Generally Speaking: A Memoir

by Claudia J. Kennedy and Malcolm McConnell

Book Overview

Claudia J. Kennedy retired as the Armys first female three-star general and the highest-ranking woman ever in that branch, overseeing 45,000 soldiers worldwide. As she recounts her experiences in a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446527939
• ISBN13: 9780446527934
• Release Date: September 2001
• Publisher: Warner Books (NY)
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.4" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 13 years and up

Customer Reviews

Good Read on an Interesting Person

This is a good read about a very interesting person. It has been my pleasure to know her and so reading it and serving in the early 70s brought back a bunch of memories. Thanks for putting this book on the Kindle!!

Very close to home

I had the great pleasure of meeting General Kennedy when she was still a captain. Even then, she displayed an amazing dedication to her troops - male and female alike. Of all the officers I worked with over my military career, General Kennedy stands out as the best of the best. General Kennedy's story is unique, but it's also the story of today's military - right down to the barenuckled, back room politics that have always been evident in political decision making. Far more interesting is her unswerving loyalty to the Army and her country despite the petty rumormongering and questionable tactics used against her. One thing is certain: General Kennedy is a soldier's general. Her story is the story of today's army and the end of the obsession with personal power that's dominated the military since World War II. This is a story, not just of the coming of age of a woman soldier - but the coming of age of the US military.

Generally

This book presents an excellent road map for people interested in understanding how we have arrived at where we are today--women coming home from a war in body bags.

A great career story

Reviewers who dismiss the book as a "woman's story" are missing the point. Kennedy joined the Army as a WAC and, as a young officer, was denied access to combat branches. She made strategic moves throughout her career, choosing a branch where her gender wouldn't hold her back, knowing when to speak out and when to keep quiet. I loved the sections about her training: she didn't worry about getting demerits or being yelled at, and she did worry when she never did get her brass and shoes to shine as brightly as those of her classmates. The mentoring discussion is superb. She offers guidance to men AND women -- but she dismisses a woman who foolishly asks, "How can I be a general like you?" As General Kennedy's career demonstrates, you need inner wisdom to move through a system like the Army or a giant corporation. You have limited time and you'd better figure out the rules early. That's the lesson of this book, which I would recommend to all my career consulting clients.

Insightful and powerful.

This is a terrific insight into breaking through the glass ceiling. While the author's experience is in the military, the lessons she offers are equally valuable in the corporate world. She avoids recriminations and all the drama and trauma so many employ in examining their successes. Instead, the author presents real life examples, problems and solutions, that are transferable to a multitude of situations. It is a fascinating personal history with important lessons to be learned by women (and men!) in all walks of life. I recommend it highly.