Are you looking for your next beach read? Or how about something for that long haul flight (assuming you’re not following the viral trend of staring at the seat in front of you for nine hours)? Or are you trying to sharpen your knowledge before the fall semester kicks off?
IWI has you covered. Below are book recommendations from the IWI leadership and Editorial Team:
Irregular Warfare Nonfiction
The Candy Bombers, by Andrei Cherny. A masterful and compelling history of the Berlin Airlift, The Candy Bombers challenged my thinking on what irregular warfare is, and what it can be. The Berlin Airlift was a critical success for both Western resolve and airpower early in the Cold War. (Walker Mills)
Death to Order: A Modern History of Assassination, by Simon Ball. Assassinations are on the rise around the world, but Simon Ball's Death to Order convincingly shows the reader that such violence is not an aberration but in fact an ever-present thorn in the side of democratic states. Moreover, states themselves have adopted assassination as a significant element of their foreign policies, never more so than in U.S. counterterrorism. Ball's book is detailed yet readable, and offers important recommendations for dealing with assassinations in ways that diminish, rather than aggravate, political tension. (Jacob Ware)
Ghost Wars, by Steve Coll. A tragic and sweeping history that reads like a propulsive thriller of the U.S.' involvement and neglect of activities in Afghanistan from the withdraw of the Soviet Union up to September 11th. De facto required reading for CIA in the immediate years after the 2001 U.S. occupation to help understand the major players and dynamics in the country. As with many U.S. interventions the lack of historical and cultural understanding often contributes to missed opportunities and strategic failure (the irony being that too few knew the details covered by the author in this work before we went into Afghanistan). Coll's following works never matched the impact and scope of this one. (Chris Booth)
Iran’s Shadow Weapons: Covert Action, Intelligence Operations, and Unconventional Warfare, by Jonathan Hackett. This book pulls at a thread I laid out in the first book regarding third party intervention in another state’s conflicts. This book goes far beyond the military instrument of Iran’s national power, delving into diplomatic use of cover, covert influence networks, commercial cover, agent handling, and training partner forces across the globe as a primary mission set not only to fight Western states but also, and perhaps more so, to silence dissent among Iran’s 90+ million people who neither want nor support the tiny regime elites who benefit from the system as it is. My sources for this book include documents appearing for the first time in print translated from over a dozen foreign languages and hundreds of declassified U.S. intelligence reports that have never appeared in public, until now. The book took nearly two years to pass clearance in the IC, requiring and gaining approval of all 17 intelligence components. (Jonathan Hackett)
Theory of Irregular War, by Jonathan Hackett. This book challenges the view that irregular conflicts require principally military solutions. Instead, I argue that irregular wars are a result of the interaction between the independent variable of sovereign dysfunction and one or more of the three dependent variables of social order, sovereign territory, and political institutions. All of these concepts are evaluated and explained in great detail across every conflict in every place on earth since the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. There exists no more exhaustive study of these conflicts than Theory of Irregular War—a fact I know because I read literally every other piece of literature in the field before finishing my own. (Jonathan Hackett)
Unconventional Warfare: Rebuilding U.S. Special Operations Forces, by Susan Marquis. Though nearly 30 years old, Marquis’ book is a must read for anyone serving in or interested in special operations. Her detailed accounting of SOCOM’s creation and early years has not only held up well, but it seems especially relevant as SOF continue redefining their identity after two decades of counterterrorism. (Cole Livieratos)
Irregular Warfare Fiction
Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War, by Karl Marlantes. The author mined his own experiences as a Marine platoon leader to frame a masterful novel that many consider the greatest work of fiction to come out of Vietnam. It took 30 years of revisions, edits, and distance for Marlantes to achieve his masterwork, which examines military careerism, racism, combat leadership, while also operating on deeper philosophical levels and containing literary allusions (e.g. the myth of the Fisher King). Marlantes was also generous enough to sit for a Q&A with the IWI Maritime Program. (Chris Booth)
