Elbert Hubbard was that rarest of beings--a philosophical businessman. In 1895 he founded the Roycrofters, a community of artisans selling handcrafted goods. A prolific author, he was a favorite of Henry Ford, Theodore Roosevelt, and other great leaders of his time. A Message to Garcia is Hubbard's most famous work. In it, he argues that the greatest hero is the man who simply does his job, completing the task no matter what the obstacles. Within Hubbard's lifetime, the Message was reprinted more than any book besides the Bible. Today, it is required reading at U.S. military academies.

The U.S. Army Chief of Staff's Professional Reading List 2017 Originally published: East Aurora, NY : Roycrofters, 1899.