5/12

I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O'Farrell

Read because of a suggestion by my sister-in-law, Jessica

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou

Suggested by my brother, Josh

The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey

An Economist Walks Into a Brothel: And Other Unexpected Places to Understand Risk by Allison Schrager

The Generals: American Military Command from World War II to Today by Thomas E. Ricks

This came up as a NYPL suggestion. Ricks moves through generals quickly, and it’s a very brief moment spent on each (aside from General George Marshall), but overall he certainly gave an enriching perspective. I tend to focus on the straight autobiographies and biographies of generals, vs books around a given time period, which has made my understanding too myopic.

Ricks clearly appreciates all General George C. Marshall did before and during WWII, and uses that as a basis to unravel the poorly managed military leadership post-WWII. Basically, hire and fire quickly, don’t let "firing” (redistribution) be such a negative thing that it prevents rehabilitation and, eventually, second chances. A few of the remarks about Schwarzkopf were new to me - `High diddle diddle, right up the middle' was particularly amusing.