It Doesn't Take A Hero

"It Doesn't Take A Hero" is the remarkable autobiography of H. Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of US and Allied forces during the 1st gulf war .

This is probably one of the longest books I've ever read, almost 600 pages long and in fine print. Not sure why I got hooked. Did it felt like I was reading a novel? I don't know.

I've never been a history buff but this gave me a direct, first hand look at major events: Vietnam War, Invasion of Grenada to free captive American students, Dessert Storm and, to some extent, the Korean War, Fall of the Berlin Wall, Cold War, and other smaller conflicts but with major world repercussions; and seeing it through the eyes of someone who was actually in the middle of it.

He truly lived and is still living (I'm sure) an interesting and fulfilling life. His ideals are so defined: taking care of family, honor, duty, honesty, service to country, loyalty and his rules on leadership. I'm starting to wonder, what are my mine? What are some of the unbreakable life principles that should be governing my life? What are the standards by which I should be measuring myself? At the end of my days, will I be wallowing in regret and self-pity? Or will I be triumphant in my victories?

One thing is so crystal-clear: My history will be defined by what I do and fail to do now.

So many thoughts about this book.

"It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle." - General Norman Schwarzkopf