Colin Powell

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Colin Powell
What book is on your nightstand now?

The Summer of 1787, by David O. Stewart. As I grow older, I am increasingly fascinated by our founding fathers—the challenges they faced, and the compromises they made, good and bad, to create a nation, have inspired us and people around the world. I wish today's political leaders, especially in Washington, would show such courage and willingness to fight for what they believe in, while also possessing an understanding of the need to compromise in order to solve the nation's problems. They all need to go off and read 1787.

Excerpted from By the Book by Pamela Paul, published October 28, 2014 by HenryHolt and Company, LLC. Copyright © 2014 by The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.