Product Description

Four US Navy SEALS departed one clear night in early July, 2005 for the mountainous Afghanistan-Pakistan border for a reconnaissance mission. Their task was to document the activity of an al Qaeda leader rumored to be very close to Bin Laden with a small army in a Taliban stronghold. Five days later, only one of those Navy SEALS made it out alive.

This is the story of the only survivor of Operation Redwing, SEAL fire team leader Marcus Luttrell, and the extraordinary firefight that led to the largest loss of life in American Navy SEAL history. His squadmates fought valiantly beside him until he was the only one left alive, blasted by an RPG into a place where his pursuers could not find him. Over the next four days, terribly injured and presumed dead, Luttrell crawled for miles through the mountains and was taken in by sympathetic villagers who risked their lives to keep him safe from surrounding Taliban warriors.

A born and raised Texan, Marcus Luttrell takes us from the rigors of SEAL training, where he and his fellow SEALs discovered what it took to join the most elite of the American special forces, to a fight in the desolate hills of Afghanistan for which they never could have been prepared. His account of his squadmates' heroism and mutual support renders an experience that is both heartrending and life-affirming. In this rich chronicle of courage and sacrifice, honor and patriotism, Marcus Luttrell delivers a powerful narrative of modern war.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #158 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

From The Washington Post's Book World/washingtonpost.com
If you're looking for a true story that showcases both American heroism and Afghani humanity, Marcus Luttrell's Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 (Little, Brown, $24.99), written with Patrick Robinson, may be the book for you. In June of 2005, Luttrell led a four-man team of Navy SEALs into the mountains of Afghanistan on a mission to kill a Taliban leader thought to be allied with Osama bin Laden. On foot, the team encountered two adult men and a teenage boy. A debate broke out as to whether the SEALs should summarily execute the trio to keep them from alerting the Taliban. Luttrell himself was called upon to make the decision. He was torn between considerations of morality and his survival instinct, and he points out that "any government that thinks war is somehow fair and subject to rules like a baseball game probably should not get into one. Because nothing's fair in war, and occasionally the wrong people do get killed."

Luttrell opted to spare the Afghanis' lives. About an hour later, the Taliban launched an attack that claimed nearly a hundred of their own men but also the lives of all the SEALs except Luttrell, who was left wounded.

Not long after that, the Taliban shot down an American rescue helicopter, killing all 16 men on board. Luttrell is sure that the three Afghanis he let go turned around and betrayed the SEALs.

But if nothing is fair in war, neither is anything foreordained. Luttrell was found by other Afghanis, one of whom claimed to be his village's doctor. Once again, Luttrell had to rely on his instincts. "There was something about him," Luttrell writes. "By now I'd seen a whole lot of Taliban warriors, and he looked nothing like any of them. There was no arrogance, no hatred in his eyes." Luttrell trusted the man and his colleagues, who took him back to their village, where the law of hospitality -- "strictly nonnegotiable" -- took hold. "They were committed to defend me against the Taliban," Luttrell writes, "until there was no one left alive."

The law held, and Luttrell survived, returned home and received the Navy Cross for combat heroism from President Bush.

Copyright 2007, The Washington Post. All Rights Reserved.

From AudioFile
This gripping, inspiring take-no-prisoners combat memoir of Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell, the lone survivor from his unit during Operation Redwing, a post-9/11 military operation on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, grabs the listener from the opening lines and won't let go. Unabashedly patriotic and unapologetic, it is a testament to the power of duty and honor, commitment to country, and enduring bonds forged by teammates. Kevin Collins's galvanizing performance as Luttrell takes us from his youth on an East Texas horse ranch to Seal training in Coronado, to fighting the Taliban in remote, isolated villages. With a slight Texas accent, Collins exudes the confidence and strength of a young warrior going into battle, determined to protect and defend. With almost spitting anger, he conveys the dilemma of soldiers committed to honoring ³rules of engagement,² knowing the enemy does not follow those same rules. This masterful production transcends political persuasion. M.H.N. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About the Author
Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell joined the United States Navy in March 1999, became a combat-trained Navy SEAL in January 2002, and has served in Afghanistan and Iraq. He lives in Texas. Patrick Robinson is known for his best-selling US Navy-based novels and his autobiography of Admiral Sir Sandy Woodward, One Hundred Days, was an international bestseller. He lives in England and spends his summers in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where he and Luttrell wrote Lone Survivor.

Customer Reviews

Good, Bad, not that Ugly
The first 1/2 of the book is pretty much relegated to his upbringing in Texas and then pretty much the gruesome exercise regiment that the men have to go through. Lots of running, push-ups, etc. Over and Over again. Kind of overdone page after page. No real insight into special techniques on camoflage, swimming great lengths, demolition, stealthy assaults, etc. Just exercise after exercise. His respect for his officers and how soldier after soldier drop out due to the extreme training exercises. Nothing new here. Just getting to the 2nd half of the book about the SEALS going into the Mtns. of Afghanistan to seek out the Taliban. I FULLY respect his SERVICE, TRAINING, DEDICATION to the SEALS and serving the U.S. of A. but I really wanted to read more of the in-depth training they get w/o revealing any security secrets. Re-con, demolition, etc. All I read was push-ups and running. Again, I have NOT read the 2nd half yet but, WHY are the SEALS in the mountains of Afghanistan and not the RANGERS or GREEN BERETS? I thought the SEALS focused primarily on underwater demolition and beach assaults? Again I respect his service and his sharing of his story. I REALLY blame his editor for allowing us to read about so many push-ups and running, and getting " wet and sandy"
There are several other books on the market just like this one. I am glad I bought the cheaper paperback.
P.S. Be WARNED : He claimed to grow up in a Christian home but he runs God's name through the mud like there is NO tomorrow. Hope someone gets a chance to share Jesus with him before he REALLY faces Hell Week.

A book about true heroism
I have read many books on or about the Navy Seals, some better than others. Quite often I don't finish the books as they are poorly written or just get plain boring. This is by far the best Seal book ever written. In fact I put this up with "Marine Sniper: 93 Confirmed Kills" as the top 2 books ever written about our soldiers.

Everything in this book was relevant. Many books on Seals stray off on several side notes. This book does stray a few times on how to becomes a Seal, Marcus' background etc. but it all ties together very well.

The background story about how to become a Seal was short and precise. Like I said earlier I have read about this process many times but I learned new things about the process in this book that wasn't covered in all the others I've read.

Then when you get to the mission it gets incredible. I won't give anything away but it gets action packed. Some of these men gave their lives for us and I think this book does a wonderful job letting the world know of their heroism and sacrifices they made for our country.

I highly recommend this book to anyone

Couldn't put it down
The story was so riveting that I couldn't put it down. I often wonder why people read fiction books when real heroism, such as that displayed by Marcus and his lost comrades, is so much more interesting. When Marcus writes about his training, it gives you an appreciation of just how dedicated and tough one has to be to get through it. Once the story of the mission begins, I just had to see what happens next and how it all turns out. Although Marcus' take on liberals and the press may seem a little harsh, the truth hurts. Marcus and Patrick Robinson have written a great war story with real heroes. These are real American heroes that have done incredible things. Unfortunately, these stories are only rarely told and we don't hear enough about the heroism of our soldiers, sailors and airmen.