Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “My American Journey: An Autobiography” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

My American Journey: An Autobiography

by Colin Powell , Joseph E. Persico

3.98 of 5 stars 3.98 · rating details · 3,987 ratings · 184 reviews

The exhilarating story of a great American--from his childhood in the South Bronx to the highest military position in the United States Armed Forces--who fought for his country and for the American Dream.

Audio Cassette , Abridged , 0 pages

Published September 9th 1995 by Random House Audio (first published 1995)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

Or buy for

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about My American Journey , please sign up .

Recent Questions

"There are no secrets to success. Don't waste your time looking for them. Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty to those for whom you work, and persistence” What page is this Quote on?

See 1 question about My American Journey…

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort : default (?) | rating details

Sep 05, 2010 Riley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Back in March 2007, I had the opportunity to attend breakfast of the International Housewares Association. It was here that I was an arms length from Colin Powell as he gave his speech. As he provided short glimpses of events and accomplishments in his life I recall that I had to read his autobiography. Now a little over three years later I finally accomplished that by reading “My American Journey” by Colin Powell.

I found it fascinating the story of how Mr. Powell’s life twisted from his early y Back in March 2007, I had the opportunity to attend breakfast of the International Housewares Association. It was here that I was an arms length from Colin Powell as he gave his speech. As he provided short glimpses of events and accomplishments in his life I recall that I had to read his autobiography. Now a little over three years later I finally accomplished that by reading “My American Journey” by Colin Powell.

I found it fascinating the story of how Mr. Powell’s life twisted from his early years, through his solider years to his Washington years and retirement. While the majority of the book gave a good overview of Mr. Powell’s life, I found the Desert Storm sections the most difficult to make it through. It just didn’t seem to flow as well as the other parts of the book. Perhaps it was the topic, but it seemed like just a retelling of the events of the war during this time.

That said, the primary reason I wanted to read this book was for any words of wisdom or bits of knowledge, and I was not disappointed.

“Being in charge means making decision, no matter how unpleasant. If it’s broke, fix it. When you do, you win the gratitude of the people who have been suffering under the bad situation”…”You cannot let the mission suffer, or make the majority pay to spare the feelings of an individual.”

“Leadership is solving problems. The day a soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.”

Colin Powell’s Rules
1. It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.
2. Get mad, then get over it.
3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.
4. It can be done!
5. Be careful what you choose. You may get it.
6. You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours.
7. Check small things.
8. Share credit
9. Remain calm. Be kind.
10. Have a vision. Be demanding.
11. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers.
12. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.
...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

May 25, 2010 Zohar - ManOfLaBook.com rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this book in chunks, and could not put it down, every moment I had free, that book was in my hand. General Powell is a very admirable person, someone who defeated the odds, and have endured a lot. This book should be required reading in schools, not because of the great story, but because it shows a small part of the bureaucratic machine in Washington, and how big decisions are made. Which I found fascinating.
I loved the little stories that are shared with the reader, the stories you don' ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Jul 22, 2011 Jess rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This autobiography was highly recommended to me by my cousin, who is herself a war veteran. I half expected to be in over my head in military jargon, but I was pleasantly surprised. His writing is insightful and reflective, and I am walking away with the sense that I have a true picture of Powell's value system and basic personality. I also appreciated the fact that he doesn't take himself or his circumstances too seriously. He's actually got a great sense of humor, which is evident throughout t ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

May 23, 2013 Hai Quan rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

East never meet West concept is true in the case of this book .While almost all reviewers, mostly Westerners gave it a very good to good rating, being an Easterner I am going to give it a C minus !
Here is the reason : The Chinese - Viet-Namese concept of The NOBLEST WARRIOR ( loosely translate the word QUAN TU ) is HE WHO DOES NOT ATTRACT TO WEALTH, DOES NOT CHANGE WHEN BEING DESTITUTE, and DOES NOT submit TO OVERWHELMING physical POWER ( Phu quy bat nang dam, ban tien bat nang di,uy vu bat nang ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Nov 28, 2012 Marcie Lovett rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is an extremely long book. I think it could have been more tightly edited and shorter. Colin Powell fills his memoir with historical significance, which made it even more interesting to me. I have to question how he remembers details from 40 years ago, though. Did he document all his conversations and keep a daily journal?

The details make the stories interesting; however, his references to the people he quotes grow tiresome and the story would flow as well without so many of them.

