Tear along perforated 

lines for the Csa’s 

Professional Reading 

List bookmark

The U.S. Army Chief of Staff’

s

Professional 

Reading 

List

This reading list is an important element in the professional 

development of all leaders in the Army. We can never spend too 

much time reading and thinking about the Army profession and its 

interaction with the world at large. These readings will deepen our 

understanding of the history of armies, the critical role of leadership 

in combat, and the strategic environment of today and the future. 

There is simply no better way to prepare for the future than a 

disciplined, focused commitment to a personal course of reading, 

study, thought, and reflection. I challenge each of you to tackle these 

books and improve your power of critical thinking and understanding 

of the profession of arms.

General Raymond T. Odierno, 38th Chief of Staff, Army

THE u.S. Army CHIEF OF STAFF’S

PROFESSIONAL READING LIST

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The U.S. Army Chief of Staff’s Professional Reading List is divided 

into four sub-lists—The Army Profession, The Force of Decisive 

Action, Broadening Leaders, and The Strategic Environment. Taken 

together, these readings will help Soldiers or Army civilians sharpen 

their critical faculties and broaden their understanding of the military 

art. These books also complement materials currently used in the 

Army educational system and can help bridge the intervals between 

periods of formal instruction at Army schools. It is imperative for 

members of the Army profession to be well-read in all aspects of our 

honorable and selfless calling. 

Any professional reading list is, of course, only a brief introduction 

to the many books worth reading on Army history, heritage, 

leadership, and world events. The list is just a starting point on a 

journey of discovery and development. This selection of books 

also does not imply that the Chief of Staff endorses the authors’ 

views or interpretations. Nevertheless, these books contain thoughtprovoking ideas and information relevant to our dynamic Army today 

and into the future. 

19 Stars: A Study in Military Character and Leadership 

Edgar F. Puryear Jr. // New York: Presidio Press, 2003 

This valuable work studies the lives and careers of Generals 

Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, George C. Marshall, and 

George S. Patton through their own eyes as well as the recollections 

of hundreds of others who worked with and knew them personally. 

Elements common to their success are examined, including obvious 

attributes such as their thorough preparation and capacity for work as 

well as the more subtle qualities of character and, of course, luck. This 

is a great work for up-and-coming officers to better understand the 

fundamentals of leadership, preparation, and the need for luck.

Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st 

Airborne from Normandy to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest 

Stephen E. Ambrose // New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001

Historian Stephen Ambrose tells the story of the men of Company 

E, 506th Parachute Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, from recruitment 

through the end of World War II in Europe. The author compiled 

hours of interviews with many of the veterans themselves and poured 

through journals and letters as well. The book is a story of sacrifice and 

heroism by a unit that suffered a 150-percent casualty rate and that 

considered the Purple Heart a badge of honor.

THE ARMY PROFESSION
Between War and Peace: How America Ends Its Wars

Matthew Moten, ed. // New York: Free Press, 2011

This is a collection of essays by prominent military historians who 

discuss how America rarely terminates its conflicts in a neat or absolute 

fashion. The covered wars span our history from the Revolutionary 

War to Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Each essay has 

a unique perspective, and many contain assertions that contradict 

traditional views. Several common themes tie the essays together. 

Most prominently, wars, once launched, irrevocably change facts and 

acquire momentum of their own, distorting and altering initial military 

and political goals. 

Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War 

Robert Coram // New York: Bay Back Books, 2004 

The author recounts the life of U.S. Air Force Col. (Ret.) John Boyd 

(1927–1997), who was a brilliant fighter pilot, tactician, and strategist. 

Colonel Boyd wrote the first manual on jet aerial combat, which proved 

to be instrumental in redesigning the Air Force after the Vietnam War 

and led to success in Desert Storm. His writings and theories on 

military strategy remain influential today, particularly his concept of the 

Observation, Orientation, Decision, Action (OODA) Loop, which all the 

military services and many business strategists use to this day. 

Command Culture: Officer Education in the U.S. Army 

and the German Armed Forces, 1901–1940, and the 

Consequences of World War II 

Jörg Muth // Denton, Tex.: University of North Texas 

Press, 2011

Jörg Muth examines the educational system of the German and 

American officer corps from 1901 to 1940 that shaped the outcome of 

World War II. His unique observation is that the German officers who 

came from a closed society were allowed greater intellectual freedom 

than their American counterparts who came from an open society 

but received an outdated education that limited initiative. German 

officer candidates learned that, in war, everything is possible and that 

a war of extermination is acceptable. By contrast, American officers, 

raised in a democracy, were taught certain boundaries could never be 

crossed, and they succeeded not because of their military education 

but despite it.
Constitution of the United States 

Available online at http://www.archives.gov/nationalarchives-experience/charters/constitution.html

As Soldiers and civilians, we swear an oath to defend this document 

as the basis of our government and way of life. It is time to revisit our 

nation’s foundational document to refresh our understanding of the 

principles that organize and balance our society and remind us what 

we are swearing to “support and defend.”

Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert 

McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies 

That Led to Vietnam 

H. R. McMaster // New York: Harper Perennial, 1998 

In a masterful study of military strategy gone awry, the author (a 

professional Soldier) argues persuasively that President Lyndon B. 

Johnson wanted to fight the war on poverty, not the war in Vietnam, 

and that the president made decisions he believed would allow him 

to do both. The result was a recipe for disaster that the Joint Chiefs 

of Staff exacerbated by failing to provide the president with their best 

advice. Dereliction of Duty is a cautionary tale about how military 

and civilian leadership failed at the highest levels and stumbled into 

a war that appeared to have no logical culmination.
Eisenhower: A Soldier’s Life 

Carlo D’Este // New York: Henry Holt, 2002

Perhaps the most renowned American general of the twentieth 

century, Dwight D. Eisenhower remains a subject of intense interest. 

A lieutenant colonel at the age of fifty with little combat experience 

and no military future ahead of him in the stifling between-the-wars 

promotion system, Eisenhower became, in little more than three 

years, a five-star general who would later lead the nation as president 

for two terms of office. D’Este’s work focuses only on World War II, 

discussing the emerging general’s skill at building the Allied coalition 

and keeping its disparate elements pointed at a common objective. 

