"All In: The Education of General David Petraeus," by Paula Broadwell

Jeff Glor talks to Paula Broadwell about, "All In: The Education of General David Petraeus."

Jeff Glor: What inspired you to write the book?

Paula Broadwell: This project began as my dissertation - a study of the role of "mavericks" inside an institution serving as agents for innovation and organizational adaptation . Petraeus was a key case study; he had given me considerable access to his network, his files from early years, and the opportunity to interview him to explore his own intellectual development. I wanted to understand and capture how he arrived at his beliefs about population-centric COIN and how he translated that into action in Iraq and Afghanistan. I realized at some point that with such unique access and understanding of the military, that I might be able to capture a unique portrait of one of the most transformative military leaders in our nation's history, so with the dissertation half finished, I pitched the book. I hired a co-author, Vernon Loeb, to help me nest my dissertation into the story of Petraeus's last year in military command in Afghanistan. The result, after two years of research, six extensive embedding trips to Afghanistan, and over 700 interviews, the result is "All In."

JG: What surprised you the most during the writing process?

PB: I was surprised to realize what a sprint and a marathon it was to write and publish a book in near real time. We submitted the final manuscript in early November and it was printed and distributed in early December. I was inspired by the way my publishing team at Penguin Press came together to make it happen.

Beyond the writing process, I was inspired, but not necessarily "surprised," by the commitment and dedication by our troops - day in and day out - to leave the operations base and not know whether they would be greeted by a hand grenade or hand shake when the interacted with locals in Afghanistan. Counterinsurgency is complex, and discerning friend from foe in Afghanistan is an ever present challenge. In the face of such adversity, I was in awe to see the resilience and fortitude of those who continue to serve.

JG: What would you be doing if you weren't writing?

PB: I am passionate about making some difference in the world, whether it be through informing policy decisions and shaping global opinions (via writing, public speaking, media appearances, or maintaining a seat at the table of policy discussions), mentoring young women who want to excel in international security world, inspiring others to serve something greater than themselves, or sharing leadership lessons learned from the military. I aspire to do it all! The most logical career path for me, in fact, is to continue writing, public speaking, and eventually to find my way back into an official public policy role in the national security realm.

JG: What else are you reading right now?

PB: John Gaddis's biography of George Kennan, "An American Life"

Robert K. Massie's biography of Catherine the Great, "Catherine the Great"

William McCraven's book on Special Operations, "Spec Ops: Case Studies in Special Operations Warfare: Theory and Practice"

I usually also read several hours worth of current news, including the Pentagon Early Bird, Wash Post AfPak Report, and New York Times.

JG: What's next for you?

PB: See above! I'd like to merge my passion for international security with leadership. I've enjoyed the opportunity to speak on various national news networks about my book, the war in Afghanistan, the Arab Spring and other conflict issues around the globe. If I can find a way to merge my interests and create my own show, I think I'd feel fulfilled! In the interim, I have joined a speaker's bureau and am thrilled to be able to speak across the nation and abroad about strategic leadership. Aside from that, I need to finish my PhD dissertation, which I had put on hold; I will also write a second book - a more explicit and condensed book on transformational leadership lessons learned from the military. Beyond that, as mentioned above, I seek to find a way to build on these experiences and my military background to eventually return to public service at senior levels of national security policy making.

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For more on "All In" visit the Penguin Group website.