Cadet Ruppert’s Bookshelf/Image Courtesy of Cadet Sam Ruppert
Top Five Books:
Gary A. Linderer, Six Silent Men: 101st LRP/Rangers
Thomas E. Ricks, The Generals
Mao Zedong, On Guerilla Warfare
Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
The One That Shaped Me The Most:
Thomas Ricks The Generals has had the greatest impact on the way I think about war and its pursuits. Critical is the first word that comes to mind when I think of this book, and perhaps that is its most important lesson. I do not value this book because I think that someday I will be in a position to enact the recommendations Rick’s makes, or even to affect decisions that high up the chain of command. This book caused me to reflect on the importance of George Marshall, his methodology, and how it can be applied at any level. His outlook on being unafraid to criticize and remove factors that were not performing is something that can be applied in many situations and is lacking in many ways today. It is not necessarily Ricks’s conclusion, but his method of examination and perspective on Marshall that is insightful.