Looking back from the high hill of his 50 years of public service, Leon Panetta has written a memoir that contains thoughtful insights on the art of governing and the importance of compromise. During the first term of President Barack Obama, when Panetta served in two top Cabinet posts, he led the inter-agency effort to locate Osama bin Laden and oversaw the winding down of two wars. He leaves behind a legacy of accomplishment and a book that provides valuable lessons for the next generation of leaders.
In explaining the man he became, Panetta starts with his origins in Monterey, Calif. He tells of his father’s 1921 emigration from Italy, his early struggles in the United States and the restaurant he built with his mother in Monterey. Rich in detail, this portion of the book shows a different side to the “Cannery Row” made famous by John Steinbeck.
