The second part of this strategy section moves beyond traditional military strategy texts and into the deeper habits of effective leadership: adaptation, culture, decision-making, and endurance. Although these books come from the Commandant’s Professional Reading Program, they are not just for Marines. One of the reasons we share Marine Corps reading lists inside The Military Reading Room is to introduce our broader audience to books they might not otherwise encounter—titles that widen the aperture on war, leadership, organizations, and performance.
This group does exactly that. Ben Connable challenges the current fascination with technology as a substitute for ground combat. Swinton’s The Defence of Duffer’s Drift remains a classic lesson in tactical adaptation. Ender’s Game may be the first science fiction title we have featured here, but it earns its place through its sharp treatment of command, trust, and team performance under pressure. The final two selections then shift the focus from individual command decisions to the broader question of how teams, cultures, and institutions sustain excellence over time. Together, these books make clear that strategy is not just what leaders intend to do, but how well their people, culture, and judgment hold up when reality changes.
Ground Combat: Puncturing the Myths of Modern War
By Ben Connable, Georgetown University Press (March 3, 2025), Paperback, 352 pages
In Ground Combat, retired Marine officer and defense analyst Ben Connable systematically dismantles popular, high-tech myths that claim conventional land warfare is obsolete. Drawing on rigorous historical analysis and operational data, he argues that despite the rise of drones and cyber warfare, victory still ultimately hinges on the gritty reality of soldiers holding ground. It is an indispensable, low-hype reality check for military professionals looking to understand the true fusion of technology and raw combat power on the modern battlefield.
The Defence of Duffer’s Drift
By Ernest Dunlop Swinton, R Sons Books (October 10, 2021 - First published 1904), Paperback, 48 pages
A cornerstone of professional military education since 1904, E. D. Swinton’s The Defence of Duffer's Drift uses a series of recurring tactical dreams to teach the brutal, practical realities of small-unit command during the Boer War. Through the trial-and-error failures of its fictional protagonist, Lieutenant Backsight Forethought, this classic military allegory brilliantly demonstrates how tactical doctrine must adapt to fluid battlefield conditions. It remains an essential, highly readable masterclass in leadership, foresight, and critical decision-making under pressure.
Ender’s Game
By Orson Scott Card, Tor Trade (May 4, 2021 - First Published 1985), Paperback, 256 pages
Long before it ever hit the movie screen, I read Ender’s Game and saw it for what it truly is: a masterclass in small-unit leadership disguised as science fiction. The heart of the story isn’t just space warfare—it’s about a young commander learning how to build trust, analyze an adversary’s doctrine, and keep a tight-knit team operating at peak performance under immense psychological pressure. It remains a uniquely compelling look at the raw mechanics of tactical decision-making, team dynamics, and the heavy burden of command.
Winning the fight is one problem. Building a team and institution capable of winning repeatedly is another. The final two books in this section focus on that harder, longer game.
