Phantom
05-16-2004, 11:35 PM
A good place to start is the reading list from http://www.fireleadership.gov/toolbox/documents/pro_reading_room.htm please follow up with a review if you have read one of the books and add books you feel are relevant.
FIRE HISTORY & CULTURE
"Where we come from and who we are"
Cooley, Earl. Trimotor and Trail. 1984. Mountain Press Publishing.
An interesting personal account from Mr. Cooley, who was one of the first smoke jumpers in 1940. There is a very thorough description, with an actual written statements from the survivors, of the 1949 Mann-Gulch Fire Tragedy, which killed 13 Missoula Smoke Jumpers.
Davies, Gilbert W. and Florice M. Frank. Memorable Forest Fires: Stories by U.S. Forest
Service Retirees. 1997. History Ink Books.
Fighting forest fires the "old-school" way is the basis for the two hundred memorable stories of the U.S. Forest Service retirees. These accounts are dedicated to all those dedicated Forest Service firefighters who took their work seriously and safely with a true sense of urgency and a belief that firefighting was a part of their Forest Service career.
Leschak, Peter M. Ghosts of the Fireground: Echoes of the Great Peshtigo Fire and
The Calling of a Wildland Firefighter. 2002. HarperCollins.
Mr. Leschak has been a wildland firefighter for more than twenty years. In this account he weaves the tragic story of the 1878 Peshtigo Fire with his own career as a wildland firefighter. This account takes the fears and triumphs that all first time wildland fire small unit leaders encounter and relates them through the historical account of Father Pernin, a catholic priest who, through good leadership values and principles, led the many survivors of the great Peshtigo Fire to safety and survival.
Leschak, Peter M. Hellroaring: The Life and Times of a Fire Bum. 1994. North Star Press.
Leschak retells his experiences with the Minnesota DNR and the U.S. Forest Service, on Type II crews and helitack crews, providing a view of firefighter culture from the ground level.
Pyne, Stephen J. Fire in America, A Cultural History of Wildland and Rural Fire. 1982. Princeton University Press.
From prehistory to the present day, Pyne explores the history of fire on the American landscape and the efforts of successive cultures to master fire and use it to shape the landscape.
Pyne, Stephen. The Year of the Fires. 2001. Viking Penguin.
An account of the dramatic and overwhelming fire season of 1910, in which 2 million acres burned and hundreds of lives were lost in the Northern Rockies and the Great Lake states. This fire season set the stage for establishing large, expensive, and ultimately, extremely efficient federal and state wildland fire suppression organizations.
Pyne, Stephen J. World Fire: The Culture of Fire on Earth. 1995. Henry Holt.
Dr. Pyne gives a global view of the fire history, ecology, and culture from around the world. Countries covered include: Australia, South Africa, Brazil, Sweden, Greece, Iberia, Russia, India, and Antarctica. He lets the student of fire see how the United States fire culture and international fire cultures intermix and intertwine.
Pyne, Stephen J. Fire On The Rim: A Firefighter's Season at the Grand Canyon. 1989. Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
Pyne's story of a fire season on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Based on his fifteen seasons as a seasonal firefighter with the National Park Service, this book is a good introduction to the insular culture of western firefighters.
Stewart, George R. Fire. 1948. University of Nebraska Press. (Reprint in 1984).
This novel written in 1948 describes the mythical Spitcat Fire that has a life span of 11 days. This is a vivid and dramatic account of man pitted against one of his worst enemies. The story describes the effect of this desperate fight upon the bodies and minds of the men and women involved in the mythic Spitcat Fire.
Taylor, Murry. Jumping Fire. 2000. Harvest.
Taylor was a USFS and BLM smokejumper for over a quarter of a century. This memoir follows one fire season from Alaska to the Lower 48. Taylor captures the atmosphere and attitude of smokejumping and initial attack firefighting.
Thoele, Michael. Fireline: The Summer Battles of the West. 1995. Fulcrum.
Thoele, a Journalism professor at the University of Oregon looks at the subculture of modern firefighters and western wildfires, and describes the activities of various fire crews and their methods for fighting rural and urban forest fires. Includes chapters on the future of fire fighting, women firefighters, and numerous photos.
HUMAN FACTORS
"How we think and act"
Flin, Rhona. Sitting in the Hot Seat. 1996. Wiley.
Flin examines the selection, training, and assessment of individuals who are required to take the command role on an emergency incident. The emphasis is on the commander's relationship with the team.
Garvin, David A. Learning in Action: A Guide to Putting the Learning Organization to
Work. 2000. Harvard Business School Press.
Garvin introduces three modes of learning- intelligence gathering, experience, and
experimentation- and shows how each mode is most effectively deployed. The approaches are brought to life through case studies of organizations, such as: United States Army, XEROX, L.L. Bean, and GE. He gives an excellent discussion of U.S. Army's after-action review process. Also, describes the leadership role junior and senior leaders must play to make learning a day-to-day reality in their organizations.
Helmreich, Robert L. et al. Cockpit Resource Management. 1993. Academic Press.
The concepts presented in this book are based on processes that commercial airline pilots use to avoid or mitigate human errors that occur during flight operations. These concepts have adapted by many other high-risk environments as "Crew Resource Managagement" (CRM).
Perrow, Charles. Normal Accidents. 1999. Princeton University Press.
Perrow ananlyzes the social side of accident occurance in high-risk technologies. He argues that designing more warnings and safeguards into these environments fails because this increases system complexity and makes failure inevitable. He also describes a framework for analyzing risks and building organizations that can identify and mitigate them.
Putnam, Ted et al. Findings From the Wildland Firefighters Human Factors Workshop. 1995. Missoula Technology and Development Center publication # 9551 2855. Ordering information available at: http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/cgi-bin/fire_pubs.pl
Subtitled "Improving Wildland Firefighter Performance Under Stressful, Risky Conditions: Toward Better Decisions on the Fireline and More Resilient Organizations." This booklet contains a number of excellent articles on the human factors that impact how firefighters perform on the fireline when fatigued and under stress.
Putnam, Ted. The Collapse of Decisionmaking and Organizational Structure on Storm King Mountain. 1995. Missoula Technology and Development Center. On the web at: http://www.fire.blm.gov/textdocuments/PutnamStormKing.pdf
Following Dr. Karl Weick's lead, Putnam analyzes the human performance at the South Canyon fire and the human and organizational failures that may have contributed to the fatalities.
Reason, James. Managing the Risks of Organizational Accidents. 1997. Ashgate.
A fascinating and valuable look at how accidents occur in technology oriented organizations and how latent conditions and active failures at all levels of an organization can contribute to disaster. Should be required reading for fire and aviation managers at all levels.
Johnson, Spencer M..D. Who Moved My Cheese? 1998. G.P. Putnam's Sons.
A funny story about four individuals in search of "what they need." The book asks the reader to answer two basic questions: One, "what makes you happy" and two, "what are you willing to do to get it?"
Tannen, Deborah. The Argument Culture: Stopping America's War of Words. 1999. Random House.
Tannen examines how we communicate publicly and how often we approach issues as a fight between two opposing sides. Understanding how and why we communicate in certain ways can help us improve our attempts to understand others and be understood ourselves.
Tannen, Deborah. You Just Don't Understand: Men and Women in Conversation. 1991. Random House.
