While the SHAPE and U.S. European Command reading lists (available from our websites) provide some wonderful selections, I thought I’d quickly offer five good books that I read over the course of 2009 that relate to some aspect of what we are about these days.  Since reading both fiction and non-fiction is a good way to keep things in balance,  some of each are on the short list below.

“Flashman” by George MacDonald Fraser.  Historical fiction often provides the best illumination of a place or a time, and in this first volume of the Flashman series, Fraser – who died last year – provides a vivid and instructive view of the first Anglo-Afghan war.  Here we see the disastrous retreat from Kabul in 1842 which cost the British over 15,000 lives in essentially a month’s time, led by the hapless General Elphinstone.  It is a tale which provides a fascinating insider’s view of the British experience in the 19^th century, and well worth the time of those who are studying that troubled nation today.  Old ghosts rattle through Afghanistan, and this novel shows us several in depth and detail.

 “One Soldier’s War” by Arkady Babchenko.  A searing portrait of the Russian experiences in Chechnya as told through the eyes of a conscripted soldier.  Winner of multiple prizes, this story shows the brutality of counter-insurgency operations gone very, very bad; as well as providing a harsh portrait of the Russian military culture in the 1990s.  Brilliant, honest, and beautifully written, this is a must read for anyone thinking through savage war in a harsh place, or seeking to understand the Russian need for military reform.

 “Empires of the Sea,” Roger Crowley.  This is a sweeping history of the 1500s, when the Ottoman Empire knocked hard on the gates of Europe and sought domination of the Mediterranean Sea.  The Ottomans were fought mainly by the Spanish Hapsburgs and their European allies as they sought to consolidate a Holy Roman Empire and hold onto the strategic sea lanes to the south.  All of this comes to a climax with the siege of Malta, the battle of Lepanto, and reflects perhaps the most vivid “clash of civilizations” that shaped modern Europe.

“Wolf Hall” by Hilary Mantel.  Winner of the 2009 Booker Prize for Literature, this novel retells the familiar story of Henry VIII, Thomas Moore, and Thomas Cromwell.  As everyone remembers, when Henry decided to create the new Church of England in his pursuit of a divorce from Katherine of Aragon, he required all the nobles of his court to swear allegiance to the new order.  Moore refused to do so, despite being imprisoned in the Tower of London for many months.  Cromwell, the new Chancellor and Henry’s leading administrator, tried unsuccessfully to convince Moore to change his mind.  The dynamic play of the three is beautifully illuminated in this story, which places Cromwell in the sympathetic center of the story as opposed to the normal approach of placing Moore there.  In the end, it is still a story of telling truth to power and being prepared for the consequences, a timeless lesson for our times.

“Open” by Andre Agassi.  This is a fascinating story of a man’s rise in his profession despite deep personal insecurities, drug use, and early abuse by his father.  Agassi famously went on to make millions and win all four of tennis’s major championships with an Olympic gold medal as well; but this truly “open” autobiography shows just how hard the path was along the way.  While it whines in places, in the end, Agassi’s story is one of redemption through fitness, friendship, courage, and ultimately the love of Steffi Graff.  Far more than either a simple tale of tennis or a sports story, this is a deeply engaging book about struggling and ultimately overcoming inner demons.

Adm. James Stavridis
SACEUR and Commander EUCOM