Over the course of the past quarter-century, I have authored blogs and essays, mostly under the title Pepperspectives. The topics have been wide-ranging, from leadership, to values of living, from political and international affairs, to reflections on books and movies which have meant the most to me. I published two earlier selections of these blogs, the first under the title of Looking Back, Looking Forward, about six years ago. The other Pepperspectives: Reflections on Values for Living, Global and National Affairs and Other Contemporary Issues, published about three years ago. I am publishing this final selection of reflections and recollections: Pepperspectives: The Final Chapter. I write this in 2024. The challenges our nation and the world face are immense. Overcoming them will call for strong, principled, wise and courageous leadership. I’m conscious how much we are leaving the young to do. Yet, I look ahead with confidence that we can and will make progress. I draw confidence from the young, I draw confidence from leaders I know, a host of them at Procter & Gamble. I draw confidence from my children and my grandchildren, who every day inspire me with their imagination, their individuality, their quest for excellence and their share of goodness. The oldest of Francie’s and my grandchildren is 20. The youngest is 7. I don’t know exactly what they’ll do as they become full-blown adults, but I do know this. They are good people and they love each other and you can’t do better than this. You can’t ask for more than this. I dedicate this final volume, as I have earlier of my books, to the person who has made my life possible: my wife of over 56 years, Francie.

Over the course of the past 20 years, I have authored blogs and essays under the title, Pepperspectives. The topics have been wide-ranging, from politics, international affairs, to values of living, and reflections on books and movies which have meant the most to me. I published an earlier selection of these blogs under the title of, Looking Back, Looking Forward, about four years ago. I am now publishing a fresh selection of these reflections and recollections. They, too, cover a wide range of subjects, several of which are highlighted on the cover of this book. I have written the majority of them during the past six years. As you would expect, a considerable number deal with the tumultuous political situation we have had in the United States and around the globe. Fortunately, they close on a note of confidence and hope as we transition to a new presidential administration under the leadership of President Joe Biden who is committed to bringing what has been a polarized nation together against a common purpose. Never in my 80+ year lifetime have the challenges for our nation and the world been clearer. It will not be easy; we will take steps forward and then backward, but as we have before, I am confident we can make progress. I draw confidence from the young, not least my grandchildren, who every day inspire me with their imagination, their individuality and their shared goodness.

“It’s the statehouses, stupid.” Laboratories of Autocracy shows that far more than the high-profile antics of politicians like Marjorie Taylor Greene or Jim Jordan—and yes, even bigger than Donald Trump’s "Big Lie”—it’s anonymous, often corrupt politicians in statehouses across the country who pose the greatest dangers to American democracy. Because these statehouses no longer operate as functioning democracies, these unknown politicians have all the incentive to keep doing greater damage, and can not be held accountable however extreme they get. This has driven steep declines in states like Ohio and others across the country. And collectively, it’s placed American democracy in its greatest peril since the dawn of the Jim Crow era. But Pepper doesn’t stop there. He lays out a robust pro-democracy agenda outlining how everyone from elected officials to business leaders to everyday citizens can fight back.

The fundamental question in business and in personal life is the same: what really matters? In this book, one of America's most widely admired business leaders distills a lifetime of experience, including failures as well as successes, to reveal his answers. John Pepper, president, CEO, and chairman of Proctor & Gamble for a combined 16 years, underscores the importance of continuous change, innovation, and renewal as prerequisites for growth and sound leadership. In "What Really Matters", he suggests that a preparedness to alter perspective, rethink assumptions, or change course is central not only to understanding customer needs and keeping costs under control but also to developing talent, organizing global businesses, and supporting communities. While he discusses specific business tactics, he notes that they all centre on fundamental tenets: listen to and respect the customer, engender personal accountability and passionate ownership, encourage diversity, and create a vibrant, trusting institution that incorporates employees and their families. In his own years as an executive, Pepper has demonstrated that a profitable business can create and sustain a culture that shapes, and is shaped by, ethical behaviour. His profoundly important advice and counsel belong in the lexicon and practice of every leader.

"Pepper comes through again with this clever tale." --President Bill Clinton A twisty, one-step-ahead-of-the-headlines political thriller featuring a rogue reporter who investigates election meddling of epic proportions, written by the ultimate insider. Investigative reporter Jack Sharpe is down to his last chance. Fired from his high-profile gig with a national news channel, his only lead is a phone full of messages from a grad student named Tori Justice, who swears she's observed an impossible result in a local election. Sharpe is sure she's mistaken...but what if she isn't? Sharpe learns that the most important tool in any election is the voter file: the database that keeps track of all voters in a district, and shapes a campaign's game plan for victory. If one person were to gain control of an entire party's voter file, they could manipulate the outcome of virtually every election in America. Sharpe discovers this has happened--and that the person behind the hack is determined to turn American politics upside down. The more he digs, the more Sharpe is forced to question the values--and viability--of the country he loves and a president he admired. And soon it becomes clear that not just his career is in jeopardy...so is his life.

Despite decades of effort to create fair classrooms and schools, gender bias is alive and well, and in some ways growing. School practices continue to send boys and girls down different life paths, too often treating them not as different genders but as different species. Teachers and parents often miss the subtle signs of sexism in classrooms. Through firsthand observations and up-to-the-minute research, Still Failing at Fairness brings the gender issue into focus. The authors provide an in-depth account of how girls' and boys' educations are compromised from elementary school through college, and offer practical advice for teachers and parents who want to make a positive difference. The authors examine today's pressing issues -- the lack of enforcement for Title IX, the impact of the backlash against gender equity, the much-hyped "boys' crisis," hardwired brain differences, and the recent growth of singlesex public schools. This book documents how teaching, current testing practices, and subtle cultural attitudes continue to short-circuit both girls and boys of every race, social class, and ethnicity. Hard-hitting and remarkably informative, Still Failing at Fairness is "a fascinating look into America's classrooms" (National Association of School Psychologists).

The world around us is comprised of systems - organisational systems, business systems, political systems, family systems, inter-personal systems, biological systems, economic systems - the list goes on. This eBook, written by an experienced systems thinker and consultant, helps the reader develop an appreciation of the nature of systems - what they comprise of, how they function, how they sustain and organize themselves and what they influence and are influenced by. With this knowledge people and organisations can obtain a greater understanding of themselves and can develop the ability to identify the structure of problems and make interventions with far greater skill and precision.