James M. McPherson takes the topic of an already well-documented figure, Abraham Lincoln, and explores his presidency through the lens of Commander in Chief. "Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander and Chief" is an exploration of the threads (political, military, diplomatic, international, social, etc.) that President Lincoln spun, throughout his presidency. The first and only president that was simultaneously contending with and implementing a political and military strategy that, if failed, so would the Union. This book gives both the history enthusiast and the casual spectator enough depth and breadth to stay engaged.
Greater Application's 2017 Reading List
As some of you know, the Greater Application Through Critical Thought (GATCT) construct has morphed dramatically over the past 18 months. This community began as a monthly intellectual pup crawl where instead of jumping from bar to bar we climbed stools and jumped from topic to topic. GATAC grew to include a monthly e-mail covering one specific topic or article. The pubs and emails then transformed into an organizational group on social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Here the subject matter expanded to include exciting or provocative books and podcasts. Today, GATCT has a website where the community can Read, Think, Speak and Write. Along this journey, the GATCT community has touched a great many and varying subjects. While migrating all past subject matter is not feasible, here is one touchpoint that is worth repeating. In no particular order:
Welcome to Greater Application's 2017 Reading List
Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action - Simon Sinek
Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't - Simon Sinek
Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders - L. David Marquet
Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae - Steven Pressfield
The Lost Art of Reading: Why Books Matter in a Distracted Time - David L. Ulin
Democracy In America - Alexis de Tocqueville
Man’s Search for Meaning - Viktor E. Frankl
Starship Troopers - Robert A. Heinlein
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking - Malcolm Gladwell
When the Poor Boys Dance: The Odyssey of a Young Marine - G. F. Borden
The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research and Managerial Applications
Bernard Bass and his wife Ruth set forth and provided a comprehensive meta-analysis of leadership regardless of desired application, "The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research, and Managerial Applications. Whether an academic or in the private sector, this text is a must-have reference. This text provides you the research behind almost any leadership concept or definition. While more of a textbook in format, the usefulness of such a reference is indispensable. Better than any office manual covering leadership. Worth spending time just thumbing through for personal curiosity.
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
If you ever get too big for your britches and need to take a step back, this book is a great start. Neil deGrasse Tyson’s book “Astrophysics for People in a Hurry” is a fantastic reminder of how small we all are upon the greatest of all stages, the universe. Such an easy read and yet so humbling as to the complexities that make up life. A must read for all, regardless of interest.