Manhunt

The Ten-Year Search for Bin Laden - from 9-11 to Abbottabad

By: Peter L. Bergen

Narrated by: Mark Deakins

Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

From the author of the New York Times best-selling Holy War, Inc., this is the definitive account of the decade-long manhunt for the world’s most wanted man, Osama bin Laden.

Al Qaeda expert and CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen paints a multidimensional picture of the hunt for bin Laden over the past decade, including the operation that killed him. Other key elements of the book include:

• A careful account of President Obama’s decision-making process as the raid was planned
• The fascinating story of a group of CIA analysts—largely women—who never gave up assembling the tiniest clues about OBL’s whereabouts
• The untold and action-packed history of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and the SEALs
• An analysis of what the death of OBL means for al Qaeda, and for Obama’s legacy.

Just as Too Big to Fail captured, in riveting detail, the anatomy of this decade’s financial disaster, so too is Manhunt one of the key stories of this decade: the authoritative, immersive account of the operation that killed the man who organized the largest mass murder in American history.

©2012 Peter L. Bergen (P)2012 Random House

Critic reviews

"In Manhunt, Peter Bergen has produced a page-turner rich with new information and insight into the search for Bin Laden and his killing. Only Bergen, America's foremost counterterrorism writer, could have produced a book of such energy and authority - a triumph." (Steve Coll, author of Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001)
"Ten years of grit, intelligent hard work, and daring led to Operation Neptune Spear, and Bergen captures it all in a story that is both a riveting page turner and a definitive history. Revealing details of bin Laden's last years in self-imposed prison, the debates of the CIA analysts who tracked him, and the training of the SEALs who killed him, Manhunt is essential reading for anyone who wants to know the real story of how the world's most wanted terrorist was finally brought to justice." (Eric Greitens, author of The Heart and The Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL)
"With masterly reporting, Peter Bergen takes us where we've never been: behind the high walls of Osama bin Laden's last hideout and behind the scenes of the heroic and painstaking hunt for the Al Qaeda mastermind. Manhunt is a thrilling read." (Anderson Cooper, CNN anchor)

Excellent

Excellent account of the Bin Laden story. Read it from page to page non stop.

Interesting

Was a pretty interesting story, not sure how accurate it was considering a lot of "facts" were dead wrong, many of them easily confirmed. Also got the feeling the author would have preferred SEAL Team 6 had raided Crawford, Texas or Maralago instead of Abbotabad. I really wish 'Maya' would write a book.

Timely, interesting and informative

Includes the history of bin Laden before 9/11, some personal history after 9/11, the development of information that led to his compound in Pakistan, and the bold decision to raid the compound. The story moves quickly and is well read.

Excellent, informative, interesting.

Really drives home what a difficult roll of the dice it was to initiate the mission, gambling on 60% odds that the intelligence conclusions were right. Great behind the scenes information--it's fascinating that the author was able to get so many facts!

Too much Obama, not enough Navy Seals

Would you try another book from Peter L. Bergen and/or Mark Deakins?

Yes, but I wish they would lose the bias.

Would you be willing to try another book from Peter L. Bergen? Why or why not?

Maybe

Would you listen to another book narrated by Mark Deakins?

Yes

Was Manhunt worth the listening time?

Yes

Any additional comments?

If the title talks about the 10 year search, then I would like to hear more about all the efforts in this and not just Obama as a hero.

Superb!

Would you listen to Manhunt again? Why?

No, I got it the first time.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Manhunt?

The set up.

Which scene was your favorite?

The kill

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

yes

Any additional comments?

This is a story we Americans should know about. It's very important.

Riveting. Best Audiobook I've Ever Purchased

Would you listen to Manhunt again? Why?

Yes, it's like a Brad Thor novel but real. Moves swiftly. Chapters well organized. The climatic killing of OBL is simply stunning to listen to.

The title of this review is not hyperbole.

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

I was driving when the author read, "Geronimo EKIA." And I almost had to pull over. Real life yet like a Ian Fleming novel.

killing Bin Laden - How we got him

This is such a great book. It gives you the highs and the lows of the hunt. What is great, this book does not under estimate Bin Laden, but shows him as normal flawed person. At the same time the book shows how this guy over estimated himself and under estimated the CIA and other U.S intel assets and the spec ops command (JSOC).

A lot better choices

A lot better choices of books with what seem to me a lot more accurate. I understand this journalist wants to be the know it all with Bin Laden but this book I wouldn’t put in a top 5 of anything to do with the raid. The part at the end with “ekia” and how it was like ehhhh yeah well no big deal made me write this review. Rob O’Neil can tell this a lot better and deliver it a lot better. This is not even on the same level.