Welcome to the MWI Book Club, a new podcast dedicated to the proposition that a military that reads books is a military that wins wars. The idea is not a new one. As long as war has been waged, great soldiers, from Napoleon to William Tecumseh Sherman to George S. Patton, have readied themselves for battle by hitting the books. And though technologies may change, the imperative to study the profession through close reading is evergreen.
Join us, your cohosts John Amble and Theo Lipsky, as we consider one book each episode. We’ll cover fiction and nonfiction, old and new, bestseller and cult classic—any book that promises to teach listeners something about the nature of war and military service. Our discussions will include not only the summary of a given book but the context in which it was published, the great passages, the great characters, and above all the great lessons each book can teach us. We hope that listeners read along, and we’re always eager to hear what listeners want us to read next.
This first episode considers a classic of World War II fiction—Herman Wouk’s Pulitzer Prize–winning bestseller, The Caine Mutiny. Though The Caine Mutiny is celebrating its seventy-fifth anniversary, we were struck by just how fresh and powerful the novel remains. It taught us loads about the meaning of command, loyalty, and military service. Have you read it? Let us know what you think, and whether you agree with our own read of the book.
Be sure to subscribe to the MWI Book Club—we have some great books lined up and you won’t want to miss an episode. And since this is our very first episode, if you enjoy it, please consider taking a moment to leave a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts to help others find it.