Tannen explains women and men have distinctly different conversational styles based upon gender and cultural conditioning. Understanding and accepting these differences can lead to improved communications between women and men whether on the fireline or in the office.
Vaughan, Diane. Targets For Firefighting Safety: Lessons From the Challenger Case. 1996. Presented at Interagency Hotshot Crew Workshop. On the web at: http://www.fire.blm.gov/textdocuments/VaughanWildfire.pdf
Based on her extensive research regarding NASA's culture and the decisions leading up to the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger, Vaughan discusses the role that organizational culture can play in affecting firefighter performance and safety.
Weieck, Karl E. and Kathleen M. Sutcliffe. Managing the Unexpected. 2001. Jossey Bass.
Subtitled "Assuring High Performance in an Age of Complexity," this book looks at how High Reliablity Organizations like aircraft carriers, nuclear power plants, and firefighting crews manage high-risk operations.
Weick, Karl E. The Collapse of Sensemaking in Organizations: The Mann Gulch Disaster. 1993. Administrative Science Quarterly, Volume 38, pp. 628 652. On the web at: http://www.fire.blm.gov/textdocuments/WeickWildfire.pdf.
An analysis of the human factors that contributed to 13 fatalities on the 1949 Mann Gulch fire. Rather than reviewing fire behavior, weather, fuels and equipment, Weick analyzes how the smokejumpers thought, communicated, and acted as they tried to engage the fire and ultimately fled from the fire.
LESSONS LEARNED
"How we succeed and how we fail"
The Wildland Fire Center for Lessons Learned has established a library to serve as a national collection point for articles, periodicals, and documents regarding wildland fire topics. This is a good source for investigation reports on historical entrapment and fatality fires. On the web at:
http://www.wildfirelessons.net/Library.htm
The Wildland Fire Center for Lessons Learned has established an After Action Review Rollup feature that provides an avenue for individuals to contribute new lessons learned or best practices and make that information available to the entire wildland fire service in a timely manner. On the web at: http://www.wildfirelessons.net/AftrIncdntRpt.htm
The Bureau of Land Management Office of Fire and Aviation has established a collection of investigation reports. Several investigation reports of recent incidents are recommended reading including the Cerro Grande Prescribed Fire, Lowden Ranch Prescribed Fire, The South Canyon Fire, the Sadler Fire, and the Thirtymile Fire. On the web at:
http://www.fire.blm.gov/investigation.htm
Butler, Bret W. et al. Fire Behavior Associated with the 1994 South Canyon Fire on Storm King Mountain, Colorado. 1998. Missoula Fire Lab. On the web at: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/SouthCanyon/index.html
This research report examines the probable fire behavior and movements of the crew leading up to the fatalities at South Canyon.
Maclean, John N. Fire and Ashes. 2003. Henry Holt.
Maclean's second book on wildland fire is a collection of stories. The first two are concise accounts describing the 1953 Rattlesnake Fire in California and the 1999 Saddler Fire in Nevada. The third story is a follow-up to his father's book regarding an interview with Bob Sallee, the last survivor of the 1949 Mann Gulch Fire in Montana. The fourth piece is an over simplified history of wildland fire.
Maclean, John N. Fire on the Mountain. 1999. William Morrow.
An account of the 1994 South Canyon fire in Colorado where fourteen firefighters were killed, among them hotshots, helitack, and smokejumpers. Like his father before him did with the Mann Gulch Fire, John Maclean attempts to tell what happened and why. This fire and its aftermath had a huge impact on fire management policy.
Maclean, Norman. Young Men and Fire. 1992. University of Chicago Press.
An account of the 1949 Mann Gulch Fire in Montana. Thirteen firefighters lost their lives on this fire in a sudden blow up. Almost 50 years later, Maclean attempts to piece together what happened and why. Twelve of the thirteen fatalities on this fire were smokejumpers, the first fatalities this new program had experienced.
Rothermel, Richard C. The Mann Gulch Fire: A Race That Couldn't Be Won. 1979. Missoula Fire Lab. On the web at: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/int_gtr299/
This short research paper examines the probable fire behavior and movements of the crew during the 20 minutes leading up to the fatalities at Mann Gulch. Rothermel originally undertook these reconstructions at the request of Norman Maclean while he was writing Young Men and Fire. Ironically, Rothermel worked at the Fire Lab in Missoula, which was conceived and established in the aftermath of Mann Gulch.
Report of the Task Force to Recommend Action to Reduce Chances of Men Being Killed by Burning While Fighting Fire. 1957. USDA Forest Service. On the web at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/fire/information/1957_report/index.shtml
This report was a follow-up action to three major fatality fires from 1949 to 1956. The 10 Standard Firefighting Orders were developed as a result of the recommendations in this report.
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
"What we can strive to be"
Ambrose, Larry. A Mentor's Companion. 1998. Perrone-Ambrose.
A concise reference that can assist any leader's efforts to influence the professional development of junior leader's in their organization.
Axelrod, Alan. Elizabeth I CEO: Strategic Lessons from the Leader Who Built an Empire.2000. Prentice Hall Press.
This book starts with an overview of Elizabeth's life and 45 year reign as Queen of England. The book then progresses to a series of lessons- such as Stand-up for Those You Lead, Communicate Directly and Often, and Strength Always Communicates - that are illustrated by using examples from her reign.
Blanchard, Kenneth H. and Spencer Johnson. The One Minute Manager. 1985. William Morrow.
This is a quick read that provides the reader with an easy to understand model of management. First time managers or employees working for first time managers can benefit by sharing the book and following the model.
Blanchard, Kenneth H., William Oncken, Jr. and Hal Burrows. The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey. 1989. William Morrow.
If you've ever wondered how you got loaded down with other peoples business (Monkeys) this book gives you one possibility. The care and feeding of monkeys demands a lot of time and energy, so here you are shown how to give those monkeys to their rightful owners.
Chaleff, Ira. The Courageous Follower. 1995. Berrett-Koehler.
Presents a model for working with leaders that will dispel the image of followers as passive or weak. Explores the dynamics of the leader-follower relationship and offers insights into how these roles partner effectively
Cohen, William A. The Stuff of Heroes: The Eight Universal Laws of Leadership. 1998.
Longstreet.
Major General Cohen talks about leaders from the military and business world who use the Eight Universal Laws: 1-Absolute Integrity 2-Know Your Stuff 3-Declare Expectations
4-Show Uncommon Commitment 5-Expect Positive Results 6-Take Care of Your People
7-Duty Before Self 8-Get Out In Front.
Covey, Stephen. Principle Centered Leadership: Strategies for Personal and Professional Effectiveness. 1992. Simon & Schuster.
Covey demonstrates that the long term key to developing people and organizations is the recognition of core values and principles that guide all actions. He offers insights and guidelines that can help develop and maintain these core values as a pathway to personal and team success.
Covey, Stephen. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. 1989. Simon & Schuster.
Covey develops a step by step approach for living with integrity, honesty, and fairness that provides the foundation necessary to adapt to change and to take advantage of the opportunities change provides.
De Pree, Max. Leadership is an Art. 1990. Dell.
A thoughtful and idealistic approach to leadership that emphasizes the leader's responsibilities to the organization and its people.
