Recommendations based on My American Journeyby Colin Powell

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. My Life

    by Bill Clinton
    Memoir of a former President of the United States, chronicling his life and career.

    An exhaustive, soul-searching memoir, Bill Clinton's My Life is a refreshingly candid look at the former president as a son, brother, teacher, father, husband, and public figure. Clinton ... (Goodreads)

  2. The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

    by Barack Obama
    A political memoir that explores Obama's vision for America and his hopes for the future of the country.

    The Audacity of Hope is Barack Obama's call for a new kind of politics—a politics that builds upon those shared understandings that pull us together as Americans. Lucid in his vision of America's ... (Goodreads)

  3. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

    by Eric Metaxas
    A biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian who opposed the Nazi regime.

    Who better to face the greatest evil of the 20 th -century than a humble man of faith? As Adolf Hitler and the Nazis seduced a nation, bullied a continent, and attempted to exterminate the Jews of ... (Barnes & Noble)

  4. Profiles in Courage

    by John F. Kennedy
    Biographical accounts of U.S. senators who faced adversity for their beliefs.

    The Pulitzer Prize winning classic by President John F. Kennedy, with an introduction by Caroline Kennedy and a foreword by Robert F. Kennedy. Written in 1955 by the then junior senator from the ... (Goodreads)

  5. Up from Slavery

    by Booker T. Washington
    Autobiographical account of a former slave's journey to success and educational reform.

    Booker T. Washington, the most recognized national leader, orator and educator, emerged from slavery in the deep south, to work for the betterment of African Americans in the post Reconstruction ... (Goodreads)

  6. The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914

    by David McCullough
    Historical account of the construction of the Panama Canal, and the struggles of those who built it.

    On December 31, 1999, after nearly a century of rule, the United States officially ceded ownership of the Panama Canal to the nation of Panama. That nation did not exist when, in the mid-19th ... (Goodreads)

  7. Who Moved My Cheese?

    by Spencer Johnson
    A parable about navigating change through the eyes of four characters.

    It is the amusing and enlightening story of four characters who live in a maze and look for cheese to nourish them and make them happy. Cheese is a metaphor for what you want to have in life, for ... (Goodreads)

  8. What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures

    by Malcolm Gladwell
    Collection of essays about the surprising connections between seemingly unrelated topics.

    What is the difference between choking and panicking? Why are there dozens of varieties of mustard but only one variety of ketchup? What do football players teach us about how to hire teachers? What ... (Goodreads)

  9. The Intelligent Investor

    by Benjamin Graham
    An in-depth guide to investing, providing strategies to become a successful investor.

    More than one million hardcovers sold Now available for the first time in paperback! The Classic Text Annotated to Update Graham's Timeless Wisdom for Today's Market Conditions The greatest ... (Goodreads)

  10. The Case for Christ

    by Lee Strobel
    A former atheist journalist investigates the evidence for Jesus and becomes a Christian.

    In 1980, Lee Strobel is an atheist journalist and investigative reporter for the, Chicago Tribune, . He and his wife Leslie have a daughter named Alison and are expecting their second child. After ... (Wikipedia)

  11. Two Treatises of Government

    by John Locke
    A philosophical exploration of the nature of government and its origin and purpose.

    This is a new revised version of Dr. Laslett's standard edition of Two Treatises. First published in 1960, and based on an analysis of the whole body of Locke's publications, writings, and papers. ... (Goodreads)

  12. Living History

    by Hillary Rodham Clinton
    Autobiography of Hillary Rodham Clinton's life, from her childhood to her time as First Lady.

    The Phenomenal #1 Worldwide Bestseller—With a New Afterword Hillary Rodham Clinton is known to hundreds of millions of people around the world. Yet few beyond her close friends and family have ever ... (Goodreads)

  13. Rocket Boys

    by Homer Hickam
    A coming-of-age story of a small-town boy and his journey of pursuing his dreams in rocketry.

    "Until I began to build and launch rockets, I didn't know my home town was at war with itself over its children, and that my parents were locked in a kind of bloodless combat over how my brother and ... (Goodreads)

  14. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't

    by James C. Collins
    A guide to building a successful company, examining the practices and values of leading organizations.

    To find the keys to greatness, Collins's 21-person research team read and coded 6,000 articles, generated more than 2,000 pages of interview transcripts and created 384 megabytes of computer data in ... (Goodreads)

  15. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

    by Doris Kearns Goodwin
    A comprehensive study of the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, and the unique cabinet he assembled.

