No Easy Day

The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden

By: Mark Owen, Kevin Maurer

Narrated by: Holter Graham

The #1 New York Times bestselling 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—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 readers alongside Owen and his fellow SEAL team members 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 readers into the War on Terror and details the formation 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 several 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 readers with a deep understanding of the warriors who keep America safe.

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 Day 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

“Make no mistake: No Easy Day is an important historic document.”—Los Angeles Times

“A remarkably intimate glimpse into what motivates men striving to join an elite fighting force like the SEALS—and what keeps them there.”—Associated Press

Great, gripping story from start to finish.

Would you consider the audio edition of No Easy Day to be better than the print version?

Yes. I found Holter Graham's delivery to be very engaging, particularly in the scenes where the soldiers are in the field.

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

I just finished Peter Bergen's Manhunt, which I also highly recommend. I listened to it in anticipation of this book and found it to be a more comprehensive detail into Bin Laden's demise. Of course, No Easy Day is not aiming to be an all-encompassing story of Bin Laden's last few years on the run, so the two books complement each other very well.

Have you listened to any of Holter Graham’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not but would like to.

Any additional comments?

I found it somewhat funny that in the days prior to this book's release, many news websites and blogs were reporting that this book had a strong "anti-Obama" tone. "Mark Owen" spends a few minutes talking about all the false reporting that followed the Bin Laden raid, and I would say the reporting preceding the release of this book was false as well. Owen expresses that most of the SEALs were not fans of Obama, but I think this was more as a function of them not liking politicians in DC as a whole. Owen and the SEALs were always aware of how events like the killing of Bin Laden would be spun for political purposes and weren't wild about it, but that was pretty much the extent of the political commentary.

Additionally, I can't imagine that there is any sensitive or classified information revealed in the book (since "Owen" didn't screen it with the Pentagon, as is protocol). Aside from a few details I had heard almost all of the details elsewhere. The thrill of the book was hearing it from the SEAL's perspective.

Great book.

Importance of a first account of history

First, all the bluster about revealing operational secrets, etc.---it is not there. Nothing I heard in this narrative was particularly a surprise. If any adversary could gain some type of tactical advantage from this, they obviously have not done their homework elsewhere. I suspect some of that bluster is because the author is not particularly complimentary of Obama and his willingness to take credit for the operation. The author does not drone on about this, but simply makes an observation and moves on with the rest of the story.
To learn the inside story of what actually happened with the mission is very interesting, particularly how close it came to going horribly wrong. This book is mostly about the men who train relentlessly becoming professional operators and the work that goes on to allow them to succeed. If you have an interest in current events and like to know the intricacies of how this event actually occurred, this is recommended.

Entertaining Read

Would you listen to No Easy Day again? Why?

I had read a lot about this book in the news and had conflicting thoughts about reading it. Part of me felt that it wasn't approached properly in regards to getting clearance from the government. It also felt like it was too quick to market and that someone was just trying to make a buck.

Nonetheless, I used one of my credits and ended up thoroughly enjoying the book. It was well narrated and the story had the right combination of detail and story line to keep it moving. It reiterates a lot of the same SEAL training that I have read elsewhere but provides enough of a unique single person context to make it interesting. The portion in regards to the raid is a little difficult to follow but was exciting to listen to. Great narrative of what purportedly went on that night.

Overall well worth the 1 credit.

Excellent story

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

They are warriors

What did you like best about this story?

I felt like the author was being honest about entire story. No political agenda.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Seal Team 6 arrived back in the States. It angered me about the political leaks but I was happy that the public showed their appreciation.

A must read American story

This is a must read book for all people interested in wanting to understand how the raid on Bin Laden went down. Well written and narrated. It makes me very mad that our pathetic VP and others leaked the identity of the team that carried out this mission. One of the that team was killed a month later and I hope Biden thinks about that when he goes to bed at night.