Blue & Gold Professional Library Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Bluejacket’s Manual |
1902 |
Buy |
| Division Officer’s Guide, 12th Edition |
1972 |
Buy |
| Command at Sea |
1998 |
Buy |
| Dutton’s Nautical Navigation |
2003 |
Buy |
| A Sailor’s History of the U.S. Navy |
2004 |
Buy |
| Dictionary of Naval Abbreviations |
2004 |
Buy |
| NavCivGuide |
2008 |
Buy |
| The Citizen’s Guide to the U.S. Navy |
2013 |
Buy |
| Saltwater Leadership |
2013 |
Buy |
| Naval Innovation for the 21st Century |
2013 |
Buy |
| International Law for Seagoing Officers, 7th Edition |
2014 |
Buy |
| Fleet Tactics and Naval Operations |
2018 |
Buy |
| General Naval Tactics |
2020 |
Buy |
| Fighting the Fleet |
2020 |
Buy |
| Developing the Naval Mind |
2021 |
Buy |
Non-Fiction#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Watch Officer’s Guide, Fifteenth Edition |
1992 |
Buy |
| Destroyer Captain |
2008 |
Buy |
| Partnership for the Americas |
2010 |
Buy |
| The Accidental Admiral |
2014 |
Buy |
| The Leader’s Bookshelf |
2017 |
Buy |
| Sea Power |
2017 |
Buy |
| Sailing True North |
2019 |
Buy |
| The Sailor’s Bookshelf |
2021 |
Buy |
| To Risk It All |
2022 |
Buy |
Scott Bradley James#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Restless Wave |
2024 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| 2034 |
2021 |
Buy |
| 2054 |
2024 |
Buy |
| The Admiral’s Bookshelf |
2025 |
Buy |
| 2084 of Future War |
2026 |
Buy |
James Stavridis writes about naval leadership, strategy, and military affairs. The bulk of his catalog falls within the Blue & Gold Professional Library, a long-running series of reference and professional development titles for Navy officers. These range from The Bluejacket’s Manual and Command at Sea to more specialized works like Fleet Tactics and Naval Operations and International Law for Seagoing Officers. His standalone non-fiction includes Sea Power (2017), Sailing True North (2019), and To Risk It All (2022), along with earlier titles like Destroyer Captain and The Accidental Admiral.
Beyond non-fiction, Stavridis has co-authored speculative novels set in the near future: 2034 (2021) and 2054 (2024) imagine geopolitical conflicts in the decades ahead, while 2084 of Future War (2026) continues that line. He has also edited or contributed to works like The Leader’s Bookshelf, The Sailor’s Bookshelf, and The Admiral’s Bookshelf. His 29 books reflect a career split between practical naval reference material and broader writing about strategy, leadership, and imagined futures.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has James Stavridis written?
James Stavridis has written 29 books across four series.
What was James Stavridis's first book?
James Stavridis’s first book is The Bluejacket’s Manual, published in 1902.
What genres does James Stavridis write in?
James Stavridis writes non-fiction. Their best-known work includes the Blue & Gold Professional Library series.