This October, the University of Notre Dame Press will publish Generals and Admirals, Criminals and Crooks: Dishonorable Leadership in the U.S. Military by Jeffrey J. Matthews. For a limited time, we are giving away advance copies! Enter to win by filling out the form at the bottom of this post. This offer expires August 31st and is open to U.S. residents only.
Can’t wait to start reading? Reviewers, bookstore employees, librarians, and other members of the book industry can request a galley through Edelweiss. We encourage you to leave a review if you enjoyed the book.
“In Generals and Admirals, Criminals and Crooks, Matthews tells the stories of how some famous (and infamous) flag officers embarrass their nation and their profession in myriad ways. This book is a terrific tale of failures, and it must become part of the required reading on leadership at all our military staff and war colleges.”
—Lieutenant General (Ret.) Mark Hertling, U.S. Army
There is an ugly strain of criminal and unethical leadership in the upper ranks of the American military. Despite the exemplary service of most American military members, a persistent minority of U.S. flag officers have embroiled the profession in scandal since the Revolutionary War. In Generals and Admirals, Criminals and Crooks, award-winning author Jeffrey J. Matthews examines bad leadership in American military history over the past one hundred years, beginning with war crimes in the Philippine-American War and ending with the recent Fat Leonard corruption scandal. Scrutinizing a range of leadership failures, including moral cowardice, sex crimes, insubordination, toxic leadership, and obstruction of justice, Matthews offers a fascinating analysis of the bases and motives leading to these missteps and explores what could be done to curtail future misconduct of generals and admirals.
Jeffrey J. Matthews is the George Frederick Jewett Distinguished Professor at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. He teaches American history and leadership and has written or edited four previous books, including Colin Powell: Imperfect Patriot, winner of the Foreword INDIES War and Military Book of the Year Award and finalist for the Army Historical Foundation Book Award.
“We cannot promote good leadership by denying bad leadership. Generals and Admirals, Criminals and Crooks will not allow us to take the easy way out.”
—Barbara Kellerman, author of Leaders Who Lust