Book cover of The Hero Code: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived

Book description

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! 

From the acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Make Your Bed—a short, inspirational book about the qualities of true, everyday heroes.

THE HERO CODE is Admiral McRaven's ringing tribute to the real, everyday heroes he's met over the years, from battlefields to…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Hero Code as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

After nearly four decades of serving as a United States Navy Seal, Four-Star Admiral McRaven chronicles the lives of everyday heroes, such as the courage of Dr. Kenneth Cooper, astronaut; or the tenacity of Dr. Jim Allison, cancer researcher.

Chapters are organized as short stories, devoted to promoting the lives of heroes who espouse honorable qualities that range from sacrifice to forgiveness. Simply stated, Admiral McRaven details character-building stories that promote the best in humanity.  

If you love The Hero Code...

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Want books like The Hero Code?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 59 books like The Hero Code.

Browse books like The Hero Code

Book cover of The Glass Castle
Book cover of Educated: A Memoir
Book cover of Teacher Man: A Memoir

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,298

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like The Hero Code, you might also like...

Book cover of Portrait of an Artist as a Young Woman

Portrait of an Artist as a Young Woman by Alexis Krasilovsky,

Kate from Jules et Jim meets I Love Dick.

A young woman filmmaker’s journey of self-discovery, set against a backdrop of the sexual liberation movement of the 1970s and 1980s. In Portrait of an Artist as a Young Woman, we follow Ana Fried as she faces the ultimate…

Book cover of Dark Fae Outcast

Dark Fae Outcast by Autumn M. Birt,

Trapped in our world, the fae are dying from drugs, contaminants, and hopelessness. Kicked out of the dark fae court for tainting his body and magic, Riasg only wants one thing: to die a bit faster. It’s already the end of his world, after all.

But while scoring his last…

5 book lists we think you will like!