Field Manual 22 100. Army Leadership: Be, Know, Do. 2001. Department of the Army.
On the web at: http://www.adtdl.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/fm/22-100/ch2.htm
The U.S. Army's basic leadership reference. This is an excellent reference for all aspects of leadership training.
Fielder, Donald J. The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo: How 19 Defeated 5000. 2002.
Sterling House.
This book vividly links the modern leader/executive to the David versus Goliath strategies of Geronimo, one of the greatest chiefs of all times.
Freedman, David H. Corps Business: The 30 Management Principles of the U.S. Marine
Corps. 2000. Harper Business.
This book gives a down to earth look at a high-risk organization and 30 leadership principles gathered from operations in the high speed U.S. Marine Corps environment. Two examples are: 1-Managing by providing intent - telling people what needs to be accomplished and why, and leave the details to them and 2-The 70% solution- it's better to decide quickly on an imperfect plan than to spend time considering every angle and roll out a perfect plan when it's too late.
Goleman, Daniel. Emotional Intelligence. 1997. Bantam Books.
The author argues that there are important emotional skills that contribute to human intelligence and successful performance in the workplace. These skills include self awareness and impulse control, persistence, zeal and self motivation, empathy and social deftness.
Maxwell, John C. Developing the Leader Within You. 1993. Tomas Nelson.
Maxwell provides us with a basic introduction into the many levels of leadership. More importantly he takes a close look at why we follow leaders at each of these levels. Note: There is also a companion workbook available for the reader to fill out as they follow along.
Michaelson, Gerald A. Sun Tzu: The Art of War for Managers (50 Strategic Rules). 2001.
Adams Media.
This is a modern adaptation of SunTzu's writings that provides the reader with a set of truisms that they can easily apply to their environment.
Morrell, Margot and Stephanie Capparell. Shackelton's Way: Leadership Lessons from the
Great Antarctic Explorer. 2001. Penguin Group.
Sir Earnest Shackleton has been called "the greatest leader that ever came on God's earth bar none" for saving the lives of the twenty-seven men stranded with him on an Antarctic ice floe for almost two years. Morrell and Capparell team up to present Shackelton's timeless leadership skills - skills that can be learned by anyone - to a new generation. The authors present leadership principles set against the survival story of the Endurance expedition.
Newman, Major General Aubrey "Red." Follow Me I: The Human Element in
Leadership. 1981. Presidio Press.
This book, and the two that follow, was based on Major General Newman column in "Army Magazine" called, "Forward Edge." The column ran for 20 years. This book emphasizes the importance of the human element in leadership. It is aimed at young lieutenants and NCOs at the platoon level, who are first time leaders.
Newman, Major General Aubrey "Red." Follow Me II: More on the Human Element in
Leadership. 1982. Presidio Press.
In this book, Major General Newman discusses leadership development as the young leader moves up the career ladder. This book focuses on leading and mentoring young lieutenants as they move to company officers.
Newman, Major General Aubrey "Red." Follow Me III: Lessons on the Art and Science of
High Command. 1987. Presidio Press.
This book is the third in this series. Major General Newman now discusses the mentoring process for company officers, field grade officers, and general officers as they move up the ladder into staff and command positions. He stresses the importance of leaders remembering where they came from and the human element in leadership.
Roberts, Wess. Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun. 1985. Warner Books.
This may be the best leadership primer ever written. This commonsense guide is an excellent book for the first time leader/supervisor to understand the privilege and responsibility of becoming a leader. Provides practical advice about developing leadership skills over a lifetime and the young leader's personal responsibility to start this process early.
Rugggero, Ed. Duty First. 2001. HarperCollins.
An account of a year inside one of America's premier schools for leadership-the United States Military Academy at West Point. The author, a former West Point graduate and professor, takes a critical look at how this elite school builds leaders for the future.
Smith, Perry M. Rules and Tools for Leaders: A Down to Earth Guide to Effective
Managing. 1998. Avery.
This book is written in two parts: Part 1- clear, concise advice on how to become a more effective leader. Part 2- provides a unique collection of checklists, guidelines, and rules of thumb that serve as a quick reference manual for leaders.
Smith, Perry M. Taking Charge: A Practical Guide for Leaders. 1995. DIANE Publishing.
This is a practical guide for leaders written in a clear, crisp style. Helps the leader set standards for integrity and excellence through the use of case studies and checklists.
Sun Tzu. Translation by Thomas Cleary. The Art of War. 1991. Shambhala Publications.
Written over 2000 years ago by a Chinese warrior-philosopher. This timeless book has been studied through the ages by military leaders, politicians, and business executives. The writings of Sun Tzu apply to competition and conflict on every level from interpersonal to international. This is a book not only of war, but also of peace. Above all, it is an excellent tool for understanding the very roots of conflict and resolution.
Townsend, Patrick L. and Joan E. Gebhardt. Five-Star Leadership: The Art and Strategy of
Creating Leaders at Every Level. 1997. Wiley.
This is an excellent book for the firefighter transitioning to a leadership role and an excellent guide for mentors to develop their junior leaders. Great section on "Followership to Leadership" with a self-guided leadership development plan.
Useem, Michael. Leading Up: How to Lead Your Boss So You Both Win. 2001. Crown
Business.
Upward leadership assures that advice arrives from all points on the corporate compass, not just from the top down. Through six true accounts, Useem shows us what happens when those not in charge rise to the challenge, and also what happens when those who should step forward fail to do so.
Useem, Michael. The Leadership Moment. 1998. Three Rivers Press.
This book is subtitled "Nine True Stories of Triumph and Disaster and Their Lessons for All of Us" and authored by the Director of the Wharton Center for Leadership and Change Management. The nine stories of leaders in action come from politics, business, war, space exploration, and mountaineering and demonstrate the impacts that decisions and actions of leaders have during periods of crisis. One of the nine stories explores Wag Dodge's actions on the Mann Gulch Fire.
CASE STUDIES
"Leadership examples from other fields, places, and times"
Aebi, Tania with Bernadette Brennan. Maiden Voyage. 1996. Random House.
The account of an 18 year old New York City woman's solo sailing voyage around the world. With little experience, she became the youngest person to ever circumnavigate the globe.
Ambrose, Stephen E. Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from
Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest. 1992. Simon & Schuster.
An excellent account of an airborne rifle company at war. Based on journals, letters and interviews with the participants. Follows E Company from their rigorous selection and training in Georgia, through battles such as Normandy, Market Garden, Bastogne, and occupation duty in Germany. A classic small unit leadership study.
Ambrose, Stephen E. Crazy Horse and Custer. 1975. Random House.
Ambrose compares and contrasts the parallel lives of two of the most celebrated leaders in the struggle for the destiny of the American West. Both leaders were highly publicized by the media during their lifetime and had continuing influence after their death.
Ambrose, Stephen E. Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West. 1996. Simon & Schuster.
This biography of Meriwether Lewis also discusses his strengths and weaknesses as a leader. William Clark and Lewis were resourceful, intelligent leaders and they maintained a sense of direction and purpose that kept their men healthy and relatively content through more than 3 years of trials and tribulations. A great study in leadership and a great adventure story.
Blum, Arlene. Annapurna: A Woman's Place. 1980. Sierra Club Books.
