Recommended Reading

Gain insight into Dennis' principles and convictions. Check out this list of books and commentaries by the candidate.

 

Dreadnought
by Robert K. Massie

The First World War changed the entire nature of the whole world. We continue to deal with the aftermath of that conflict. This book explains the events and the decisions that resulted in the First World War. The prologue describes the Battle of Trafalgar and the book ends with the expiration of the British ultimatum to Germany.

 

The Noblest Triumph: Property and Prosperity Through the Ages
by Tom Bethel

Private property and the significance it plays in the development of individual wealth is the basis of this book. Without private property rights protected by law, we are all potentially slaves to the powerful.

 

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
by John Le Carré

Spy novels are not considered great literature, but John LeCarré’s tale of duty, loyalty, and betrayal set in the dark days of the Cold War has a depth of character development that qualifies it for great literature. It is a story that can be read over and over again.

 

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don't
by Jim Collins

Why are some companies great, and others just mediocre? Jim Collins and a research team set out to try to determine the answer to that question. It was a methodical study, and involved extensive interviews and research. You should read the book, if for no other reason than to learn about ““mirrors and windows.”

 

The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge
by David McCullough

The Brooklyn Bridge still stands over a century after it was built—one of the great engineering marvels of the 19th Century. The building of this bridge killed one genius, and crippled his son who was also a genius. In spite of this and other deaths, the bridge was completed and New York City was permanently transformed.

 

History of the English Speaking Peoples (4 Volumes)
by Winston Churchill

Mostly we think of Churchill as a statesman who saved Britain, Europe, and possibly the world. But before that (and after), he was a writer. If he had done nothing more but write books, he still would have been one of the towering figures of the 20th century. This 4-volume set is incredibly easy to read, and paints a picture of the greatness and follies of mankind.

 

Thud Ridge: F-105 Thunderchief Missions Over Vietnam
by Jack Broughton and Hanson Baldwin

Thud Ridge is a mountain range in North Viet Nam that runs from the northwest to the southeast providing a frame of reference for American pilots approaching Hanoi. It is the final resting place of way too many F105 “thuds.” This book is actually a collection of short essays regarding various missions flown in the late ‘60’s by F105 pilots. These men were alone in their airplanes facing extremely sophisticated air defense, yet they did not hesitate in their duty. Although it is written from the perspective of U. S. Air Force pilots, John McCain’s presidential campaign makes this a book worth reading at this time.

 

Love and Respect: The Love She Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs
by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

This book provides an incredible insight into the different needs of husbands and wives in the marriage environment. Every married couple should read this—together.

 

Last Great Victory: The End of World War II
by Stanley Weintraub

The details surrounding the events leading to the surrender of Japan are set forth in a compelling story. It begins with the Potsdam conference and ends with the surrender on the USS Missouri. Those who believe the use of the atomic bombs were unnecessary, need to read this book and learn about the coup d’etat attempt after the Hiroshima bomb. The commander of the imperial division was murdered in that attempt.

 

The Oath
by Frank Peretti

This is my favorite piece of Christian fiction. It is a gripping story of one man’s struggle to understand the true significance of his brother’s death and the threat that he himself faces.

 

The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914
by David McCullough

The attempt to build a trans-oceanic canal destroyed a French icon, and came close to stumping American engineers. This is the story about the building of the Panama Canal starting with the French failure and concluding with the American triumph—a marvel of engineering, medicine, human perseverance, and American know-how.

 

John Adams
by David McCullough

John Adams is probably one of the least appreciated founding fathers. He was also probably one of the least radical (along with Geroge Washington) to take up the cause of revolution. Adams was the attorney who defended the British soldiers accused in the Boston Massacre, and yet he was the driving force behind the effort to declare independence. Adams was the one who suggested that Jefferson prepare the draft of the Declaration of Independence.

 

We Were Soldiers Once…And Young: Ia Drang - The Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam
by Harold Moore and Joe Galloway

In November 1965, the first battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Air Cavalry Division, landed in a small clearing in the Ia Drang Valley. The resulting three day battle was the first major American combat operation of the Viet Nam War. Significantly the Assistant Division Commander at the time of the battle was Richard Knowles, former New Mexico State Representative, District 57.

 

Trilogy on the Army of the Potomac
by Bruce Catton

Bruce Catton is probably the finest writer about the Civil War. This work won a Pulitzer Prize and is incredibly readable and gripping. Anyone wishing to have an understanding of the Civil War could not find a better place to start.

Mr. Lincoln's Army (Part One)

 

 

Glory Road (Part Two)

 

 

 

A Stillness at Appomattox (Part Three)

 

 

 

The Way the World Works
by Jude Wanniski

Anyone wishing to understand the relationships between economic growth, taxation, monetary policy, and regulation should read this book. The detailed explanation of the cause of the Great Depression is by itself enough of a reason to read this book.

 

The Unheavenly City: The Nature and Future of Our Urban Crisis
by Edward Banfield

I was first exposed to this book almost forty years ago. Some of the phraseology is dated, but the concepts are timeless. Banfield puts forth the concept that people fall into different “classes,” not based upon wealth, education, or family connections. The “class” of a person is determined by how long they will work before they expect gratification. The ultimate low class person is the drug addict who consumes his drugs knowing that they will destroy him, yet he wants the rush that comes with them. The ultimate high class person would be a Mother Theresa who labors her entire life serving others for a reward in Heaven. Most of us fall in between.

