The initial JFSC reading list included the following books:

15 Stars: Eisenhower, MacArthur, Marshall: Three Generals Who Saved the American Century in the 'Lessons from the Past' section.

Bound Together: How Traders, Preachers, Adventurers, and Warriors Shaped Globalization in the 'Lessons from the Past' section.

Counterinsurgency Warfare: Theory and Practice in the 'Current Issues' section.

The Culture of War in the 'Current Issues' section.

Dereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam in the 'Into the 21st Century' section.

Forgotten Continent: The Battle for Latin America's Soul in the 'Into the 21st Century' section.

The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008 in the 'Leadership and Command' section.

Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America in the 'Current Issues' section.

The Inheritance: The World Obama Confronts and the Challenges to American Power in the 'Current Issues' section.