No Easy Day

The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden

By: Mark Owen, Kevin Maurer

Narrated by: Holter Graham

Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

For the first time anywhere, the first-person account of the planning and execution of the Bin Laden raid from a Navy Seal who confronted the terrorist mastermind and witnessed his final moments....

From the streets of Iraq to the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips in the Indian Ocean, and from the mountaintops of Afghanistan to the third floor of Osama Bin Laden's compound, operator Mark Owen of the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Development Group - commonly known as SEAL Team Six - has been a part of some of the most memorable special operations in history, as well as countless missions that never made headlines.

No Easy Day puts listeners alongside Owen and the other handpicked members of the 24-man team as they train for the biggest mission of their lives. The blow-by-blow narrative of the assault, beginning with the helicopter crash that could have ended Owen's life straight through to the radio call confirming Bin Laden's death, is an essential piece of modern history. In No Easy Day, Owen also takes listeners onto the field of battle in America's ongoing War on Terror and details the selection and training process for one of the most elite units in the military.

Owen's story draws on his youth in Alaska and describes the SEALs' quest to challenge themselves at the highest levels of physical and mental endurance. With boots-on-the-ground detail, Owen describes numerous previously unreported missions that illustrate the life and work of a SEAL and the evolution of the team after the events of September 11.

In telling the true story of the SEALs whose talents, skills, experiences, and exceptional sacrifices led to one of the greatest victories in the War on Terror, Mark Owen honors the men who risk everything for our country, and he leaves listenres with a deep understanding of the warriors who keep America safe.

©2012 Mark Owen and Kevin Maurer (P)2012 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"This harrowing, minute-by-minute account by one of the highly trained members of Navy SEAL Team Six is narrative nonfiction at its most gripping.... No Easy Deal puts you right there for every tense moment." (Entertainment Weekly)

"Gripping.... There is no better illustration in No Easy Day that SEALs are ruthless pragmatists. They think fast. They adapt to whatever faces them. They do what they have to do." (The New York Times)

"[Mark Owen] has given us a brave retelling of one of the most important events in U.S. military history." (People)

Well done!

I really enjoyed this book. it really gives what appears to be an accurate portrayal of the professionals who execute some of the most challenging missions on this Earth. I enjoyed hearing the humor and the mental state of the men as they performed these actions. the narrator was very well spoken, clear, and entertaining. great book! I would recommend this to a friend.

Murder Porn

A well-paced, well-structured story that is padded with lots of preamble, since the actual raid isn't enough material for a book. I would have been interested in hearing about how he overcame the ethical precepts (Thou Shalt Not Kill) his Christian missionary parents raised him with, and how his parents deal with his job as a government-employed mercenary.

One thing I found annoying was the constant grumbling about Obama and the politicians who took the credit for the hard he and his comrades did. The notion that soldiers are expendable tools for the implementation of foreign policy--and that their masters are politicians who have never worn a uniform--should have been obvious to this guy before he ever left college.

amazing memoir

this book is totally non-political. nor does it give away any details that could jeapordize other elite special forces individuals. rather it is just as it claims to be, a first hand account of the raid that got osamma, plus a little more. the details given in this book are either personal to the author, giving some background on this individual and where he came from; or are just a fleshing out of some of the more famous and well known ops since 9/11. if you are at all intrested in the subject, or are just a fan of military history, this book is definatly worth your credits.

What An Honor To Experience This Book

What made the experience of listening to No Easy Day the most enjoyable?

I was humbled and honored to listen to this book and go behind the scenes with this American hero.Well written and articulate, the author was able to take the reader to a level that if you closed your eyes you could feel the wind from the chopper and smell the dust in the air.I always thought it was wrong for Obama to take his victory lap like a peacock. Then Biden the clown was sent out with the zinger line of "Osama is dead and GM is alive". As an American, I was embarrassed that they would stoop so low to try to take the credit for Osama's death.While the author didn't say anything about it, I now even more am offended when Obama tries to take the credit for it. It just happened that Obama was in the office at the time. ANY PRESIDENT would have had to make the same call. The credit goes to these American hero's who have worked on this project for 10 yrs. Thank you for taking us along with you on your journey. You are truely an American hero. I thank you for your service to our country.

I really like this book

Would you listen to No Easy Day again? Why?

Yes. It was a very good enjoyable book.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked that it was written from a non political point of view.

Any additional comments?

This made me thankful that there are people out there like the navy seals that can get things like this done.

The Best Military Book Ever Written

I have read dozens of military books and one is by far the best one I have ever read!

Great story and well read

Succinct, engaging and fascinating story into the life and work of a seal.extremely well read.

No Easy Day review

The story was good,even though new info has come out after the book was released which contradicts who actually shot UBL, ie Mark Owen.

Excellent

When I saw this book as an option, I decided to buy it. I’m very happy I did. I was a “military brat” and have always respected the military.
This book gave a lot of insight into the training and incredible missions SEAL teams go into. While I understand the need for oversight and the need for our political branch of the USA needing to considering all potential ramifications, I can empathize with the SEALs being frustrated with the training only to be told the mission was cancelled.
As I listened to this book I felt as if I had a window into every bit of training and every mission.

Excellent

Great insight into the Tier One assets we rely on for our critical missions. Well written and well read. Enjoyed it very much.