Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 (Paperback) by Marcus Luttrell

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04/26/08

Kristin rated it:

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Read in April, 2008

This was our book club pick for this month. All I can say is THANK YOU KARIANN!! This book should be required reading for every American. It was life changing. I loved it. I have since scoured the Internet trying to learn as much as I can about Operation Redwing and it's heroes.

This is not the kind of book I would normally pick up and read. In fact, I had it on the counter and when Tyler came home and he thanked me for picking him out a great book from the library. He couldn't believ...more

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06/05/08

Taylor rated it:

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Read in June, 2008

I REALLY wanted to like Lone Survivor. I mean, it's theoretically about a guy who survives an ambush by the Taliban when his teammates do not, goes on to receive shelter and protection from a brave Afghan village, and then writes about the bravery of his teammates who fought to their deaths.

But... the book is essentially Marcus Luttrell patting himself on the back. For more than 100 pages, he writes about training to become a Navy SEAL and how tough he is. I'm not saying that it i...more I REALLY wanted to like Lone Survivor. I mean, it's theoretically about a guy who survives an ambush by the Taliban when his teammates do not, goes on to receive shelter and protection from a brave Afghan village, and then writes about the bravery of his teammates who fought to their deaths.

But... the book is essentially Marcus Luttrell patting himself on the back. For more than 100 pages, he writes about training to become a Navy SEAL and how tough he is. I'm not saying that it is a small thing to get through that. I could never ever ever be that tough. But these anecdotes are only about him, not the mettle shown by the rest of his SEAL class. And anyway, the book is supposed to be about the bravery of his lost teammates.

About 100 pages are eventually dedicated to his interaction with the team. And he does laud their bravery and determination in the face of horrific injuries. However, it seemed like most of his recollections are of the teammates making bad decisions when Marcus knew better, or of Marcus doing heroic things. And I'm sure he did. I'm not making light of his service to his country, his willingness to risk his life for his country. But again, he himself says the book is supposed to be about the bravery of his teammates.

The rest of the book is about Marcus bravely evading capture - barely mentioning his friends, until he comes to the end where he talks about how he very graciously tours the country comforting the families of his lost teammates. Again, it's an admirable thing to do, but it seems like he's pointing out the fact that it was an admirable thing to do.

And while he bravely evaded his trackers for one night, he is also taken in by an incredibly brave Afghan village, who protect him from the Taliban forces in the face of terrifying threats. He acknowledges the risk this village has taken, but more than anything, he complains that they gave him a dirty water bottle and that the goat's milk tasted bad. And that there was a rooster crowing outside his room.

The book is interspersed with diatribes about "the liberal media" and the liberal lies they perpetrate. He says the liberal media seeks to make Americans hate US troops. This alone seems incredibly wrong to me. It is my perception that criticism of the military by the media is nearly always directed at: a) incredible atrocities, like Haditha or Abu Ghraib or b) poor military decisions by the higher ups. Instead, Marcus also says something to the effect of, The Geneva Convention is a bunch of liberal bullshit made up by liberal politicians who have never experienced war; it's also something the liberal media uses to incriminate US troops. He says, If you don't want to see the loss of innocent life, don't go to war. By association, he thinks the "liberal media" has no right to criticize, or even report, innocent loss of life in war due to US activities.

I can see where he's coming from, to a degree. The havoc that was wreaked on his teammates spawned primarily from a decision to extend mercy to a few unarmed goatherds who happened upon the SEAL's position. The goatherds reported that position to the Taliban, who sent hundreds of men to attack the group of 4 Navy SEALs. In hindsight, it's understandable that Marcus would regret that seemingly humane decision. However, this does not mean that unarmed civilians should generally be killed. The US is not supposed to be ruthless.

Again, I really do not wish to criticize the service Marcus dedicated to his country. In fact, his valor is real. Despite his injuries, he turned around and asked to complete his deployment. His family and his country should be proud of his service. However, it just doesn't sit well with me that he is billing this book as a tribute to his brave teammates, when they really seem to be minor supporting characters to Marcus' lead man, providing a sympathetic plotline to enhance the like-ability of the main character. I believe that his intentions were probably good, but his severe lack of humility prevents Lone Survivor from being the tribute his team deserves.

Note: other Goodreads users have notified me that Marcus is contributing the profits from the sale of this book to a trust benefitting troops and their families. While this does not alleviate my concerns that the book does not do justice to his teammates, I think he is honoring their legacy and their service by refusing to profit from the book.

