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PDT Reading List

Fighting Smarter by Tom Givens
If you were to only buy one book, this would be the one. It doesn't go into great detail but covers just about all pertinent areas well. No longer available in book form, CD only.

The Some of the Answer series by Jim Crews
They are available for pistol, carbine & shotgun and all have intricate detail. I know of no other books that do as good of a job at the technical aspects of shooting a firearm.

Combative Fundamentals by Jeff Gonzales
Handgun Combatives by Dave Spaulding
Modern Technique of the Pistol by Greg Morrison
All of these are outstanding but Gonzales' is the most universal as it covers both sidearms & longarms. His descriptions are great but the book could use more pictures or illustrations. Honorable mention goes to the Tactical series by Gabe Suarez with his Tactical Advantage being the best.

Tactical Reality by Louis Awerbuck
A collection of various articles that combine practical lessons with wry humor.

Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War by Robert Coram
Col. John Boyd was probably one of the greatest tactical thinkers of all time and his work is the basis for modern day air and ground combat.

Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales
This collection of stories about people surviving horrible incidents provides wonderful insights into how humans think and behave in the face of adversity.

The Unthinkable by Amanda Ripley
Similar to Deep Survival but with slightly more depth as to why than just how people survived.

Principles of Personal Defense by Jeff Cooper
This has to be #1 as it provides the cornerstone on which most other books are based. At only 44 pages, it has more valuable information than any other book available.

Gates Of Fire by Steven Pressfield
The 480 BC battle of Thermopylae between 300 Spartan warriors and two million invading Persians is a must read for anyone wishing to improve their "combat mindset".

On Killing by Dave Grossman
I don't agree with everything he has to say but most of the book is very well done and worth the read.

The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker
This book makes some valid points and although he has some fairly anti-gun sentiments, I'd still suggest it.

Deadly Force Encounters by Artwahl/Christensen
This is a case study analysis of real confrontations and the effects on the participants. It's the real story of several people who have "been there."

Breakout by Martin Russ
This is the story of the Chosin Reservoir campaign in the Korean War and although it's clearly biased to favor the USMC, those guys prevailed in the face of truly overwhelming odds.

Swift, Silent and Surrounded by Andy Bufalo
The chapters in this book are organized around the fourteen principles of leadership espoused by the Marine Corps. It's basically a bunch of short stories that do a remarkable job of illustrating those principles. Andy's other books are also excellent.

Flags of our Fathers by James Bradley
The story of how Marines triumphed at Iwo Jima and one of the best books on battle ever written.

Beyond Fundamentals by Brian Enos
Surgical Speed Shooting by Andy Stanford
Both do an excellent job of providing information about increasing your speed (even if biased toward isosceles stance). I also really like Matt Burkett's DVD's on this subject.

Terror at Beslan: A Russian Tragedy with Lessons for America's Schools by John Giduck

The Arab Mind by Raphel Patai
This is the definitive book for understanding what makes the Arab mind tick. It's kind of scholarly and dry but well worth the effort.

Inside the Criminal Mind by Stanton Samenow
This is an excellent piece on why criminals behave in the manner they do.

Fight at Night by Andy Stanford
This is the authoritative text on dealing with low light conditions.

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
This text is about unlocking your unconscious mind so that you can make good decisions in under two seconds.