The Books of September

September was a great month of learning.


Wright Brothers, David McCullough. Deep history on the brothers that shaped the world. Interesting insight on the largest immoral technology creation of the late 1800s...the bicycle. National media at the time said the bicycle would bring down society because it enabled people to leave their local areas and travel more freely. https://www.amazon.com/The-Wright-Brothers/dp/B00TA5MPEU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505242282&sr=8-1&keywords=wright+brothers

War Dogs, Greg Bear. Fiction book that addresses how our current plans in development by Billionaires to move into space and ultimately will affect the world as to laws and government as well as wars. How will Earth feel when colonies on Mars no longer feel beholden to Earth? Will history repeat itself from American history. You have to get past the battling aliens piece.

Cyber War: The Next Threat to National Security and What to do about it, Richard Clarke. Interesting insight into a member of the NSC on 9/11 that eventually was charged with assessing cyber threats in President Bush's administration.

Democracy: Stories from the Long Road to Freedom, Dr. Condoleezza Rice. Dr. Rice analyzes not only the American experiment, but democratic development across the world. Tremendously insightful analytics on other approaches to this grandest of all experiments. And of course, Sir Winston Churchill's quote is used.

No Higher Honor, Dr. Condoleeza Rice. Dr. Rice walks the ready through her history from her time as a staffer at the NSC, to her time working with President H.W. Bush's campaign, then as NSA and finally as Secretary of State. Her insight is once again on point. https://www.amazon.com/No-Higher-Honor-Memoir-Washington/dp/B0061YVTI6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506970166&sr=8-1&keywords=no+higher+honor

Dereliction of Duty, H.R. McMaster. This is the work LTG McMaster worked on during his time at the Hoover Institution. He provides direct insight into how military and political leaders made decisions that led us into and out of the Vietnam War. A quick read and well worth the time. How many of his lessons that he highlights are we reliving now? https://www.amazon.com/Dereliction-of-Duty/dp/B06XJCNQM9/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1506970332&sr=1-1&keywords=dereliction+of+duty

The Hacked World Order, How Nations Fight, Trade, Maneuver and Manipulate in the Digital Age, Adam Segal. This books shows the reader how some nations are taking advantage of the new Internet of Things (Russia, China, Israel) and how other countries are still in a wait and see approach (U.S.). https://www.amazon.com/Hacked-World-Order-Maneuver-Manipulate/dp/B01BUJAYPA/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1506970398&sr=1-1&keywords=hacked+world+order

Cyber War: The Next Threat to National Security and What to Do About It, Richard A. Clarke. This book address how to look at the cyber domain from a National Security level. The premise is that it is time to embrace and leverage the cyber domain or run the loss of losing dramatically in the domain. https://www.amazon.com/Cyber-War-Threat-National-Security/dp/B00IK3IV3M/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1506970572&sr=1-1&keywords=cyber+war

Cyber Security and Cyber War: What Everyone Needs to Know, Dr. P.W. Singer and Allan Friedman. This book should be a mandatory read for senior leaders and others progressing up our military ranks. As per Dr. Singer, this book has a way to explaining technical issues and an understandable manner. Cyber is not just about enabling the other domains, it requires real defense and a sustained effort to protect what we hold dear. 

Leadership: Theory and Practice, Peter G. Northouse. Required for Doctorate Class on Leadership. Northouse's 7th Edition leverages real world examples to explain leadership styles and methods. https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Practice-Peter-G-Northouse/dp/1483317536/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1506970999&sr=1-1&keywords=leadership+theory+and+practice+7th+edition

The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization, Peter M. Senge. Required for Doctorate Class on Organizational Development. Senge uses story prose to demonstrate how organizations need to focus on personal growth and organizational development to be successful.  Organizations that miss this opportunity and focus only on the bottom line miss golden opportunities to improve. https://www.amazon.com/Fifth-Discipline-Practice-Learning-Organization/dp/B0000640E9/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1506971208&sr=1-1&keywords=the+fifth+discipline 


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