INNOVATION
Neptune's Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal
By James D. Hornfischer · 516 pages
Why this title matters
James Hornfischer's account of the brutal night surface battles around Guadalcanal in 1942-43, where outgunned American sailors fought a superior Japanese force to hold the sea lanes and keep the Marines ashore alive. A story of improvised tactics, catastrophic losses, and the grinding determination that won the campaign.
Purchase on Amazon (paid link)
Reading category: INNOVATION
Titles for doctrine, experimentation, technology, and the habits that help units out-think the next problem instead of reacting late.