--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [General James Mattis] a very talented…" description: "\"[General James Mattis] a very talented individual. He's - has a personal library of about 10,000 books and he's read most of them on military history a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/peter-r-mansoor-34309_book_general-james-mattis-a-very-talented-ind_675604.jpg" --- # \[General James Mattis\] a very talented individual. He's… ![“[General James Mattis] a very talented individual. He's - has a personal library of about 10,000 books and he's read most of them on military history and strategy and so forth.” quote by Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/peter-r-mansoor-34309_book_general-james-mattis-a-very-talented-ind_675604.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/peter-r-mansoor-34309_book_general-james-mattis-a-very-talented-ind_675604.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/peter-r-mansoor-34309_book_general-james-mattis-a-very-talented-ind_675604.jpg) > “\[General James Mattis\] a very talented individual. He's - has a personal library of about 10,000 books and he's read most of them on military history and strategy and so forth.” [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Extensive reading builds deep expertise, enhancing strategic thinking. **In simple terms:** Reading fuels expertise. Key Takeaway Read widely for strategic insight. Themes learning expertise strategy leadership Mood analytical inspirational Type advice motivational When to use this quote - military training - executive education - self‑study programs - book clubs Key Concepts knowledge acquisition historical analysis critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you prioritize reading? - What sources best inform strategy? A Different Perspective Time constraints limit reading. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [000 Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/000-books-743572/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [General james mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-james-mattis/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/james-mattis/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Mattis Talented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mattis-talented-5354051/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Military history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military-history/) [Read Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-military-1704527/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) [Talented Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talented-individual-2026109/) ## Related quotes > [ \[General James Mattis\] said, reading allows you to learn from other people's mistakes without filling body bags with the bodies of your soldiers as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-said-reading-allows-you-to-learn-from-other/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [I think this does show that there will be some changes, not so much in Europe or Asia but certainly in the Middle East.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/i-think-this-does-show-that-there-will-be-some-changes-not-so-much-in/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ \[ General James Mattis\] is a Marine's Marine who has served in combat in both Afghanistan and Iraq. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-is-a-marine-s-marine-who-has-served-in-combat-in/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ General \[James\] Mattis has got a really intellectual mindset about how the United States should go about protecting its national security. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-has-got-a-really-intellectual-mindset-about-how/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [Michele Flournoy, by the way, is not just a talented and bright person. She was Hillary Clinton's secretary of defense in-waiting. So for her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/michele-flournoy-by-the-way-is-not-just-a-talented-and-bright-person/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [Barack Obama has done more than anyone else to promote the dangerous illusion that we can choose whether to have a war or not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/barack-obama-has-done-more-than-anyone-else-to-promote-the-dangerous/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [ General \[James\] Mattis's primary experience - indeed, his only experience - is as a member of the United States Marine Corps, where he served… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/general-james-mattis-s-primary-experience-indeed-his-only-experience/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [ Since 9/11 we've been engaged in wars around the world, and General \[James\] Mattis has been a leading battlefield commander in many of those… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/since-9-11-we-ve-been-engaged-in-wars-around-the-world-and-general/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [When the Defense Department was established after World War II, a law said that any defense secretary with military experience must have been out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/when-the-defense-department-was-established-after-world-war-ii-a-law/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [ Congress can grant a waiver \[for General James Mattis \] and has done that once in history. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/congress-can-grant-a-waiver-for-general-james-mattis-and-has-done/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [General James Mattis is a storied and much-respected military leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-flournoy/general-james-mattis-is-a-storied-and-much-respected-military-leader/) [Michele Flournoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-flournoy/) > [The thing that strikes me, from looking at the names so far in the Donald Trump's Cabinet on the foreign policy side, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-dyer/the-thing-that-strikes-me-from-looking-at-the-names-so-far-in-the/) [Geoff Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-dyer/) > [ We've learned something about President-elect \[Donald\] Trump's choice for secretary of defense. Lawmakers in Congress intend to proper debate over whether retired General James… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/we-ve-learned-something-about-president-elect-donald-trump-s-choice/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [Brothers and sisters, white people will come in to chastise us. But since we are no longer forsaken, and are the people of God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/brothers-and-sisters-white-people-will-come-in-to-chastise-us-but/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [ General \[James\] Mattis has said that the deal's in place. We can't unilaterally pull out of it without support from our allies because the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-has-said-that-the-deal-s-in-place-we-can-t/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) ## More by Peter R. Mansoor > [I think this does show that there will be some changes, not so much in Europe or Asia but certainly in the Middle East.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/i-think-this-does-show-that-there-will-be-some-changes-not-so-much-in/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ Given this president \[Donald Trump\] and his lack of military experience, I think it actually might be a good thing to have someone who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/given-this-president-donald-trump-and-his-lack-of-military-experience/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ So in his very politically-incorrect way, I think \[James Mattis\] is a good counterpart to Donald Trump, who doesn't read books. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/so-in-his-very-politically-incorrect-way-i-think-james-mattis-is-a/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ \[ General James Mattis\] is a Marine's Marine who has served in combat in both Afghanistan and Iraq. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-is-a-marine-s-marine-who-has-served-in-combat-in/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [Why do soldiers fight? They join because they believe in a higher cause -- protecting religion, their nation, defending against a foreign nation. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/why-do-soldiers-fight-they-join-because-they-believe-in-a-higher/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ General \[James\] Mattis has said that the deal's in place. We can't unilaterally pull out of it without support from our allies because the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-has-said-that-the-deal-s-in-place-we-can-t/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ General \[James\] Mattis has got a really intellectual mindset about how the United States should go about protecting its national security. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-has-got-a-really-intellectual-mindset-about-how/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [Certainly, we shouldn't go about making a habit of taking generals and making them secretary of defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/certainly-we-shouldn-t-go-about-making-a-habit-of-taking-generals-and/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [Michele Flournoy, by the way, is not just a talented and bright person. She was Hillary Clinton's secretary of defense in-waiting. So for her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/michele-flournoy-by-the-way-is-not-just-a-talented-and-bright-person/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ I think that you will see some significant changes in the \[Donald\] Trump administration. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/i-think-that-you-will-see-some-significant-changes-in-the-donald/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ t I think what \[James Mattis\] will do with the deal is monitor it very, very carefully and make sure that Iran is complying… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/t-i-think-what-james-mattis-will-do-with-the-deal-is-monitor-it-very/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ \[General James Mattis\] said, reading allows you to learn from other people's mistakes without filling body bags with the bodies of your soldiers as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-said-reading-allows-you-to-learn-from-other/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [Iran has proxies in Yemen, Syria, Iraq. You can push back against Iran without pulling out of the deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/iran-has-proxies-in-yemen-syria-iraq-you-can-push-back-against-iran/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) [Explore all 14 Peter R. Mansoor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[General James Mattis] a very talented individual. 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