Elliot ACKERMAN is the author of the novels Red Dress in Black and White, Waiting for Eden, Dark at the Crossing, and Green on Blue, as well as the memoir Places and Names : On War, Revolution, and Returning. His books have been nominated for the National Book Award and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. He is both a former White House Fellow and Marine, and served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he received the Silver Star, Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart.
Admiral Jim STAVRIDIS, USN (RET.), spent more than thirty years in the US Navy, rising to the rank of four-star admiral. He was Supreme Allied Commander at NATO and previously commanded US Southern Command, overseeing military operations through Latin America. At sea, he commanded a Navy destroyer, a destroyer squadron, and an aircraft carrier battle group in combat. He holds a PhD from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where he recently served five years as dean.
He has published nine previous books, including Sea Power : The History and Geopolitics of the World's Oceans and Sailing True North : Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character.