The author also covers Eisenhower’s weaknesses, indicting the 

supreme commander for keeping incompetent favorites in key 

positions, failing to make decisive decisions at key junctures in the 

war, and generally ignoring the dimension of logistics. The balanced 

account provides an accurate picture of the dilemmas faced by 

military commanders beset by conflicting objectives and courses of 

action.

The Face of Battle: A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo, 

and the Somme 

John Keegan // New York: Penguin Books, 1983

One of the classics of modern military history, The Face of Battle brings 

to life three major battles: Agincourt (1415), Waterloo (1815), and the first 

battle of the Somme (1916). The author describes the sights, sounds, 

and smells of battle, providing a compelling look at what it means to be a 

Soldier and how hard it is to describe realistically the dynamics of combat.

The Forgotten Hero of My Lai: The Hugh Thompson Story 

Trent Angers // Lafayette, La.: Acadian House Publishing, 1999

On 16 March 1968, Soldiers belonging to Task Force Barker, 23d 

Infantry Division (commonly known as the Americal Division), killed 

approximately five hundred Vietnamese civilians in the village of Son 

My. Because 347 of those victims died in the hamlet of My Lai-4, the 

event is generally referred to as the My Lai massacre, one of the 

darkest episodes in the history of the U.S. Army. This book describes 

the events that took place at My Lai and uncovers the courageous 

acts of CWO Hugh Thompson and his helicopter crew. They risked 

their lives to intervene, ultimately saving the lives of hundreds of 

innocent civilians. Army professionals should not ignore any aspect of 

My Lai. The episode provides a case study for Soldiers and leaders to 

examine the role of integrity, selfless service, and personal courage in 

the Army profession.
Grey Eminence: Fox Conner and the Art of Mentorship 

Edward Cox // Stillwater, Okla.: New Forums Press, 2011 

Because Fox Conner’s name was synonymous with mentorship, 

he was nicknamed the “Grey Eminence” within the Army. His influence 

and mentorship helped shape the careers of George S. Patton, George 

C. Marshall, and, most notably, President Dwight D. Eisenhower. While 

little is known about Conner himself, the author uses stories about 

Conner’s relationship with Eisenhower. Fox Conner’s four-step model 

for developing strategic leaders still holds true today. First, be a master 

of your craft. Second, recognize and recruit talented subordinates. 

Third, encourage and challenge protégés to develop their strengths 

and overcome their weaknesses. Fourth, do not be afraid to break 

the rules of the organization to do it. Everyone can learn something to 

apply to his or her life from Fox Conner.

Grunts: Inside the American Infantry Combat 

Experience, World War II Through Iraq 

John C. McManus // New York: NAL Caliber, 2010

Historian John C. McManus covers six decades of warfare, from 

the fight on the island of Guam in 1944 to today’s counterinsurgency 

in Iraq. He demonstrates that the foot soldier has been the most 

indispensable and much overlooked factor in wartime victory despite 

the advancement of weaponry. McManus stresses that the importance 

of the human element in protecting the United States is too often 

forgotten and advances a passionate plea for fundamental change in 

our understanding of war.

Lincoln and His Generals 

T. Harry William // New York: Vintage Books, 2011

First published in 1952, Lincoln and His Generals remains one of the 

definitive accounts of Abraham Lincoln’s wartime leadership. In it, Williams 

dramatizes Lincoln’s long and frustrating search for an effective leader of 

the Union Army and traces Lincoln’s transformation from a politician with 

little military knowledge into a master strategist of the Civil War. Explored 

in-depth are Lincoln’s often fraught relationships with generals such as 

George B. McClellan, John Pope, Ambrose E. Burnside, Joseph Hooker, 

John C. Fremont, and of course, Ulysses S. Grant. In this superbly written 

narrative, Williams demonstrates how Lincoln’s persistent “meddling” into 

military affairs was crucial to the Northern war effort and utterly transformed 

the president’s role as commander in chief.
A Message to Garcia 

Elbert Hubbard // Lexington, Ky.: Seven Treasures 

Publications, 2009

This classic essay from 1899, based on the true story of Lt. Andrew 

Rowan, is a notable testament of initiative and responsibility. This 

work provides commonsense advice on the importance of personal 

responsibility, loyalty, hard work, and enterprise. 

Once an Eagle 

Anton Myrer // New York: HarperTorch, 2001

An exciting historical novel, Once an Eagle traces the career of a 

fictitious Soldier from World War I to Vietnam. The book realistically 

portrays the confusion of combat, the bonds that form between fighting 

men, the tensions between line and staff officers, and the heavy 

responsibility of command. This is a great work for young leaders 

contemplating a career in the profession of arms and looking for a 

deeper understanding of Army culture.

Partners in Command: George Marshall and Dwight 

Eisenhower in War and Peace

Mark Perry // New York: Penguin Press, 2007

The book is a balanced biographical view of the relationship 

between Generals George C. Marshall and Dwight D. Eisenhower. 

It provides an illustrative glimpse at the connection between the two 

men as they developed a grand alliance and forged the strategies 

that led to victory in Europe in World War II. It accurately and evenly 

portrays their relationship with each other and their contemporary 

American and British military and civilian counterparts. The volume 

is a good read for strategic leaders who wish to better understand the 

complexities of coalition, joint, and civil-military relations.

Personal Memoirs: Ulysses S. Grant 

Ulysses S. Grant // New York: Modern Library, 1999 

A classic and honest study by one of America’s greatest generals, 

this is one of the finest autobiographies of a military commander ever 

written. It has valuable insights into leadership and command that apply 

to all levels and in all times. Grant’s resiliency under almost unimaginable 

stress during critical junctures of America’s most bloody war makes him 

a fascinating and human case study of the “epitomized” Soldier.
The Profession of Arms 

John Winthrop Hackett // New York: Macmillan, 1983

This book traces the lineage of armies, from the ancient world to today, 

in a concise and insightful manner. Hackett focuses on the relationship 

between military forces and the countries they represent on the battlefield. 

Based on his vast military experience and career, the author offers some 

interesting opinions about training future leaders in the armed services.