Twenty years ago, Blum led the first all female climbing team to one of the world's highest peaks in the Himalaya mountains of Nepal. Her leadership was instrumental in placing climbers on the summit, but the cost was high with two climbers being killed before the expedition was completed.
Boukreev, Anatoli and G. Weston DeWalt. The Climb: Tragic Ambitions of Everest. 1998.
St. Martins Press.
A compelling account of the 1996 commercial expedition to the top of Mt. Everest that ended in tragedy. Boukreev, the head guide for Mountain Madness Expeditions, challenges many of the accounts of Into Thin Air, and details his account of the ill-fated expedition.
Bowden, Mark. Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War. 1999. Grove/Atlantic.
A true account of the 1993 battle in Mogadishu, Somalia, where U.S. Army Ranger and Delta Force operators attempted, but failed, to round up Somali Warlords. This account describes both positive and negative leadership attributes/principles and their effect in a high-risk environment.
Chamberlain, Joshua Lawrence. Bayonet! Forward! My Civil War Reminiscences. 1994. Stan Clark Military Books.
Chamberlain's descriptions of his own leadership and that of others provide a great deal of insight into what makes leaders succeed or fail under the most demanding circumstances. General Chamberlain was a key Civil War figure, a Congressional Medal of Honor winner, a college president, and a four term Governor of Maine.
Collins, Larry and Dominique Lapierre. Freedom at Midnight. 1975. Simon & Schuster.
This book tells the astonishing story of Mahatma Gandhi's organization and leadership of a massive, non violent, grassroots campaign in his native India. He ultimately led one of the world's poorest nations to independence from the British Empire.
Cornum, Rhonda and Peter Copeland. She Went to War. 1993. Presidio Press.
This is an autobiographical account of Major Rhonda Cornum's story during the Gulf War. A fast paced story about war, a remarkable woman, and tenacity of the human spirit.
Greenlaw, Linda. The Hungry Ocean: A Swordboat Captain's Journey. 2000. Hyperion.
Greenlaw's account of her experience as a captain of an all male crew in the dangerous and demanding world of commercial fishing. Sebastien Junger, author of The Perfect Storm, called Greenlaw "one of the best fishing boat captains, period" in the Atlantic Ocean.
Hackworth, David A. and Elihys England. Steel My Soldiers' Hearts: The Hopeless to
Hardcore Transformation of U.S. Army, 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry in Vietnam. 2002.
Rugged Land.
This account details a young Lieutenant Colonel's assignment to a poorly lead battalion of draftees in the Mekong Delta 1969. This unit had one of the highest casualty rates and lowest morale in Vietnam at that time. Colonel Hackworth details his efforts at transforming this battalion. His discipline, training, and lead from the front style turns the misfits into effective warriors.
Huntford, Roland. The Last Place on Earth: Scott and Amundsens's Race to the South Pole. 1985. Random House.
Scott and Amundsen led expeditions that raced each other to reach the South Pole for the first time. Amundsen's expedition ended in success, Scott's in death. Their contrasting leadership styles were directly responsible for the outcomes. This exciting book tells the tale.
Junger, Sebastian. The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea. 1997.
HarperCollins.
It was the "perfect storm"- a meteorological event that can happen only once in a century- a nor'easter created by so rare a combination of factors that it could not possibly have been worse. Waves ten stories high and winds of 120 mph, the storm whipped the sea to inconceivable levels few people on earth have witnessed. Few except the six-man crew of the Andrea Gail, a commercial fishing boat tragically headed towards its hellish center. This journalist's account describes human factor, the high-risk occupation of commercial fishing, and decision-making that can be successful or tragic.
Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster. 1998. Vintage Anchor.
Six climbers from two expeditions died on the upper reaches of Everest when a storm caught them in the open. The decision making, situational awareness, communications, and risk management of the expedition leaders and other climbers were all links in the chain of disaster that overtook them.
Kranz, Gene. Failure Is Not An Option: Mission Control from the Mercury to Apollo 13
and Beyond. 2000. Simon & Schuster.
Gene Kranz, the NASA mission control flight director, details three decades of success, failure, and near misses in the U.S. Space Program. He reveals behind the scene details to demonstrate the leadership, discipline, trust, and teamwork that made the space program a success.
Lansing, Alfred. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage. 1959. Carroll & Graf.
The story of Ernest Shackleton's abortive 1914 attempt to reach the South Pole is another great study in leadership. Shackleton's ship, Endurance, was trapped and then crushed by pack ice, leaving Shackleton and his 27 men adrift on ice floes. The story of how Shackleton ultimately brings all of his men to safety at South Georgia Island is an epic of survival and a portrait of outstanding leadership in the face of adversity.
McDonald, Charles B. Company Commander. 1999. Burford Books.
This is McDonald's account of his experiences in an American Rifle Company Commander in France during the Second World War. As a novice officer, fresh from the states, he led Normandy veterans through the Battle of the Bulge and the invasion of Germany. This is a gripping story about the development of leadership under fire.
Moore, Harold G. and Joseph L. Galloway. We Were Soldiers Once...And Young. 1992. Random House.
An intense and dramatic account of the first large scale battle fought between American and North Vietnamese forces. On November 14, 1965, Moore's 1st Battalion of the 7th Cavalry was attacked and surrounded by a superior force of the North Vietnamese Army. For three days and two nights, the American forces held off repeated attacks. An excellent primer on small unit leadership and leadership under fire.
Mundle, Rob. Fatal Storm: The Inside Story of the Tragic Sydney-Hobart Race. 1999.
McGraw Hill.
This is the story of the tragic 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race, where highly competitive sailboats race through the notoriously rough waters of the Bass Straight in the Tasman Sea. A freak unseasonable storm brought hurricane force winds and waves six stories high that resulted in six sailors dying. This account describes the success of those that survived, the failures of those that died, and the element of chance in the high-risk environment.
Powell Colin L. with Joseph E. Persico. My American Journey. 1996. Ballantine Books.
From his birth in New York City to immigrant parents on to his roles as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of State, and trusted adviser to both Democrat and Republican Presidents, this autobiography tells Powell's story…an embodiment of the American dream.
Pressfield, Steven. Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae. 1998. Doubleday.
For six days in 480 B.C., 300 Spartan warriors held off an invading Persian Army of more than a million men at the narrow pass of Thermopylae. All of the Spartans were killed, but their delaying action gave Greek armies time to prepare and ultimately save the young democracies from conquest. An incredible story of duty, honor, and selfless service.
Rich, Ben R. and Leo Janos. Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed.1996. Little, Brown & Co.
Lockheed's Advanced Development Project has set standards for the aerospace industry for half a century, repeatedly developing and fielding breakthrough aviation technology. Janos describes the unique management framework and leadership style that freed engineers and technicians to accomplish astounding results.
Shaara, Michael. The Killer Angels. 1974. Random House.
This Pulitzer Prize winning novel tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg from the point of view of key leaders on both the Union and Confederate sides. In addition to describing the human elements of leadership at all levels in a large organization, this gripping story demonstrates the impact leadership successes and failures can have on history.
Utley, Robert M. The Lance and the Shield. 1994. Ballantine Books.
