The Chosen Few

A Company of Paratroopers and Its Heroic Struggle to Survive in the Mountains of Afghanistan

By: Gregg Zoroya, William H. McRaven - foreward

Narrated by: Gregg Zoroya

Length: 12 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's Summary

The never-before-told story of one of the most decorated units in the war in Afghanistan and its 15-month ordeal that culminated in the 2008 Battle of Wanat, the war's deadliest

A single company of US paratroopers - calling themselves the "Chosen Few" - arrived in eastern Afghanistan in late 2007 hoping to win the hearts and minds of the remote mountain people and extend the Afghan government's reach into this wilderness. 

Instead, they spent the next 15 months in a desperate struggle, living under almost continuous attack, forced into a slow and grinding withdrawal, and always outnumbered by Taliban fighters descending on them from all sides. Month after month, rocket-propelled grenades, rockets, and machine-gun fire poured down on the isolated and exposed paratroopers as America's focus and military resources shifted to Iraq. 

Just weeks before the paratroopers were to go home, they faced their last - and toughest - fight. Near the village of Wanat in Nuristan province, an estimated 300 enemy fighters surrounded about 50 of the Chosen Few and others defending a partially finished combat base. Nine died and more than two dozen were wounded that day in July 2008, making it arguably the bloodiest battle of the war in Afghanistan. 

The Chosen Few would return home tempered by war. Two among them would receive the Medal of Honor. All of them would be forever changed. 

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2017 Gregg Zoroya (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic Reviews

"The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now producing their own volumes, and this is one of the better ones...Well-researched...The book does an excellent job of telling the entire story of the action...As one of the most highly decorated units in Army history, these men, many of them from broken families and rough backgrounds, are worthy successors to Band of Brothers from previous generations of American fighting men." (New York Journal of Books)

"The gripping, often heartbreaking story of Chosen Company's time in the Waygal Valley...In a style reminiscent of Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers, Zoroya takes readers beyond the blood and sweat of close combat and into the hearts and minds of the soldiers themselves. The result is an intensely personal and heart-wrenching tale of courage, love, and loss...a vivid portrait of America's war in Afghanistan...brutally honest in the telling, in a way that will affect readers deeply... The Chosen Few is an exceptional book...as revealing as it is enthralling. For military readers, The Chosen Few is a 'must read'; few books are as insightful, especially with respect to the character, courage, and commitment of those fighting for the future of Afghanistan. For readers with preconceived notions of what it means to engage in the 'forever war,' this book is a necessary addition to the bookshelf." (Military Review)

"A searing account of war in Afghanistan...A remarkable story, whose telling raises myriad questions without resorting to polemics. It is unlikely that those who read it will ever utter the phrase, 'Thank you for your service,' quite the same way again...A gripping, exhaustively reported account of modern warfare...[Zoroya] cuts through the fog of war...Zoroya delivers the adrenaline of combat right to the reader's easy chair. His prose is direct and clear, and never upstages the action. He also brings the warriors to life, chronicling their trials and triumphs." (USA Today)

Wow! What an amazing group of men!

As a sister of one of the soldiers in this book, I was moved and felt I was right there in the action. I never realized the true danger he was in. I can't thank the author enough for taking the time and effort to research the events and write this book. I've always been proud of my brother and those who served. Now, I have a new found respect for them. My heartaches for the lives lost and the loved ones left behind. But I feel like I really got to know all of them in this book. I wish I could have gone to the 10-yr reunion last year. I now understand why my Dad was on cloud 9 when he and my mom accompanied my brother to the reunion. He was in awe by being in the presents of such a great group of men.

Wow

Up there with some of the best: The Outpost, House to House, Outlaw Platoon, and more. Great narrator, well written, I’ve listened to them all. Vets, if you can, we need more books like this, to remember and celebrate your sacrifices.

slowwwww

it isn't that this is a bad book. but man is it slow. it goes into great depth of who people are and where they are from. but there is so much of it that it drowns out the action and storyline. the loss and love of soldiers is the highlight but sadly it doesn't come through very easy.

