The job of a US Marine means much more than knowing how to patrol and shoot a rifle.
The Corps, which celebrates its 239th anniversary on Nov. 10, wants troops who can think clearly under fire and make calm and intelligent decisions.
So it comes as no surprise that the Corps' top officer — a four-star general known as the Commandant — publishes a list of books that Marines of all ranks have to learn from.
The books cover a range of topics, from the warfighting techniques discussed in "Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication 1: Warfighting" to leadership in "Battlefield Leadership." Even the anti-war novel "All Quiet on the Western Front" makes the list.
The Corps has led a recent push for Marines to pick up a book from the always-expanding list, of which you can see in full here. We picked out 12 of our favorites.
This post was originally written by David M. Brooks.
"The Red Badge Of Courage" by Stephen Crane
"The Red Badge Of Courage" is considered a classic of American literature.
This book is recommended for new recruits. It follows a bravado-filled enlisted man who flees in cowardice during the Civil War.
War is easy to romanticize until you're in the middle of it, as Crane's work makes clear. And while the battle scenes in the book still receive high praise for their brutal realism, the author never experienced war firsthand.
"Making The Corps" by Tom Ricks
In "Making The Corps," journalist Tom Ricks follows a platoon of recruits through the rigorous training of Marine Corps boot camp. Many Marine recruits are fresh out of high school, and this book chronicles the process that transforms young men and women from civilians into Marines.
This book is recommended for midshipmen and officer candidates whose initial training is different from the enlisted Marines they hope to one day lead. If you've ever wondered what life is like in a Marine Corps boot camp, this book gives one of the best accounts.
"Blink: The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking" by Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink" is one of two books by the author on the Commandant's reading list ("Outliers" is the other). Military leaders are often required to make quick decisions with limited information and "Blink" addresses the ability of the mind to make snap decisions as well as the influences that corrupt the decision-making process.
"Blink" also has a fascinating chapter on the Millennium Challenge 2002 exercise where the military brought Lt. Gen. Paul Van Riper out of retirement to lead enemy forces in a wargame against the United States. As the book notes, Van Riper thought outside the box in countering his US military foe and obliterated their forces in the exercise.
Van Riper later charged leaders with "rigging" the game and taking away his decision-making power.
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