His multi ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jun 29, 2012 Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: autobiography

I read this book shortly after it was published and thought it was a good read. My wife read the Indonesian language version of this book about two years ago and loved it. Last year I was the control officer for Mr. Powell and his wife during a visit to Post. My version of the book is in storage so I asked him to sign a copy of the Indonesian version. He commented on the fact that this was the first Indonesian version he'd seen, checked the copyright and realized that it was a bootleg copy. We c ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Nov 20, 2010 Larry rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I particularly enjoy biography and autobiography, and this is an outstanding one. Powell did so much -- from his career in the military to his service on the National Security Council -- and brilliantly recalls his close up and personal experiences with presidents and senior officials of the U.S. Government. I met him several times when he was Secretary of State (which period is not covered in the memoir), and never ceased being impressed by his ability to connect, to inspire and to set an examp ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 21, 2015 Gino rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

80% of success is showing up. CP showed up & I give him 4 of 5 stars.
The writing isn't great but it shows up, ie it is good enough to keep you going if the subject itself interests you.

It wasn't entirely clear WHY he was so successful, but CP was always willing to show up & I guess CP's other 20% included accomplishing the mission, taking care of the people below him, taking care of the people above him, being effective but also somewhat vanilla, as in not controversial. I am suspicious ...more

flag Like · see review

Aug 18, 2015 Godlarvae rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography , history-vietnam-war , history-modern

I may tend to shy away from many "great men" biographies in that they tend to be disingenuous with their self aggrandizement. It may be for this reason that I left this alone for over a year before picking it up to read. Once started, it became impossible to ignore for Brother Powell is obviously cut from a different cloth. He is a man of great intellect; he is a man of great wit; he is a man who can cut through whatever shrouds the facts of a situation; he is a man of cultivation; he is a man o ...more

flag Like · see review

Feb 04, 2008 Seana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I absolutely love this man. If he were to run for President, I would vote for him in a heartbeat. The best part of this book is the part where he CLEARLY states the pronunciation of his name, which is Cah-lin, not Coh-lin as so many people think.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

May 27, 2015 Patty rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm not much into political or military history unless it has a human connection, and thankfully Colin Powell is able to combine both in his autobiography. He includes a lot of stories about himself, his family, experiences, and interactions with others, all set against the history that was happening. I found the beginning of the book far more engaging than the end, but that's mostly because I'm really not drawn in by talk of politics and military strategy. Thankfully, he kept adding enough pers ...more

flag Like · see review

Feb 10, 2015 Adriana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anyone interested in the workings of government and Colin Powell himself.

Recommended to Adriana by: Parenting and Family

Shelves: biography , political

Colin Powell; is dynamic to the core. A brilliant man with an insatiable need to do right. His story came to be with full strength and it was nice to get the little tid-bits, the stories, the humor that one doesn't see in every day life with our politicians. As I read this book I could not help but think this should be required reading in school. Not because of Colin Powell himself (although that in itself is an empowering story). But rather because of the bureaucracy and the way government is c ...more

flag Like · see review

Oct 28, 2014 Edwin Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought I rated and reviewed this earlier, but it didn't save on my smart phone? Anyway, This is the best, most readable first person account I've read about the behind the scenes workings, (when things did seem to work a bit better than today) of Washington, D.C. Other famous Americans have interesting biographies of their earlier life as does Gen. Powell, but he still kept me interested when the setting was inside the Pentgagon or the White House where he was not in charge and spent time "gr ...more

flag Like · see review

Jan 24, 2014 W. Don rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I found this an interesting insight into a man who I have come to respect a great deal. General Powell takes us from his humble beginnings in a poorer section of New York, to the years immediately following his retirement from the Army in the mid-90s.

I found his candor refreshing, his opinions presented fairly and graciously, and his insight "behind the scenes of power" through many dramatic geopolitical changes over the last 20 or so years to be interesting.

I didn't realize he had served two t I found this an interesting insight into a man who I have come to respect a great deal. General Powell takes us from his humble beginnings in a poorer section of New York, to the years immediately following his retirement from the Army in the mid-90s.

I found his candor refreshing, his opinions presented fairly and graciously, and his insight "behind the scenes of power" through many dramatic geopolitical changes over the last 20 or so years to be interesting.

I didn't realize he had served two tours in Vietnam, that he - for a time - was in the Department of Energy where I work, and his service to President Carter in the late 1970s.

