No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy: The Life of General James Mattis

Outstanding leadership book

Semper Fi.

Highly enjoyed the book. Good, easy read. Much detail is included. Proud of our General Mattis and what he stood for and did for our country. Read it. Learn about the complexities of war and the challenges of loving your soldiers and standing for them. General Mattis provided great guidance after his retirement to a USArmy West Point graduating class, "... Be apolitical..." Loved that sentence alone. Thank you for a great read.More: For the those that want to nit pick the book for details that are really immaterial to the content and what General Mattis was accomplishing, I suggest you quickly read the following words from former President and Rough Rider Teddy Roosevelt:"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."-Theodore Roosevelt

I like the author's style and presentation of the material. Technical aspects of military operations are explained in layman's language. The author brings us into the mind of James Mattis, and his no-nonsense drive to complete the mission his brave and valiant Marines have been tasked with. The author weaves segments from the General's past into vivid, but not gory, descriptions of the fighting in Iraq in an attempt to lead the reader into what James Mattis was thinking and how his decision making process works. The book is easy to read, it flows nicely, and the author skillfully uses techniques of both foreshadowing and flashback to embellish the reader's experience. It is also a great narrative of some of Mattis's wartime experiences, and also reminds us why going to war should be the option of last resort when all other options have failed. The author presents us with a character that most readers know was a highly respected leader, and shows us how that respect was built and earned. I would call the book more a character study of a man of great character than a biography, although it clearly has elements of both. Overall, this book is great summertime reading and a worthwhile endeavor, especially for anyone with an interest in history, or for anyone with the curiosity of what makes our Secretary of Defense tick. 5 stars.

IMAGINE:You are right in the middle of one helluva battle with General Mattis and our extraordinary Marines.As a journalist who was over in those locations in Iraq and Afghanistan 2003/2004, we were rarely privy to the strategies and tactics underway …. This book has filled that gap, as well as portraying events in a dramatic fashion…in short a fine read.The United States Marine Corps Commandant has always had a list of recommended reading materials for America's Marines….…One book that has been number one on that list FIRST TO FIGHT by Brute KrulakThis extraordinary work belongs right next to it…as an exceptional work.It shares with the reader the behind the scenes details of the war and the self sacrificing and very brave Marines who fought it.It was for me the first time one could comprehend what Leathernecks endured, and that of General Jim Mattis …… always at risk regardless of his rank and stature.Indeed, our country is fortunate that Jim Mattis was calling the shots during OIF & OEF. He was a leader by example in combat and continues to represent the epitome of leadership at the Department of Defense….God bless Jim Mattis, and Semper Fidelis Leatherneck !This is a must read…amenPT29 Hawaii

“Always find someone to learn from that does it better than you. If you want to be better, or lead better, go to the very top and hunt down the person who has perfected his/ her journey on earth.My first role model is Jesus Christ and holy scripture is my 1st reading material of choice. Then I see a few humans that have earned my respect and my listening ear.I’m always looking for that person of faith, wisdom, morality,tenacity, commitment, courage, unwavering strength, bravery, integrity, and someone that’s willing to stand alone in a storm because it’s the right thing to do.When you find that noteworthy individual, sit at their feet and listen intently. Take lots of notes. When they run, you run. Follow after them. Watch how they do things. Pay attention to how they interact with people.Observe how they handle failure. What do they do in the face of temptation and adversity? More importantly, how did they handle success?Success is the greatest destructive force to success. Very few have handled it well and survived it. “~Kim Opperman#KimOpperman#SocksforSoldiers#SocksforSoldiersInc#GeneralJamesMattis#MadDogMattis#CallSignChaos#LearningToLead