The Heart and the Fist Audiobook By Eric Greitens cover art

The Heart and the Fist

The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL

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The Heart and the Fist

By: Eric Greitens
Narrated by: Eric Greitens
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Like many young idealists, Eric Greitens wanted to make a difference. During college and afterward, he traveled to the world's trouble spots, working in refugee camps, serving the sick and the poor on four continents, from Gaza to Croatia to Mother Teresa's home in Calcutta, among others. Yet he could not prevent violence or save anyone from becoming a refugee; he could only step in afterward and try to ease the damage. So Eric joined the Navy SEALs and became an elite warrior.

In a moving and inspiring memoir, told with genuine humility, Eric offers something new in the history of military memoirs: a warrior who wanted to be strong to be good, only to discover that he had to be good to be strong. Throughout his SEAL training and deployments in Kenya, Thailand, Afghanistan, and Iraq, the lessons of his humanitarian work bore fruit. The result is a lesson for us all: the heart and fist together are more powerful than either one alone.

©2011 Eric Greitens (P)2011 Tantor Military & War Biographies & Memoirs Inspiring Thought-Provoking Heartfelt War Military Middle East Africa

Critic reviews

"This tale of [Greitens's] dual military/humanitarian effort could be paired with Rye Barcott's It Happened on the Way to War." ( Library Journal)

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Have been listening to this book and am amazed by the great way it presents the story. The writer who also reads the book, is a natural to the audio book genre and delivers his story in a compelling and all emcompassing manner. Not an army story, but a life story and freedom, the value of it we in the west take for granted.

Governments don't make change, people do, from the spark in the heart of one man or women a whole political or social shift can taken place, as we have witnessed in the middle east recently.

A thought provoking and well written/read account

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His honesty about his own personal failings with his grandfather while aiding refugees in Rwanda is character and humanity rarely written about outside of the most personal journals. I've had moments like that in my own life, but never had the courage to share it with anyone. Greitens' story is powerful and compelling.

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If you read Sole Survivor and were a bit disappointed with the arrogance, religious overtones, and lack of believability, and were left longing for an honest accounting of what makes a true warrior, this book is not to be missed. Simply one of the most amazing soldier stories I've read (and I'm partial to the genre).

Honest and engaging

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Well told story of a purpose-filled life. Great insight into what it takes to be a Navy Seal.

Terrific

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Single best book I have read in a long time. way to go Mark. AROO!

Great Story

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Eric Greitens memoir stands out as more than another account of the difficulty involved in joining one of America's elite special operations units. Although the author is a Rhodes Scholar, and highly articulate, he keeps his narrative accessible while remaining intelligent and thought provoking.

This book details the evolution of a man, during which he pauses to highlight key moments and lessons. Those impactful moments contain principles applicable to students, teachers, humanitarians, and military members, to name a few. Any person seeking to positively influence their surroundings would do well to get this book.

A very human memoir on service.

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