I especially appreciated his insider's perspective into President Reagan's administration, and his time working for Casper Weinberger. He credits these men as being largely responsible for the dramatic turnaround of the US military in the early 1980s, following what he calls "the debacle of Vietnam". I experienced first hand that malaise in the late 1970s, and my enlistment ended the day before President Reagan took office for his first term. But I was privileged to work closely with the US Navy as a civilian in the late 1980s, and can attest personally to the dramatic changes that had occurred and were so evident between January 1981 and January 1985. After reading General Powell's perspective, the changes I observed make sense.

This book ends before his years in the George W. Bush administration, and thus does not include his sensational (in my opinion) presentation before the United Nations making the case for intervention into Iraq after 9/11. I realize some people feel he participated in a lie by making that presentation, but if so, I believe that would have been be out of character for him - judging solely from my distant and historical perspective, to be fair. So, I look forward to reading his next book and learning about those later years as well.

I would certainly include General Powell in my list of great Americans, and I can recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about him. ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 24, 2010 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction , biography , memoir , ultimate-reading-list

Colin Powell is one of my heroes. I know he has his detractors left and right. Those on the left bristle that he served in the Reagan and both Bush administrations and blame him for the Iraq War. Those on the right that he endorsed Obama. I guess it tips my hat as to which team I root for, but no, I'm not particularly happy about the second, though I don't really blame him for what went pears up on the first. But however I felt about that, what he accomplished, especially given his background is ...more

flag Like · see review

Oct 09, 2009 Jake rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography , politics , warfare

Again, I'm going to try and keep this short and sweet.

This book was a bit outside my usual reading habits, but Tony Blauer had it on his list of recommendations, so I thought it would be worth checking out. And I was right. It was worth it.

As the title implies, My American Journey is the story of how Colin Powell went from sub-average school student of Jamaican immigrants in the Bronx to being the commander of the one of the most powerful militaries in the world. It is a quintessential rags-to-r Again, I'm going to try and keep this short and sweet.

This book was a bit outside my usual reading habits, but Tony Blauer had it on his list of recommendations, so I thought it would be worth checking out. And I was right. It was worth it.

As the title implies, My American Journey is the story of how Colin Powell went from sub-average school student of Jamaican immigrants in the Bronx to being the commander of the one of the most powerful militaries in the world. It is a quintessential rags-to-riches sort of story that many Americans enjoy as children and dismiss as propaganda as teenagers (adults fall on all sides of the debate, of course). This is all nice, of course, but not necessarily worthwhile reading on its own. There are plenty of books that tell a similar kind of story, either factual or fictional, and if all you want is a feel good read, this isn't necessarily what you want.

Powell works his way through the story of his life with a level of introspection that might surprise readers who expect him to be a military-minded thug. His voice comes across as honest and genuine, and he is more than willing to admit when he thinks mistakes were made--especially if they were his own. This may be a success story, but it's not one where the author is gloating; Powell acknowledges when he screwed up, if he feels he does. And he acknowledges when OTHER people thought he screwed up, even if he doesn't think so.

And that, really, is what makes the book so fascinating; not just the life Powell has lived, which is admittedly impressive an interesting, but the way he thinks about that life. The book is a fantastic insight into the thinking of a very successful man. Even if you find his politics abhorrent, his thought processes are still worth understanding and thinking about. This is a man who knows how to succeed, and there's a lot to be learned from this.
...more

flag Like · see review

Jan 30, 2009 Trissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After watching Powell announce his support of Barack Obama on Meet The Press, I wanted to know if the criticism he received for doing so was appropriate. I wanted to know how this man climbed the ranks of the military so quickly and how all this intersected with his racial identity.

The criticism (being called a traitor) wasn't appropriate. He believes in fiscal responsibilty and that is the only match I see with the republican party. He served Reagan and Bush because it was his duty. His strong ...more

flag Like · see review

Jan 18, 2012 Redparrot rated it 5 of 5 stars

One of the most profoundly inspiring books on leadership ever. Wonderfully written, it covers the life story of one of the most inspiring leaders of our time. He retraces his military career and gives an inside look at some of the major events of the end of the 20th century. He also outlines his famous 13 Rules of Leadership - which is a must-have for anyone leading anything as small as a guide pack to a multi-continent military operation.

One of his most famous quotations ... "when did you start ...more

flag Like · see review

Aug 07, 2015 Robert Dunlap rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Thoroughly enjoyed. This one is worth highlighting and tabbing. Like books of other prominent warriors, it seems oddly thin on the mechanics and tactics of being a warrior. However, it does include a handy list of his principles at the end.

