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"The Savior Generals" by Victor Davis Hanson
This book looks at 5 particular generals who were able to save and/or snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in major wars though they are not usually associated with some of the great military leaders of history. Themistocles was able to defeat the Persians at the Battle of Salamis after the crushing defeat of Thermopylae, Belisarius nearly reformed the old Roman Empire with the Byzantine Empire in the Gothic Wars, William Tecumseh Sherman's drive through the South and capture of Atlanta in the American Civil War, Matthew Ridgway's miracle in Korea (perhaps the most impressive) and David Petraeus' Iraq Surge that turned the tide in the that war. A deft history lesson and look at what makes these exceptional leaders. If you are not a fan of history and how it shapes the present day I recommend it on the Petraeus chapter alone; it gave me a prospective and analysis of the Irag War that I had never been aware of. It may have changed my opinion on the War itself. A fascinating read.
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