The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 1,555 ratings · 256 reviews

A West Point grad, Rhodes Scholar, and Army Ranger recounts his unique education and struggles with the hard lessons that only war can teach.

One haunting afternoon on Losano Ridge in Afghanistan, U.S. Army Captain Craig Mullaney and his infantry platoon were caught in a deadly firefight with Al Qaeda fighters, when a message came over the radio: one of his soldiers had b...more

Hardcover, 400 pages

Published February 19th 2009 by Penguin Press HC, The (first published 2009)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

We Were Soldiers Once... and Young by Harold G. Moore

Best Non-fiction War Books

82nd out of 555 books — 643 voters

Surviving The Fourth Cycle by Nathan Daniels

Adversity Builds Character; An Inspirational True Life Story ... by Tom Ufert

Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs

Memoirs by Men

129th out of 376 books — 282 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 2,779)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Mar 13, 2009 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is outside my usual reading spectrum. I came across the description when I was looking on Amazon for Tom Ricks's second book on the Iraq war. I was lured by the terrific reviews and the author's biography: blue-collar upbringing, West Point, Rhodes Scholarship, combat duty in Afghanistan, participation in the Obama campaign and transition. The book is in three sections: student, soldier, and veteran. By far the most interesting to me was the first section, which was easily the longest...more

like · see review

Sep 26, 2012 Shana rated it 2 of 5 stars

I just finished The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier’s Education by Craig M. Mullaney this evening as I rode the stationary bike. In an attempt to understand Jack’s world, I have been drawn to books about military life. Typically this means reading books about military wives, but for some reason this book felt appropriate. It follows Mullaney as he enter West Point, studies at Oxford as a Rhodes scholar, and ends up in Afghanistan post-9/11. You see him grow as a member of the Army and read about t...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 25, 2012 Jerome rated it 3 of 5 stars

A better title for Captain Mullaney's "The Unforgiving Minute" would be Professor Mullaney the Intellectual goes to War.

I am a reader who usually enjoys war narratives, and 'experiencing' things and places through books. However, I thought the book was heavy on boring detail, and the interesting parts could have been done in short story format. The pages and pages of details about such minor things as meals, weather, clothes, cooking, boring recounted conversations, haircuts, whatever, all shoul...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 05, 2012 Tom rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, military-history

A great insider's view of the insider's life, notably his superior albeit "5 and dive" brief. Mullaney is equal scholar and soldier (ret.) While his liberal politics are not exposed much nor explained at all, one must wonder if he succumbed to the progressives of the land of liberals, aka the campus, notably his days at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. Still, with the superficial glimpse readers get of his personal political views and values, it is impossible to do anything but enjoy this read, espec...more

like · see review

Jan 24, 2011 John Edwards rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: war-memoirs

I was really blown away by this young author. I first saw Craig Mullaney on Jon Stewart promoting this in hardcover and was thoroughly impressed by him. Finally got around to purchasing and reading the paperback.

Mullaney was a graduate of West Point, class of 2000. Like the class of 1966 that went to Vietnam, Mullaney's class graduated before conflict began after the 9/11 attacks. The attacks occur after he finished Airborn Ranger Training (which was fascinating, and by far the most interesting...more I was really blown away by this young author. I first saw Craig Mullaney on Jon Stewart promoting this in hardcover and was thoroughly impressed by him. Finally got around to purchasing and reading the paperback.

Mullaney was a graduate of West Point, class of 2000. Like the class of 1966 that went to Vietnam, Mullaney's class graduated before conflict began after the 9/11 attacks. The attacks occur after he finished Airborn Ranger Training (which was fascinating, and by far the most interesting part of his military training) and as he is in Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship finding himself, falling in love, and pondering family problems.

He finishes his time in Oxford and comes back to the US and finishes his final round of training before taking over as Lt. of a Platoon heading into Afghanistan. All of his training, test of leadership, courage, and commitment come into question as he is on a ridge in Afghanistan and one of his men is reported KIA as enemy fire continues to come at him and his soldiers.

