Destroyer Captain -- Lessons of a First Command By ADM James Stavridis USN (203 pages, photos) Reviewer:  Terry Miller Overall Rating: Four Stars: Highly recommended. An excellent book. “A leader is a dealer in hope.” One of the principles of command for then-Commander James Stavridis as he assumed command of USS BARRY (DDG-52) in October of 1992 came from a senior navy captain and became the basis of a very successful tour as CO and later. Now a four-star admiral, Stavridis has written many books and papers but this small volume will be among his most memorable. In Destroyer Captain: Lessons of a First Command he pulls from his personal journal the thoughts and feelings he experienced from the first day aboard the nearly new destroyer to the day he relinquished command twenty-seven months later. Stavridis discusses his wardroom and CPO mess, heaping praise on the dedication of a fine staff who made his job so much easier. What he does not do is credit himself for creating the conditions and leading his crew to think and act for themselves while yet in line with his desires. There is much in his descriptions from which to glean insight of the flag officer he would become. Stavridis provides accurate descriptions of his team, the places they visit, the evolutions handled, and the overall activities of the ship. He brings to life those things that make some commanding officers memorable and certainly the crew of USS BARRY 1993-1995 will always remember with pride their captain. Destroyer Captain is a fast read and is a must for anyone who aspires to command at sea, regardless of the type of ships. It is an essential for those of us who wondered about that loneliest of jobs and the near-reverence in which we held some of those who held command. It should be required reading for all midshipmen to help provide clarity and focus to possible careers and to understand a little better that a certain amount of self-doubt is healthy if it is not allowed to dominate one’s thinking. More than any of that however, Destroyer Captain is entertaining and that alone would make it worth reading.