The Admiral's Bookshelf

In The Admiral's Bookshelf--the third and final title in the Bookshelf series--Adm. James Stavridis, a leader in international business, national security, and global philanthropy, shares the books that facilitated his success. A guide to living and leading through reading, The Admiral's Bookshelf links twenty-five essential life lessons and leadership principles to the books that best illustrate them. Each chapter covers a single work of literature and showcases Stavridis' deft analysis of its significance and impact, as well as what he learned and how he used it to better himself. The result is a rewarding and compelling volume that shows how anyone can use expansive reading to develop essential skills and values for successful leadership.

Stavridis' eclectic collection covers both fiction and nonfiction, ranging from explicitly instructive works to philosophy, history, biography, and memoir. It features classics such as Sun Tzu's The Art of War alongside lesser-known writings. The wisdom he gleans from these books and their parallels to his own life is often surprising and deeply resonant. He shows how Don Vito Corleone's success in The Godfather results from the same skills and priorities that benefited the Department of Defense under Donald Rumsfeld, how The Handmaid's Tale teaches one to think independently, and how leaders can learn patience from The Odyssey.

The life of Admiral Stavridis, as he reveals it to readers book by book, chapter by chapter, and lesson by lesson, makes a compelling case for the importance of reading to acquire practical life skills and to enrich one's character. Stavridis offers sound advice on what and how to read, how to build an extensive personal library, and how to become wiser, savvier, and more resilient in positions of responsibility. Anyone seeking to become a better leader--or a better reader--will find The Admiral's Bookshelf an invaluable guide.

About the Author
Adm. James G. Stavridis is a retired four-star naval officer who led the NATO Alliance in global operations from 2009 to 2013 as Supreme Allied Commander, with responsibility for Afghanistan, Libya, the Balkans, Syria, counter piracy, and cyber security. From 2006 to 2009 he served as Commander, U.S. Southern Command, with responsibility for all military operations in Latin America. Following his military career, he served as the 12th Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Admiral Stavridis earned a PhD in international relations and has published fourteen books, including The Sailor's Bookshelf: Fifty Books to Know the Sea (2021) and The Leader's Bookshelf (co-authored, 2017), both published by the Naval Institute Press, and hundreds of articles in leading journals around the world. He is Chair Emeritus of the U.S. Naval Institute Board; partner and Vice Chair, Global Affairs, at The Carlyle Group; Chair of the Board of the Rockefeller Foundation; and Chief International Security Analyst for NBC News.