Cannonball Read 11

Sticking it to Cancer One Book at a Time

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Arguably, America’s Greatest General

George Marshall: Defender of the Republic by David L. Roll

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I remember learning about the Marshall Plan in AP US History class and how critical it was to repairing the world after WWII. I did not realize until years later that General George C. Marshall was individual who lent his name to the plan. I’ve been in the Army for thirteen years, as of yesterday, and I’ve developed opinions on many famous generals from our history. Most of those opinions are demonstrably leery of anyone who receives unadulterated hero worship. I am not a fan of Patton, or Chesty Puller (I’m sorry to my USMC brethren). I think MacArthur explains […]

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9/27/2019 | 's CBR11 Review No:26 |

Professional Reading #1

It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership by Colin Powell & Tony Koltz

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It Worked for Me is a collection of about 30 vignettes and stories intended to offer leadership advice from one of America’s most famous military leaders of the last 35 years.  I think it does that and does it well.  Powell reflects on a life of service, both military and civilian, and recounts instances when he made decisions and describes the generalized thoughts and ideas that led to the choices he made. This book, let’s call it a memoir, feels quite genuine and honest but Powell is reserved. He does not expose himself or cut particularly deep.  That leads to […]

Help Support Cannonball Read

Buy the following on Amazon and help our mission to stick it to cancer, one book at a time:

We pay for our website first, and then all proceeds above and beyond those fees are donated to the American Cancer Society in AlabamaPink's name. Find out how else you can help support our mission.

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1/22/2019 | 's CBR11 Review No:5 |

It was “Untold”, don’t let it be unheard.

The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor by Jake Tapper

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The recommendation of a friend spurred the timing of my reading of The Outpost but I intended to read it for some time.  It’s written by CNN anchor Jake Tapper and made me a fan of his for life.  This is why it was originally a part of my to-read list: In 2009, I was deployed to Iraq.  I’d been in the Army almost three years and I spent the majority of my deployment on a staff in Baghdad.  I worked the night shift that year from the bowels of Al-Faw Palace, one of Saddam’s more extravagant palaces, for the […]

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9/14/2017 's CBR9 Review No:2 |

If you like the title, you’ll like the book?

The People of Forever are not Afraid by Shani Boianjiu

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*sits speechless for a while* *squints* I liked it?? I’m just going to describe what this novel is about. (Yes this is a book review that lacks words for my opinion about the book. I did a beautiful interpretive dance that conveyed my sentiments exactly, but, alas, it cannot be transcribed to the page.) The novel follows three childhood friends as they venture from the safe life of their village into the army. We meet Amishag, Yael and Lea at school when they are teenage girls, giggling over boys, trying to get cell phone reception and organize parties. Still we […]

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6/21/2017 's CBR9 Review No:15 |

Ocean of Testosterone

Love My Rifle More than You: Young and Female in the U.S. Army by Kayla Williams

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I bought this book for the title. What I got was an insightful look at the human condition as seen through the eyes of a fellow service member. I joined the Navy at a young age and it’s very different from the Army. Yet many of the experiences William’s describes are similar to those I’ve encountered in my career. Reading this book felt like I was both watching the early years of my career and learning about a whole new world that is the Army. Williams is honest about her time in Army. She doesn’t try to gloss over her […]

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5/10/2017 's CBR9 Review No:2 |

The Cost of Unintended Consequences

Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire by Chalmers Johnson

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The premise of Blowback is very interesting. It aims to examine the role of shortsighted policy decisions made by the U.S. and the long-term, unintended consequences they created. This is another book I chose to read, rather listen to, after discovering it on the Army Chief of Staff’s recommended reading list for 2013.  The book was listed of the CoS’ list under the section for broadening leaders.  The list is intended to “complement materials currently used in the Army educational system and can help bridge the intervals between periods of formal instruction at Army schools. It is imperative for members […]

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12/16/2014 's CBR6 Review No:24 |

And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!

The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education by Craig M. Mullaney

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I picked up The Unforgiving Minute as it was on the 2014 U.S. Army Chief of Staff’s Professional Reading List. As I’ve mentioned before, I love to read fiction for fun but I was commuting an hour to work each way so I decided to listen to audiobooks to pass the time. I thought it would benefit me professionally to read the books recommended by the leader of my branch of service. This book became available in April and I listened to it over the course of a week. The Unforgiving Minute is the memoir of Craig Mullaney. Mullaney is […]

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12/15/2014 's CBR6 Review No:23 |

He was so much more…

Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer

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Where Men Win Glory takes it’s title from a translation of the Iliad – “Who among mortal men are you, good friend? Since / never before have I seen you in the fighting where / men win glory, yet now you have come striding far / out in front of all others in your great heart…” I don’t think that the parallel to Achilles is particularly apt. Achilles desired to win glory for himself whereas Pat Tillman never seemed to care for glory. Nevertheless, it still describes the way that Pat Tillman lived- if there was an adventure to be […]

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3/18/2014 's CBR6 Review No:8 |


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