Touching the Dragon

And Other Techniques for Surviving Life's Wars

By: James Hatch, Christian D'Andrea

Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith, James Hatch

Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

“Jimmy Hatch is a personal hero of mine.” (Anderson Cooper)

“Irresistible. . . . A wounded SEAL’s shame becomes a salvation.” (J. Ford Huffman, Military Times)

James Hatch is a former special ops Navy SEAL senior chief, master naval parachutist, and expert military dog trainer and handler. On his fateful final mission in Afghanistan, his SEAL team was sent to recover Bowe Bergdahl - the soldier who deserted his post and fell into the hands of Al-Qaida and the Taliban. The mission went south, and Hatch was left with a shattered femur from an AK-47 round and the SEAL dog who fought alongside him was dead. As a result of his horrific leg wound, his 24-year military career came to an end - and with it the only life he’d ever known.

In Touching the Dragon, we witness his long road to recovery. Getting well physically required 18 surgeries, 12 months of recovery, and learning to walk again. But getting well mentally would prove to be much tougher, as he fought through the depths of despair, alcoholism, and the pull to end his own life. What emerges is a different kind of hero’s journey, one in which Hatch shows the courage it takes to confess, confront, and overcome his own brokenness. Through the love of family, friends, and his military dogs, Hatch learned remarkable tools and found his purpose, and now he wants to share this wisdom with the rest of us because we all have wounds.

©2018 James Hatch, Christian D'Andrea (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Jimmy Hatch has managed to write a love story out of a war story. The love he has found for those he protected, those he fought with, the dogs he depended on. And finally he found a way to love himself." (Kenny Mayne, ESPN anchor; host, Kenny Mayne's Wider World of Sports)

"This book touched me like no other personal account of battle I've read. Though a special operator who saw more engagements than most, Jimmy Hatch offers no boast or bravado. Instead he describes his unique experiences - and the wars that have shaped this generation of fighting men and women - with provocative insight, calm stoicism, and thoughtful but frustrated understanding. But it is how he has taken those experiences and applied them to his post-trauma life that makes this comparable to Sajer's The Forgotten Soldier. An exceptional read." (Mark Hertling, LTG, US Army, retired)

"There are plenty of books full of daring wartime exploits, but I haven't come across any book that reveals with such honesty and openness, the 'second war' that Jimmy and other special operators must fight when they come back to a society that seems so alien to them, a society completely divorced from the purity of combat." (Anderson Cooper)

i enjoyed this book immensely immensly

loved this book would like to know how master chief hatch is doing today. I've read a lot of books about our heros of today this one is very honest on what happens when things go wrong

awesome!

loved this book! way to keep it real and reading was perfectly done, this should be taught in schools!

Heart wrenchingly good!

What a beautiful telling of a turmoiled soul’s story. Highly recommend this book, especially this weekend. No better tribute on this Memorial Day weekend than to read this book and learn from it. Really read and absorb the stories shared of so many unsung heroes. I have the utmost respect for Mr. and Mrs. Hatch for so boldly sharing their story, and wish them all the peace and happiness they and their fur babies and hair missiles deserve!

Touching the Dragon

Amazing story. To live and tell the story of your service to this country and freedom, and the dogs that were with you.

Amazing and inspirational

One of the best books I have listen too. I appreciate jimmy hatch for the humility to share his struggles with the mental side of life’s struggles

Great job "Fat Jimmy"

The other narrator is one of the best I've ever heard on audible. Way to close out the story on top... IGTMF!

Interesting story

This is an interesting true story, starting with descriptions of deployments with the viewpoint of “getting the bad guys” and enjoying being really good at it. But details were more than a little glossed over because the word “kill” was rarely used in these descriptions and instead we got all kinds of euphemisms as I suppose they use in the military. This was followed by describing his gunshot injury that pulls him out of action, and then the details of his descent into depression. Even after the chapter on “touching the dragon” by being made to revisit the injury episode in therapy, it didn’t adequately explain his ongoing shame and self loathing, for example even by the end of the book he couldn’t accept it when thanked for his service. Then near the end there’s a glancing mention of touching another dragon, of “bad things” he’s done while in the wars, and the whole thing makes much more sense, but no we don’t actually get that story either. There’s a lot to admire in this man and I’m glad to get his perspective, but it’s obvious there is more contributing to his struggle than he could share. Also didn’t write about his international diplomacy efforts which I heard on a radio interview, maybe that activity came later?

Nailed it!

What an enlightening, moving, and entertaining story. I feel like recommending this book to Simmons of people that are closest to me. I like the way he infused life lessons throughout the book, illustrated by stories and his journey. Awesome use of my time!

memoirs from an elite soldier...and then some

if your looking a soldier's book and honest view this is a gopd read. then he takes it to a brutally honest battle of his worst fears, his failure as a soldier, tier 1 operator and as a man. in his eyes only.
dealing with his demons and sharing his chaos and what he did and does is the next level.

Excellent book and performance

First of all, I thank you for your service (Yes, for all of it sir)

I came for a story told by someone who has experienced the darkness and the fallout of war, and although it does deliver this in full, it was not at all in the way I had expected. I was very touched by the experience and the journey that this book took me on.
The style of writing was very appealing, it was informative, interesting, intriguing, and honorable. All brought in a such a powerful way. This book takes you on a journey through respect and every aspect of it. Wether it is respect for others or self-respect. The lessons are strong and insightful yet brought gently, and subtle. It made me laugh, frown, and nod in agreement a lot. I am so incredibly glad that I found this book. I agree that everyone has their dragons. I did not expect to find help for my life as I was not even looking for it here, but I did find it.
I can start the process to touch my own dragons. I sincerely thank you Mr. Hatch.

As for the narration, it was an excellent performance.
When Mr. Hatch started reading himself I was sad at first that someone else would read the rest of the book but that quickly dissipated. The narrator truly did the book the justice it deserved. It was a very strong performance and I hung on to every word. He has put a lot of emotion and effort in it.

My only complaint is that the change of chapters could use a slight pause. Mr. Hatch ends all of his chapters on such strong lines that it takes away a lot of the power in his words by reading the first sentence of the next chapter right after the last sentence. It feels confusing sometimes and those were he only moments that broke my immersion as the subjects are usually totally different. Apart from that excellent job.