One dislike is his falling into the trap of "too nice to be a Republican" generalities. These are generally (no puns intended) toward the end of the book and don't distract too much. You sense he's a warm personality whom you would like.

-----
Aug 7, 2015

Eventu Thoroughly enjoyed. This one is worth highlighting and tabbing. Like books of other prominent warriors, it seems oddly thin on the mechanics and tactics of being a warrior. However, it does include a handy list of his principles at the end.

One dislike is his falling into the trap of "too nice to be a Republican" generalities. These are generally (no puns intended) toward the end of the book and don't distract too much. You sense he's a warm personality whom you would like.

-----
Aug 7, 2015

Eventually I decided to get rid of this book. Still excellent, but took a lot of space to say some things that to me are more concisely stated in Harari's The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell.

I'm having a hard time with Powell's lecture circuit statement that all China wants is space on Wal-Mart shelves.

- Was that the case when China wanted our EP-3E and Powell was made to apologize for it? After they took enough electronic technology to boost them by decades and shamed us by not letting it fly out except in crates?

- Was that the case when China got involved in Korea? Vietnam?

- Is that the case now in the South China Sea?

- Are they going to sell any Dongfeng-21 aircraft carrier killer missiles in Wal-Mart?

- Isn't that why they're confident of being jerks in the South China Sea? Because they know that we won't stand up to them? And that Powell could have been in a position to affect these things long ago when they were able to be affected?

How about the choices that led to Iraq II, which led to ISIS?

So, still good, but not gospel, and if someone of my position can see what was going to happen, why not a general and Secretary of State? ...more

flag Like · see review

Sep 16, 2012 Gali Valiente rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although this book started rather slow with Powell's early days as a cadet and his early military career in Vietnam and the cold war era, the later chapters made up for it. His days going through the ranks up to becoming Joint Chief of Staff is described in detail that only an insider and major decision maker can go through. He reveals his thoughts in his dealings with Presidents Reagan, Bush, Clinton, other world leaders. Not only he shares their discussions but what Powell thinks of these worl ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 17, 2008 Rodney rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Rodney by: A High School Friend, and roomate

In reading this book I am so inspired by the hard work and determination that General Powell, Security Advisor Powell, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and yes Secretary of State Powell.
This man has beat all the odds and has become an American Icon for many who seek the goals and dreams of an American dream and Hero. While his affiliation with the republican party has somewhat dampened my political views he has, yet his amazing journey has inspired me to call him and American Hereo, and yes I dare ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 23, 2013 Arlene Starr rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like how Colin Powell describes this book and will include a quote by him, “Mine is the story of a black kid of no early promise from an immigrant family of limited means who was raised in the South Bronx and somehow rose to become the national Security Advisor to the President of the United States and then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Is is mostly a story of hard work and good luck, of occasional rough times, but mostly good times. It is a story of service and soldiering. It is a st I like how Colin Powell describes this book and will include a quote by him, “Mine is the story of a black kid of no early promise from an immigrant family of limited means who was raised in the South Bronx and somehow rose to become the national Security Advisor to the President of the United States and then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Is is mostly a story of hard work and good luck, of occasional rough times, but mostly good times. It is a story of service and soldiering. It is a story about the people who helped make me what I am. It is a story of my benefiting from opportunities created by the sacrifice of those who went before me and maybe my benefiting those who will follow. It is a story of faith—faith in myself, and faith in America. Above all, it's a love story: love of family, of friends, of the Army, and of my country. It is a story that could only have happened in America.”

That's it in a nutshell. I enjoyed the book. Having lived through a lot of the events that the author describes made it even more interesting.

It was a journey not only through Colin Powell's life but for me a look back on the problems that people faced as I was growing up and making my way in life. I experienced through his writing a little of his family life as a child in the Bronx with strong family support, and problems they faced in making a living and getting ahead. The author joined the ROTC program and found something that he loved and did well. He became a Ranger and got his first foreign post in Germany in 1960. He finished graduate school at George Washington University in 1971, became a White House Fellow in 1972; a Battalion Commander in Korea; Brigadier General in 1982. As a military leader he worked under three presidents, Regan, Bush and Clinton. He sees himself as a fiscal conservative with a social conscience.
He showed a good command of the English language. His writings exhibited a peripheral understanding of situations. He believed in having a definite mission before entering into conflicts. It's an incredible writing. You felt the high drama through his words when national and international conflicts were confronted and dealt with in the most effective way and with the least injury to anyone. You felt the emotion and saw the personalities of the individuals who were responsible for these strategies and decisions. My understanding of some events were broadened.
His writings also opened up to his personal life with his wife and children, and family members and his favorite hobby, favorite music, etc. An individual can learn something from this book.
...more

flag Like · see review

Oct 15, 2014 Tim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history , politics

Read this one back on '05.