Painfully Excellent

The best effort to honor the soldiers of Chosen Company/173rd. Author did an excellent job of collecting the information and translating it. Heartbreaking heroic acts of heroism displayed by the soldiers of Chosen.

as a fellow paratrooper ..

as a fellow paratrooper and combat veteran, I enjoyed the story. may the fallen rest in peace. AIRBORNE

A great story, poorly written and performed.

Although extensive and well-researched, it was hard to follow and even harder to listen to. The author's dull, monotone voice, tangent backstories, editing errors, and overabundance of mundane and irrelevant details overcomplicated the storyline and made it difficult to finish. This is a story worth telling, one of valor and sacrifice and the reality of war, but it needs to be told by someone else.

Proud of these men that have served an sacrificed so much for our great country.

Thank to all the men that served an sacrificed in these battles to defend our great country

Afghanistan

An intimate look at the people who fought in the war in Afghanistan. Some gave all. The rest remain forever changed by the experience which was overwhelming both physically and emotionally.
Heroes all.

A highly recommended read

A well presented and well researched story, showing the lives of the soldiers and the horrors of the war that they had to endure.

This is possibly the best representation of the war that I have read to date. I highly recommend this to anyone who has a passion for understanding the war in Afghanistan.

One of the best accounts of any conflict that I’ve ever read

This book was one of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading or listening to. The details provide a vivid glimpse into the multiple decisions which must be made on tactical and strategic levels involving both combat effectiveness and geo-political implications. This is a must read for anyone who wants an unvarnished understanding of what happens at the Company level during all phases of combat planning and operations.

A sad reality

I don't know who said it originally but it is a fact of life that in war people die. It's the nature of the beast and when you go to war against a highly motivated and ruthless opponent you had better make sure that you're ready to lose people in combat, because it is going to happen.
This book demonstrates within its narrative how life and death are linked with the choices that leaders make. One mistake and people will be wounded or killed. As an ex-paratrooper (British) I was saddened by the waste of young lives when they are put in harm's way by their hierarchy but proud of the way they fought for each other even to the point of dying.
This book points out very clearly that every human life despite troubled beginnings can mean something in the way it is lived and sometimes in the way that person chooses to sacrifice themselves. The Taliban know that just as well as anyone and whilst we have young people who are prepared to put themselves in harms way we will have wars like this.
I found parts of this audio book troubling and wondered how much longer we humans will choose to settle our differences by killing one another?

terrible

This is the worst book I have purchased from audible. I tried to return the title but it's a non refundable purchase.
The book is slow and boring only made even more painful by the monotone drone of the narration. Awful.

Not really a book…..

Could have been such a better audio book but just literally sentence after sentence being read out reciting facts. No flow to the story whatsoever. Real shame as these were very brave men but had to stop listening half way trough……

outstanding

puts you right in the battles such a amazing book u need to here the story of these heroic people

Just wow

No words can describe the book, but brave men from start to finish. Thank you to everyone involved in this book.

Absolutely Brilliant

I think this is probably the best Audio Book I have listened to! It is a truly shocking listen and has every emotion you can imagine. The detail is second to none and extremely well composed and written and narrated to be honest. Being Ex Brit Military and having served in an Infantry Battalion and having been detached to work with an US Infantry Battalion I love all things military. I also love the US but they are often not as good as they think they are sometimes and we used to do some of the basic things much better than them in my experience. Maybe easy to appreciate why an elite unit underestimated the capabilities of an evil yet capable enemy. No question about their bravery and valour and to be fair I nearly cried more than once listening to this. i am of the opinion that war is necessary and yet needless at the same time especially when so many great guys gave up their lives protecting their mates in the Ass end of nowhere amongst a lying treacherous local population who certainly didn't deserve the blood and lives of these heroes!!!

Very honest and detailed account

Really enjoyed listening to this book.
The author provided a first hand account of all that happened delivered in a very engaging way.
Literally had to keep listening at every opportunity.

it was really good and easy to listen to

brilliant reading. very passionate. I was very impressed by the way that he was able to keep the audience captivated.

riveting first hand accounts

an in depth view from the eyes of the heros from Chosen and an insight into the minds of the front line tip of the spear and not the leaders ..

Can't imagine their thoughts and nightmares now.

I just about felt the pain of multiple wounds. We will never appreciate their sacrifice.