American Sniper

The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History

By: Chris Kyle, Scott McEwan, Jim DeFelice

Narrated by: John Pruden

Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

He is the deadliest American sniper ever, called "the devil" by the enemies he hunted and "the legend" by his Navy SEAL brothers.

From 1999 to 2009, U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle recorded the most career sniper kills in United States military history. The Pentagon has officially confirmed more than 150 of Kyles kills (the previous American record was 109), but it has declined to verify the astonishing total number for this book. Iraqi insurgents feared Kyle so much they named him al-Shaitan ("the devil") and placed a bounty on his head. Kyle earned legendary status among his fellow SEALs, Marines, and U.S. Army soldiers, whom he protected with deadly accuracy from rooftops and stealth positions. Gripping and unforgettable, Kyle’s masterful account of his extraordinary battlefield experiences ranks as one of the great war memoirs of all time.

A native Texan who learned to shoot on childhood hunting trips with his father, Kyle was a champion saddle-bronc rider prior to joining the Navy. After 9/11, he was thrust onto the front lines of the War on Terror, and soon found his calling as a world-class sniper who performed best under fire. He recorded a personal-record 2,100-yard kill shot outside Baghdad; in Fallujah, Kyle braved heavy fire to rescue a group of Marines trapped on a street; in Ramadi, he stared down insurgents with his pistol in close combat. Kyle talks honestly about the pain of war - of twice being shot and experiencing the tragic deaths of two close friends.

American Sniper also honors Kyle's fellow warriors, who raised hell on and off the battlefield. And in moving first-person accounts throughout, Kyle's wife, Taya, speaks openly about the strains of war on their marriage and children, as well as on Chris.

Adrenaline-charged and deeply personal, American Sniper is a thrilling eyewitness account of war that only one man could tell.

©2012 Chris Kyle (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers

Such a good book

Chris Kyle was an amazing man. Anyone wanting to know what or how to become a man should read this book.

Taya's part should have been read by a female.

Taya's parts should have been recorded in a female voice to avoid confusion. Otherwise, amazing story of an amazing man.

Phenomenal book

This is truly probably the best book I have ever read. Loved the narrator's voice because it was so similar to how Chris sounded that I felt like it was Chris reading to me about his life and experiences. Chris had a way of being humorous and that made this sad thing a little easier to bear. I laughed and cried. Awesome read.

Movie sucked

It was totally different than the movie. Thank LA
I'm not sure why they made the movie so different and didn't elaborate on his death.

Read this before you watch the movie!

The movie changes way too many things from this book and this book keeps a lot of things in perspective and accurate. You get a much better sense of who Chris Kyle is and what he was truly like as a Navy seal, a father and a human being.

Wow

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yeah....everyone should read

What was one of the most memorable moments of American Sniper?

The part where he's called a Hero in front of his kids and family

Which scene was your favorite?

Kyle in various battles

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Got a bit misty eyed in a few parts

Any additional comments?

Lots of controversy about the facts in this book. The movie departs from the book, as many movies do, in various details.....ie) the longest recorded kill shot

Highlights the failures in chain of command in the military.

Emotial

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. It is a griping story of a war that a lot of people forget is even going on.

What did you like best about this story?

Chris really makes you feel like you lived it with him. He did not go into gory details but gave you enough that you felt like you could relate.

Which character – as performed by John Pruden – was your favorite?

Chris

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

When his friend lost his sight and died after getting a surgery that was to help him.

Worth a listen.

I had to hear the story after seeing the movie. I had heard the reviews about the discrepancies between the two and felt if I really wanted a clearer picture of the man I needed to "read" the book. I have listened to several parts of the story multiple times. I have appreciated every minute. The movie I could have done without. LOOSELY based on the book.

Must Read

The story of Chris Kyle is an amazing journey. Read the book, see the film, and then thank a veteran...

Amazing Book!

This is a phenomenal book written by a true American Hero! God Bless our Troops!