The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah. The vivid characters and beautiful storytelling bring to the fore the critical role women played during the French resistance to Nazi occupation. Hannah’s work is excellent in showing that resistance can take many forms. While the organized French resistance played a major role, everyday acts of defiance and simply the will to survive longer than the Nazi occupation was just as important. (Cole Livieratos)
Red Rising series, by Pierce Brown. With six books released and the seventh (and final) on its way, Brown has proven a master at world building and character development. IWI readers will especially appreciate the premise of the series, which is set in a future in which humans have divided into a rigid hierarchical caste. The series follows a “Red” member of the lowest caste as he infiltrates and leads an insurgency against the “Golds,” who sit atop the society. Insurgency, terrorism, land warfare, airborne operations (albeit from space), naval strategy, information and influence operations, technological innovation, economic and financial warfare, weapons of mass destruction, and resistance all feature prominently. (Cole Livieratos)
Red Tide, by M.P. Woodward. The ranks of speculative fiction focused on a near-future conflict with the People’s Republic of China grows with M.P. Woodward’s excellent contribution, Red Tide. In his telling, the mechanics of a not-quite-blockade of Taiwan are a major plot point as is maneuvering over semi-conductor fabs. Military practitioners will find small details amiss, or glossed over – but the major plot points are compelling and the storytelling will keep you turning pages at night. (Walker Mills)
General Nonfiction
Code Name: Pale Horse, by Scott Payne. Pale Horse details a riveting story about an undercover FBI special agent who infiltrated and investigated cartel drug trafficking, the opioid epidemic, the Outlaw Motorcycle gang, the Ku Klux Klan, and a neo-Nazi group called The Base. IWI readers will not only enjoy this book over the summer, but they will also learn worthwhile lessons about high profile engagements and negotiations, assessing human behavior, leveraging personality for influence, understanding the operational requirements of a special agent, and gaining respect for law enforcement officers that serve our nation. Scott Payne is a master storyteller who introduces himself as such: “Depending on the case, I may or may not have had kids…or been married…or have played D1 football…or been a musician, but you can bet your ass I lifted weights, rode a Harley, and drank Jack Daniels no matter what my last name was on any given day, and, I’ve been told I can carry on a conversation with a brick wall and when I’m done, the wall is my friend.” (Justin Crews)
The Federalist Papers (specifically No. 2-5, 10, and 51) and Collected Writings of Thomas Paine. These are best enjoyed over a scotch neat. In memory of America's 250th birthday, every IWI reader would benefit from reading Thomas Paine's Common Sense and the Federalist Papers. Thomas Paine anonymously published Common Sense folios in January 1776, sparking a propaganda firestorm that compelled the Thirteen Colonies to declare independence from Great Britain. Having been a revolutionary against two global superpowers, Paine provides a masterclass in appealing to a political cause and cultivating the resistance attitudes inherent in American patriotism. The Federalist papers were written anonymously by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the pseudonym "Publius" to promote the ratification of the Constitution from 1787 to 1788. The recommended Federalist papers include:
· No. 2-5 (Jay): Arguments for a strong, united national government to protect states from foreign influence, division, and military threats
· No. 10 (Madison): Arguments for a large, extended republic that would prevent tyrannical majorities and mob rule by factions. Madison argued against suppressing individual liberty to control factionalization and instead advocated for a balanced republic to achieve this goal.
· No. 51 (Madison): Arguments for checks and balances within government branches to mitigate political self-interest and tyranny. His famous quote is: "Ambition must be made to counteract ambition."
