Posted on Nov 19, 2013
Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
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What's in your %22professional library %22
<p>Many leaders recommend developing a 'professional library' throughout your career.&nbsp;What are those time-honored classics as well as new titles that redefine the subject of (fill in the blank).&nbsp;I'm sure this will&nbsp;be a fun and informative&nbsp;topic that'll spark some discussion on the subject, as well as promote professional reading/development and well rounded "professional library."&nbsp;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&nbsp;is content/substance. Here's just a few ideas on subject matter: military/government; business; leadership; success &amp; achievement; human behavior/psychology; philosophy; management; finances; training/systems/ technical,&nbsp;or anything else applicable, and the titles, well... we'll leave those up to you. Hopefully, this helps spur some&nbsp;thought on&nbsp;professional reading and development, and&nbsp;will&nbsp;prove helpful;&nbsp;now let's get this thing started, thank you for all that you do, and... see you all in the discussion threads!&nbsp;</p>
Edited 10 y ago
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SGT Robert Riley
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Edited 11 y ago
The Bible, Arrian's Campaigns of Alexander, Tacitus' Annals of Ancient Rome, Guerrilla warfare by Che Gueverra; Rommel's Attacks, Micheal Collins and the Anglo-Irish War, The Military experience in the Age of Reason by Christopher Duffy, On Killing: The Psychological cost of learning to kill in war and society by Lt.Col D. Grossman, USA, Ret'd;  The DSM-V (2013), The Harper encyclopaedia of Military History, The Complete Encyclopaedia of arms and weapons; Brassey's complete encyclopaedia of Land forces & warfare; The Kama Sutra, Rome and Her Enemies, The Irish Guards in the Great War by Rudyard Kipling, The Iliad and the Oddessey, The Western way of warfare: War in Classical Greece.Just to name a few.
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SGT Robert Riley
SGT Robert Riley
11 y
Library
This is a photo of my library
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Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
Col (Join to see)
11 y

SSG Riley, thanks for sharing... great titles!  Also, great idea posting the photo of your library, they say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so we'll open this up to everyone, should be very interesting what folks have to share.  Thanks again for posting, excellent ideas!

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CMC Robert Young
CMC Robert Young
11 y
SSG, I didn't think there was anybody in the world who had more books on leadership, history and religion or politics than I did. I now stand corrected and bow to your superior abilities...;-)
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SGT Robert Riley
SGT Robert Riley
11 y
Thank you Master Chief. I am still building it up and I am sure there's some "Coastie" or Soldier out there breaking that record. :)

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SSgt Forensic Meteorological Consultant
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Besides 'Horton Hears a Who',  I read and watch books and movies and like many Band Of Brothers and the Pacific.  I like the books about Churchill,  Marvin Olasky and even Newt Gingrich (forget what you hear in the news) because Newt is not exactly a hardcore conservative but a thoughtful person in matters of governance.  I am reading right now,  'The Cat From Hue' and learning Tagalog.  Education and self-education is rewarding and enriching. :)
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Cpl Ray Fernandez
Cpl Ray Fernandez
11 y
My sister gives out Dr. Seuss' Oh, The Places You'll Go! to people who graduate from high school or colleges.
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Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
Col (Join to see)
11 y
SSgt Olson, kudos on the foreign language training, definitely a good thing to do... my wife's been "hinting" to me about learning Vietnamese. : )  Also, I was privileged to see Mr. Gingrich speak a few months back, very engaging and certainly among of the best speakers I've seen in a long while... and I definitely agree about the rewards of education and self-education, very true indeed!
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MAJ Chief, Armed Services Blood Bank Center   Pacific Northwest
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For academic development, right now I am reading The Immortal Life
of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot and for military reading I must
recommend Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley with Ron Powers



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CMC Robert Young
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Sir, try Leadership, the Warrior's Art; The Echo of Battle; Patton on Leadership; The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell and any of Capt. D Michael Abrashoff's (USN - RET) books. All good leadership development opportunities.
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SFC Motor Transport Operator
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Hunting the Jackal: A Special Forces and CIA Soldier's Fifty Years on the Frontlines of the War Against Terrorism. You all should read this one.
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SFC Motor Transport Operator
SFC (Join to see)
11 y
it might of not been on the professional side but it was some good reading
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1SG Eoc Ops Coordinator / Ga Certified Emergency Manager
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The First Sergeants..by CSM Richard Morgan
No Excuse Leadership, Brace Barber
The Mentors, Theodore Harris
American Warrior, John C. "Doc" Bahnsen Jr.
In the Company of Heroes, Michael J. Durant
Onward We Charge, H. Paul Jeffers
Be, Know Dom Richard Cavanagh
The Looming Tower, Lawrence Wright
Partners in Command, Mark Perry
In The Company of Soldiers, Rick Atkinson
Steven Ambrose - Band of Brothers, The Victors
Tonight We Die as Men, Ian Gardner
Decending from the Clouds, Spencer f. Wurst
Beyond the Band of Brothers, Dick Winters
Battle Cry of Freedom, James McPherson
Eyes on the Horizon, Richard B. Myers
A Soldiers Story, Omar Bradley

And the list goes on and on. Didn't even touch what I have read that is on my Kindle.

Great topic! I've written down a few titles I pulled off other lists this morning. Thanks
to All!
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SFC Mark Merino
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"Fact checking in the internet age"----by Abraham Lincoln. :)

Seriously....The Art Of War....just like everyone else.
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SSG (ret) William Martin
SSG (ret) William Martin
>1 y
I have over a dozen books on the Roman Legions. I am well versed in their battle tactics on the field of battle, culture, and many things Roman.
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CWO2 Shelby DuBois
CWO2 Shelby DuBois
>1 y
Good To Great -Tom Collins
Fierce Conversations- Susan Scott
Let's Get Real or Let's Not Play- Khasla/Illig
Three Stooges Guide Career Guide- Stall
Guess which is referenced most?
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SSgt Forensic Meteorological Consultant
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Col (Join to see) I've not really any books per se, on leadership but I have done YouTube for the speeches of Ronald Reagan.
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MAJ G. Brett Miller
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Reference shelf
Here's my current reference shelf. Top picks - The Connected Company, Where Good Ideas Come From, and Hacking Work.
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SGT Multichannel Transmission Systems Operator/Maintainer
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Management and Leadership
Soar with Your Strengths by Donald Clifton & Paula Nelson

Anything by John Maxwell
My favorites are:
Developing the Leader Within You

The 21 indispensable qualities of a leader

The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth

The 360 Degree Leader: Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the Organization

Military Psychology
On Combat: The Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and in Peace and On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society by LtCol Dave Grossman

Organizational Behavior

Type Talk at Work by Kroeger
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