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)

Perfect Title For Captivating Book

No Easy Day? Excellent title for an excellent account of an important moment of justice in our history.

This was the third Navy SEAL memoir my darling hubby and I have listened to. Ripped from the headlines doesn't begin to describe the drama of this first-person account from Mark Owen, a Navy SEAL who participated in the mission.

Narration

Holter Graham is an accomplished actor that you've probably seen in movies, television, or on stage. He's narrated many books and brings his experience and talent to No Easy Day, breathing life into this memoir.

About The Book

Owen gives background information about what it was really like in Iraq and about the daring rescue of Captain Richard Phillips in the Indian Ocean. He takes you from the mountains of Afghanistan to the thwarted efforts to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice until finally that priority mission was accomplished.

Owen gives a step by step narrative of the assault he and the other handpicked members of the 24-man team accomplished. Many times, it seemed like Mission Impossible, but these highly-trained, dedicated operatives did accomplish it at great risk to their own lives. The assault didn't go perfectly, but it probably went as well as could be expected given the unpredictability of Fate.

Again, I felt humbled by the dedication and service of these remarkable men. If I were ever kidnapped and held hostage, I'd want a "Get out of Hell" card from these guys. Highly recommended to anyone interested in the truth of what's really going on "over there," this excellent account of a seminal moment of justice in our history is spell-binding.

Awesome

If you could sum up No Easy Day in three words, what would they be?

Didn't want to stop listening to it until the end.

What other book might you compare No Easy Day to and why?

Don't think you can compare books

Which character – as performed by Holter Graham – was your favorite?

All of them

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely!

Recommended !

Great first hand account from a tier 1 operator involving some of the most highly publicized events of the past decade. I'm glad Mr Owen shared his experiences to give those in the spec op community their due. Thank you!

Well done awesome book

This is an awesome book. You feel like you are right with the seals as they go to kill or capture Bin Laden.
Also, I didn't see anything in this book that had not been on the news already.
Good for Mark Owen and Kevin Maurer.
Holter Graham does a great job reading this book.
Don't pass this up!

Intense

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

Great recount of the truth.

What was one of the most memorable moments of No Easy Day?

How amazed the seals were that their participation was leaked after only four hours.

One of my audible favorites!

I remember the first time I listened to this story. I was blown away by how much I had missed in the past decade. Being a civilian, I didn't put nearly as much thought in to what has been going on over seas as I should have. This book opened the door to me learning as much as I could about the war(s) that have been going on since the 9/11 attack.

The book begins with some discussion on training, but quickly dives in to the thick of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The captain Phillips rescue is included and leads up to the Bin Laden raid.

This book is captivating, exciting, and tells a story that never seems to get old. If you're even remotely interested, buy it! I promise this will quickly become one of your favorites. The author has sacrificed a lot on writing it and has just settled with the U.S. Govt. for not having had the book vetted. This means that it was written exactly the way he wanted to write it - there are no redactions.

Holter Graham does an INCREDIBLE job narrating it and it is without a doubt on of my favorite performances from any audio book.

Great book to listen to while traveling.

What did you love best about No Easy Day?

A touching story about Gods path for one mans life.

What did you like best about this story?

Sacrifices that are made for us each and everyday.

Which scene was your favorite?

How is wife relentlessly sought after her husband and her unconditional love for him. A Perfect picture of how God relentlessly and unconditionally loves us and will never leave us.

worth every penny and so much more

well worth the money. couldn't recommend this book highly enough. this should be taught in high school to teach the cost of freedom

Brilliant and Credible

This brilliant story not only covers the Navy Seal Team 6 mission that killed Osama bin Laden, but also covers an interesting and gripping story of the military life of a Navy Seal. The author takes great pains to ensure that he reveals no classified information in his book, yet is still able to tell an amazing story.

The book has come under fire by the mainstream media, which is a good reason to read the book. Most news accounts about the story focus on the author's report that Osama bin Laden was shot while unarmed, as though that was the height of evil. Only in a world overrun by the religion of modern liberalism, is killing a mass murderer such as Osama bin Laden considered a crime.

The book has some fairly straightforward description of the handling of bin Laden's body. While not graphic, the frank discussion might make some readers queasy. For those of us Americans who remember 9/11 and who despise true evil wherever it occurs, reading this story provides a certain catharsis after 11 long years.

The real reason, however, to read the book, is to discover the world of America's professional warriors. Most of what Navy Seals do is so classified, those many, many stories of heroism and bravery will be lost. The author succeeds in bringing a feel for his profession, as a member of Navy Seal Team 6, even though he's quite limited in what he can really report about their activities.

Holter Graham's narration is good. He handles the story well and brings the humor, the drama, the danger, and the emotion to this excellent story.

AMAZING INSPIRING

Jeff Lathan (USMC 11yr Vet). Now LT OCPD
This is a must read for any true American