Steven Pressfield here for a live Q and A session Tuesday 6/23. What questions do you have for me?

2015-06-18T17:23:20-04:00

From Steven Pressfield: "Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. Your questions were great, and I hope my answers lived up to your expectations. I hope to come back and visit you soon!"

From RallyPoint Staff:

Steven Pressfield, Marine Reserve Veteran and author. His book, Gates of Fire, is on the Commandant of the Marine Corps’ Reading list and taught at West Point and Annapolis. Mr. Pressfield visited RallyPoint for a live Q and A Tuesday June 23 at 4:00pm EST.

In 2009, Mr. Pressfield launched the blog “It’s the Tribes, Stupid” with the intention of helping explain the tribal mindset in Afghanistan to the Marines and Soldiers on the ground. Over the past decade he has dedicated himself to the study of war, releasing The Warrior Ethos, The Virtues of War, Tides of War, The Afghan Campaign, and most recently The Lion’s Gate: a study of the Six Day War in Israel in June of 1967.

This coming Tuesday Mr. Pressfield will be joining us to discuss the history behind any of his books, including:
- The inspiration for Gates of Fire
- What is the “Warrior Ethos”?
- How did the supportive society surrounding the Spartan “pure warriors” enable or improve their military?
- Why should we pay attention to the Six Day War?
- Perspective on Israel’s state of conflict
- Learnings from conversations with members of the IDF?

You can grab a copy of The Lion’s Gate here: http://www.amazon.com/Lions-Gate-Front-Lines-Six/dp/ [login to see] /ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

The Lion's Gate: On the Front Lines of the Six Day War: Steven Pressfield: 9781595231192:...

The Lion's Gate: On the Front Lines of the Six Day War [Steven Pressfield] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The thrilling true story of one of the most unlikely and astonishing military victories in history. June 5

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 6:03 PM

2015-06-18T18:03:12-04:00

Definitely going to check out some of his books. Anyone recommend a certain one? Or all are they all really good.

Response by Capt Brandon Charters made Jun 18 at 2015 6:04 PM

2015-06-18T18:04:20-04:00

Thanks for spending time with us Steven! I need to get out there and read some of your work soon. These books look like excellent reads. For any service members who might be aspiring authors, what advice would you lend them now to better prepare for the day they want to put pen to paper?

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Jun 18 at 2015 6:27 PM

2015-06-18T18:27:30-04:00

Steven! What an honor to have you here! I've been meaning for weeks to ask the RP staff to invite you for a live Q&A, it looks like they beat me to it! Some day I'm going to have to go back through all my posts here on RP where I've linked to your books and tag you so you can see just how often I cite your works in examples to fellow Servicemembers here.

My question is a simple but hard one: which of your books is your favorite?

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Jun 18 at 2015 6:32 PM

2015-06-18T18:32:50-04:00

Hi Mr. Pressfield,

First, I'd just like to say I'm truly astounded by your spectrum of work. From fictional sports, to ancient historical fiction, to sci-fi, you're quite a talented author.

My question is you've mentioned the "warrior ethos" in some of your work. Would you say we have a clear code/direction/purpose in today's military? Do you think the causes/operations our military is engaged in truly resonates with our warriors? Our society?

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Jun 21 at 2015 4:09 PM

2015-06-21T16:09:30-04:00

This is going to be a great experience. Your books cover my absolute, all time favorite topics and are on my shelf, as well as my father and brother. My father's love of history was passed down from father to son. I can't wait to tell him that the author of the very books he has turned us on to over the years is doing a private Q & A session. There is nothing more inspiring than learning lessons from the underdog, who despite overwhelming odds, stood their ground. My question isn't on the list of subjects, but I'm really interested to know what do you have next for us? Also, I don't want you to endorse anyone else's works, but if you could recommend any documentaries/movies/etc rearding Israel's plight that young teenagers could get behind that would be very helpful. I am trying to find some basic core information to build upon so my teenage daughter can have a better understanding of the complexity of the current situation and how much it affects the entire world.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 21 at 2015 7:24 PM

2015-06-21T19:24:14-04:00

Mr. Pressfield, It will be a delight for you to join our forum and share a moment of discussion on several of your masterpieces written during your tenure as a successful author.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Jun 22 at 2015 11:17 AM

2015-06-22T11:17:58-04:00

I would be interest to hear your thoughts on the state of Historical knowledge within our Nation and if you have any ideas on how this can be corrected?

Response by Sgt Justin Sloan made Jun 22 at 2015 5:24 PM

2015-06-22T17:24:06-04:00

I would love to hear what Mr. Pressfield's thoughts are on the writing environment today. Would he still have gone traditional if he was just starting out as a writer, or would he consider self-publishing?

Response by LTC Yinon Weiss made Jun 22 at 2015 7:47 PM

2015-06-22T19:47:12-04:00

Thank you for joining us. Have you ever been surprised by the influence that your books have had on modern military professional development? Is it something you ever think about when you sit down to write your next book?

Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with our community.

Response by MSgt Tim Parkhurst made Jun 22 at 2015 11:31 PM

2015-06-22T23:31:44-04:00

Since the topics of your books cover a pretty broad gamut, I'm hoping my question won't be considered out of line due to it's political ramifications. While an active duty Marine, I followed orders and kept my misgivings to myself about the justification of some of our military excursions. As somewhat of a casual historian, I've read a great deal about the historical use of our nation's military, including the deeply held beliefs of our Founding Fathers regarding a "standing army" and its use. I also adhere to similar thoughts as held by MajGen Smedley Butler, USMC and President Dwight Eisenhower who both warned against an establishment that would wage wars of convenience at the expense of many, but for the profit of a very few - an establishment that operated beyond the control and true oversight of the People.

My question is this: Do you feel our military has been used in ways that are contrary to the intent of Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, and of our Founders, in recent decades? If so, what do you think is the best way to frame a discussion that includes elected officials, voting Americans and senior military leadership in the process of correcting misuse of our military and the unnecessary spilling of our servicemen's blood?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2015 11:24 AM

2015-06-23T11:24:05-04:00

Do you think the tribal nature in Afghanistan will continue unchecked preventing the emergence of a Nation State with a government that is truly representative of the ethnic groups (tribes) within the country?

Response by 1stLt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2015 4:10 PM

2015-06-23T16:10:34-04:00

Hey Mr. Pressfield, in Stephen King's, On Writing, he talks about revising his work. He urges that you take your story through at least two drafts; the one you do with the study door closed and the one you do with it open. Can you share with us insights into your creative process? Particularly, when you're revising your work. How much and how many drafts?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2015 5:45 PM

2015-06-23T17:45:58-04:00

Do you think the public appearance of Rula Ghani at her husband's campaign rally will affect his ability to remain in control and how he is viewed by the male population in Afghanistan? Her appearance stood out as being culturally at odds with the accepted (enforced) role of women there. Is the fact that his wife is an American/Lebanese detrimental to his Presidency?