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

Great book!

I'll forever be grateful for those who love and die for our country. The narrator did a great job. I was consumed from the beginning. Thank you to all that serve

good

hey that's pretty good. hey that's pretty good. hey that's pretty good. ESO es muy bueno.

Amazing

He paints the picture beautifully and tells his story with great passion. The world needs more men like Chris Kyle

This is a real book

No bs just a good story Thank You so much to Chris and his family to share his story

If you listen to only one book this month...

The narrator is top notch. You'll never want to stop listening. The story is heartfelt with humor and the horrors of war mixed in. I listen to American Sniper at least once every 6 months, it really is that good.

great example of this genre, perfect tone, great c

What did you love best about American Sniper?

I liked the laid back matter of fact directness of the author. Its an interesting story but not overly embellished. I recently listened to "House to House" which is a similar type book. I like H2H but liked this book very much more.

Who was your favorite character and why?

the author, and obvious answer for a bio

What does John Pruden bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

the accent/drawl really adds to the story. Much more than I would have imagined, the narration really was a significant plus to an already good listen.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

For me there was a pretty steady matter of fact tone that was present throughout. I felt that as the book progressed the author was freer with his opinions. It seemed like I was getting to know him and he was more trustful of sharing. Discussions about family were also obviously moving and it was nice to have portions directly from his wife and comrades.

Any additional comments?

I don't hesitate to recomend. I got into this genre after reading Sebastion Junger's "War" which was super excellent. I read that one the old fashioned way prior to trying audible. It gave me a curiosity for more of similar stuff and this was a satisfying addition.

A story that you normal never will hear.

Great story about the navy seals and their deployment in Iraq.
This story gives not only a vivid peek in to the military live & private live of an navy seal but gives also a realistic view of the fanatic violence that is in this region what mainly is driven by fanaticism in the middle east.

same places, same time, never met.

I was in the same places as Kyle for 3 of my 4 tours, though we never met. This story is the most genuine and honest telling of the mental and emotional struggles of spending so much time at war for both the service member and their family. So much so, at times it was hard to listen.

Wow. This was reality!

Another great story! Up and downs, emotionally! The truth about this war and what those men and women went thru before during and after is always very interesting. Each and every one has their story to tel and I wish I could hear them all!

The movie can never come close to this.

This was emotional. From the very beginning I was drawn into the story. Every act of war is blatantly justified and knowing someone that was totally about their country is just phenomenal. Thank you Chris Kyle for protecting and serving. Your legend will far outlive any of us.