Daily Thoughts 11/3/2009

The portable manuscript books of "Tsukigase Kisho/Getsurai Kisho (月瀬記勝) written by Saito Setsudo (斎藤拙堂)" in 1884, published by Shikada Seishichi (鹿田静七). Book size (WxHxD): 8.5cm x 12cm x 0.8cm . Another Wikimedia find.

Daily Thoughts 11/3/2009

I am still reading Small Unit Leadership A Commonsense Approach by Colonel Dandridge M. Malone. It is a very interesting book. Everything is very definite. For example the author describes how training in specific skills leads to increased will to do the activity the person is trained in. There is a reminder that in the army, the mission is more important than you are.

This is a truly excellent book. There are a whole bunch of things which he reminds you to do to keep organized; keep a calendar, keep a notebook to write down things all of the time, and in the morning create to do lists and cross out the things which you have finished. The book is very well organized into a variety of lists.

The only parts I don't get completely are about the military aspects of command. The other parts I understand quite well. Some of the book is clearly written solely for squad leaders.

The last chapter on how to ask questions to get the kind of answers you need is very interesting. I think the book is useful in general not just from a military standpoint.

The layout of the book is easy to read, there is an index, and there are many simple black and white illustrations. The book includes lists that are both bullet pointed and numbered. Malone is considered one of the United States armies leading experts on leadership.

I watched some more of The Color of Magic on dvd. It is a fun movie to watch. The film follows the book very closely. It is about fantasy and wish fulfillment. I like Terry Pratchett's original book, The Color of Magic as much as I like the movie. The discworld resting on the back of the giant turtle is the best part.