What I'm Reading
Updated June 2026
Every leader I respect reads. Not to appear well-read — because ideas sharpen judgment, and judgment is the one thing you can't borrow when it matters most.
This is the short list. These are books I've returned to, recommended to subordinates, or assigned in professional development. Some are obvious. Some will surprise you. All of them earned a place here.
Character & Leadership
Meditations — Marcus Aurelius The most powerful man in the world wrote these notes to himself to stay grounded. Two thousand years later, they still work.
No Time for Spectators — Martin Dempsey A Chairman of the Joint Chiefs on what it means to continuously learn.
The Five Temptations of a CEO — Patrick Lencioni Short, readable, and highlights the common errors that derail leaders.
Leading with Character and Personal Credo — Jim Loehr Character is the foundation of success. Your personal credo development helps you walk through who you think you are and what you stand for.
Mind & Decision-Making
The Leader's Brain — Michael Platt If you are inclined to understand the neuroscience of why people follow, this is the book.
Military Biography
Boyd — Robert Coram Teaches that no one got ahead by working the 8-5. It also teaches about the misalignment of priorities and the ambition it takes to leave the world better than you found it.
Fighter Pilot — Robin Olds Like Boyd, all leaders are flawed. Take the good and bad. This was most impactful to me because it was the first book that let me know my post-deployment reintegration difficulties were normal.
Strategy & Airpower
Strategy for Defeat — Williamson Murray If the German military was so dominant to take over Europe, what missteps occurred that led to its defeat? With the most advanced Air Force, it was more than the technology that leads to victory or defeat.
The Age of Airpower — Martin Van Creveld The broadest strategic view of what airpower is, what it isn't, and where it's going. If you want to understand the structural underpinnings of airpower, read this.
The Origins of Victory — Andrew Krepinevich How military organizations adapt — or fail to. Essential reading if you want to understand the future.
Resilience & Human Spirit
Endurance — Alfred Lansing A recounting of Ernest Shackleton's failed attempt to cross Antarctica and his impressive leadership under uncertainty and when everything goes wrong.
The Wildcard
The Phantom Tollbooth — Norton Juster A children's book but one whose word-play and depth are worth the read. It teaches the importance of a leader's curiosity, the cost of wasted time, and that failure is not the enemy but part of the process of a bias to action.
Have a book that belongs on this list? I'm always looking for the next one. Reach me at Nathan@thenathanpowell.com.