A biography of Sitting Bull, the Hunkpapa Sioux chief and warrior who led his nation's resistance against white American encroachment on the northern plains. Utley tracks the rise and fall and rise again of Sitting Bull as a Sioux leader.
FIRE HISTORY & CULTURE
"Where we come from and who we are"
Cooley, Earl. Trimotor and Trail. 1984. Mountain Press Publishing.
An interesting personal account from Mr. Cooley, who was one of the first smoke jumpers in 1940. There is a very thorough description, with an actual written statements from the survivors, of the 1949 Mann-Gulch Fire Tragedy, which killed 13 Missoula Smoke Jumpers.
Davies, Gilbert W. and Florice M. Frank. Memorable Forest Fires: Stories by U.S. Forest
Service Retirees. 1997. History Ink Books.
Fighting forest fires the "old-school" way is the basis for the two hundred memorable stories of the U.S. Forest Service retirees. These accounts are dedicated to all those dedicated Forest Service firefighters who took their work seriously and safely with a true sense of urgency and a belief that firefighting was a part of their Forest Service career.
Leschak, Peter M. Ghosts of the Fireground: Echoes of the Great Peshtigo Fire and
The Calling of a Wildland Firefighter. 2002. HarperCollins.
Mr. Leschak has been a wildland firefighter for more than twenty years. In this account he weaves the tragic story of the 1878 Peshtigo Fire with his own career as a wildland firefighter. This account takes the fears and triumphs that all first time wildland fire small unit leaders encounter and relates them through the historical account of Father Pernin, a catholic priest who, through good leadership values and principles, led the many survivors of the great Peshtigo Fire to safety and survival.
Leschak, Peter M. Hellroaring: The Life and Times of a Fire Bum. 1994. North Star Press.
Leschak retells his experiences with the Minnesota DNR and the U.S. Forest Service, on Type II crews and helitack crews, providing a view of firefighter culture from the ground level.
Pyne, Stephen J. Fire in America, A Cultural History of Wildland and Rural Fire. 1982. Princeton University Press.
From prehistory to the present day, Pyne explores the history of fire on the American landscape and the efforts of successive cultures to master fire and use it to shape the landscape.
Pyne, Stephen. The Year of the Fires. 2001. Viking Penguin.
An account of the dramatic and overwhelming fire season of 1910, in which 2 million acres burned and hundreds of lives were lost in the Northern Rockies and the Great Lake states. This fire season set the stage for establishing large, expensive, and ultimately, extremely efficient federal and state wildland fire suppression organizations.
Pyne, Stephen J. World Fire: The Culture of Fire on Earth. 1995. Henry Holt.
Dr. Pyne gives a global view of the fire history, ecology, and culture from around the world. Countries covered include: Australia, South Africa, Brazil, Sweden, Greece, Iberia, Russia, India, and Antarctica. He lets the student of fire see how the United States fire culture and international fire cultures intermix and intertwine.
Pyne, Stephen J. Fire On The Rim: A Firefighter's Season at the Grand Canyon. 1989. Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
Pyne's story of a fire season on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Based on his fifteen seasons as a seasonal firefighter with the National Park Service, this book is a good introduction to the insular culture of western firefighters.
Stewart, George R. Fire. 1948. University of Nebraska Press. (Reprint in 1984).
This novel written in 1948 describes the mythical Spitcat Fire that has a life span of 11 days. This is a vivid and dramatic account of man pitted against one of his worst enemies. The story describes the effect of this desperate fight upon the bodies and minds of the men and women involved in the mythic Spitcat Fire.
Taylor, Murry. Jumping Fire. 2000. Harvest.
Taylor was a USFS and BLM smokejumper for over a quarter of a century. This memoir follows one fire season from Alaska to the Lower 48. Taylor captures the atmosphere and attitude of smokejumping and initial attack firefighting.
Thoele, Michael. Fireline: The Summer Battles of the West. 1995. Fulcrum.
Thoele, a Journalism professor at the University of Oregon looks at the subculture of modern firefighters and western wildfires, and describes the activities of various fire crews and their methods for fighting rural and urban forest fires. Includes chapters on the future of fire fighting, women firefighters, and numerous photos.
HUMAN FACTORS
"How we think and act"
Flin, Rhona. Sitting in the Hot Seat. 1996. Wiley.
Flin examines the selection, training, and assessment of individuals who are required to take the command role on an emergency incident. The emphasis is on the commander's relationship with the team.
Garvin, David A. Learning in Action: A Guide to Putting the Learning Organization to
Work. 2000. Harvard Business School Press.
Garvin introduces three modes of learning- intelligence gathering, experience, and
experimentation- and shows how each mode is most effectively deployed. The approaches are brought to life through case studies of organizations, such as: United States Army, XEROX, L.L. Bean, and GE. He gives an excellent discussion of U.S. Army's after-action review process. Also, describes the leadership role junior and senior leaders must play to make learning a day-to-day reality in their organizations.
Helmreich, Robert L. et al. Cockpit Resource Management. 1993. Academic Press.
The concepts presented in this book are based on processes that commercial airline pilots use to avoid or mitigate human errors that occur during flight operations. These concepts have adapted by many other high-risk environments as "Crew Resource Managagement" (CRM).
Perrow, Charles. Normal Accidents. 1999. Princeton University Press.
Perrow ananlyzes the social side of accident occurance in high-risk technologies. He argues that designing more warnings and safeguards into these environments fails because this increases system complexity and makes failure inevitable. He also describes a framework for analyzing risks and building organizations that can identify and mitigate them.
Putnam, Ted et al. Findings From the Wildland Firefighters Human Factors Workshop. 1995. Missoula Technology and Development Center publication # 9551 2855. Ordering information available at: http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/cgi-bin/fire_pubs.pl
Subtitled "Improving Wildland Firefighter Performance Under Stressful, Risky Conditions: Toward Better Decisions on the Fireline and More Resilient Organizations." This booklet contains a number of excellent articles on the human factors that impact how firefighters perform on the fireline when fatigued and under stress.
Putnam, Ted. The Collapse of Decisionmaking and Organizational Structure on Storm King Mountain. 1995. Missoula Technology and Development Center. On the web at: http://www.fire.blm.gov/textdocuments/PutnamStormKing.pdf
Following Dr. Karl Weick's lead, Putnam analyzes the human performance at the South Canyon fire and the human and organizational failures that may have contributed to the fatalities.
Reason, James. Managing the Risks of Organizational Accidents. 1997. Ashgate.
A fascinating and valuable look at how accidents occur in technology oriented organizations and how latent conditions and active failures at all levels of an organization can contribute to disaster. Should be required reading for fire and aviation managers at all levels.
Johnson, Spencer M..D. Who Moved My Cheese? 1998. G.P. Putnam's Sons.
A funny story about four individuals in search of "what they need." The book asks the reader to answer two basic questions: One, "what makes you happy" and two, "what are you willing to do to get it?"
Tannen, Deborah. The Argument Culture: Stopping America's War of Words. 1999. Random House.
Tannen examines how we communicate publicly and how often we approach issues as a fight between two opposing sides. Understanding how and why we communicate in certain ways can help us improve our attempts to understand others and be understood ourselves.
Tannen, Deborah. You Just Don't Understand: Men and Women in Conversation. 1991. Random House.