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04/10/08

Abby rated it:

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Read in January, 2007

You would not think I would love this book so much, since basically it is 100% about guys in military training, shooting, dead guys, blood, outdoor survival, guns, etc... I mean seriously, there is ZERO kissing in this book. But surprisingly, I was amazingly addicted to this book. Marcus Luttrel (the author, who the story is about) is AMAZING. I actually decided I wanted to be a Navy SEAL after reading this book, plus I wanted to go hunt Taliban guys. That is the way I judge a book as good. If i...more

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10/31/07

Janet rated it:

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Read in September, 2007

recommends it for: All Americans

This is one of those powerful life-changing books that will speak to generations of Americans forever. I’ve tried to write this review so many times since I first read Lone Survivor back in September and again after reading it for the second time in November….. I simply cannot find the words (unusual for me). I had friends lining up to borrow this book but until now, could not put it down, could not let it go. At last I felt ready to walk away from the friendships forged and battles fought ...more

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08/24/07

Chris rated it:

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An interesting book dealing with the training of Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, his deployment in Afghanistan, his ordeal as the lone survivor of a combat mission, and how he is taken in by an Afghani village that stands up to the Taliban. The fight scene is riveting and agonizing, and the scenes where his Texas community rallies around his family pulls at your heart. The book is marred by numerous sprinklings of gratuitous references to the liberal media and how the liberals hate the army and are h...more

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04/20/08

David Limutau rated it:

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Read in April, 2008

Okay, so I have seen some of the reviews of this book and you people who gave it 1 star because the writing wasn't superb, well sorry but you are just lame. I HATE SNOBS!!!!!! They come in all shapes and forms...music snobs, movie snobs, and of course, BOOK SNOBS! This story is AMAZING!! Even if it was the poorest written book ever, the story alone merits 5 stars. I recommend this book to everyone. It does have some language but it is understandable when describing and recalling the events...more

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02/10/09

Kelly rated it:

UNBELIEVABLE! I always thought those movies where the heroes get shot five times and fall off a cliff, but just keep getting up shooting were so unrealistic...apparently NOT! The second half of this book was impossible to put down - I was so caught up in the description of Operation Redwing. It was truly amazing and I will never think about our military in the same way again, even though I've always had a high opinion of the men and women fighting for our country. There was some slower reading i...more

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08/06/08

Michael rated it:

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This book kicked glutes. It was written by a Navy seal who grew up outside Houston and briefly dated a colleague of mine. She says there's no way (from the intelligence she discerned in a week of dating) he could have written this book, which includes French phrases and plausable-sounding summaries of Pashtun history and culture. Therre is an "as told to" co-author so give that guy credit.

Nonetheless this is a great adventure/rescue/tragedy written by someone who believes w...more

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07/08/08

Shauna rated it:

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bookshelves: military

Read in July, 2008

recommended to Shauna by: Steve, Cade and Peggy

I do not have the words to adequatley describe how much this book moved me. I am not usually a person to pick up this sort of book, but is was recommended to me by multiple people so I decided to give it a go, and am so glad that I did. You hear stories about people like this on the news, but nothing they say can really do the man or situation he was put in justice. I laughted and cried and threw the book down a few times in frustration for the situation that this country puts American soldie...more

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05/07/08

Ashlee Suddarth rated it:

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The Lone Survivor, by Marcus Luttrell, is a compelling story of four navy SEALS and their beginning and finish. The book commences by telling the story of a young man who grew up to be a navy SEAL and the basic training that he endured. It amazes me that humans can actually make it through that type of strenuous training. The first part of the book is about the training and you would think that it couldn’t get worse, but it does. While the second half takes you through a disturbing battle tha...more

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01/30/08

Maren rated it:

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Read in January, 2008

This is one of the most riveting books I've ever read. It was written by a Navy SEAL who was the lone survivor (hence the title) in an Afghanistan raid. Ultimately, it is a tribute to the Navy SEALS who lost their lives in this bitter battle. I loved this book because Marcus shows us how he was destined to be a Navy Seal from his boyhood. He, along with his twin brother, survived the brutal training the Navy puts these guys through to weed out the weak. He and his team are put in the diffi...more

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01/25/08

Katie Abbott Harris rated it:

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Read in January, 2008

This is a gripping and unforgettable memoir describing Operation Redwing, a Special Ops engagement in Afghanistan that claimed the lives of several Navy SEALs. The account begins with a thorough description of BUD/S, the SEAL indoctrination program which provides students with the physical, mental, and emotional training that is necessary to become the best of the best. Also included in the book is a short section on the Iraq war, but the bulk of the narrative takes place in the Hindu Kush. I va...more

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01/31/09

Kevin rated it:

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Read in January, 2009

Wow! This is one of the best books I've ever read! Interesting, intense, exciting, riveting. It's pretty much anything you could want in a book, especially nonfiction. This story is written by a Navy SEAL who participated in Operation Redwing in Afghanistan, and was the "Lone Survivor" (out of four) of an Afghan attack. I'll try not to give away anything else :) It's a story of perseverance, courage, and strength. A
must-read!!!

I need to offer a warning, however. This ...more

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12/20/08

Michael rated it:

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Read in December, 2008

I had heard that Marcus Luttrell was the Lone Survivor of his SEAL team, but I had no idea of how miraculous his survival was. I also didn't realize how much the team's fear of a vicious liberal media made in this tragedy. I wish that our fighting men and women didn't have to fear our own people. We are at war and need to be able to operate freely and be trusted to make the right decisions. Granted, there need to be rules and limitations, but because these men feared what would happen to the...more

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12/21/08

Bear rated it:

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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

OK. This is not a "book of bambi's reflections" kind of read. This was passed to me by a friend at work who knows how I think and thougt I might find it interesting. It was; It's about the U.S. Navy "SEALS" first, and is a first person dialogue about how this young man was involved in being one of the U.S. military's best, as well as a mission that went "wrong" but with a lot of lessons.
The Author spends a lot of time discussing how he ended up as a SEAL;...more OK. This is not a "book of bambi's reflections" kind of read. This was passed to me by a friend at work who knows how I think and thougt I might find it interesting. It was; It's about the U.S. Navy "SEALS" first, and is a first person dialogue about how this young man was involved in being one of the U.S. military's best, as well as a mission that went "wrong" but with a lot of lessons.
The Author spends a lot of time discussing how he ended up as a SEAL; next, he describes his training; (in depth). He also discusses how he felt about it. (For lack of better words, it goes into motivation and drive... Don't quit even when things look hopeless). He then describes in detail how his SEAL team ended up in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban, how they decided not to kill some goatherds who then turned their location over to the Taliban, and how his fellow SEALS died while he lived. Details are there without gore; but he describes how the people we have (and are still) fighting do not follow the "rules of war" including the Geneva convention. He goes into some of the rules of war according to Pashtun tribal law; which is how he finally is able to escape.
Question for the reader: how do you fight against an enemy who tells you in no uncertain words that they will kill your family for your having protecting a wounded man if you do not turn that man over to them? That is the dilemma a tribal elder has in protecting this man after he has escaped to a village; the taliban threaten to destroy the village and all in it if they do not turn the last SEAL over to them (So they can use him for propaganda, including having his head severed in front of video cameras)
In the end he describes how the Taliban have mutilated and killed his friends after they were wounded and could not fight back. This is the hatred we are fighting against. And the misguided definition of Allah's teachings, from my short introduction into the Qu'ran.
It's a bit of a fractured book but that is what we are dealing with. I recommend it. You will have to figure out a lot, but this book is an excellent primer into the world we are dealing with outside our McDonalds, warm houses, and cheap gas. (less)

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03/19/09

Brian rated it:

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Read in April, 2009

I have wanted to read this book since before I left for Afghanistan. Partly because of that as well as my own personal reasons in the military and in the Navy. Marcus Luttrell is a shipmate as were his brothers with him on Operation Redwing.
In late June 2005, I had just been stationed in Denver, CO for only a few months and I remember hearing about Petty Officer Luttrell and his SEAL team ambushed and calling for assistance during a dangerous capture/kill mission. All of the military and ...more I have wanted to read this book since before I left for Afghanistan. Partly because of that as well as my own personal reasons in the military and in the Navy. Marcus Luttrell is a shipmate as were his brothers with him on Operation Redwing.
In late June 2005, I had just been stationed in Denver, CO for only a few months and I remember hearing about Petty Officer Luttrell and his SEAL team ambushed and calling for assistance during a dangerous capture/kill mission. All of the military and civilian supports waited non-stop, 24 hours a day, waiting for some word of the safety. Notably because one of Colorado's own, Petty Officer Danny Dietz, was on that team. When we also learned that a team of Special Forces had gone to rescue them but were also all killed when their helicopter was blown up by an RPG we were sickened by the great loss of so many of our elite forces. The Denver Post kept us updated and ran news stories about their PO Dietz and his team. After it was all over and it was discovered that PO Luttrell was the only survivor the Post also ran a week long story detailing as much of the events as they could piece together. It was an amazing story I followed. How four SEALS were able to fend off and kill half a Taliban force estimated as over 100 strong, was the stuff of legend! I could only imagine any of this when I was a kid and thinking that the SEALs were the baddest bad-asses of them all. (I still think that way)