 

Case Closed
by Gerald Posner

Those who wish to cling to some bizarre conspiracy theory about the assassination of JFK are warned not to read this book as it will cause them great discomfort and aggravation.

 

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable
by Patrick Lencioni

This is possibly the most readable management/leadership business book ever written. It is presented as a “leadership fable,” yet it has been used as required reading in college business classes.

 

 

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You
by John Maxwell

Maxwell is probably the most effective leadership training guru in the world today. This break-through book is “must reading” for those who wish or need to assume leadership positions.

 

The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression
by Amity Shlaes

The Great Depression became a defining time for the United States and the Democratic Party. It was a time in the wilderness for conservatives and the Republican Party. This book examines the policies of FDR and the true consequences of the economic decisions made by his administration. It is significant that the Dow Jones Industrial Index did not return to its 1929 levels until almost the mid 1950’s.

 

Washington's Crossing
by Davd Hackett Fischer

The Revolution was almost crushed. British commanders were planning to return home in triumph. A small ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill-equipped band of soldiers were the last resistance. Most of us today have no concept of what a miracle occurred the winter of 1776-1777. The book begins with the British landing at New York and follows the retreat of Washington and the Continental Army across New Jersey. It describes in detail the amazing American triumphs at Trenton and Princeton, and concludes with the liberation of New Jersey during the spring of 1777.

 

Paul Revere's Ride
by David Hackett Fischer

Our understanding of the events at the beginning of the American Revolution has been clouded by myth and legend. This book details what truly happened at the beginning of our country. Some of this will be familiar, but much will be new and surprising for the first time reader.

 

The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate
by Gary Chapman

We will want to be loved, each of us in our own way, but why is our way different from our spouse’s, our children’s, or our parents’. This book explains how each of us has our own love language. Just because we try to speak love in our own language, does not mean it is understood by those we love.

 

His Needs, Her Needs: Building an Affair-Proof Marriage
by William F. Harley, Jr.

Men and women are different---no kidding! This book explains how strikingly different our needs are. Every person married or thinking of marriage should read this book to understand the needs of their spouse or prospective spouse.

 

Unsinkable: The Full Story of the RMS Titanic
by Daniel Allen Butler

In the forty years prior to the Titanic, a total of four lives were lost in the Trans-Atlantic passenger service. The opening in the hull of the Titanic was approximately twelve square feet. Lifeboats were still being loaded as the Titanic went under. These are just a few of the facts not widely known about the incredible disaster. The behavior of the captains of the Titanic, the Californian, and the Carpathia are studies of men in leadership positions in times of crises.

 

The Battle of Britain: The Greatest Air Battle of World War II
by Richard Hough and Denis Richards

In the debate about missile defense systems, opponents tend to reference the Maginot line. At the same time the French were pouring resources into the Maginot line, the British were developing a system of radar, command and control, modern all–metal monoplane fighters, and radio communication. This system which was built in the late 1930’s allowed Britain to survive and triumph in its “Greatest Hour.”

 

Run Silent, Run Deep
by Edward L. Beach

This is the greatest novel about submarine warfare in the Pacific in World War II. It is a story not about battles, but about men, their fears, their loves, their duty, and the triumph of honor.

 

Wild At Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul
by John Eldredge

This is an incredible book that every man must read to gain an understanding of that which drives us—a recognition of our NEED for a battle to fight, an adventure to go on, and a beauty to win.

 

Maltese Falcon
by Dashiel Hammett

There are no two ways about it, the author was a communist sympathizer, but, by golly, the man could write. He single-handedly pioneered the “private eye” novel. The Maltese Falcon is perhaps his best work. The concluding chapter where Sam Spade explains the need to be true to his dead partner is a gripping explanation of what drives men to be noble.

 

Starship Troopers
by Robert Heinlein

This is a science fiction classic that was made into an incredibly cheesy movie. The book is borderline literature because, if you strip away the science fiction, futuristic gismo trappings, the story is about a young man becoming a mature leader in a time of crisis and distress.

 

H.M.S. Ulysses
by Alister MacLean

Before he lowered himself into writing “formulistic” suspense novels, Alister MacLean wrote a great novel about the sea and men in a time of war. A doomed ship heads off on a hopeless journey protecting a convoy around the north shore of German–occupied Norway during the dark days of World War II. Less than noble men rise to the crisis and meet it with dignity.

 

The Big Sleep
by Raymond Chandler

The only one who can challenge Dashiel Hammett is Raymond Chandler whose stories are set a generation later in the Los Angeles of the late 40’s and early 50’s. Private investigator Philip Marlow navigates his way through dangerous waters of deceit, betrayal, and depravity.

 

Team of Rivals: the Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican president and arguably the standard against which all subsequent Republicans should be measured. Lincoln was not afraid to include in his cabinet the most strong-willed individuals in the American political scene at the time. His grace and digntity in trying and difficult times was truly amazing.