Supreme Command: Soldiers, Statesmen, and 

Leadership in Wartime 

Eliot A. Cohen // New York: Free Press, 2002

This work examines four case studies in leadership and civil-military 

relations. Cohen focuses on Abraham Lincoln, Georges Clemenceau, 

Winston Churchill, and David Ben-Gurion and their relationships with 

subordinate military commanders. The author argues that rather than 

adhere to traditional civilian and military roles in directing war, some 

of the most successful civilian leaders have inserted themselves into 

what many have asserted were “purely military” spheres of strategic 

and operational art. Cohen’s study provides an accessible treatment of 

long-standing issues in the field of civil-military relations.

The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier’s Education 

Craig M. Mullaney // New York: Penguin Press, 2009 

A West Point graduate, Rhodes scholar, Airborne Ranger, and 

U.S. Army captain, Craig Mullaney recounts the hard lessons that 

only war can teach while fighting al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. This is an 

unforgettable portrait of a young Soldier grappling with the weight of 

war and coming to terms with what it means to be a man.

1776 

David McCullough // New York: Simon & Schuster, 2006 

This is a fast-paced narrative of the Revolutionary War from the 

summer of 1775 to Washington’s stunning twin victories at Trenton 

and Princeton in late 1776. McCullough shows that persistence, 

dedication to the American cause, and Washington’s remarkable 

leadership drove a small, ill-equipped American army to overcome 

severe hardships and numerous defeats to save the American 

Revolution from collapse during the war’s most tumultuous year.

The AEF Way of War: The American Army and Combat 

in World War I 

Mark E. Grotelueschen // New York: Cambridge University 

Press, 2007

This exemplary case study of doctrinal and tactical innovation 

under fire shows how four divisions of the American Expeditionary 

Forces adapted, or failed to adapt, to conditions on the Western 

Front during World War I. The 1st and 2d Divisions perfected artilleryinfantry liaison so that by November 1918 they had achieved “state 

of the art” tactical skills as practiced by the allied armies. Both the 

26th and 77th Divisions failed to achieve this level of skill—the 26th 

because its commander failed to maintain control of his subordinate 

units and the 77th because its commander remained wedded to 

prewar doctrine.

THE FORCE

OF DECISIVE ACTION
American Military History, vol. 2, The United States 

Army in a Global Era, 1917–2008 

Richard W. Stewart, ed. // Washington, D.C.: U.S. Army 

Center of Military History, 2010

Created initially as a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps textbook, 

this second volume in a two-volume overview of the Army’s story 

covers the period from World War I to the early days of the wars in 

Afghanistan and Iraq. Written in an engaging style and enhanced 

by sophisticated graphics and recommended readings, the work is 

an excellent source of general service history in the modern world. 

An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942–1943 

Rick Atkinson // New York: Henry Holt, 2002 

In the first volume of his highly anticipated Liberation Trilogy 

series, Atkinson shows why no modern reader can understand the 

ultimate victory of the Allied Powers in May 1945 without a solid 

understanding of the events that took place in North Africa in 1942 

and early 1943. He convincingly demonstrates that the first years 

of the Allied war effort were a pivotal point in American history—the 

moment when the United States began to act like a great military 

power. He also chronicles without apology the many false steps 

taken before the new and untested U.S. Army could emerge as a 

coherent and capable force.

Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era 

James M. McPherson // New York: Oxford University 

Press, 1988

McPherson has written a brilliant account of the American Civil 

War—the war that made the country what it is today. He discusses in 

clear, incisive detail the causes of the war, the military operations, the 

Soldiers, the leaders, and the political, economic, and social aspects 

of life in the Union and the Confederacy before and during the war. 

With many experts judging it to be the best one-volume history of the 

Civil War, it provides an excellent introduction to the most significant 

war fought by the American Army.
The Battle of Hürtgen Forest (Spellmount Siegfried Line 

Series, vol. 4) 

Charles Whiting // Charleston, S.C.: History Press, 2007 

This is the story of the longest battle fought in the Army’s history in 

which thirty thousand Soldiers were killed or wounded. The battle has 

been ignored for so long and, as the author claims, is one that should 

never have been fought. From September 1944 to February 1945, ten 

American divisions fought the Germans and sustained a casualty rate of 

over 50 percent. The author alleges that commanders failed to realize the 

limited value of the military objectives to the overall strategy and therefore 

poured more men into the meat grinder. This is a classic account of the 

price fighting men pay for the prideful blunders of their commanders.

A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in 

Vietnam 

Neil Sheehan // New York: Random House, 1988 

The book centers on the career of Lt. Col. John Paul Vann, whose 

story illuminates America’s failures and disillusionment in Southeast 

Asia. Vann, a field adviser to the South Vietnamese Army, became 

appalled at the corruption of the South Vietnamese regime, South 

Vietnam’s incompetence in fighting the Communists, and the regime’s 

brutal alienation of the South Vietnamese people. He found his 

superiors too blinded by political lies to understand that the war was 

being thrown away, and he secretly briefed reporters on what was really 

happening. This is a valuable read for those who want to understand 

the inherent conflict between trust and loyalty to one’s superiors and 

organization and trust and loyalty to the American people.
Cambridge Illustrated History of Warfare: The Triumph 

of the West 

Geoffrey Parker, ed. // New York: Cambridge University 

Press, 2000

Written in a digestible, compelling manner, Parker’s authors 

cover the gamut of Western warfare from antiquity to the present, 

including the development of warfare on land, sea, and air; 

weapons and technology; strategy, operations, and tactics; and 

logistics and intelligence. Throughout, there is an emphasis on 

the socioeconomic aspects of war, the rise of the West to global 

dominance, and the nature of the aggressive military culture that 

has been its hallmark.

East of Chosin: Entrapment and Breakout in Korea, 1950 

Roy E. Appleman // College Station: Texas A&M University 

Press, 1987

This book tells the riveting story of three thousand Soldiers of the 

U.S. 7th Infantry Division who fought in a four-day, five-night battle 

on the east side of the Changjin (Chosin) Reservoir in November and 

December 1950 during the initial Communist Chinese intervention in the 

Korean War. During this brief battle, Task Force MacLean/Faith endured 

frigid cold, privation, and exhaustion before meeting with disaster. 

