Recommended Reading
- Thread starter CS0817
- Start date
AlphaJuliet
Amateur
Left of Bang was a good one for behavioral profiling and situational awareness. Due to an awkward interest in Latin American criminal organizations these books caught my interest and probably pushed me to study what I did and the work I do now:
Wolf Boys
Sicario: Autobiography of a Mexican Assassin
The Elite Squad/Tropa de Elite
As far as fiction goes, in terms of just opening my mind and helping me to shape some of my worldview:
A Farewell to Arms
Blood Meridian
Neuromancer
The Forever War
Starship Troopers
Wolf Boys
Sicario: Autobiography of a Mexican Assassin
The Elite Squad/Tropa de Elite
As far as fiction goes, in terms of just opening my mind and helping me to shape some of my worldview:
A Farewell to Arms
Blood Meridian
Neuromancer
The Forever War
Starship Troopers
molonedlabia
Member
Kiss or Kill by Mark Twight
https://www.amazon.com/Kiss-Kill-Confessions-Serial-Climber/dp/0898868874
https://www.amazon.com/Kiss-Kill-Confessions-Serial-Climber/dp/0898868874
Leadership in the Shadows by Kyle Lamb is an awesome read that did a lot to form my ideas on leadership early on. The 21 irrefutable laws on leadership was another book that I found to be valuable enough to read more than once. I'll add another vote for Left of Bang. The Gift of Fear, IMHO, is a really good foundation for mindset. I enjoyed Violence of Mind a lot, Varg has really changed my understanding of criminal violence. The other book on violence I found valuable was When Violence is the Answer by Tim Larkin, but I would be curious to hear other opinions on Tim's work. He seems to be outside of the network and I don't know if that is for a reason or not.
Crash-7
Newbie
"Left of Bang" was a good read.
I'd add "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell, as a good dovetail with LoB. Gladwell dives into how much of information do we really need to make a good decision.
He looks at situations where 1, 2 or 3 seconds was plenty, and under some circumstances - more is detrimental. And he also examines situations where "split second" decisions aren't the most reliable. And when and why they're different.
"Leadership and Training for the Fight" by Paul Howe is also a very good book. It talks about proper ways to lead, but also how to develop and mentor up leadership under you. It touches on mindset, and spends a fair bit of time talking about teaching, and effective instruction. Particularly, how to mentor other instructors in your POI, so it outlives you, and the information doesn't die when you move-on, get reassigned, or retire. For guys who teach within an agency or unit, this is particularly good info to ensure your baby, your POI that you developed and slaved over, outlives your work cycle.
"Extreme Ownership" and "The Dichotomy of Leadership" by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin are also excellent leadership books. The format is well thought out, such that each "lesson" (chapter) is given in 3 sections:
1. Real world example (from their unit's time in Iraq)
2. Stripped down explanation of the extracted concept
3. Application to business (a real world example pulled from their time consulting with civilian businesses and applying thier concepts).
The concepts are simple, but not easy (but that's leadership, period.) But, I like that the lessons learned are laid out and easy to digest (no need to try to extract them from a story, or interpret your own take aways.)
I gave these two books to my wife (Extreme Ownership and Dichotomy) who manages two separate medical office buildings for a large health care company. She has approximately 80 people she supervises between both, and she said those two books changed her managerial life.
Just $0.02 from a nobody who sumtimes reeds books to try to get smarterer.
I'd add "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell, as a good dovetail with LoB. Gladwell dives into how much of information do we really need to make a good decision.
He looks at situations where 1, 2 or 3 seconds was plenty, and under some circumstances - more is detrimental. And he also examines situations where "split second" decisions aren't the most reliable. And when and why they're different.
"Leadership and Training for the Fight" by Paul Howe is also a very good book. It talks about proper ways to lead, but also how to develop and mentor up leadership under you. It touches on mindset, and spends a fair bit of time talking about teaching, and effective instruction. Particularly, how to mentor other instructors in your POI, so it outlives you, and the information doesn't die when you move-on, get reassigned, or retire. For guys who teach within an agency or unit, this is particularly good info to ensure your baby, your POI that you developed and slaved over, outlives your work cycle.
"Extreme Ownership" and "The Dichotomy of Leadership" by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin are also excellent leadership books. The format is well thought out, such that each "lesson" (chapter) is given in 3 sections:
1. Real world example (from their unit's time in Iraq)
2. Stripped down explanation of the extracted concept
3. Application to business (a real world example pulled from their time consulting with civilian businesses and applying thier concepts).
The concepts are simple, but not easy (but that's leadership, period.) But, I like that the lessons learned are laid out and easy to digest (no need to try to extract them from a story, or interpret your own take aways.)
I gave these two books to my wife (Extreme Ownership and Dichotomy) who manages two separate medical office buildings for a large health care company. She has approximately 80 people she supervises between both, and she said those two books changed her managerial life.
Just $0.02 from a nobody who sumtimes reeds books to try to get smarterer.
Sunshine_Shooter
Established
Is Grossman still on this list after the most recent modcast?
Not worth your time. Hasn't been for a long time.
I'll throw some atypical recommendations up here tomorrow.
Rick
I would say On Combat isn’t a bad mindset book, but Varg does a much bette job in VOM.
WillieThom
Newbie
Could you explain?
GroundGuy
Newbie
"Storm of Steel" by Ernst Junger, an old one but a good one. At the very least it is a demonstration/example of warrior mindset and a fascinating read as well. The book does not go into politics of WW1 and only focuses on the author and his experience as an infantry officer in the German army. Absolutely worth your time.
“Leaving out trifles such as ricochets and grazes, I was hit at least fourteen times, these being five bullets, two shell splinters, one shrapnel ball, four hand-grenade splinters and two bullet splinters, which, with entry and exit wounds, left me an even twenty scars.”
― Ernst Jünger, Storm of Steel
“Leaving out trifles such as ricochets and grazes, I was hit at least fourteen times, these being five bullets, two shell splinters, one shrapnel ball, four hand-grenade splinters and two bullet splinters, which, with entry and exit wounds, left me an even twenty scars.”
― Ernst Jünger, Storm of Steel
Listen to the latest modcast. It’s the best explanation.
WAVandal
Regular Member
I'll add in the Gift of Fear by Gavin DeBecker. I remember as I was reading it the first time going "Holy shit, I've seen that on the street" of "I saw that on this call". Violence of Mind by Varg Freeborn is a very solid work as well. I wasn't super impressed by Left of Bang, but I tried it as an audio book and I don't normally do audio books.
My inner history nerd is being fed right now by Masters of the Air by Donald L. Miller. Very dense but gives fantastic detail about the 8th Air Force in WWII.
My inner history nerd is being fed right now by Masters of the Air by Donald L. Miller. Very dense but gives fantastic detail about the 8th Air Force in WWII.
Sunshine_Shooter
Established
Already had VoM on my to-get list, and I'll add The Gift of Fear as well. Thanks for the recommendations.