Two years later I attended a memorial service on July 4th, 2007 held in Littleton, CO for Danny Dietz. I was in dress uniform (ironically I was suppose to be in Afghanistan then, but hernia surgery kept me from going). Anyone who has a chance to visit his memorial at Berry Park in Littleton, should do so. The statue of him kneeling with his rifle--close to what he probably looked like the day he died--is a testiment of courage in the face of overwhelming adversity. It is the statue of a hero and will move the strongest person to tears.

This book is that story. But it is also the story of being a SEAL and everything that entails. It almost reminds me of the movie "Full Metal Jacket." The first part, the author details his dream and training into becoming a SEAL. When I say he details it, he really does. Better than anything I have ever read or watched about the subject thus far. His personal struggles and those of his teammates--those who quit and those who succeeded. Really amazing and worth rereading that portion alone. But then you swing back into the real meat of the story and that is the mission in the Hindu-Kush mountains in Afghanistan pursuing the Taliban leaders and the Al-Qaida.

The ferocity of the battle is straight out of "Black Hawk Down" (my favorite book on modern warfare) and during those chapters you will not be able to put the book down. There is no fictional author anywhere I have read that has brought that kind of personal feeling of combat to their narratives. Fictional writers can only imagine it and mostly they do not do it justice as Petty Officer Luttrell did.

But the book is also a survival story as the author is the only one to survive the battle and keep himself alive. I do not want to go into detail of how this was possible because it is something each reader should personally and intimately involve themselves with. One other thing that I was glad Petty Officer Luttrell did, was he attempted to tell the harrowing battle that his own family back in Texas was going through while waiting for news on his fate. Even though we, the readers, know the outcome (because he is writing the book, right?) it was still heart-wrenching for his parents, his twin-brother (also a SEAL), and the hundreds of family, friends, SEAL teammates, and military members that arrived at their home to be there for a non-stop vigil.

Everyday while I was in Afghanistan, I ate at the chow-hall and saw the pictures of those that died that day in June, 2005: LT Michael P. Murphy (who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor), Petty Officer Danny Dietz and Petty Officer Matthew Axelson. I would wait in line for my food and look at the wall to my right with their pictures. Everyday I saw them and though I never knew them, their heroism in-duty inspired every service member that walked past them. I am glad this story could be written by the lone survivor of that battle. I would also hope that everyone--whether for or against the war--can read this and understand what it is our military must face. They fight battles for us and do those things only the smallest fraction of the population could or would do. It is dirty and it is unspeakable sometimes. But it is what HAS to be done to win. If we ask them to go forward and do this job, then we should be able to give them every advantage to complete that job and not handcuff them in the media. They should not have to fight a personal battle inside of their conscience for doing a job that could save their lives. In other words their lives should not be at risk everytime they do a mission like this because they fear Geneva Convention rules or a court martial or being thrown in prison when they came home, just because they did what they needed to do in order to save the life of their team and perform their mission.

Bottom line: if we continue to go to war, then the American public and the politicians need to give the military the means to win. The terrorists will not play by those rules. We shoudl not target civilians but we need to understand and accept they there will be civilian deaths. If we cannot then we shouldn't ever go to war. War is not clean. It is not surgical. It's bloody and terrible. It's suppose to be. Innocents will die. But that is the cost if war is unavoidable. We just need to know it will happen and hope we can end the war quicker. The more the U.S. continues to fight these "clean" wars with all these rules, then the longer they will always take. And the less likely we will come away victorious.

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12/01/08

Craig rated it:

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Luttrell reveals what it takes to be a Navy Seal, then tells his incredible story of taking on the Taliban in the rugged mountains of Afghanistan. After reading his story, I sat down to pee for two weeks. Because compared to this guy, I am not a man.