Although not as well-known as other tactical disasters in Korea, such 

as the earlier Task Force Smith, this book says a great deal about the 

overall condition of the U.S. Army during the early days of the war.
Intelligence in War: Knowledge of the Enemy from 

Napoleon to Al-Qaeda 

John Keegan // New York: Knopf, 2003

Keegan brings to life the split-second decisions that went into 

waging war before the benefit of aerial surveillance and electronic 

communications. He explains how espionage and decryption have 

changed the face of battle, such as thwarting the Japanese attack 

on Midway by an early warning. Keegan illustrates that timely 

information is only the beginning of decision making during war, 

where brute force is often more critical.

The Killer Angels 

Michael Shaara // New York: Modern Library, 2004 

The late Shaara’s Pulitzer Prize–winning novel (1974) recounts 

the battle of Gettysburg from a fictional point of view and was the 

basis for the 1993 film Gettysburg. The author tells the events 

immediately before and during the battle as seen through the eyes 

of Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee, James Longstreet, and 

Lewis A. Armistead; and Federal General John Buford and Col. 

Joshua L. Chamberlain; and a host of others. The author’s ability 

to convey the thoughts of men in war as well as their confusion in 

the “fog of battle” is outstanding.

On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill 

in War and Society 

Dave Grossman // Rev. ed.; New York: Back Bay Books, 

2009

The book investigates the psychology of killing in combat and 

stresses that human beings have a powerful, innate resistance to 

the taking of life. The author examines the techniques developed 

by the military to overcome that aversion during the Vietnam War, 

revealing how an American Soldier was more lethal during this 

conflict than at any other time in history. Grossman argues that the 

combination of the breakdown of American society, the pervasive 

violence in the media, and interactive video games is conditioning 

our children to kill in a manner similar to the Army’s conditioning 

of Soldiers.
The Landmark Thucydides: A Comprehensive Guide to 

the Peloponnesian War 

Robert B. Strassler, ed. // New York: Free Press, 1996

This is an annotated, new translation of the classic Greek 

historian’s account of the war between Athens and Sparta fought 

between 431 and 404 BCE. It has explanatory footnotes and 

appendixes on war and society in fifth-century BCE Greece that 

do much to place the war in context. The Peloponnesian War is 

not only an excellent chronicle of ancient warfare, but it is also a 

thoughtful dissertation on the relationship between politics and war, 

government and empire, and the strong and the weak. This volume 

should be on every Soldier’s and diplomat’s bookshelf.

A Stillness at Appomattox 

Bruce Catton // New York: Anchor Books, 1990

The book narrates the final year of the Civil War from 

Wilderness through Petersburg, Virginia, and finally to the climax 

at Appomattox. Catton provides an emotionally charged account of 

the surrender scene, when Generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert 

E. Lee finally meet. This is the third book in Catton’s Army of the 

Potomac trilogy.
Summons of the Trumpet: U.S.-Vietnam in Perspective 

Dave R. Palmer // Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 1995

This work is a clear, concise history of the Vietnam War from 1954 

to 1973 written by someone who witnessed it firsthand as a combat 

adviser to the South Vietnamese Army. It is especially useful for those 

seeking a broad overview of an extremely lengthy and confusing 

conflict and a summary of the war’s main military and political trends.

Supplying War: Logistics from Wallenstein to Patton 

Martin Van Creveld // New York: Cambridge University 

Press, 1977

Surveying four centuries of military history, the noted historian 

Martin Van Creveld clearly points out the reasons “amateurs study 

tactics; professionals study logistics.” Most battlefield results would 

not have been possible without the careful organization and allocation 

of logistical resources. Leaders who fail to consider logistics in all of 

their plans and operations will do so at their peril.

This Kind of War: The Classic Korean War History

T. R. Fehrenbach // Washington, D.C.: Potomac Books, 2001 

This volume is a dramatic account of the Korean War written from 

the perspective of those who fought in it. Taken from records, journals, 

and histories, it is based largely on the compelling personal narratives 

of the small-unit commanders and their troops. It provides both a broad 

overview and a direct account of American troops in fierce combat. 

Fifty years later, This Kind of War commemorates the past and offers 

vital lessons for the future.

Tip of the Spear: U.S. Army Small-Unit Action in Iraq, 

2004–2007 

Jon T. Hoffman, ed. // Washington, D.C.: U.S. Army Center 

of Military History, 2009

This is a collection of short combat action studies from the war 

in Iraq that took place during the growing insurgency that followed 

the highly successful invasion and initial occupation of the country 

in 2003. Each account illustrates the everyday challenges that U.S. 

Soldiers faced in the struggle against an inventive and elusive enemy. 

The stories also highlight the personal bravery, resourcefulness, and 

courage of our modern Army as it adapts to the constantly changing 

circumstances that existed in Iraq at the time.
Transformation Under Fire: Revolutionizing How 

America Fights 

Douglas A. Macgregor // Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 2003

Through this book, Colonel (Ret.) Macgregor captured the attention 

of key leaders and inspired a genuine public debate on military 

reform. The author’s controversial ideas would reduce timelines for 

deployment, enhance responsiveness to crises, and permit rapid 

decision making and planning. Macgregor pointedly argues that 

today’s Army faces potential failure in a modern war. Without a 

conceptual redefinition of warfare as a joint operation, a new military 

culture that can execute joint expeditionary warfare will not emerge. 

The author’s visionary plan to integrate ground maneuver forces with 

powerful strike assets is the foundation for a true revolution in military 

affairs and has sparked heated debates in policy and military circles.
The U.S. Military Intervention in Panama: Origins, 

Planning, and Crisis Management, June 1987–

December 1989 

Lawrence A. Yates // Washington, D.C.: U.S. Army Center 

of Military History, 2008

In this first of a planned two-volume history of Operation Just Cause, 

Yates, a noted historian of the U.S. intervention in the Dominican 

Republic in 1965, discusses the critical events, planning, and 

undercurrents that lay behind the U.S. military intervention in Panama 

in late 1989. He skillfully weaves military planning, high-level strategic 

debates, and interagency priorities and confusion into a masterful 

story of crisis management in a post–Goldwater-Nichols world. This 

is essential reading for any student of regional combatant commands, 

their powers, and their limitations as they attempt to influence strategy 

and national policy.

