The Only Thing Worth Dying For

How Eleven Green Berets Forged a New Afghanistan

By: Eric Blehm

Narrated by: P.J. Ochlan

Length: 12 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

On a moonless night just weeks after September 11, 2001, U.S. Special Forces team ODA 574 infiltrates the mountains of southern Afghanistan with a seemingly impossible mission: to foment a tribal revolt and force the Taliban to surrender. Armed solely with the equipment they can carry on their backs, shockingly scant intelligence, and their mastery of guerrilla warfare, Captain Jason Amerine and his men have no choice but to trust their only ally: a little-known Pashtun statesman named Hamid Karzai who has returned from exile and is being hunted by the Taliban as he travels the countryside raising a militia.

The Only Thing Worth Dying For chronicles the most important mission in the early days of the Global War on Terror, when the men on the ground knew little about the enemy - and their commanders in Washington knew even less. With unprecedented access to surviving members of ODA 574, key war planners, and Karzai himself, award-winning author Eric Blehm cuts through the noise of politicians and high-level military officials to narrate, for the first time, a story of uncommon bravery and terrible sacrifice, intimately exposing the realities of unconventional warfare and nation-building in Afghanistan that continue to shape the region today.

©2010 Eric Blehm (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers

wonderful book

Prepare to have your idols destroyed, and have them replaced with far better men.
If you haven't already, get Blehm's bio of Adam Brown; Fearless

As true as it can get!

As a member of a special operations command the words narrated in this book could not be any more true in the military aspect in the daily lives of many operators. A heartfelt, emotional, patriotic story of which many men in our military and a special operations have gone through, and go through to survive and the true reality of why some do not survive. Recommend this story to anyone military or not. Will leave you with a lump in your throat and a heart full of pride.

Absolute Must read!

One of the few books that go on my must read shelf. In my opinion: This book is to the war in Afghanistan what “The Caine Mutiny” was the Second World War and what “We Were Soldiers Once and Young” was to the Vietnam war. Also, what “Blackhawk Down” was to Somalia War.

Personable and Professional

I felt like I I knew these people with their, joy, frustrations and loss. Good performance from the narrator

Very well researched and written!

A most interesting story, painstakingly researched and expertly written. I found the last three hours so compelling I couldn't stop listening! I heartily recommend this book!

Excellent

What did you love best about The Only Thing Worth Dying For?

True story. Easy listen.

What other book might you compare The Only Thing Worth Dying For to and why?

I don't have any to compare. This is my first audible book.

Which scene was your favorite?

Won't give it away

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Same as title

Any additional comments?

Love the book. Hard to put down.

Great book

Some books are hard to read or listen to but the narrator in this book was excellent relating the story with all real events painful but at the same time given in a very softly and respectful manner.

good weird audio edits

The performance has strange audio edits throughout that detract from the flow of the story.

just heartbreaking

this is a perfect example of "too many chiefs". just a heartbreaking story of our best men swept aside to feed egos.

absolutely amazing

loved every second of it. amazing story about brotherhood, patriotism, and caring more about something than oneself.