Mask of Command

Book Review: Mask of Command
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In The Mask of Command, John Keegan asks us to consider questions that are seldom asked:

What is the definition of leadership? What makes a great military leader?

Why is it that men, indeed sometimes entire nations, follow a single leader, often to victory, but with equal dedication also to defeat?

Dozens of names come to mind…Napoleon, Lee, Charlemagne, Hannibal, Castro, Hussein. From a wide array, Keegan chooses four commanders who profoundly influenced the course of history: Alexander the Great, the Duke of Wellington, Ulysses S. Grant and Adolph Hitler. All powerful leaders, each cast in a different mold, each with diverse results.

“The best military historian of our generation.” –Tom Clancy

“A brilliant treatise on the essence of military leadership.” –The Philadelphia Inquirer

“Fascinating and enlightening… marked by great intellectual liveliness… Mr. Keegan knows how to bring fighting alive on the page.” –The New York Times

The Mask of Command is a book for preppers, leaders, instructors, and managers.  If you deal with people – especially if you deal with people in crisis, then you will benefit from the lessons in this book.

I enjoyed this book and have used its lessons in training officers to work in dangerous environments.

Cabinet Cork

How to Install a Cabinet Cork Board

Installing an in Cabinet Cork Board
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After the unfortunate kitchen fire (NOT related to any projects by the way),

I looked at all sorts of ideas for new kitchens. I saw this idea for an in cabinet cork board on pinterest and thought it was really cool.

It took me a while to let the new wear off of the cabinets before my wife would let me modify them – even for such a cool idea.

Basically we just glued cork tiles inside the cabinet doors – as long as you make sure each square is glues straight and go slow it’s really easy.

Now we can pin up recipes, shopping lists, and notes without cluttering up the kitchen.

It’s a win win, I get to modify something and the wife gets to have a clutter free kitchen.

(well maybe not free – but definitely less cluttered)

Cabinet CorkI want to continue this idea in the conex box on the land as I go about building shelves and workbenches.  I think it would be awesome to be able to tack up plans and lists right at my workbench to help as i DIY new projects.

This is a pretty easy project for even the most inexperienced DIY’er to do.

Starship Troopers

Starship Troopers
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Starship Troopers
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In one of Robert Heinlein’s most controversial bestsellers, a recruit of the future goes through the toughest boot camp in the Universe–and into battle with the Terran Mobile Infantry against mankind’s most frightening enemy.

This book was made into a decent movie that was spun off into a terrible sequel.

I am not a fan of the movies, but I do love this book.

I like most of Heinlein’s books, but this is probably my favorite.  I like the idea that you have to serve to vote, but I am not so hard that I think that the service must be in the military.

Not everyone is cut out for Starship Troopers Mobile Infantry.

I disagree with the Amazon quote that this is Heinlein’s most controversial work – I think Farnham’s Freehold easily wins that title.  I also think that Freehold may be my favorite Heinlein book if Starship Troopers ever dropped in Status.

Interrogation

Interrogation
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The book Interrogation is used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to train interrogators, this manual details the insidious methods by which the “mounties” elicit confessions after all fair and legal tactics have been exhausted.

Must reading for every police officer, as well as for every citizen who might one day, innocent or guilty, sit across the table from an interrogator.This isn’t the best book on the subject, and the author is anonymous.  I can’t tell if this is an attempt by an outside to make a interrogation version of “The Anarchist Cookbook” or a tired cop fed up with games but too scared to sign their name.  It is useful, but not a standalone book.

Most of what is in this book is common sense.