We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young: Ia Drang—the 

Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam 

Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway // New York: 

HarperTorch, 2002 

This is a gripping firsthand account of the November 1965 battle of 

the Ia Drang by the commander of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st 

Cavalry Division. The Ia Drang was the first major combat test of the 

airmobile concept and the first major battle between U.S. forces and 

the North Vietnamese Army.

The Age of the Unthinkable: Why the New World 

Disorder Constantly Surprises Us and What We Can 

Do About It 

Joshua Cooper Ramo // New York: Back Bay Books, 2010 

This book challenges conventional assumptions, world views, 

and thinking in an increasingly complex world. The author proposes 

controversial ways of considering global challenges, such as studying 

why Hezbollah is the most efficiently run Islamic militant group. Ramo 

uses economics, history, complexity theory, and network science to 

describe an ambiguous reality that has many innovative possibilities.

Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American 

Empire 

Chalmers Johnson // New York: Henry Holt, 2004 

Author Chalmers Johnson writes about how poorly formed 

policy can lead to disastrous and unintended consequences. Using 

America’s experience in Okinawa, Korea, and other Asian countries, 

he discusses the danger of overextending American power, both 

militarily and economically. He cites the need for the United States to 

reevaluate its strategic requirements and to formulate a new foreign 

policy that relies less on military presence and economic coercion. 

America’s misguided foreign policy, according to Johnson, drains 

enormous resources from taxpayers, fails to provide the nation with 

beneficial results, and harms our image abroad.

BROADENING LEADERS 
Cables from Kabul: The Inside Story of the West’s 

Afghanistan Campaign 

Sherard Cowper-Coles // London: Harper Press, 2011

The British ambassador to Afghanistan from 2007 to 2010 provides 

a pessimistic view of the war in Afghanistan and a unique frankness of 

the inner workings of diplomacy. In his view, the military continues to 

give overoptimistic assessments. The author looks at the transatlantic 

alliance and the ambitious U.S. military strategy and offers conclusions 

on the war. Broader than just Afghanistan, this book furnishes insights 

on current Western diplomacy and the way the North Atlantic Treaty 

Organization operates, particularly in hostile territories. 

A Choice of Enemies: America Confronts the Middle East 

Lawrence Freedman // New York: PublicAffairs, 2008

A leading professor from the United Kingdom provides an objective 

study of U.S. engagements in the Middle East. This volume looks at 

U.S. strategies from President Jimmy Carter to President George W. 

Bush, evaluating the evolution of U.S. policy toward the region and 

offering thoughtful analysis of how and why the United States has 

confronted regional issues with global impact during five presidencies.

Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People 

Demand It 

James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner // San Francisco: 

Jossey-Bass, 2011 

After thirty years of research, Kouzes and Posner conclude that 

credibility is the cornerstone of leadership. Leaders must “say what 

you mean and mean what you say.” The three sources of credibility are 

honesty, competence, and inspiration. Army leaders cannot achieve 

their potential without considering and addressing the expectations of 

those whom they lead.

The Devil You Don’t Know: Going Back to Iraq

Zuhair al-Jezairy // London: Saqi Books, 2010

Twenty-five years after fleeing Iraq for defying Saddam Hussein, 

Iraqi journalist al-Jezairy returns and travels throughout the country. 

He captures the essence of a country emerging from thirty-five years 

of totalitarianism, subsequent decent into hopeless violence, and the 

bravery of the Iraqi people. He provides an inspirational account of 

post-Saddam Iraq while offering great insights into the culture and 

society.
Discourses on Livy 

Niccolò Machiavelli // Chicago: University of Chicago 

Press, 1996

The discourses have captivated scholars of political thought for five 

centuries. Machiavelli eloquently explains how to maintain vibrancy 

in a republic through “new modes and orders.” The discourses, 

written in the early sixteenth century, offer a unique perspective on 

world history through frequent references to the virtuous aspects of 

ancient Greek or Roman history, the conformity of the Middle Ages, 

and the Renaissance. Army professionals should study this book to 

gain insights into the origins of modern political thought, which is the 

sphere in which our joint force operates.

The Dynamics of Military Revolution, 1300–2050 

MacGregor Knox and Williamson Murray, eds. // New 

York: Cambridge University Press, 2001

The editors provide a conceptual framework and historical context 

for understanding the patterns of change, innovation, and adaptation 

that have marked war in the Western world since the fourteenth 

century. Case studies and a conceptual overview offer all Army leaders 

an indispensable introduction to military change.

Flawed by Design: The Evolution of the CIA, JCS, 

and NSC

Amy B. Zegart // Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1999

The book looks at the current interagency process and challenges 

the traditional opinion that the key national security institutions 

(composed of the Central Intelligence Agency, Joint Chiefs of Staff, 

and National Security Council) operate as the National Security Act 

of 1947 intended. The reality has been that politics and bureaucratic 

and budgetary turf wars effectively impair the original purpose of 

these organizations and have caused systematic failures. Reforms 

over the years were made, including the 1986 Goldwater-Nichols 

Act and the recent legislation after 11 September 2001 that created 

the director of national intelligence. However, according to the 

author, proposals for reform of the entire interagency process 

must be carefully considered based on the historical record of its 

performance. This is an important read for those who wish to learn 

how key institutions were intended to work and how they actually 

work today in an era of increasing uncertainty.
For Whom the Bell Tolls 

Ernest Hemingway // New York: Scribner, 1995

This is a classic novel of a man fighting on the side of the Loyalists 

in the Spanish Civil War and coming to terms with violence, death, and 

the ultimate futility of war.

How: Why How We Do Anything Means Everything . . . 

in Business (and in Life) 

Dov Seidman // Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 2007

In today’s fast-changing, hyper-connected, and hyper-transparent 

world, what we do no longer sets us apart from others because every 

task is a commodity, easily duplicated or reverse-engineered. How 

we do what we do determines whether we achieve a sustainable 

advantage. Seidman examines how we interact, how we think, how we 

behave, and how we govern. He argues that sustainable values that 

were once afterthoughts—trust, integrity, values, and reputation—are 

now the ultimate drivers of success. How is an important book to help 

Army professionals critically examine their personal performance and 

organizational cultures in this fast-changing era.

