Peter

This is sheer genius. Martel's ability to tell a gripping story and then lure you in to realizing this is truly profound metaphor is true art. One of the best books I have read in years and it now affects deeply how I look at the world and how I see the frailty and bias of our observations. I loved the story and loved even more the lifelong lessons I took from it.

Very worthwhile, Really glad we read this before visiting Israel--provided a greater appreciation for the people, their accomplishments, their personality. stories were inspiring. My only complaint was that this ties things up in a nice bow and the story of this country and people is much more complex and prickly.

I cannot believe I never knew of this masterpiece before. Brilliant and captivating on so many levels. The buildup of the story, the simple writing, the cleverness of tying so many things together and the universal timeless wisdom throughout. The story was riveting, I cried, I laughed aloud and simply could not stop listening. One of those books where I am sad when it ends. Not surprising to discover that 15 million people have read this, though apparently only a small portion are in English.

I could not stop listening to this powerful, heartbreaking story. The experience and suffering was so powerful. It would be hard to believe if it were fiction, the fact that it is true made me stretch my imagination and realm of what humans can inflict on others and how someone can tolerate and then thrive under continually brutal circumstances.

A remarkable story, incredibly well written and performed. Not to be missed.

A book with universal truths and a timeless wisdom that is necessary to understand if you are in business. A critical insight if you do business with ruthless people. Also it imparts the importance of preparation necessary for success in just about anything. I wish I had read it sooner.

The training of the Navy Seals, their history, their mindset, examples of their past accomplishments and the Bin Laden assassination were excellent and riveting.

The author's first hand experience as a Seal provided excellent insight and the prose is good.

Yet I felt uncomfortable at the end that there were inaccuracies because of his own agenda. I know his background information on Osama Bin Ladin was missing key facts and were slanted. His description of the Arab Israeli conflict was biased toward sympathy to the Arabs with a number of facts innacurate. In addition, I had this feeling he was trying to undermine Obama--and while I see that politics gets in the way of getting things done, there seemed a subtle maliciousness that seemed to twist facts.

there were 2 provocative points he brought up, one that I am skeptical about, and another that he might be uniquely right about. The first is that he states that Bin Laden got a hold of powerful nerve gas from Iraq after the fall of Hussein, showing there were large amounts of weapons of mass destruction and that we did not find them but Al Qaida did. His example was very limited and questionable--I have to ask if Al Qaida did have it why didn't they use more of it and in more crowded places.

The other point which might be true is that Bin Laden was ultimately done in by Al Zarkawe (sp?) who used one of the blown couriers to help tip the Americans to find Bin Laden and that Al Zarkawe was ruthless in destroying all around him. Interesting and plausible.

The reviews were surprisingly limited and minimal and the denials from the head of the Seals about the accuracy is interesting--they say he made a lot of it up. Hard to know who to trust.

Overall an interesting read but frustrating because not clear what is true and what is not.

The writer is seductive until I was completely hooked and could not stop listening. A modern Victor Hugo. The setting of a depression time circus is a good background, but it is the interaction and development of the characters and the pacing of the story that makes this special. Almost as good as Cutting for Stone or the Kite Runner--a real treat to read, and really sad when it ends.

A real insight into the young smart mind of the Facebook founder and the incredible of fortuitous events that created this phenomenom. One of those stories that would seem too amazing if it were not true, an engaging read and a relatively even handed approach on the issues and challenges the company and people faced and how they battled them

Started a little slow, then I got completely hooked and could not stop listening, a clever plot unfolds on multiple levels with several great twists. I pride myself on figuring out the ending and got fooled, and loved it! Fast reading, great insights into the legal system by an obvious pro, a gruesome formidable foe. Highly recommended

Very good perspective about the events leading up to 9/11, the dysfuntion of our intelligence agencies and a good insight into the 2 key figures of Al Queda and how they started and how long they have been around and a feel for how formidable they are. Very relevant and eye opening. Worth the read.

Was surprised that I liked these short stories even more than most of his novels. The first one started off slow--I think intentionally--and each story seemed to get better. I loved the variety of the tales and was sad when the final story was over. Gives a good feel for the rural south and was light and entertaining, though I confess a couple of the stories--particularly the two about the lawyers and the one about the male nurse have stayed with me for quite awhile. The book is a treat.