American Generalship [Hardcover]

Edgar Puryear (Author), Edgar F. Puryear (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 10, 2000

What does it take to become a successful, high-level leader in America's armed forces, not just to wear the stars emblematic of your position at the top military pyramid, but to excel in yor service to our country?

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

What does it take to make a great general or a great leader or manager in any field? Puryear (Nineteen Stars, not reviewed, etc.) attempts to find definitive answers. The author spent 35 years doing prodigious research, interviewing more than 100 four-star generals and over 1,000 leaders of every stripe, studying hundreds of biographies, memoirs, and military texts in his search for patterns and role models. He finds character the single most important element of exceptional leaders like Washington, Marshall, MacArthur, Eisenhower, Bradley, ``Billy'' Mitchell, Patton, ``Hap'' Arnold, Powell, and Schwarzkopf. Unselfishness, he adds, is essential in enabling leaders to disagree with superiors and put their careers on the line when they think their commanding officers are wrong. Making decisions has often been called the essence of leadership. Truman dropped the nuclear bomb to end the carnage of WWII and recognized the tiny state of Israel among a sea of enemies; MacArthur invaded Inchon to turn the Korean War around despite disagreements among his peers and advisers. Indecisiveness, contends Puryear, marks the poorest leaders. Some other patterns he discerns: Loyalty requires giving an honest opinion whether the boss likes it or not, but once a decision is made, the debate ends and the decision must be executed faithfully (Powell). Great leaders avoid yes men.'' Leaders mold more leaders. Intuition may be valuable if tempered by long experience and good judgment (Schwarzkopf). Most top commanders were voracious lifelong readers (MacArthur inherited 4,000 books from his military-hero father). Finally, Eisenhowerwho spent much time visiting his troops and junior officers, stimulating them to reveal hidden problemsshows the importance of listening to your followers. An excellent contribution to the study of leadership among those who make life-and-death decisions in the most challenging situationsone that could well serve as required reading in both military and business schools. -- Copyright ©2000, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Presidio Press (January 10, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891416587
• ISBN-13: 978-0891416586
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,196,930 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Review of American Generalship, February 29, 2000

By 

Michael Renwick (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Generalship (Hardcover)

American Generalship is a quick, easy read. Mr Puryear presents us with the Chiefs of Staff of the Army and Air Force (and one Navy Admiral) of the last half of the century and details those core beliefs and traits that made them sucessful. Although the target audience are officers in the Armed Forces, the principles apply equally to the business world. The only complaint that I have is that little was mentioned about the Viet Nam era Service Chiefs. The 1950's and the 1970's - 80's were covered in depth, but the Viet Nam era was sparse. I heartily recommend this book.

4.0 out of 5 stars Thoughts on Leadership From Former Military Leaders, August 17, 2002

By 

Bruce W. Willett (Abilene, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Generalship (Hardcover)

Mr Puryear's "American Generalship" is overall a good book. It has resently been added to the CSAF Reading List. The author has taken many of his interviews and discussions with past military leaders and summized what they believe the keys are to effective leadership within the military. It is a fairly easy read, though some thoughts seem to be repeated in several locations.

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read for Leaders of all types., August 16, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: American Generalship (Hardcover)

Puryear has done a superb job summarizing years of intensive research on the subject of leadership. The finished product is applicable not just to military leaders, but to anyone who takes on the awesome responsibility of managing other people. He systematically breaks down the essential components of character and cites examples that drive the point home. Time after time I found myself thinking that this book should be required reading for civilian leaders of all kinds. His writing style is articulate and easy to read. I've read several books on this subject and this one is a winner.