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Captain Edgar F. Puryear, Jr., USAF
(ret.) “a graduate of the University of Maryland, earned an M.A. from the University of Denver and a Ph.D. from Princeton
University, and an LL.B from the University of Virginia.” Additionally, “He was in the US Air
Force from 1952–64; among the positions held while stationed at the US Air Force Academy were air training officer,
political science instructor, and assistant dean. He has lectured at numerous military installations and authored several
books on military leadership.” Captain Edgar F. Puryear, Jr. is the author of American Generalship: Character
is Everything: The Art of Command; American Admiralship: The Moral Imperatives of Naval Command; 19 Stars: A Study in Military
Character and Leadership; Stars in Flight: A Study in Air Force Character and Leadership; and, George S. Brown, General, U.S.
Air Force: Destined for Stars.
According to the book description of
American Admiralship: The Moral Imperatives of Naval Command, “What makes a modern leader?
It is a question that becomes more and more pressing in these troubled times of worldwide conflicts and economic turmoil.
And it is a question eloquently answered by the stories told in this book: true-life accounts of some of the most distinguished
flag officers in the U.S. Navy in recent history.
Edgar Puryear, a lecturer on leadership
for the National Defense University, explores the views and principles that have guided these accomplished officers. Among
them, he identifies an inventory of attributes that define the character of a successful leader in our day. The result is
an artfully organized compendium of leadership principles from the likes of Ernest King, Chester Nimitz, William Halsey, Arleigh
Burke, James Holloway, Carlisle Trost, Stansfield Turner, and William Crowe Jr. Puryear embeds the lessons in leadership from
these exemplary lives in first-person accounts of significant events in history. Thus he dramatically illustrates each aspect
of command under discussion as the admirals frankly describe rationales for the actions they took, often in the face of strong
bureaucratic opposition.
The motivation, character, and legacies
of two of the Navys most controversial leaders, Admiral Elmo Zumwalt and Admiral Hyman Rickover, also come under consideration,
with thoughtful and telling testimony from their contemporaries. This broad array of detailed case histories and accompanying
analysis reveals the qualities of leadership that have elevated the U.S. Navy to the position of the preeminent seaborne combat
force in the world. It also makes for fascinating reading, and remarkable insight into what defines successful leadership
in the modern era.”
According to one reader of American
Generalship: Character is Everything: The Art of Command, “This is an excellent book for anyone interested
in what it takes to be a leader. Filled with many excellent tidbits of history and personal insights from the leaders themselves,
Puryear has put together a really good book, one that I will recommend to many others. Of particular note, in my opinion,
are his references to leaders embracing change (p.70 and 32), Marshall's decision-making (p. 56-57), the importance of
your chief of staff (p.90), how to react to decisions that don't go your way, matching leaders to their jobs, and his
thousands of quotes and anecdotes from Ridgway, Marshall, Westmoreland, Eisenhower, Powell, MacArthur, etc.”
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