The Instigators: How a Small Band of Digital Activists 

Risked Their Lives and Helped Bring Down the 

Government of Egypt 

David Wolman // e-Book; Atavist, 2011

Wolman argues that social media does not stand on its own as 

a change agent. People have to act in the real world to leverage 

the potential of the cyber world. The author, a journalist with Wired

magazine, gives a very personal tour of the Egyptian revolution, 

tracing the use of social media by the leaders of one Arab Spring 

group. This book is useful in illuminating the key role that social media, 

social networking, bloggers, and the virtual world played in conceiving 

a revolution. It also provides a useful primer on forms of social media 

and current digital tools such as Facebook, blogs, e-mail, Twitter, 

Google Earth, and others.
Leading Change 

John P. Kotter // Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1996

In this now-classic book on leadership, Kotter describes a proven 

eight-step change process: establishing a sense of urgency, creating 

the guiding coalition, developing a vision and strategy, communicating 

the change vision, empowering others to act, creating short-term 

wins, consolidating gains and producing even more change, and 

institutionalizing new approaches in the future. Leaders across the 

Army and at all levels should study and use Kotter’s change process 

to assist in leading complex Army organizations through uncertainty 

and difficult circumstances.

Makers of Modern Strategy: From Machiavelli to the 

Nuclear Age 

Peter Paret, ed. // Princeton: Princeton University Press, 

1986

This is a wonderful anthology on the evolution of strategic thought. 

Moving from Machiavelli to the present in twenty-eight insightful 

essays, the authors examine such topics as the role of doctrine, the 

genius of Napoleon, the limits of airpower, and nuclear strategy. A 

primer for all military leaders who must think strategically on a variety 

of issues, Makers of Modern Strategy summarizes the classic military 

thinkers in a highly digestible manner, underlining the enduring lessons 

that remain relevant today.
The Masks of War: American Military Styles in Strategy 

and Analysis 

Carl H. Builder // Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University 

Press, 1989

This volume presents a look at the different styles and personalities 

of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Navy sees itself mainly as an 

heir to a glorious tradition. The Air Force is the embodiment of a single 

idea. The Army considers itself a servant of the nation. Within this 

context, this book evaluates the problems, interests, and aspirations 

of American military institutions in terms of their approaches to military 

strategy, planning, and analysis. The author argues that the roots of 

modern American military strategies lie buried in the nation’s three 

most powerful institutions and provides insights on why these roots 

are obstacles to military reform.

The Net Delusion: The Dark Side of Internet Freedom 

Evgeny Morozov // New York: PublicAffairs, 2011 

Morozov argues against the conventional wisdom that the Internet 

and social media will automatically promote and expand freedom 

around the world. While social networking may enable popular 

mobilization, authoritarian regimes can use the same tools to suppress 

free speech, monitor their opposition, and disseminate propaganda. 

The author asserts that while digital diplomacy and Internet freedom

sound good rhetorically, foreign policy based on these terms may 

actually hinder the promotion of democracy, cause dictators to become 

more repressive, and harm the reform efforts of dissidents.

Rethinking the Principles of War 

Anthony D. McIvor // Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute 

Press, 2005 

This series of articles seeks to review, validate, or discard 

various tenets of the principles of today’s globalized and information 

interconnected world. The book examines five key themes: the 

American way of war; conventional warfare; irregular warfare; postconflict and stability operations; and intelligence—winning the silent 

wars. The volume provides all Army professionals with the context to 

evaluate the last ten years of war and assess and improve our Army 

profession and general understanding of war itself.
The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power 

of Leaderless Organizations 

Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom // New York: Penguin 

Group, 2006

A traditional top-down organization is like a spider: if you cut off its 

head, it dies. By contrast, if you cut off a starfish’s leg, it grows a new 

one, and that leg can grow into an entirely new starfish. The Starfish 

and the Spider explores what happens when starfish companies, such 

as Wikipedia and eBay, take on spiders. It reveals how established 

companies and institutions, from IBM to U.S. government agencies, 

are also learning how to incorporate starfish principles to achieve 

success. The Army’s success over the past decade hinged on 

distributed, networked operations and operational adaptability at every 

level. Every indication is these trends will continue into the future. This 

book is an excellent primer to generate thought on how the Army 

should adapt as an institution to meet future challenges.

Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard 

Chip and Dan Heath // New York: Random House, 2010

After decades of research, the Heaths are clearly two of the 

worldwide experts on change efforts. In Switch, they describe trends 

from their research that illuminate what causes success—or failure—in 

efforts to achieve transformative change. The outcome is a pattern—or 

game plan—that leaders can use to change their organizations or even 

their individual lives. There are few subjects more worthy of study for 

Army professionals.

Thinking in Time: The Uses of History for Decision 

Makers 

Richard E. Neustadt and Ernest R. May // New York: Free 

Press, 1986

History is a valuable tool for decision makers, but, if used without 

careful consideration, it can blind the unwary by false analogies. A true 

classic, this book offers senior leaders meaningful suggestions on how 

to use and avoid misusing the experience that history can provide.

Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in 

the 21st Century 

P. W. Singer // New York: Penguin Press, 2009 

P. W. Singer explores robotic warfare as a revolution in military affairs on 

a par with the atom bomb or gunpowder. The author discusses the impact 

of new military technology on the ways war is fought and the influence 

robots will have on the future battlefield, as well as the ramifications robotic 

warfare will have on ethics, law, politics, and economics. 

The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World 

Niall Ferguson // New York: Penguin Press, 2008 

Economic historian and Harvard professor Niall Ferguson provides 

a historical narrative on the ascent of money and how it has both 

contributed to the expansion of the global market place and caused 

conflict. This is a cautionary tale that relates to the current fiscal crisis 

in Europe and the United States; interdependence between the United 

States and Chinese economies; the financial crash of 2008; and 

the subsequent Occupy Wall Street Movement and slow economic 

growth around the world. It is an important read for those who want to 

understand how the global fiscal and economic crisis could impact our 

defense strategy and defense force structure.

Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World 

Michael Lewis // New York: W. W. Norton, 2011 

Lewis describes in clear language the complex financial 

engineering that has led to the current global financial crisis. He traces 

the domestic and global origins of the bubbles that led to the collapse 

of the Icelandic, Irish, and Greek economies; describes how the 

Germans unwittingly enabled the debt crises in Europe; and explores 

similar challenges that do not bode well for the United States. Though 

Boomerang does not explicitly discuss national security implications, 

the volume does explain sources of economic weakness that have 

the potential to pose challenges for the United States and its allies for 

investing in defense and other security-related areas.

THE STRATEGIC

ENVIRONMENT
On China 

Henry A. Kissinger // New York: Penguin Press, 2011

This is a sweeping and insightful history of China by a distinguished 

international scholar, diplomat, and statesman. It provides a 

fascinating historical view of China and its relations with its neighbors 

and the United States over the last forty years. It is useful for readers 

to understand the world’s second largest economy and the rising 

global player, which will impact U.S. national and economic security 

for decades to come. 

The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of 

World Order 

Samuel P. Huntington // New York: Simon & Schuster, 

1996

The late Harvard social scientist, Samuel Huntington, warns of 

the increasing threat of renewed conflicts originating in countries and 

cultures that base their traditions on religious faith and dogma. Moving 

past the issues of race and nationality as sources of future conflict, he 

cites the growing influence of a handful of major cultures—Western, 

Eastern Orthodox, Latin American, Islamic, Japanese, Chinese, 

Hindu, and African—in current struggles across the globe. His study 

underlines the importance of cultural awareness in dealing with crises 

throughout the globe and the significant role that awareness plays in 

implementing effective policies and programs on the ground.
Descent into Chaos: The United States and the Failure 

of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and 

Central Asia 

Ahmed Rashid // New York: Viking Penguin, 2008 

Rashid, a Pakistani writer, describes how the war against Islamic 

extremism is being lost in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and central Asia. He 

examines the region and the corridors of power in Washington and 

Europe to see how the promised nation building in these countries has 

progressed. His conclusions are devastating: an unstable and nucleararmed Pakistan, a renewed al-Qaeda profiting from a booming opium 

trade, and a Taliban resurgence and reconquest. He argues that failing 

states pose a graver threat to global security than the Middle East.

Forgotten Continent: The Battle for Latin America’s Soul 

Michael Reid // New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 

2007

In examining a vast continent that is often overlooked by the West, 

Reid argues that Latin America’s efforts to build more equitable and 

more prosperous societies make that region one of the most dynamic 

places in the world. In that area, a series of democratic leaders is 

attempting to lay the foundations for faster economic growth and more 

inclusive politics while addressing the region’s seemingly intractable 

problems of poverty, inequality, and social injustice. Failure will not 

only increase the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants, but will also 

jeopardize the stability of a region rich in oil and other strategic 

commodities and threaten some of the world’s most majestic natural 

environments. The study provides a vivid, current, and informed 

account of a dynamic continent and its struggle to compete in a 

globalized world.

The Grand Strategy of the Byzantine Empire

Edward N. Luttwak // Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University 

Press, 2009 

In this book, the author follows the pattern of his earlier classic 

on the grand strategy of the Roman Empire and presents the grand 

strategy of the eastern Roman Empire, or the Byzantine Empire, as 

we know it today. The Byzantine Empire lasted more than twice as 

long as the more familiar western empire. Luttwak tries to explain 

that the eastern empire outlasted its western counterpart because its 

rulers were able to adapt strategically to diminished circumstances. 

They devised new ways of coping with successive enemies, including 

a life or death struggle—a “long war”—with the new and highly militant 

religion of Islam. Without extensive resources, the Byzantines relied 

less on military strength and more on persuasion to recruit allies and 

divide enemies. 
A History of Modern Iran 

Ervand Abrahamian // New York: Cambridge University 

Press, 2008

In a reappraisal of Iran’s modern history, the author traces Iran’s 

traumatic journey across the twentieth century, through the discovery 

of oil, imperial interventions, the rule of the Pahlavis, and, in 1979, 

revolution and the birth of the Islamic republic. In the intervening years, 

the country has experienced a bitter war with Iraq, the transformation of 

society under the clergy, and, more recently, the expansion of the state 

and the struggle for power between the old elites, the intelligentsia, and 

the commercial middle class. As Iran emerges at the beginning of the 

twenty-first century as one of the most powerful states in the Middle 

East, it is important to understand its culture and history.

Kevlar Legions: The Transformation of the U.S. Army, 

1989–2005 

John Sloan Brown // Washington, D.C.: U.S. Army Center 

of Military History, 2011 

Former Chief of Military History and retired Brig. Gen. John S. Brown 

brings his formidable analytical skills to bear in a detailed study of how the 

senior Army leadership formulated, managed, and executed a multiyear 

transformational effort after the end of the Cold War. A consistent vision 

from the Army senior leadership allowed the Army to cope with the 

changed international environment after the collapse of the Soviet Union, 

with high operational tempo contingency operations, and with the opening 

salvos of the Global War on Terrorism and still craft a flexible, adaptable 

Army that is the premier ground force in the world today. This is a mustread for all those who served in the Army during this transitional period 

and for future Army leaders who will face an uncertain future in times of 

dwindling resources but who still need to prepare the force for victory.

Knowing the Enemy: Jihadist Ideology and the War on 

Terror 

Mary Habeck // New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007

In this primer on a small splinter group of Islam, Habeck traces 

current jihadism from an early-fourteenth-century scholar and 

the eighteenth-century founder of the harshly restrictive Islam 

(predominantly in Saudi Arabia) to four twentieth-century figures that 

inspired a host of radical reactionary organizations, including Hamas 

and al-Qaeda. The author’s purpose is to reveal the origins of jihadism. 

