The Admiral's Bookshelf

In The Admiral's Bookshelf, Adm. James Stavridis shares the books that facilitated his success. 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. 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. The wisdom he gleans from these books and their parallels to his own life is often surprising and deeply resonant.

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.

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Release date

Audiobook: May 13, 2025