One of the things I love about my job is that I constantly get to meet fascinating people.  This is certainly the case for SIPA students as well due to the vast number of events held on campus.

This week I participated in a Marine Executive Association event in New York City.  The event was a career and education panel focused on helping active and retired Marines think strategically about their future.

During the networking portion of the event I met a gentleman by the name of David Danelo who it turns out is an accomplished author.  He has written two books and I immediately added both to my “to read” list.   If you are interested in border issues and/or security issues, it sounds like his two books provide deep insight and fodder for future study and analysis.

The book that especially piqued my interest is entitled, The Border: Exploring the U.S. – Mexican Divide.  To research the book, David traveled the length of both the U.S. and Mexico sides of the border over a period of several months.  Border issues are a hot political topic and the likelihood of increased discussion in the future makes this sound like a fascinating read.

George P. Shultz, U.S. Secretary of State from 1982-89 states:

“Danelo provides invaluable information and insight in this book, which deserves a wide and attentive audience.”

The other book is entitled, Blood Stripes – A Grunt’s View of the War in Iraq.  The mainstream media often pays attention to the large policy issues related to the war in Iraq, but very rarely have I heard in depth accounts from those in the field.

Both of these books look interesting and if either of these topics is of interest to you and you plan on studying at SIPA, they might provide great preparation and insight prior to enrolling in our program.

The New York Post states:
“Activists, left or right, will find this book uncomfortable, but its honesty makes it a great education for the rest of us.”