You are what you read.

Here is a list of books I recommend for a number topics from casual reading to leadership development. This is not an end-all/be-all list, just a few that I have read and that have made an impact in my life. The information about each book is pulled directly from the Amazon Links.

"As a commander of Delta Force-the most elite counter-terrorist organization in the world-Pete Blaber took part in some of the most dangerous, controversial, and significant military and political events of our time. Now he takes his intimate knowledge of warfare-and the heart, mind, and spirit it takes to win-and moves his focus from the combat zone to civilian life. 

As the smoke clears from exciting stories about neverbefore-revealed top-secret missions that were executed all over the globe, readers will emerge wiser, more capable, and more ready for life's personal victories than they ever thought possible."

Most forms of private vice and public evil are kindled and sustained by lies. Acts of adultery and other personal betrayals, financial fraud, government corruption—even murder and genocide—generally require an additional moral defect: a willingness to lie.

In Lying, best-selling author and neuroscientist Sam Harris argues that we can radically simplify our lives and improve society by merely telling the truth in situations where others often lie. He focuses on "white" lies—those lies we tell for the purpose of sparing people discomfort—for these are the lies that most often tempt us. And they tend to be the only lies that good people tell while imagining that they are being good in the process."

Every morning before the sun comes up, on school and church campuses, in public parks and parking lots, thousands of men gather to work out under the banner of F3 Nation. The workouts are simple – no gimmicks, trends, or fancy gear – and participants take turns leading. No one pays a dollar, yet every man involved will tell you that F3 keeps him in the best shape of his adult life. In Freed To Lead, F3 co-founders Dredd and OBT tell the story of how F3 began on New Year’s Day 2011 at a Charlotte, N.C., middle school and how its dramatic growth showed they had launched something more than just a workout group. Through anecdote and metaphor, they show how F3’s Three Fs – Fitness, Fellowship, and Faith – cure the “SadClown Syndrome” that plagues too many men and offer a solution to our society’s leadership vacuum.

Nearly a decade in the making, Gentle Propositions is a Vietnam War odyssey as experienced through the eyes of a young Special Forces soldier who volunteers to run recon with MACV-SOG out of Command and Control Central (CCC) at the beginning of 1969. This novel is a work of historical-fiction which includes a unique blend of both imaginary characters and real people who take part in both real and fictional events in time. Foreword by Lynne M. Black Jr.

The Raid that Rescued Us. The Mission that Defines Our Lives. 

You are trapped behind enemy lines. You feel it every day. Powerful forces want to destroy you and those you love. Completely surrounded, you see no means to escape. 

 Sadly, the Jesus we often picture is too timid to help—more like a daytime talk show host than a dangerous Rescuer. Who would follow—much less risk everything—for such a leader?  

Get ready to see Jesus like you’ve never seen him before—a battle-scarred Combatant who stared death in the face and won. This is no Sunday-school Jesus, meek and mild. This is the Warrior Christ who has descended from the heavens, defeated the Enemy, and rescued humanity. Now, he calls us to continue his mission and fight for others—our families, our communities, and the world.

 In Jesus Was an Airborne Ranger, Army Chaplain John McDougall offers an alternative to the soft, gentle caricature of Jesus. Only the Warrior Christ can impact our broken world. And only in following him can you find the life of purpose you’ve always wanted.

SUIT UP. It’s time to enter the fight with the first and greatest Airborne Ranger.

Violence of Action is much more than the true, first-person accounts of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the Global War on Terror. Between these pages are the heartfelt, first-hand accounts from, and about, the men who lived, fought, and died for their country, their Regiment, and each other. Objective Rhino, Haditha Dam, recovering Jessica Lynch, the hunt for Zarqawi, the recovery of Extortion 17 and everything in between... These stories have been told many times in barracks rooms, bar tables, and backyard barbecues but they have never before been shared with the general public. It is time for those stories to be heard. 

So much more than just stories from a specific unit; this book reveals the sights, smells, and emotions of everything that happens in war - good or bad. It will be seen as the quintessential, ageless work on the human condition in combat. Whether you served in the military, are a fan of military history, or just want to know more about your fellow man in times of war - this is the book for you.

Again, this is not all the books I recommend or the greatest book list of all time. Just a few books to add to your library. RLTW