Tannen explains women and men have distinctly different conversational styles based upon gender and cultural conditioning. Understanding and accepting these differences can lead to improved communications between women and men whether on the fireline or in the office.
Vaughan, Diane. Targets For Firefighting Safety: Lessons From the Challenger Case. 1996. Presented at Interagency Hotshot Crew Workshop. On the web at: http://www.fire.blm.gov/textdocuments/VaughanWildfire.pdf
Based on her extensive research regarding NASA's culture and the decisions leading up to the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger, Vaughan discusses the role that organizational culture can play in affecting firefighter performance and safety.
Weieck, Karl E. and Kathleen M. Sutcliffe. Managing the Unexpected. 2001. Jossey Bass.
Subtitled "Assuring High Performance in an Age of Complexity," this book looks at how High Reliablity Organizations like aircraft carriers, nuclear power plants, and firefighting crews manage high-risk operations.
Weick, Karl E. The Collapse of Sensemaking in Organizations: The Mann Gulch Disaster. 1993. Administrative Science Quarterly, Volume 38, pp. 628 652. On the web at: http://www.fire.blm.gov/textdocuments/WeickWildfire.pdf.
An analysis of the human factors that contributed to 13 fatalities on the 1949 Mann Gulch fire. Rather than reviewing fire behavior, weather, fuels and equipment, Weick analyzes how the smokejumpers thought, communicated, and acted as they tried to engage the fire and ultimately fled from the fire.
LESSONS LEARNED
"How we succeed and how we fail"
The Wildland Fire Center for Lessons Learned has established a library to serve as a national collection point for articles, periodicals, and documents regarding wildland fire topics. This is a good source for investigation reports on historical entrapment and fatality fires. On the web at:
http://www.wildfirelessons.net/Library.htm
The Wildland Fire Center for Lessons Learned has established an After Action Review Rollup feature that provides an avenue for individuals to contribute new lessons learned or best practices and make that information available to the entire wildland fire service in a timely manner. On the web at: http://www.wildfirelessons.net/AftrIncdntRpt.htm
The Bureau of Land Management Office of Fire and Aviation has established a collection of investigation reports. Several investigation reports of recent incidents are recommended reading including the Cerro Grande Prescribed Fire, Lowden Ranch Prescribed Fire, The South Canyon Fire, the Sadler Fire, and the Thirtymile Fire. On the web at:
http://www.fire.blm.gov/investigation.htm
Butler, Bret W. et al. Fire Behavior Associated with the 1994 South Canyon Fire on Storm King Mountain, Colorado. 1998. Missoula Fire Lab. On the web at: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/SouthCanyon/index.html
This research report examines the probable fire behavior and movements of the crew leading up to the fatalities at South Canyon.
Maclean, John N. Fire and Ashes. 2003. Henry Holt.
Maclean's second book on wildland fire is a collection of stories. The first two are concise accounts describing the 1953 Rattlesnake Fire in California and the 1999 Saddler Fire in Nevada. The third story is a follow-up to his father's book regarding an interview with Bob Sallee, the last survivor of the 1949 Mann Gulch Fire in Montana. The fourth piece is an over simplified history of wildland fire.
Maclean, John N. Fire on the Mountain. 1999. William Morrow.
An account of the 1994 South Canyon fire in Colorado where fourteen firefighters were killed, among them hotshots, helitack, and smokejumpers. Like his father before him did with the Mann Gulch Fire, John Maclean attempts to tell what happened and why. This fire and its aftermath had a huge impact on fire management policy.
Maclean, Norman. Young Men and Fire. 1992. University of Chicago Press.
An account of the 1949 Mann Gulch Fire in Montana. Thirteen firefighters lost their lives on this fire in a sudden blow up. Almost 50 years later, Maclean attempts to piece together what happened and why. Twelve of the thirteen fatalities on this fire were smokejumpers, the first fatalities this new program had experienced.
Rothermel, Richard C. The Mann Gulch Fire: A Race That Couldn't Be Won. 1979. Missoula Fire Lab. On the web at: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/int_gtr299/
This short research paper examines the probable fire behavior and movements of the crew during the 20 minutes leading up to the fatalities at Mann Gulch. Rothermel originally undertook these reconstructions at the request of Norman Maclean while he was writing Young Men and Fire. Ironically, Rothermel worked at the Fire Lab in Missoula, which was conceived and established in the aftermath of Mann Gulch.
Report of the Task Force to Recommend Action to Reduce Chances of Men Being Killed by Burning While Fighting Fire. 1957. USDA Forest Service. On the web at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/fire/information/1957_report/index.shtml
This report was a follow-up action to three major fatality fires from 1949 to 1956. The 10 Standard Firefighting Orders were developed as a result of the recommendations in this report.
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
"What we can strive to be"
Ambrose, Larry. A Mentor's Companion. 1998. Perrone-Ambrose.
A concise reference that can assist any leader's efforts to influence the professional development of junior leader's in their organization.
Axelrod, Alan. Elizabeth I CEO: Strategic Lessons from the Leader Who Built an Empire.2000. Prentice Hall Press.
This book starts with an overview of Elizabeth's life and 45 year reign as Queen of England. The book then progresses to a series of lessons- such as Stand-up for Those You Lead, Communicate Directly and Often, and Strength Always Communicates - that are illustrated by using examples from her reign.
Blanchard, Kenneth H. and Spencer Johnson. The One Minute Manager. 1985. William Morrow.
This is a quick read that provides the reader with an easy to understand model of management. First time managers or employees working for first time managers can benefit by sharing the book and following the model.
Blanchard, Kenneth H., William Oncken, Jr. and Hal Burrows. The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey. 1989. William Morrow.
If you've ever wondered how you got loaded down with other peoples business (Monkeys) this book gives you one possibility. The care and feeding of monkeys demands a lot of time and energy, so here you are shown how to give those monkeys to their rightful owners.
Chaleff, Ira. The Courageous Follower. 1995. Berrett-Koehler.
Presents a model for working with leaders that will dispel the image of followers as passive or weak. Explores the dynamics of the leader-follower relationship and offers insights into how these roles partner effectively
Cohen, William A. The Stuff of Heroes: The Eight Universal Laws of Leadership. 1998.
Longstreet.
Major General Cohen talks about leaders from the military and business world who use the Eight Universal Laws: 1-Absolute Integrity 2-Know Your Stuff 3-Declare Expectations
4-Show Uncommon Commitment 5-Expect Positive Results 6-Take Care of Your People
7-Duty Before Self 8-Get Out In Front.
Covey, Stephen. Principle Centered Leadership: Strategies for Personal and Professional Effectiveness. 1992. Simon & Schuster.
Covey demonstrates that the long term key to developing people and organizations is the recognition of core values and principles that guide all actions. He offers insights and guidelines that can help develop and maintain these core values as a pathway to personal and team success.
Covey, Stephen. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. 1989. Simon & Schuster.
Covey develops a step by step approach for living with integrity, honesty, and fairness that provides the foundation necessary to adapt to change and to take advantage of the opportunities change provides.
De Pree, Max. Leadership is an Art. 1990. Dell.
A thoughtful and idealistic approach to leadership that emphasizes the leader's responsibilities to the organization and its people.
Field Manual 22 100. Army Leadership: Be, Know, Do. 2001. Department of the Army.