    Winner of the Lincoln Prize Acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin illuminates Lincoln's political genius in this highly original work, as the one-term congressman and prairie lawyer rises from ... (Goodreads)

  16. The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy

    by Thomas J. Stanley
    Revealing the secrets of the wealthy, and how anyone can achieve financial success.

    The incredible national bestseller that is changing people's lives – and increasing their net worth!, CAN YOU SPOT THE MILLIONAIRE NEXT DOOR?,, Who are the rich in this country?, What do they do? ... (Goodreads)

  17. Rich Dad, Poor Dad

    by Robert T. Kiyosaki
    A financial literacy guide that explores the power of financial education and investment.

    Rich Dad Poor Dad is Robert's story of growing up with two dads — his real father and the father of his best friend, his "rich dad" — and the ways in which both men shaped his thoughts about money ... (Goodreads)

  18. On War

    by Carl von Clausewitz
    A comprehensive analysis of the nature and principles of war, including its political and social aspects.

    Carl von Clausewitz's On War has been called, "not simply the greatest, but the only truly great book on war." It is an extraordinary attempt to construct an all-embracing theory of how war works. ... (Goodreads)

  19. John Adams

    by David McCullough
    Biography of the second President of the United States and his contributions to the founding of the nation.

    The enthralling, often surprising story of John Adams, one of the most important and fascinating Americans who ever lived. In this powerful, epic biography, David McCullough unfolds the adventurous ... (Goodreads)

  20. 1776

    by David McCullough
    A riveting account of the events leading up to and during the American Revolution.

    In this masterful book, David McCullough tells the intensely human story of those who marched with General George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence - when the whole American ... (Goodreads)

  21. From Beirut to Jerusalem

    by Thomas L. Friedman
    A journalist's account of the Middle East, from the civil war in Lebanon to the first Palestinian intifada.

    This extraordinary bestseller is still the most incisive, thought-provoking book ever written about the Middle East. Thomas L. Friedman, twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize for international ... (Goodreads)

  22. Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential

    by Joel Osteen
    Guide to achieve a life of purpose and fulfillment through faith and positive thinking.

    In this remarkable New York Times bestseller, Joel Osteen offers unique insights and encouragement that will help readers overcome every obstacle in their lives. ... (Goodreads)

  23. Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

    by Barack Obama
    An exploration of the Obama family history, tracing the threads of identity and race.

    In this lyrical, unsentimental, and compelling memoir, the son of a black African father and a white American mother searches for a workable meaning to his life as a black American. It begins in New ... (Goodreads)

  24. Flags of Our Fathers

    by James D. Bradley
    A tribute to the brave soldiers who raised the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima during WWII.

    In this unforgettable chronicle of perhaps the most famous moment in American military history, James Bradley has captured the glory, the triumph, the heartbreak, and the legacy of the six men who ... (Goodreads)

  25. Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes

    by Gordon B. Hinckley
    An exploration of morality and values, advocating for the restoration of ethics in modern life.

    In this national bestseller, the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gordon B. Hinckley, has created a classic look at the values that can change our world—and how to stand ... (Barnes & Noble)

  26. The Art of War

    by Sun Tzu
    Ancient Chinese military treatise outlining strategies for success in battle.

    Twenty-Five Hundred years ago, Sun Tzu wrote this classic book of military strategy based on Chinese warfare and military thought. Since that time, all levels of military have used the teaching on ... (Goodreads)

  27. A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam

    by Neil Sheehan
    A detailed account of the Vietnam War, and one man's role in it.

    This passionate, epic account of the Vietnam War centres on Lt Col John Paul Vann, whose story illuminates America's failures & disillusionment in SE Asia. A field adviser to the army when US ... (Goodreads)

  28. Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies

    by James C. Collins
    Analysis of successful companies and their long-term strategies, identifying key habits and practices that lead to enduring success.

    "This is not a book about charismatic visionary leaders. It is not about visionary product concepts or visionary products or visionary market insights. Nor is it about just having a corporate vision. ... (Goodreads)

  29. Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10

    by Marcus Luttrell
    A riveting account of a heroic mission gone wrong, and the courage and strength of the Navy SEALS who faced impossible odds.

    On a clear night in late June 2005, four U.S. Navy SEALs left their base in northern Afghanistan for the mountainous Pakistani border. Their mission was to capture or kill a notorious al Qaeda leader ... (Goodreads)