Rogue Heroes: The History of the SAS, Britain's Secret Special Forces Unit That Sabotaged the Nazis and Changed the Nature of War

by Ben Macintyre

leadership: “Nine-tenths of tactics are certain, and taught in books: but the irrational tenth is like the kingfisher flashing across the pool, and that is the test of generals.” Stirling, it seemed to Maclean, was a perfect illustration of that irrational tenth, with his “never-failing audacity, a gift of daring improvisation.”