On the web at: http://www.adtdl.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/fm/22-100/ch2.htm
The U.S. Army's basic leadership reference. This is an excellent reference for all aspects of leadership training.
Fielder, Donald J. The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo: How 19 Defeated 5000. 2002.
Sterling House.
This book vividly links the modern leader/executive to the David versus Goliath strategies of Geronimo, one of the greatest chiefs of all times.
Freedman, David H. Corps Business: The 30 Management Principles of the U.S. Marine
Corps. 2000. Harper Business.
This book gives a down to earth look at a high-risk organization and 30 leadership principles gathered from operations in the high speed U.S. Marine Corps environment. Two examples are: 1-Managing by providing intent - telling people what needs to be accomplished and why, and leave the details to them and 2-The 70% solution- it's better to decide quickly on an imperfect plan than to spend time considering every angle and roll out a perfect plan when it's too late.
Goleman, Daniel. Emotional Intelligence. 1997. Bantam Books.
The author argues that there are important emotional skills that contribute to human intelligence and successful performance in the workplace. These skills include self awareness and impulse control, persistence, zeal and self motivation, empathy and social deftness.
Maxwell, John C. Developing the Leader Within You. 1993. Tomas Nelson.
Maxwell provides us with a basic introduction into the many levels of leadership. More importantly he takes a close look at why we follow leaders at each of these levels. Note: There is also a companion workbook available for the reader to fill out as they follow along.
Michaelson, Gerald A. Sun Tzu: The Art of War for Managers (50 Strategic Rules). 2001.
Adams Media.
This is a modern adaptation of SunTzu's writings that provides the reader with a set of truisms that they can easily apply to their environment.
Morrell, Margot and Stephanie Capparell. Shackelton's Way: Leadership Lessons from the
Great Antarctic Explorer. 2001. Penguin Group.
Sir Earnest Shackleton has been called "the greatest leader that ever came on God's earth bar none" for saving the lives of the twenty-seven men stranded with him on an Antarctic ice floe for almost two years. Morrell and Capparell team up to present Shackelton's timeless leadership skills - skills that can be learned by anyone - to a new generation. The authors present leadership principles set against the survival story of the Endurance expedition.
Newman, Major General Aubrey "Red." Follow Me I: The Human Element in
Leadership. 1981. Presidio Press.
This book, and the two that follow, was based on Major General Newman column in "Army Magazine" called, "Forward Edge." The column ran for 20 years. This book emphasizes the importance of the human element in leadership. It is aimed at young lieutenants and NCOs at the platoon level, who are first time leaders.
Newman, Major General Aubrey "Red." Follow Me II: More on the Human Element in
Leadership. 1982. Presidio Press.
In this book, Major General Newman discusses leadership development as the young leader moves up the career ladder. This book focuses on leading and mentoring young lieutenants as they move to company officers.
Newman, Major General Aubrey "Red." Follow Me III: Lessons on the Art and Science of
High Command. 1987. Presidio Press.
This book is the third in this series. Major General Newman now discusses the mentoring process for company officers, field grade officers, and general officers as they move up the ladder into staff and command positions. He stresses the importance of leaders remembering where they came from and the human element in leadership.
Roberts, Wess. Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun. 1985. Warner Books.
This may be the best leadership primer ever written. This commonsense guide is an excellent book for the first time leader/supervisor to understand the privilege and responsibility of becoming a leader. Provides practical advice about developing leadership skills over a lifetime and the young leader's personal responsibility to start this process early.
Rugggero, Ed. Duty First. 2001. HarperCollins.
An account of a year inside one of America's premier schools for leadership-the United States Military Academy at West Point. The author, a former West Point graduate and professor, takes a critical look at how this elite school builds leaders for the future.
Smith, Perry M. Rules and Tools for Leaders: A Down to Earth Guide to Effective
Managing. 1998. Avery.
This book is written in two parts: Part 1- clear, concise advice on how to become a more effective leader. Part 2- provides a unique collection of checklists, guidelines, and rules of thumb that serve as a quick reference manual for leaders.
Smith, Perry M. Taking Charge: A Practical Guide for Leaders. 1995. DIANE Publishing.
This is a practical guide for leaders written in a clear, crisp style. Helps the leader set standards for integrity and excellence through the use of case studies and checklists.
Sun Tzu. Translation by Thomas Cleary. The Art of War. 1991. Shambhala Publications.
Written over 2000 years ago by a Chinese warrior-philosopher. This timeless book has been studied through the ages by military leaders, politicians, and business executives. The writings of Sun Tzu apply to competition and conflict on every level from interpersonal to international. This is a book not only of war, but also of peace. Above all, it is an excellent tool for understanding the very roots of conflict and resolution.
Townsend, Patrick L. and Joan E. Gebhardt. Five-Star Leadership: The Art and Strategy of
Creating Leaders at Every Level. 1997. Wiley.
This is an excellent book for the firefighter transitioning to a leadership role and an excellent guide for mentors to develop their junior leaders. Great section on "Followership to Leadership" with a self-guided leadership development plan.
Useem, Michael. Leading Up: How to Lead Your Boss So You Both Win. 2001. Crown
Business.
Upward leadership assures that advice arrives from all points on the corporate compass, not just from the top down. Through six true accounts, Useem shows us what happens when those not in charge rise to the challenge, and also what happens when those who should step forward fail to do so.
Useem, Michael. The Leadership Moment. 1998. Three Rivers Press.
This book is subtitled "Nine True Stories of Triumph and Disaster and Their Lessons for All of Us" and authored by the Director of the Wharton Center for Leadership and Change Management. The nine stories of leaders in action come from politics, business, war, space exploration, and mountaineering and demonstrate the impacts that decisions and actions of leaders have during periods of crisis. One of the nine stories explores Wag Dodge's actions on the Mann Gulch Fire.
CASE STUDIES
"Leadership examples from other fields, places, and times"
Aebi, Tania with Bernadette Brennan. Maiden Voyage. 1996. Random House.
The account of an 18 year old New York City woman's solo sailing voyage around the world. With little experience, she became the youngest person to ever circumnavigate the globe.
Ambrose, Stephen E. Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from
Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest. 1992. Simon & Schuster.
An excellent account of an airborne rifle company at war. Based on journals, letters and interviews with the participants. Follows E Company from their rigorous selection and training in Georgia, through battles such as Normandy, Market Garden, Bastogne, and occupation duty in Germany. A classic small unit leadership study.
Ambrose, Stephen E. Crazy Horse and Custer. 1975. Random House.
Ambrose compares and contrasts the parallel lives of two of the most celebrated leaders in the struggle for the destiny of the American West. Both leaders were highly publicized by the media during their lifetime and had continuing influence after their death.
Ambrose, Stephen E. Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West. 1996. Simon & Schuster.
This biography of Meriwether Lewis also discusses his strengths and weaknesses as a leader. William Clark and Lewis were resourceful, intelligent leaders and they maintained a sense of direction and purpose that kept their men healthy and relatively content through more than 3 years of trials and tribulations. A great study in leadership and a great adventure story.
Blum, Arlene. Annapurna: A Woman's Place. 1980. Sierra Club Books.
Twenty years ago, Blum led the first all female climbing team to one of the world's highest peaks in the Himalaya mountains of Nepal. Her leadership was instrumental in placing climbers on the summit, but the cost was high with two climbers being killed before the expedition was completed.
