My Share of the Task: A Memoir

by Stanley McChrystal

Overview

"General McChrystal is a legendary warrior with a fine eye for enduring lessons about leadership, courage, and consequence." —Tom Brokaw

General Stanley McChrystal is widely admired for his hunger to know the truth, his courage to find it, and his humility to listen to those around him. Even as the commanding officer of all U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan, he stationed himself forward and frequently went on patrols with his troops to experience their challenges firsthand. In this illuminating New York Times bestseller, McChrystal frankly explores the major episodes and controversies of his career. He describes the many outstanding leaders he served with and the handful of bad leaders he learned not to emulate. And he paints a vivid portrait of how the military establishment turned itself, in one generation, into the adaptive, resilient force that would soon be tested in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the wider War on Terror.

"A compelling account of his impressive career." -The Wall Street Journal '

"This is a brilliant book about leadership wrapped inside a fascinating personal narrative." -Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs

Stanley McChrystal retired in July 2010 as a four-star general in the U.S. Army. His last assignment was as the commander of the International Security Assistance Force and as the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. He is currently a senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs and cofounder of the McChrystal Group, a leadership consulting firm. He and his wife, Annie, live in Virginia.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781591846826
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/28/2014
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	496
Sales rank:	679,870
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.30(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Stanley McChrystal retired in July 2010 as a four-star general in the U.S. Army. His last assignment was as the commander of the International Security Assistance Force and as the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. He is currently a senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs and cofounder of the McChrystal Group, a leadership consulting firm. He and his wife, Annie, live in Virginia.

Table of Contents

Preface xi

Author's Foreword xv

Part 1 1

1 Ghosts of Christmas Past 3

2 Journey to the Plain 8

3 The Army in Which I Should Like to Fight 23

4 Renaissance 37

5 Preparation 55

6 The Fight Begins 72

Part 2 87

7 Through the Hourglass 89

8 The Enemy Emerges 110

9 Big Ben 125

10 Entrepreneurs of Battle 146

11 Out West 167

12 The Hunt 188

13 Hibhib 215

14 Networked 237

15 The Long War 254

Part 3 273

16 The Ticking Clock 275

17 Understand 292

18 Design 316

19 Decide 339

20 Execute 362

Epilogue 389

Acknowledgments 395

Notes 399

Index 441

Photo Credits 457

Editorial Reviews

General McChrystal is a legendary warrior with a fine eye for enduring lessons about leadership, courage, and consequence. He took me inside the command bunker, on nighttime raids, and through the fog of war, political and military. My Share of the Task is an important, riveting, and instructive account of the triumphs and trials of America’s two longest wars.”

—TOM BROKAW, author of The Greatest Generation

“Written in the tradition of Ulysses S. Grant, My Share of the Task is a clear, compelling, self-critical, and utterly unpretentious memoir. I know of no better book on the nature of modern military command.”

—JOHN LEWIS GADDIS, author of George F. Kennan: An American Life

“This is a brilliant book about leadership wrapped inside a fascinating personal narra­tive. By describing his own life, and especially his command in Afghanistan, General McChrystal helps us understand the modern missions of the military. More than that, he provides lessons about leadership and values that are indispensable in our daily lives. It’s a deeply inspiring tale.”

—WALTER ISAACSON, author of Steve Jobs and Benjamin Franklin

“Stanley McChrystal has written the finest military memoir of his generation. Lucid, thoughtful, and steeped in military and strategic history, My Share of the Task is not just the story of one man’s service; it is the story of the development of a new way of war. This book is not just for aficionados of military history or for students of American foreign policy; it’s for anyone who wants to understand the challenges of leadership in America today.”

—WALTER RUSSELL MEAD, author of Special Providence and God and Gold

“A remarkable memoir by one of the most exceptional and thoughtful leaders of his generation.”

—RORY STEWART, author of The Places in Between

From the Publisher

General Stanley McChrystal's new book has already received stellar reviews. One early reader lauding it as "the finest military memoir of his generation," and Walter Isaacson calling it "a brilliant book about leadership wrapped inside a fascinating personal narrative." Reports about the outspoken former Commander of all NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan were not always so superlative. A 2010 Rolling Stone article about him entitled "The Runaway General" landed him in trouble that resulted in his resignation. In My Share of the Task, this former four-star general addresses directly the major episodes, learning experiences, and controversies of his eventful career. Certain to garner prominent reviews nationwide.