Tuesday, July 17, 2007

STRONGLY RECOMMEND




"On a clear night in late June 2005, four U.S. Navy SEALs left their base in northern Afghanistan for the mountainous Pakistani border. Their mission was to capture or kill a notorious al Qaeda leader known to be ensconced in a Taliban stronghold surrounded by a small but heavily armed force. Less than twenty-four hours later, only one of those Navy SEALs remained alive.

This is the story of team leader Marcus Luttrell, the sole survivior of Operation Redwing, and the desperate battle in the mountains that led, ultimately, to the largest loss of life in Navy SEAL history. But it is a also, more than anything, the story of his teammates, who fought ferociously beside him until he was the last one left -- blasted unconscious by a rocket grenade, blown over a cliff, but still armed and still breathing. Over the next four days, badly injured and presumed dead, Luttrell fought off six al Qaeda assassins who were sent to finish him, then crawled for seven miles through the mountains before he was taken in by a Pashtun tribe, who risked everything to protect him from the encircling Taliban killers.

A six-foot-five-inch Texan, Leading Petty Officer Luttrell takes us, blow-by-blow, through the brutal training of America's warrior elite and the relentless rites of passage required by the Navy SEALs. He transports us to a monstrous battle fought on the desolate peaks of Afghanistan, where the beleagured American team plummeted head-long a thousand feet down a mountain as they fought back through flying shale and rocks. In this rich, moving chronicle of courage, honor, and patriotism, Marcus Luttrell delivers one of the most powerful narratives ever written about modern warfare -- and a tribute to his teammates, who made the ultimate sacrifice for their county."

I bought "Lone Survivor" Sunday night and finished Monday night. WOW!!! I cried through the Prologue, got myself under control...then started crying in Chapter 6 and pretty much didn't stop. Humbling and awe-inspiring don't begin to describe it.

What a tremendous, heartbreaking burden this young man will carry with him for the rest of his life. As a reader, I wanted to reach through the pages, hug him, and somehow convince him he was meant to survive and did an exemplary job of honouring his brother's memories by sharing this story.

Excellent read, regardless of your politics.

A+

1 comment:

DebbieKinIL said...

Just got it today from the library. (back from vacation, now)

You're so right about the prologue. Wow, the SEAL creed in the 1st few pages and the heart wrencing sorrow of the loss of very clost team memeber. I'm going to finish it up by tomorrow (the only hard day).