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02/14/09

Barbara rated it:

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Read in January, 2008

Just know up front that this book does contain scenes of graphic violence...however, I consider it a timely must-read. Few of us will ever see war first-hand or be sent to war, and the magnitude of what those in our armed services sacrifice is staggering. Put your politics aside (just for a bit) and have a go at this book. Just know up front that this was written by a self described good ol' Texas boy, and there are times in reading this book (especially when he goes after the "liberal"...more

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06/04/08

Vivek rated it:

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Read in June, 2008

Marcus Luttrell triumphed over quite an ordeal, and it would be hard not to be moved by it. He suffers through all kinds of hell but survives, and the book is made all the more interesting by the fact that it really happened and that similar challenges are faced by some of our soldiers right now.

The actual mission is only half the book however - the other half is about Luttrell's own background, and a significant portion of this is used to describe his training on the path to become...more Marcus Luttrell triumphed over quite an ordeal, and it would be hard not to be moved by it. He suffers through all kinds of hell but survives, and the book is made all the more interesting by the fact that it really happened and that similar challenges are faced by some of our soldiers right now.

The actual mission is only half the book however - the other half is about Luttrell's own background, and a significant portion of this is used to describe his training on the path to become a Navy SEAL, which the reader comes to appreciate as immensely important for those that are in the profession.

Luttrell is a soldier, not a novelist, and although the prose would never win a Pulitzer prize, the deficiencies in writing are made up for in its authenticity. The author is telling this story in his own words and the way he wants to. This means that it is filled throughout with his views, many of which I personally feel are overly simplistic - he places a huge amount of blame on "liberals" and whines about how the media's attempt to keep our military accountable makes their job unreasonably hard. Marcus would probably loop me in with this large group that he despises if we ever met, but the book helped me understand where he's coming from, although you won't find me viewing our common Texan President with the blind admiration he does anytime soon.

In one typically ranting passage against the left, he belittles the importance of the incident at Abu Ghraib:
"Was there ever a greater uproar than the one that broke out over Abu Ghraib? In the bigger scheme of things, in the contect of all the death and destruction that Muslim extremists have visited upon this world, a bunch of Iraqi prisoners being humiliated does not ring my personal alarm bell."

Here I see my essential problem with Luttrell's views: yes, all of our soldiers have very very difficult jobs - much more difficult than those they are fighting. And that is in part because we hold them to much higher standards than the enemy. Should we simply stoop down to their level, blindly doing what it takes to ensure victory without measuring the price we pay to get there? If we won in such a manner, with no regard to how immoral the means, I believe we'd wonder how the hell we got there, and end up losing more than we could hope to gain.

In another revealing passage, he almost admits as much, resigning himself to the fact that wars shouldn't be fought if you want a fair outcome: "The truth is, any government that thinks war is somehow fair and subject to rules like a baseball game probably should not get into one. Because nothings fair in war, and occasionally the wrong people get killed."

He goes so far as to state that elected leaders should have no say in how and against whom we go to war with: "But don't tell us who we can attack. That ought to be up to us, the military. And if the liberal media and political community cannot accept that sometimes the wrong people get killed in war, then I can only suggest they first grow up and then serve a short stint up in the Hindu Kush."

I'm not a soldier, and I can see how someone like Luttrell who is, and has suffered for that trade, would dismiss my views, saying I have no idea what I'm talking about because I haven't been in those boots. But we can't throw democratic ideals out the window because it makes a very tough job harder on people that voluntarily sign up for it knowing what they are getting into.

Overall, this was a good book. The story is incredible, if not incredibly well told. And although I often found the political commentary scattered throughout tiresome, it ends up adding to the value of the book, showing how someone attempts to make sense of tragedy. For those interested in the plight of our current soldiers, I would very highly recommend Nathan Fick's One bullet away: the making of a marine officer, about a Marine who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq. It is free of political opinions, I found it to be a balanced account of what that life is like (a Marine recruiter concurred with this assesment). (less)

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02/14/08

Robb rated it:

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Read in February, 2008

This book is about a Navy Seal who survives against impossible odds fighting the Taliban in the mountains of Afghanistan bordering Pakistan. Although the book dwells to much on over zealous patriotism and the always convenient help of God at his side, I truly believe Navy Seal Marcus Latrell's survival was a miracle at the very least. The first part of the book details the punishing Navy Seal training down at Coronado and it explains in someways how he amazingly survives a battle with the Taliba...more

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