No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy

The Life of General James Mattis

By: Jim Proser

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

The first in-depth look at the marine hero who has become one of the most beloved and admired men in America today: Secretary of Defense James Mattis.

A devout student of history and erudite reader revered by rank and file soldiers, officers, academics, politicians, and ordinary citizens, General James Mattis is one of the most admired leaders serving America today. A man who has long used his position as a model for the soldiers he leads, Mattis in 2003 shared a "Message to All Hands" with the men and women under his command, outlining their responsibilities as soldiers of the corps. Emphasizing the importance of the mission and the goal to act with honor, Mattis ended with the motto he had adopted from another great figure, Roman general Lucius Cornelius Sulla: "Demonstrate to the world that there is ‘No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy’ than a US Marine."

The first Trump presidential cabinet nominee, Mattis, retired from activity military duty for only three years at the time, received a rare Congressional waiver to hold the civilian position of Secretary of Defense, and in the hyper-partisan political atmosphere of 2017, astonishingly received nearly unanimous, bipartisan support for his nomination. After months of headline-making chaos involving the White House, Mattis remains one of the few widely revered members of the Trump administration.

In this illuminating biography, Jim Proser looks beyond Mattis’ professional competence to focus on the driving element behind Mattis’ success: his unimpeachable character - a formidable personal integrity that fosters universal confidence. Proser carefully examines the events of Mattis’ life and career to reveal a man who leads with insight, humor, fighting courage, and fierce compassion - not only for his fellow Marines, but for the innocent victims of war. Chronicling how Mattis’ martial and personal values have elevated him to the highest levels of personal success and earned him the trust of a nation, Proser makes clear how America is stronger because of his service and his example.

©2018 Jim Proser (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

Call Sign : Chaos.

Very good insight into all of Mattis's conflicts throughout his Marine career. I was hoping for more insight into the leadership side of his story. The book briefly discusses this but more speaks on his role in various situations over 40 years of time. Overall good listen because you do get a glimpse at the type of leader he is and the path he embarked on.

general James Mattis is a very interesting person.

this was my first audible. I absolutely enjoyed this book. James Mattis is an interesting person.

Incredibly Inspiring

Marvelous insight to the operational genius and emotional mastery required to protect our country. Very compelling and impossible to put down until finished!

Outstanding! Loved every minute of it!

I hung on every word and wished we had more like him in government! A binge book if ever there was one.

Very good overview of General Mattis's service!

Good book, I liked General Mattis's autobiography a bit more. I'm still very irritated by narrators whom don't understand military jargon nor the proper pronunciation of military verbiage, I find it excruciatingly difficult to continue listening after the narrator pronunciats words incorrectly. It's like nails on a chalk board everytime it happens, I wish the companies whom sponsor the audible readings of these books could figure out how to NOT keep doing this, it distracts from the story. That being said it was a good account.

Outstanding story

Outstanding story about a very honorable man. He cared about his people and enemy.

A true thinker and the best America has to offer.

Upholding the standard

It was an excellent bit of reading. I would not expect anything less from a United States Marine. Many great examples of what it takes to be a great leader.

Unexpected

My first Audible book. The perspective threw me off at the start. The narrator's vocal attempts to adopt a Mattis-like determined demeanor, were for the most part unnecessary and annoying---leave the acting to Hollywood. Having served in some of the highlighted operations, I was surprised to be confronted with some of the well guarded details and nuances. Overall, it was a pleasant experience and I highly recommend it.

great leadership

behind the storyline there is a lot of leadership lessons some times it takes more then one time to listen

Excellent book.

Really enjoyed the personal accounts from different perspectives. Kept interest. Chronology was well organized. Good read.