If You Live by the Sword

If You Live by the Sword offers an honest portrayal of the human struggles faced by a university president and it explains how these seldom discussed stresses of the position are intensified by the intrusion of politics. Pettit goes behind the scenes and writes openly about intrigue, betrayal, anxiety, and the contention for power that is faced within the university system. In a career that has mixed academia and politics for over forty years, the author was fired more than once for his politics. And when he ran a gubernatorial campaign, he actually had to fire the candidate's mother. On a more personal level, the author experienced two divorces because of the turbulence of his career, and had to fend off false rumors of sexual impropriety and endure politically inspired audits.