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)

Don't miss this book

Any additional comments?

I'm not going to comment on the technical writing of this book because I didn't read it for that. The story is rivetting. You're listening to the story of the mission where they took out Osama Bin Laden from someone who was actually on the ground. There were points in the book that brought tears to my eyes. It's factual and, as one other reviewer noted, there's no chestpounding. Just the facts. As it happened. I only have one complaint about it and that is that there is too much information about other missions and training. Would have preferred more about the actual mission. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't read it.

Well worth the time

this is an excellent book, give a good picture into the life of the navy seals and it was very enjoyable

excellent book!

I absolutely loved this book. Well written! The story was very cell described and as the reader or listen, you felt the emotions.

well to the point

With just enough background to give the story some context, the description of the raid, and its circumstances, is to the point. There's no extra in way of psycho babel, fake emotion, or politics, or over-analyzing or over-explaining. it's effectively written, and the narration is also great.

My fav audio book yet

Amazing story. Detailed and exciting. EXCELLENT narration. Look forward to more narrations from Holter Graham.

My take on the Navy Seal book.

What did you like about this audiobook?

I like.and have always enjoyed fist hand accounts of historic events. I like to feel as if I were sitting with the author, Listening to his telling of something that just happened. While it is still fresh and recalled with ease.

How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

I don't think it increased it so much as it scratched an itch. As I really wanted some sort of straight dope about what happened in Pakistan.

Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does he achieve this?

I think he does very well. And one thing that helps achieve this are the stories about the people he served with. They were all funny or interesting. And they helped to give his account some depth by giving the reader some foreknowledge of the personalities and history of his group.

What did you find wrong about the narrator's performance?

I think he did pertty well because I never felt that I was being read to.

Do you have any additional comments?

I am the father of a four tour Afghanistan soldier. He served with special forces. But, he was just a simple soldier doing his less than glamorous job under very difficult circumstances. I felt that in the 2004 election the Kerry campaign were getting entirely too political with the war situation. I remember some of the things said about our ability to get OBL. I took this personally, Because my boy was putting his very life on the line while politicians made fun of and used our sons and daughters sacrifices for their own benefit. In this story the shoe was kind of on the other foot. I knew the politicians would be quick to tell eveyone how bold and brave they were in getting the job done. But what I wanted to hear was an account of how it really got done. Without the bells and whistles, and politicians patting themselves on the back. And for me, No Easy Day served that purpose.

Unreal

Sobering reminder that people like this exist protecting our freedoms. Mark Owen did a a great job writing this in a way that holds your attention. The narrator did a good job not going overboard with character voices, but did do enough to differentiate between different characters.

Powerful

Such a great read/listen, inspiring to hear how SEAL’s are made and the story of what happened in the Bin Laden raid. Interesting.

I couldn't stop listening.

What a great production. I would recommend this to everyone over the age. of 12. I will certainly share this with family and frienfs.

Awesome!!!! Thank you

Book was Awesome! Love the whole story, I could not stop listening.
I would definitely recommend it to anyone.