These foundational documents provided a blueprint for our democratic republic and still remain relevant for our country today. Furthermore, reading this history in context provides distinct insights into the powerful examples of resistance and persuasion. (Justin Crews)
Generalissimo, by Jay Taylor. This definitive biography of Chiang Kai-shek traces the full arc of modern Chinese history—from the collapse of the Qing Dynasty through the civil war with the Communists to the retreat to Taiwan—drawing on previously classified Kuomintang archives to offer a portrait far more nuanced than the caricature that has dominated Western historiography. For anyone trying to understand why cross-strait relations are what they are today, this is the essential starting point. The book is also a masterclass in irregular warfare: Chiang's entire career was defined by warlord campaigns, Communist insurgency, Japanese occupation, and ultimately the revolutionary warfare doctrine that drove the Nationalists off the mainland. Surprisingly underread, it belongs on the shelf of everyone thinking deeply about the Indo-Pacific. (Connor Fairman)
The Last Ottoman Generation, by Michael Provence. I first read it during my first deployment to the Middle East, and even after multiple additional trips to the region and completing Middle East Studies at Duke, it remains the single most insightful book into the dynamics of the MENA that I have read. (Lucas Vaughan)
Making the Forever War: Marilyn B. Young on the Culture and Politics of American Militarism, Edited by Mark Philip Bradley and Mary L. Dudziak. A collection of work by the unflinching Vietnam War historian and NYU professor Marilyn Young, whose concerns extended to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the American conflicts that would follow. It addresses the persistence of unlearned lessons and the penchant to make American war invisible- fought by a small professional military far removed from the daily lives of most Americans, and thus easily ignored, normalized, or forgotten by the society that sanctions it. The opening quote serves as both a calling and a validation for those analyzing war in the grey zone: "our continuous task is to make war visible, vivid, an inescapable part of the country's self-conscious, as inescapable a subject of study as it is a reality." (Barbara Elias)
The Nightingale’s Song, by Robert Timberg. The book follows five U.S. Naval Academy graduates: Jim Webb, Oliver North, John McCain, Bud McFarlane, and John Poindexter and how their careers and character were impacted by their experiences at the Academy and through the Vietnam War, leading to several of them becoming entangled in the Iran Contra scandal. Timberg was a Baltimore Sun reporter who was also a USNA graduate and Marine officer who was severely injured and his face was badly burned in an Amtrac that caught on fire after it struck a mine. Time named the book one of the five best non-fiction books of 1995, and it was a New York Times notable book of that year. (Chris Booth)
On Writing, by Stephen King. While George Orwell’s essays on writing (such as Politics and the English Language) are fantastic, King’s memoir is my favorite book about writing. It is witty, reflective, useful, and inspiring. It will make you a better writer and entertain you along the way. (Cole Livieratos)
Patriot: A Memoir, by Alexei Navalny. Given how things turned out, I was not expecting to laugh so much while reading this. Navalny writes with humor and wit while providing sharp insights about the Russian people and how Putin’s Russia functions. Though Navalny works to deflect credit and tries to keep the work light, it is a deeply powerful and moving work written by an incredible person. (Cole Livieratos)
Rebel Island: The Incredible History of Taiwan, by Johnathan Clements. In studying any thorny contemporary security issue, the best place to start is with a general history. In Rebel Island, author Johnathan Clements has laid out an approachable, but thorough telling of Taiwan’s history from pre-history to the present – complete with pirates, Dutch forts and a critical transition to democracy. (Walker Mills)
The Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895: Perceptions, Power, and Primacy, by S.C.M. Paine. This book has come into greater prominence in the past year with Dr. Paine's appearance on the Dwarkesh Podcast. It is a highly illuminating read on a conflict that is generally ignored in favor of the second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War yet no less impactful on contemporary international relations. The author shows how corruption, mismanaged military modernization, and mismatched perceptions proved as decisive as any battle in the war. The book is a sobering reminder that the side with better weapons doesn't always win: it's the side that integrates them effectively, more accurately perceives its adversary, and controls the narrative—lessons Beijing has clearly internalized in the 130 years since. (Connor Fairman)
Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in My Country, by Patricia Evangelista. Though not a light beach read, Evangelista’s book is powerful and moving. I served in the Philippines while Duterte was rising to power and then proceeded to watch with dismay as he led one of the largest government-led campaigns of extrajudicial killing in recent memory. Evangelista’s book is as brave as it is well-written. Through exceptional reporting and wonderful prose, she offers a human account of the killing spree, showing that it was about far more than drugs, crime, and public safety. This book serves as a critical reminder of the importance of checks and balances and shows what happens when individuals operate above the law. (Cole Livieratos)
Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace, by Chris Blattman. In this book, Blattman presents his clinical evaluation of security dilemmas such as the Russo-Ukraine war, a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the century of low-intensity and protracted conflict around the Israel-Palestine territories, and even non-state violence driven by actors like the cartels and Chicago gangs. Readers will leave this book with an accessible assessment framework - backed by voluminous citations of rigorous academic studies and field research - that builds a greater understanding of irregular warfare and the perpetual cycle of violence. Readers will also gain meaningful policy tools (and hope) for greater stability and peace-making in an increasingly multipolar world. This book will provide the nuanced, deep understanding required for readers ranging from foreign policy makers and academics focused on security affairs to irregular warfighters conducting mission analysis in the team room pre-deployment to meet this challenge head on. (Justin Crews)
General Fiction
Ancillary Justice, by Ann Leckie. The first in a series followed by Ancillary Sword and Mercy, is an award-winning space opera that follows the fragmented consciousness of a former starship AI navigating memory, empire, and revenge. With remarkable worldbuilding, ambitious first-person narrative across dual timelines, and inventive treatment of language as an alienation mechanism, it is intellectually and emotionally compelling. It also offers a very fresh take on AI, humanity, and identity in a global discourse, both artistic and professional, sated by repetitive tropes. (Kerry Chavez)
Corelli’s Mandolin, by Louis de Bernieres. Set on the Greek island of Kefalonia during World War II, this is a beautifully told story of love, shifting alliances, betrayal, and loss. The fictional tale takes place during historically true events. Both the Italian and German armies jointly occupied the island, but after Italy was defeated by the United States and then switched sides in 1943, the allies on the Greek isle suddenly found themselves at odds. Forget the movie (it’s not worth watching if you haven’t yet), but definitely read the book.
Odyssey, Stephen Fry. Do you need a refresher before Chirstopher Nolan’s summer blockbuster? Check out Stephen Fry’s take on not just the Odyssey, but all the major stories of Greek mythology (Mythos, Heroes, and Troy as well). Fry, a British actor and comedian, has done his homework. Each book is incredibly well researched, stitching together the classic mythological tales and historical research with threads of dry humor. These re-tellings show that it is possible to improve on something timeless. (Cole Livieratos)
Sophie’s Choice, by William Styron. A truly haunting and unforgettable book that deals with trauma, mental illness, survivor’s guilt, and the Holocaust, Styron’s book has been considered both a masterpiece (No. 96 on the Modern Library’s Top 100 books of the 20th Century), and “problematic,” as modern critics question the viewpoint presented by a midcentury Southern writer. Also, led to a 1982 movie version, for which Meryl Streep won an Oscar for Best Actress. (Chris Booth)
The Three-Body Problem, by Liu Cixin. Originally written in Mandarin by a prolific Chinese sci-if author, the story presents unique non-western approaches to the future of conflict. The Three-Body Problem depicts humanity discovering an alien civilization from a chaotic star system, leading to a long-term existential conflict where information control, deception, and technological disruption become more important than direct military strength. A central theme is that weaker actors can survive or compete against stronger powers by exploiting uncertainty, patience, covert influence, and asymmetric advantages rather than conventional force-on-force confrontation. (Ryan Kertis)
The views expressed are those of the authors and do not reflect the official position of the Irregular Warfare Initiative, Princeton University’s Empirical Studies of Conflict Project, the Modern War Institute at West Point, Department of the Army, Department of War, or the United States Government.
Main image by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash.
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