In so doing, she contributes in considerable detail and with admirable 

clarity one of the most valuable books on the ongoing Middle East—

and global—conflicts. This is an important volume for all leaders to 

understand what drives people to attack democracies.
The Longest War: The Iran-Iraq Military Conflict 

Dilip Hiro // London: Grafton Books, 1989

Lasting eight years and costing over a trillion dollars and a million 

casualties, this conflict (which featured chemical weapons and genocide 

against the Kurds), is largely unknown to most Westerners. The author, 

an expert on Middle Eastern affairs, traces the ancient animosities and 

territorial aspirations that animated the slaughter, describes in detail the 

actual fighting, and connects the war to the “great powers” that covertly 

aided the belligerents. Despite current fears of excessive Iranian 

influence in newly democratic Iraq, the war, revolving around oil, access 

to the sea, and religious tensions, is not yet over.

Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of 

American Power 

Robert D. Kaplan // New York: Random House, 2010

Kaplan provides a sweeping examination of the countries that 

compose “Monsoon Asia”—China, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Burma, 

Oman, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Tanzania. This book is a mustread for Army professionals, especially those whose focus has been 

weighted toward the challenges in Iraq and Afghanistan over the 

past decade. As the United States pivots strategically to the Pacific, 

Kaplan’s unique perspective on the implications of rising powers, the 

shifting global balance, and the potential contingencies that might 

arise is timely and important. 
The Most Noble Adventure: The Marshall Plan and How 

America Helped Rebuild Europe

Greg Behrman // New York: Free Press, 2008 

This is a comprehensive review of the Marshall Plan and how 

successful civilian-military teams applied unity of effort to rebuild Europe 

after World War II. The book can be used as a comparative analysis 

between how the Marshall Plan was prepared and executed in Europe 

and its application to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

My Life with the Taliban 

Abdul Salam Zaeef // New York: Columbia University 

Press, 2010 

This is an autobiography of a former senior member of Afghanistan’s 

Taliban. Zaeef served as ambassador to Pakistan at the time of the 

terrorist attack on the United States on 11 September 2001. In 2002, 

Zaeef was delivered to U.S. forces operating in Pakistan and spent 

four and a half years in prison. His reflections give insights into rural 

Pashtun communities and help explain what drives men like him to 

take up arms against foreigners.
Prodigal Soldiers: How the Generation of Officers Born 

of Vietnam Revolutionized the American Style of War 

James Kitfield // Washington, D.C.: Brassey’s, 1997 

The book examines how a generation of officers, such as Colin Powell, 

H. Norman Schwarzkopf, and Barry R. McCaffrey, experienced Vietnam 

and the subsequent hollowing of the force and helped put in place the 

systems and policies that helped the Army achieve victory in Desert

Storm. This volume is a good read for today’s officer corps as it prepares 

to transition from a decade of conflict to a reduction in force structure and 

resources and attempts to balance the need for a rapid drawdown with the 

requirement that the Army remain the force of decisive action for the nation.

The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the 

Modern World 

Daniel Yergin // New York: Penguin Press, 2011 

For the past twenty years, Yergin has been widely recognized as 

the most authoritative voice on the geopolitics of energy and resource 

competition. His new book is the most comprehensive, even-handed, 

and current work now available on the topic and will likely stand as 

the definitive work for the indefinite future. While he has long been 

part of the “optimist school” of energy experts (dismissing the idea, for 

example, of “peak oil” and its near-term depletion), he remains worried 

about security, financial, technological, and ecological problems 

stemming from the role of fossil fuels in global energy production. This 

volume not only explains the deeper history of energy production and 

the dramatic changes of the past decade, but also provides valuable 

policy advice for minimizing the potential for catastrophic disruptions 

in energy security and the conflicts this could produce.

That Used to Be Us: How America Fell Behind in the 

World It Invented and How We Can Come Back

Thomas L. Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum // New 

York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011 

This book looks at current U.S. challenges stemming from increasing 

globalization, changing information technology, rising national debt, 

and growing energy consumption and argues that the country must 

take assertive steps to maintain its position in the international system. 

Though deficit spending must be reduced, U.S. greatness is based on five 

historical pillars that also require revitalization to foster future economic 

growth. These pillars are public education, infrastructure, immigration, 

research and development, and public regulation of private economic 

activity. With regard to the last of these, there is a particularly urgent need 

for a comprehensive energy policy that also addresses climate change. 

The authors argue that the world will be a poorer and more dangerous 

place if the United States cannot successfully renew itself.
The Utility of Force: The Art of War in the Modern World 

Rupert Smith // New York: Vintage Books, 2008

Drawing on his experience as a commander during Operations 

Desert Shield and Desert Storm and in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Northern 

Ireland, Smith, a British general, gives us a probing analysis of modern 

war and questions why we try to use military force to solve our political 

problems. And why, when our forces win military battles, we still fail 

to solve the problems. He demonstrates why today’s conflicts must 

be understood as intertwined political and military events and makes 

clear why the current model of total war has failed in Iraq, Afghanistan, 

and other recent campaigns.

The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first 

Century 

Thomas L. Friedman // New York: Farrar, Straus and 

Giroux, 2005

Friedman, a New York Times foreign-affairs columnist and pundit, 

sees the globalization process entering an entirely new phase. 

Advances in information technologies, an intensified world division 

of labor, stepped-up competition, and economic practices such as 

outsourcing have joined with the political opening of the world following 

the collapse of communism to produce a progressive “flattening” of 

the world. The author believes that states and individuals have no 

option but to accept this dynamic and develop the skills to survive the 

flattened world. A best seller, Friedman’s book presents much food for 

thought for today’s strategist.
A World Restored: Metternich, Castlereagh and the 

Problems of Peace, 1812–1822 

Henry A. Kissinger // Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1979

A World Restored examines a misunderstood and overlooked 

historical era that offers strategic insights that remain very relevant 

today. Austrian Foreign Minister Prince Klemens Wenzel von 

Metternich and British Foreign Secretary Viscount Castlereagh 

served in the tumultuous period following the fall of Napoleon I. 

They sought national greatness for their respective nations while 

walking a fragile line between peace and war. Kissinger’s book 

reveals timeless strategic issues that endure throughout all eras and 

reminds us that our counterparts from previous times experienced 

challenges and uncertainty at least as significant as those we are 

experiencing today.
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