9
9
0
<p>Many leaders recommend developing a 'professional library' throughout your career. What are those time-honored classics as well as new titles that redefine the subject of (fill in the blank). I'm sure this will be a fun and informative topic that'll spark some discussion on the subject, as well as promote professional reading/development and well rounded "professional library." Of course, today when we speak of "books" we may also include: audio books; videos/ documentaries; mp3s, or any other format or delivery method, the important thing here is content/substance. Here's just a few ideas on subject matter: military/government; business; leadership; success & achievement; human behavior/psychology; philosophy; management; finances; training/systems/ technical, or anything else applicable, and the titles, well... we'll leave those up to you. Hopefully, this helps spur some thought on professional reading and development, and will prove helpful; now let's get this thing started, thank you for all that you do, and... see you all in the discussion threads! </p>
Posted in these groups: 
Military Career
Mentorship
Professional Development
Military History
Professionalism
Military Career Mentorship Professional Development Military History Professionalism
Edited 11 y ago
Posted 12 y ago
Responses: 84
1
1
0
Honorable Treachery. It is a history of U.S Intelligence and related activities from the American Revolution to the creation of the CIA. I believe it to be a must read for any and all IC professionals.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
Physical and within arm's reach without getting up:
Sun Tzu's The Art of War (Griffith translation in hardcopy)
The Prince and Other Works
The Constitution of the United States: Its Sources and its Applications (1960 edition)
Common Sense
On Bullshit - Harry Frankfurt (very short, very highly recommended)
SMCT level 1 and levels 2-4
On War, Clausewitz
Imperial Grunts
We Were Soldiers
Ranger Handbook (multiple editions, the best is June, 1988)
Supreme Command - Cohen
FM 3-13 (printed PDF of most recent edition)
Complete set of ADPs (as of Sept 2012)
The collection of Lightning Press Smartbooks
The Soldier's Handbook (2001 edition)
Jomini's The Art of War
Twice the Citizen
Oxford Companion to American Military History
The Roots of Blitzkrieg - Corum
Decision Points
Obama's War
Bureaucracy - Wilson
Leading Change
(and a few things due to Army War College curriculum that I haven't read yet - Several items above are also on the AWC curriculum, but I had already owned and read them, so I give myself credit!)
This was a good reminder that I need to finish setting up my home office. 2/3 of my physical books are in the workout room (which used to double as my office), including a lot of historical military type stuff and almost all of my professional/business/financial stuff. I may update, if I remember, when I actually move my other bookcase in here....
Things on PDF - to numerous to mention.
Sun Tzu's The Art of War (Griffith translation in hardcopy)
The Prince and Other Works
The Constitution of the United States: Its Sources and its Applications (1960 edition)
Common Sense
On Bullshit - Harry Frankfurt (very short, very highly recommended)
SMCT level 1 and levels 2-4
On War, Clausewitz
Imperial Grunts
We Were Soldiers
Ranger Handbook (multiple editions, the best is June, 1988)
Supreme Command - Cohen
FM 3-13 (printed PDF of most recent edition)
Complete set of ADPs (as of Sept 2012)
The collection of Lightning Press Smartbooks
The Soldier's Handbook (2001 edition)
Jomini's The Art of War
Twice the Citizen
Oxford Companion to American Military History
The Roots of Blitzkrieg - Corum
Decision Points
Obama's War
Bureaucracy - Wilson
Leading Change
(and a few things due to Army War College curriculum that I haven't read yet - Several items above are also on the AWC curriculum, but I had already owned and read them, so I give myself credit!)
This was a good reminder that I need to finish setting up my home office. 2/3 of my physical books are in the workout room (which used to double as my office), including a lot of historical military type stuff and almost all of my professional/business/financial stuff. I may update, if I remember, when I actually move my other bookcase in here....
Things on PDF - to numerous to mention.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
Fail Safe - not usually on the list, but there are a great many lessons about leadership and consequences in there that it's phenomenal.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
I'm not the most avid reader but I will definitely look into some of these titles. Thanks for the recommendations everyone!
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
The Desiderata and Invictus.
One for balance, one for drive.
It doesn't hurt that they are both short. Though they could use more pictures. /Tanker!
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
When I was a Senior Network Operations Specialist for Sprint, I had the route map of every SONET Fiber Optic Ring in the Country Also the tech manual for every piece of end term equipment, ADM, REGEN, Telemetry DWDM. Still in my library is a book with the technical specs of a lot of ships and pictures, Since I am a CDR in the VFW I have a couple encyclopedia collections on Vietnam and Korean War. Of course being a Retired Spook I have, Falcon and the Snowman, Blind Mans Bluff, Puzzle Palace, Body of Secrets, Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Adak: Rescue of Alfa Foxtrot 586 and Deception Point.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
1
1
0
"Little America" by Rajiv Chandrasekaran
mentions the failures by America 50 years ago trying to teach afghans and provide them with a power plant in the Helmand province and goes in to the failure that were made in some of command decisions involving the Helmand province. Also mention part of my brigade deployment in the book as well.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
1
1
0
Most recently read...."The Battle of Stones River." because I live two miles away from the National Battlefield and until recently only discovered how much history I was wasting.
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield actually an AWESOME book about leadership
Lions of Kandahar....because I knew some of the Group guys in it.
Killing Bin Laden...will let you know how close we actually came to getting him early on.
No Easy Day...Marcus Lutrell
(1)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google