Lone Survivor

The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10

De: Marcus Luttrell, Patrick Robinson

Narrado por: Kevin T. Collins

Follow along a Navy SEAL's firsthand account of American heroism during a secret military operation in Afghanistan in this true story of survival and difficult choices.

On a clear night in late June 2005, four U.S. Navy SEALs left their base in northern Afghanistan for the mountainous Pakistani border. Their mission was to capture or kill a notorious al Qaeda leader known to be ensconced in a Taliban stronghold surrounded by a small but heavily armed force. Less then twenty-four hours later, only one of those Navy SEALs remained alive.

This is the story of fire team leader Marcus Luttrell, the sole survivor of Operation Redwing, and the desperate battle in the mountains that led, ultimately, to the largest loss of life in Navy SEAL history. But it is also, more than anything, the story of his teammates, who fought ferociously beside him until he was the last one left-blasted unconscious by a rocket grenade, blown over a cliff, but still armed and still breathing. Over the next four days, badly injured and presumed dead, Luttrell fought off six al Qaeda assassins who were sent to finish him, then crawled for seven miles through the mountains before he was taken in by a Pashtun tribe, who risked everything to protect him from the encircling Taliban killers.

A six-foot-five-inch Texan, Leading Petty Officer Luttrell takes us, blow by blow, through the brutal training of America's warrior elite and the relentless rites of passage required by the Navy SEALs. He transports us to a monstrous battle fought in the desolate peaks of Afghanistan, where the beleaguered American team plummeted headlong a thousand feet down a mountain as they fought back through flying shale and rocks.

In this rich, moving chronicle of courage, honor, and patriotism, Marcus Luttrell delivers one of the most powerful narratives ever written about modern warfare -- and a tribute to his teammates, who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.©2007 Marcus Luttrell; (P)2007 Hachette Audio

god and country

There is not enough ways to thank Marcus and all the others that put their lives on the line for the American people. I admire them greatly and tell that to every soldier in uniform that I meet. I have several family members serving in Iraq, all with tremendous stories of heroism and survival that they tell.

But this book is more than just a heroic war story. It revealed the intense moral conflict Marcus struggled with over whether to “execute” the goat herders for his own safety or to do the “Christian” thing and release them. I cannot imagine having to make this kind of decision. For that reason alone, that he faced that dilemma and made a decision, I consider him a hero. And I am certainly not one that believes I could judge him no matter which way he decided. I will recommend this book to all my college students in hopes they will get a glimpse of what it really means to be on the “front line.”

But I do have one discomforting issue with the way this story is told. This writer sometimes comes off to me as a mindless parrot spouting off silly military and Christian propaganda slogans. I understand in every war each side portrays the other as heartless, pagan, warmongers. We dehumanize them and they do it to us. That way we’re not killing people, just inhuman scum. Some of the naive comments about the atrocities of the enemy and the syrupy “God and Country” speeches read like WW2 American propaganda stories. Surely Vietnam taught us that the American public can handle the tough moral issues that are interwoven into any conflict. Surely we know this conflict, this war, is not going to be won by trying to kill all the bad guys and argue over whose god is the strongest. As we kill the terrorists we need to come to grips with the causes of this conflict and try not to let history repeat itself. Sure, that’ll happen!

Amazing!

What made the experience of listening to Lone Survivor the most enjoyable?

The narrative had the perfect voice for this story

What other book might you compare Lone Survivor to and why?

This is my first audiobook.

Which scene was your favorite?

The description of the village where Marcus was saved

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

Unbelievable!

Revealing portrayal.

Any additional comments?

Give it a pass for it's author's jingoism after such an ordeal, and you'll find a insigtful story of war.

Awesome!

I have read the book, listened to the book, and seen the movie. I love the book. such an amazing account of heroism, honor, and determination.

Great book

I have always admired the people that serve our country. This book raised my admiration even higher. This book makes you feel like you are with them on that journey. Very well written and I hope they make it into a movie.