Colin Powell’s story is something of the quintessential American Dream. Born of two Jamaican immigrants, rose through NY public schools to become a four-star general and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Seems like he published this in 1995 just prior to his embarkation upon his political career. Seems to try to make much of his minority status; it feel like he thinks he has to in his narrative. In a word, though, interesting and easily read.

flag Like · see review

Aug 01, 2010 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction , biography , politics , military , military-service , memoir , african-american , review-gr

This book deepened my already substantial respect for General Colin Powell. I did set the book down a couple of times in the beginning (it is very heavy). As he started writing about events I lived through, I gained new perspectives and became totally immersed in this reader-friendly memoir. I found I finished the last 2/3 of the book in a reading marathon.

This book has a lot of gentle humor woven in and out. Couldn't help grinning how Colin addressed the claims Dan Quayle made concerning his r ...more

flag Like · see review

Dec 05, 2014 T00zday rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aftertaste-meh , biography-political

(yawn) Ho Hum. I liked General Powell a lot more before this book. Secretary Powell...not so much.
I mean, he still is a wonderful man and served his country with honor.
In this book, he makes his life seem as if he didn't really work for these great achievements, but more that he just didn't blow opportunities as they came along.

Not boring.
Recommended as filler or for the biography buff.

flag Like · see review

Jun 02, 2014 Mirande Valbrune rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Positively admire this man. However the book was a bit long and hard to get through as it goes into so much detail. As some reviewers have commented, it could have been more tightly edited. Other than that, this is a great tale of a man who throughout his life is continuously tapped on his shoulder for new opportunities, because he exudes something that others find valuable and inspiring.

flag Like · see review

Aug 08, 2015 Michael Teter rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An interesting autobiography from one of the major components in shaping American history. I found his insights into the Presidents and staff members personalities thought provoking. I was a little disappointed because I was expecting more leadership advise and a deeper dive into his personal thoughts. It read like an unbiased history of account.

flag Like · see review

May 22, 2014 ShiraDestinie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this book nearly ten years ago, and his experience of seeing a Vietnamese monk perform a self-immolation in front of the US embassy still confounds me.

-In Service to Community Cooperation for All Humanity,
Shira
MEOW Date: Monday, May 20. 12014 H.E. (Holocene Era)

flag Like · see review

Mar 07, 2011 clark rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really liked this book. It reads like a novel - engrossing and tough to put down. Powell and Persico (sp?) are great storytellers, and you get a true sense for the experiences that shaped Powell's perspective on leadership, the military, race relations, etc. I didn't love the brief asides on "leadership principles I took from this experience" - felt a little patronizing - but those were relatively infrequent and probably actually helpful. I was also surprised to really understand the extent to ...more

flag Like · see review

May 05, 2009 Paul Recanzone rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this book and Norman Scwharzkopf's It Doesn't Take a Hero at about the same time. While General Schwarzkopf left me feeling like it was a good thin it doesn't take a hero, Mr. Powell left me in awe. Here is a man who truly lived to the fullest of his potential and therefore his fall in front of the United Nations was so much the more devastating. I hope Mr. Powell has an opportunity to write a follow up book on his time as Secretary of State that includes an explanation.

flag Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

Readers Also Enjoyed

Genres

Biography

121 users

Non Fiction

69 users

Politics

32 users

History

31 users

Biography > Autobiography

25 users

War > Military

24 users

Autobiography > Memoir

23 users

Biography Memoir

7 users

War

6 users

Cultural > African American

5 users

See top shelves...

About Colin Powell

General Colin Luther Powell, United States Army (Ret.) KCB (Honorary) is an American politician. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State (2001-2005), serving under President George W. Bush. He was the first Jamaican American appointed to that position. As a General in the United States Army, Powell also served as National Security Advisor (1987–1989) and as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of ...more

More about Colin Powell...

Books by Colin Powell

It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership

Colin Powell: An American Hero Speaks Out

More…

Share This Book

Share on your website

title link	preview: My American Journey: An Autobiography
avg rating	preview: My American Journey: An Autobiography Goodreads rating: 3.98 (3987 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1724923.My_American_Journey?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1187425047l/1724923.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1724923.My_American_Journey?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]My American Journey: An Autobiography by Colin Powell[/url]