Boukreev, Anatoli and G. Weston DeWalt. The Climb: Tragic Ambitions of Everest. 1998.
St. Martins Press.
A compelling account of the 1996 commercial expedition to the top of Mt. Everest that ended in tragedy. Boukreev, the head guide for Mountain Madness Expeditions, challenges many of the accounts of Into Thin Air, and details his account of the ill-fated expedition.
Bowden, Mark. Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War. 1999. Grove/Atlantic.
A true account of the 1993 battle in Mogadishu, Somalia, where U.S. Army Ranger and Delta Force operators attempted, but failed, to round up Somali Warlords. This account describes both positive and negative leadership attributes/principles and their effect in a high-risk environment.
Chamberlain, Joshua Lawrence. Bayonet! Forward! My Civil War Reminiscences. 1994. Stan Clark Military Books.
Chamberlain's descriptions of his own leadership and that of others provide a great deal of insight into what makes leaders succeed or fail under the most demanding circumstances. General Chamberlain was a key Civil War figure, a Congressional Medal of Honor winner, a college president, and a four term Governor of Maine.
Collins, Larry and Dominique Lapierre. Freedom at Midnight. 1975. Simon & Schuster.
This book tells the astonishing story of Mahatma Gandhi's organization and leadership of a massive, non violent, grassroots campaign in his native India. He ultimately led one of the world's poorest nations to independence from the British Empire.
Cornum, Rhonda and Peter Copeland. She Went to War. 1993. Presidio Press.
This is an autobiographical account of Major Rhonda Cornum's story during the Gulf War. A fast paced story about war, a remarkable woman, and tenacity of the human spirit.
Greenlaw, Linda. The Hungry Ocean: A Swordboat Captain's Journey. 2000. Hyperion.
Greenlaw's account of her experience as a captain of an all male crew in the dangerous and demanding world of commercial fishing. Sebastien Junger, author of The Perfect Storm, called Greenlaw "one of the best fishing boat captains, period" in the Atlantic Ocean.
Hackworth, David A. and Elihys England. Steel My Soldiers' Hearts: The Hopeless to
Hardcore Transformation of U.S. Army, 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry in Vietnam. 2002.
Rugged Land.
This account details a young Lieutenant Colonel's assignment to a poorly lead battalion of draftees in the Mekong Delta 1969. This unit had one of the highest casualty rates and lowest morale in Vietnam at that time. Colonel Hackworth details his efforts at transforming this battalion. His discipline, training, and lead from the front style turns the misfits into effective warriors.
Huntford, Roland. The Last Place on Earth: Scott and Amundsens's Race to the South Pole. 1985. Random House.
Scott and Amundsen led expeditions that raced each other to reach the South Pole for the first time. Amundsen's expedition ended in success, Scott's in death. Their contrasting leadership styles were directly responsible for the outcomes. This exciting book tells the tale.
Junger, Sebastian. The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea. 1997.
HarperCollins.
It was the "perfect storm"- a meteorological event that can happen only once in a century- a nor'easter created by so rare a combination of factors that it could not possibly have been worse. Waves ten stories high and winds of 120 mph, the storm whipped the sea to inconceivable levels few people on earth have witnessed. Few except the six-man crew of the Andrea Gail, a commercial fishing boat tragically headed towards its hellish center. This journalist's account describes human factor, the high-risk occupation of commercial fishing, and decision-making that can be successful or tragic.
Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster. 1998. Vintage Anchor.
Six climbers from two expeditions died on the upper reaches of Everest when a storm caught them in the open. The decision making, situational awareness, communications, and risk management of the expedition leaders and other climbers were all links in the chain of disaster that overtook them.
Kranz, Gene. Failure Is Not An Option: Mission Control from the Mercury to Apollo 13
and Beyond. 2000. Simon & Schuster.
Gene Kranz, the NASA mission control flight director, details three decades of success, failure, and near misses in the U.S. Space Program. He reveals behind the scene details to demonstrate the leadership, discipline, trust, and teamwork that made the space program a success.
Lansing, Alfred. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage. 1959. Carroll & Graf.
The story of Ernest Shackleton's abortive 1914 attempt to reach the South Pole is another great study in leadership. Shackleton's ship, Endurance, was trapped and then crushed by pack ice, leaving Shackleton and his 27 men adrift on ice floes. The story of how Shackleton ultimately brings all of his men to safety at South Georgia Island is an epic of survival and a portrait of outstanding leadership in the face of adversity.
McDonald, Charles B. Company Commander. 1999. Burford Books.
This is McDonald's account of his experiences in an American Rifle Company Commander in France during the Second World War. As a novice officer, fresh from the states, he led Normandy veterans through the Battle of the Bulge and the invasion of Germany. This is a gripping story about the development of leadership under fire.
Moore, Harold G. and Joseph L. Galloway. We Were Soldiers Once...And Young. 1992. Random House.
An intense and dramatic account of the first large scale battle fought between American and North Vietnamese forces. On November 14, 1965, Moore's 1st Battalion of the 7th Cavalry was attacked and surrounded by a superior force of the North Vietnamese Army. For three days and two nights, the American forces held off repeated attacks. An excellent primer on small unit leadership and leadership under fire.
Mundle, Rob. Fatal Storm: The Inside Story of the Tragic Sydney-Hobart Race. 1999.
McGraw Hill.
This is the story of the tragic 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race, where highly competitive sailboats race through the notoriously rough waters of the Bass Straight in the Tasman Sea. A freak unseasonable storm brought hurricane force winds and waves six stories high that resulted in six sailors dying. This account describes the success of those that survived, the failures of those that died, and the element of chance in the high-risk environment.
Powell Colin L. with Joseph E. Persico. My American Journey. 1996. Ballantine Books.
From his birth in New York City to immigrant parents on to his roles as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of State, and trusted adviser to both Democrat and Republican Presidents, this autobiography tells Powell's story…an embodiment of the American dream.
Pressfield, Steven. Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae. 1998. Doubleday.
For six days in 480 B.C., 300 Spartan warriors held off an invading Persian Army of more than a million men at the narrow pass of Thermopylae. All of the Spartans were killed, but their delaying action gave Greek armies time to prepare and ultimately save the young democracies from conquest. An incredible story of duty, honor, and selfless service.
Rich, Ben R. and Leo Janos. Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed.1996. Little, Brown & Co.
Lockheed's Advanced Development Project has set standards for the aerospace industry for half a century, repeatedly developing and fielding breakthrough aviation technology. Janos describes the unique management framework and leadership style that freed engineers and technicians to accomplish astounding results.
Shaara, Michael. The Killer Angels. 1974. Random House.
This Pulitzer Prize winning novel tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg from the point of view of key leaders on both the Union and Confederate sides. In addition to describing the human elements of leadership at all levels in a large organization, this gripping story demonstrates the impact leadership successes and failures can have on history.
Utley, Robert M. The Lance and the Shield. 1994. Ballantine Books.
A biography of Sitting Bull, the Hunkpapa Sioux chief and warrior who led his nation's resistance against white American encroachment on the northern plains. Utley tracks the rise and fall and rise again of Sitting Bull as a Sioux leader.