomats made sure the right messages were received and understood by leaders on both sides.

The Starfish and the Spider: the Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations by Ori Brafman
I did not find this book super enlightening. The subtitle should be “the unstoppable power of organizations chock full of leaders at every level.” Coast Guard readers will probably see a lot of our organization in this book.

The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted American’s Enemies by Jason Fagone
Absolute must read, particularly for members of the Coast Guard. Elizabeth Smith Friedman was a Coast Guard code breaker who rolled up the first transnational criminal organizations - rum runners - during prohibition and then applied those skills to roll up a Nazi spy ring in the continental United States during World War II.

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
Human beings are creatures of habit. This book explains why, and in understanding why, we can deploy productive habits. I enjoyed the science in this book.

Radical Inclusion: What the Post-9/11 World Should Have Taught Us About Leadership by Martin Dempsey & Ori Brafman
A great book that describes the limitations of rigid command and control in a rapidly changing, connected world. The authors argue there is an inverse relationship between control and inclusion; leaders should decentralize and delegate as a way to make sure every member of the team is contributing to the best of their ability. See also Team of Teams by Stanley McChrystal.

Grant by Ron Chernow
It may take you four months, but read this book. I can’t think of a better example of someone who emerged as a leader, from an exceptionally humble place, by quietly doing what they thought was right. Grant’s life is an incredible story and Chernow is an incredible biographer.

2017

The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965 by William Manchester and Paul Reid
There is no doubt that Churchill was an effective leader during World War II. However, this biography is a study in the importance of physical and mental wellness for leaders. Churchill had neither of those and it cost him later in his career.

Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathanial Philbrick
A great book to reflect on how leaders deal with uncertainty. The Pilgrims come ashore in a strange place and meet people they consider very strange. The true story of their reaction is not quite as happy as the legend. Leaders who can inspire others to overcome mistrust of people who are different will achieve more.

Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sobel
Sometimes patience, hard work and the will to overcome failure lead to greatness. John Harrison’s chronometers revolutionized marine navigation - and global trade. A quick and uplifting book.

Total Competition: Lessons in Strategy from Formula One by Ross Brawn
Formula One is an engineering and manufacturing competition as much as a race driving one. One of the modern legends of the sport describes his overall strategy to lead all aspects of a Formula One team. If you’re not into auto racing, you probably won’t enjoy this one.

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
See my reading reflection article here. Deep work is thought-intensive, requires dedicated time, and adds value for others. Shallow work requires little thinking, little time, and adds little value. In the modern world, we find ourselves swamped by shallow work. An excellent book to inspire your own thinking about the work you do.

Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software by Charles Petzold
This little gem of a book describes the logic of how computers physically work. From the telegraph to your iPhone, the author shines a light on processes most of us take for granted. It’ll make you think about systems of any kind in a fresh way.

In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathanial Philbrick
An astonishing story of survival - and human behavior in extremis. This book can show you a lot about power in relationships when all the rules and norms of society are off the table. And it will make you appreciate modern search and rescue technology!

The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr
This book is sailing the same course as Deep Work by Cal Newport (see above) but with a focus on the neurological effects of the internet and social media. Deep Work suggests technology harms our ability to work; this book suggests the internet and social media harms our esteem.

Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
More thought provoking science fiction from Neal Stephenson.

Rest: Why You Get More Done When York Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
An excellent book that describes why rest is necessary for our best performance. I enjoyed this one and it has influenced my thinking on personal and organizational work-life balance.

2016

Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War by P.W. Singer and August Cole
A novel but one grounded in reasonable assumptions to ask important questions about the future. What if our reliance on technology becomes a military weakness? In a globalized world, can we trust equipment with any parts that originate overseas? I was hoping for a larger role for the Coast Guard in this one but no book is perfect!

Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets by Svetlana Alexievich
This is an incredible book that shares the stories of people who lived through the end of the Soviet Union. For leaders, this book shows us how traumatic a sudden and significant change in social norms, rules and order, or values can be for the people involved.

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
This is an important book to read. I plan to read it again and write about it. Dr. Brown’s research and writing about vulnerability and courage paint a very different picture of what it means to be brave. It’s not about bravado, it’s about accepting we all feel afraid or vulnerable; ourage lies in overcoming those feelings.

Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis
This book is a worthwhile read for leaders for the rigorous undoing it gives the “this is how we’ve always done it” mentality. Quantitative metrics sometimes make me nervous, but in this case, they enabled Billy Beane to see past the decades-old assumptions the rest of baseball was saddled with.

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J. D. Vance
The content of this book has become politicized, but I think leaders should read it if only to gain a better understanding of how people bring their life experience with them everywhere they go, for better or for worse.

2015

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
Everyone knows this story. But the stand out lesson for me is the hubris of all the other players who didn’t make the first powered, manned flight. Leaders should take note: never assume resource superiority guarantees victory. The small players, with the best ideas, will beat you.

Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully
I read this after it was recommended as extra reading by the Naval War College JPME-1 program. This book includes more Japanese primary sources so it’s a bit more of an even keeling history. Leaders can learn the art of making decisions without perfect information from the naval commanders.

Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World by Stanley McChrystal
What is it with senior military leaders writing books about decentralized leadership? This is another one, to go along with General Dempsey’s Radical Inclusion. I think this is the better book.

Countdown to Zero Day: Stuxnet and the Launch of the World’s First Digital Weapon by Kim Zetter
This book will help you understand the importance of cyber. In 2009 someone designed and released a cyber attack that specifically targeted Iran’s uranium enrichment capability, slowing spinning the centrifuges up to top speed and down again until they failed. All while the control systems were hacked to show that all was normal. You don’t need to be Neo to figure out who did it. Now that the cat is out of the bag, cyber war is here to stay.

Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris
Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most interesting people of the 20th century. He should be an inspiration for any leader; his vision, passion and seemingly endless energy enabled achievements that still impact the country today. Another long read but an enjoyable one, although I think the first volume of this biography (The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, see 2014) is more interesting.

What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful by Marshall Goldsmith
I don’t remember anything about this book. My reading list clearly says I read it in 2015. I have no reason to doubt my reading record keeping, but not even the Amazon description is ringing any bells. Perhaps that’s an indicator that it isn’t one to invest any time in.

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
More science fiction, or at least historical science fiction. The show on Amazon Prime is interesting.

The Billion Dollar Spy: A True Story of Cold War Espionage and Betrayal by David Hoffman
The incredible story of Adolf Tolkachev, an engineer who provided the CIA with technical details of Soviet aircraft and air defense radars. Aside from the details of tradecraft, I think this book shows the limits of loyalty. Leaders should never demand loyalty; it is the quickest way to lose the allegiance of your people. The USSR angered Tolkachev and paid a heavy price.

2014

Strategy: A History by Sir Lawrence Freedman
I made it through this epic through sheer stubbornness alone. Learning about the history of strategy is not the same as learning about strategy.

In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honore
Similar in message to The Shallows and Deep Work. Be wary of high speed when it means low engagement with any one endeavor.

The Arsenal of Democracy: FDR, Detroit, and an Epic Quest to Arm an America at War by A.J. Baime
A great history of an oft-overlooked period of U.S. history. The United States armed the allies by rapidly converting its industrial capacity to the production of weapons. Edsel Ford was the original Elon Musk. He made seemingly outlandish promises about what his business could accomplish (building one bomber an hour) but through determination and an unrelenting faith and focus on his vision, he pulled it off.

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
I read Morris’ second volume of his Roosevelt biography, but this first volume is the more interesting of the two. Roosevelt’s development as a young leader is astonishing.

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
A short, pointed and enjoyable guide to overcoming internal resistance or fear to achieve creative greatness. Or if not greatness, at least a blog read by about twenty people a week.

Earlier

Truman by David McCullough
I enjoyed this biography of Harry Truman. It is amazing to me that someone who started from a modest place found himself sitting at the most important desk in the world and making one of the most important decisions in the history of the world.

American Nations: A History of the Eleven Regional Cultures of North American by Colin Woodard
I love this book because it explains how the cultural differences of the various regions of the United States all stem from how those regions were originally settled. Over hundreds of years of history, people don’t change much from their parents’ generation. A U.S. military leader needs to understand the eleven regional cultures the author describes.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
If you’re an introvert like me, this book will inspire you. If you’re an extrovert, please read this book and pause for seven seconds before you tell us what you think! If you aren’t familiar with the difference between introverts and extroverts, this is a critically important book.

Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges
Alan Turing is one of my favorite historical figures. He was an absolute genius and gave the world the idea for the digital computer. He made a massive yet largely unknown contribution to the Allied victory in World War II. And the world rejected him because he was gay. What other contributions would he have made if he had lived longer? Read the book to learn about Alan Turing. But it should prompt you to ask another question: what other genius are we missing out on today by denying different people an equal opportunity to contribute?

Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson
See things others look past. Make connections others miss. And speak up in a way that allows others to go along with you. Do those things and you can change the world. Einstein may not have been the director of a huge organization, but he was a leader.

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
Creating this list helped me realize: I love reading biographies of people from humble beginnings who went on to change the world. Hamilton is a member of that group. Read this book, question his infidelity, hang your head at his bullheaded and hubristic sense of honor that cost him his life, but admire his passion and determination.

Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
This is the Csikszentmihalyi book everyone should read (skip Creativity). Flow is the mental power play that happens when you’re fully engaged on a challenging and rewarding tasks. This book is the intellectual parent of Deep Work, The Shallows, and any other book that claims to tell you how to improve your mental performance. Read it.