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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
My Fight Against America's Enemies, At Home and Abroad
Just west of New York City, past the Hudson River, lies Hudson County, New Jersey. The county is small yet densely populated. It’s long been home to immigrants from all over the world – including John Brennan’s father, Owen, who sailed to America from Ireland in 1948.
Growing up in New Jersey, Brennan’s early life was pretty simple. The family was poor, so in order to afford movie tickets and ice cream he took on part-time jobs; he delivered newspapers and pharmacy prescriptions and stocked shelves at grocery stores. In his spare time, he read children’s encyclopedias on American history – including one where he learned about American spy Nathan Hale, which made him fantasize about becoming a spy himself. At Catholic school, a somewhat rebellious teacher taught Brennan to think independently and question other people’s claims – which prepared Brennan well for his later career.
The key message here is: John Brennan’s early experiences prepared him for a career in intelligence.
When he got to college, Brennan began taking courses on international relations and comparative politics. But it was the philosophy and theology courses that left the deepest impression on him. In particular, he was fascinated by the theories of war offered by Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas. Their ideas would travel the world with Brennan during his later roles in the CIA.
It was also at this age that Brennan got his first taste of life overseas. His cousin Tom was working at the US embassy in Indonesia and invited him to spend the summer there. When Brennan stepped off the plane in Jakarta, he felt as if a door to an entirely new world had been opened for him. The intense smells and the hot air were different than anything he’d ever experienced. The city also offered him his first exposure to the American diplomatic community, whose members impressed him with their patriotism and dedication.
This wasn’t Brennan’s only overseas experience during this time. At the beginning of his sophomore year, he received a brochure about the American University in Cairo, Egypt. On the way home that same day, Brennan happened to hear a radio broadcast about the assassination of Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal. The political intrigue deepened Brennan’s interest in the region, and a few days later he informed his parents that he wanted to go to school in Cairo.
Undaunted (2020) sketches the life of former CIA director John Brennan, from his humble beginnings in a blue-collar New Jersey household to his rise through the ranks of the CIA. Packed with political intrigue and personal anecdotes, it’s a remarkable and surprising look at a man who has dedicated his life to keeping America safe.
America had finally realized the long-held promise that the threat posed by the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks would one day be eliminated.
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Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trialBlink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma