Some books are truly inspirational. That's because the characters in them touch your heart and move you to action. I would rate "Dark Horse" by General Larry O. Spencer, USAF (Retd), as one such book. He came from fairly humble circumstances, being born in 1954 to a African-American family in a tough inner-city area called The Horseshoe in Washington DC.
He enlisted in the United States Air Force at the lowest level as an airman. After 44 years of distinguished service he retired as a four-star General and the Vice Chief of the United States Air Force. He was only the ninth African-American to get four -star rank. His is an extraordinary story of grit, commitment to his profession and an ability to aim high and achieve his goals. He became and remained a top achiever despite many challenges that came his way.

An inspirational and motivational memoir of an impressive man. Easy to read and rich with USAF details, I only wish he'd included more about his home life and the work-life balance. It would be interesting to read a memoir by his wife; 22 moves while raising 3 children is equally, if not more, impressive! I'm glad he detailed the casual racism he experienced as it demonstrates how pervasive that behaviour is and that no person of colour is exempt from it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

General Spencer tells the tale of a uniquely American opportunity and story. A young man from a society like other societies does not make it easy for the disadvantaged to rise above the station they were born into, but the difference was that if you were willing to apply yourself and make sacrifices of comfort opportunities are still available. This is truly an American success story. In today’s world where belief in one's self is considered toxic and love of country jingoistic Spencer tells a tale of success and growth while also realizing the challenges inherent to himself.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I could not put this honest, informative book down. The author, a black man, takes us through his upbringing in a poor Washington, DC neighborhood through a chance encounter with a military recruiter and then his rise through the Air Force ranks.

I liked that this book took me inside the Air Force, to understand what service members do every day during times of peace. I liked that the author took us through the twists of fate that, along with his powerful work ethic and intelligence, allowed him to rise up to the highest levels of the Air Force.

The military publishing house gave me pause when I first learned of this book—I did not think they would let the author be honest about experiences of racism inside and outside the military. But this author does not hold back. He shares the deceptive practices of the military recruiter who brought him into the Air Force. He takes us through the harrowing experience of having a police officer point a gun at him in his own home, thinking he was an intruder. The author shares numerous experiences of racial discrimination at work and on base. It’s a critical look at military culture.

My one criticism of this book is that the author did not explain how he identified mentors and sponsors to help him in his career. He also did not discuss enough experiences of rejection, especially as he attained higher ranks. For readers turning to this book for career advice, those would have been useful.

Still, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a powerful, inspiring, honest memoir.