He eloquently writes of his education, training, thoughts, fears, and analysis minus much of the bravado one might expect from a military memoir. But Mullaney is tough, that isn't in question. He toughness is now tempered by hard won experience. A raw event taught him that perfection in preparation and execution does not guarantee safety, and what they don't teach you at West Point or in Ranger School is how to handle leading men after loss. How to effectively pass those lessons down to future soldiers to easy "the things they carry".

Without saying it you can see Mullaney ask "was it worth it" in the end. His service, the loss of a soldier, the war effort in the land "where empires go to die". Mullaney is the "best and brightest" of this generation. I see that he continues to teach at the Naval Academy and serves in the Department of Defense. I hope he is able to bring that hard found wisdom to bear for those he teaches and reports to.

I think every person interested in the military would find the book thought provoking, useful, and challenging. Highly recommended.(less)

like · see review

Aug 04, 2009 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I live in California, and like most of the population in my town, I am as far to the left politically as it is possible to get. I have always had a negative view of the military in general and in particular, of the kind of person who would volunteer for it. It has seemed to me to be the sort of thing men (and to a lesser extent women) do who want to have power over others, and who need to feel superior to others. Needless to say, news from Abu Ghraib did nothing to change my perception of this....more

12 likes · like · see review

Jul 07, 2009 Bill rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this book over the long holiday weekend. I found it strangely compelling and much better than I expected. A relatively simple memoir of a soldier who happens to be about my age (late 20s, early 30ish,) the books covers his journey and eventual deployment as an infantry lieutenant in Afghanistan after 9/11.

Mullaney is an interesting author however, he came from a squarely blue collar New England family that I found easily to relate to. His family didn't have a history of military service a...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 25, 2012 Caris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Before reading this, one should take account of who Craig Mullaney is: a high-ranking advisor in Barack Obama’s national security staff. While this recommends him as a military professional, it doesn’t bode well for his memoir. Far from being a tell-all about Army training and serving in a war zone, this sterile, boring shit is an inoffensive political autobiography that should only be read by the author’s grandmother or future employers. It is, in essence, a 400 page resume.

The book’s strengths...more Before reading this, one should take account of who Craig Mullaney is: a high-ranking advisor in Barack Obama’s national security staff. While this recommends him as a military professional, it doesn’t bode well for his memoir. Far from being a tell-all about Army training and serving in a war zone, this sterile, boring shit is an inoffensive political autobiography that should only be read by the author’s grandmother or future employers. It is, in essence, a 400 page resume.

The book’s strengths lie in the detailed descriptions of the various aspects of training. I know a great deal more about the types of things required of elite soldiers than I did when I started. Of course, that part is thoroughly whitewashed, too. Mullaney was born for this stuff. He writes a lot about the difficulty of what he has to do, but, in the end, it’s very “be all you can be” motivational shit. Hell, maybe that’s how it is. But I don’t trust him to represent the view of the average soldier. He comes from a place of privilege and that’s evident in the subtext of every chapter.

Because if Mullaney’s story is at all typical, the U.S. Army needs to get the shit audited out of it. The guy graduated from West Point and enlisted, where he received all manner of specialist training. His military prowess was years in the making. When he is finally deployed, he spends ten months in Afghanistan. He accidentally attacks some civilian goat herders and sees a couple of firefights. He’s successful in this, of course, because he’s been trained to be a hardcore infantry leader. But when that ten months is up, he’s transferred to a desk job. Because you need to be able to plan an attack on mountain rebels in order to file leave requests. I can’t imagine this is what happens to most soldiers.

I haven’t read many (read: any) other military memoirs, but I can’t imagine that this one is in the top thousand. It was decently written and efficiently painted the picture Mullaney was working toward, but that picture is about as interesting as a Thomas Kinkade. (less)

7 likes · like · see review

Jan 19, 2011 Deb rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, memoir, nook, favorites

Craig Mullaney grew up in South County, RI, graduated from Bishop Hendricken High School, attended West Point and Ranger School, studied at Oxford with a Rhodes Scholarship, and served in Afghanistan after 9/11. This memoir of his experiences in West Point and beyond is an evolving self-portrait of an intellectual young man who is strong of heart, mind and body, and who earns our respect as we watch him struggle to succeed at becoming a soldier, a scholar, and a man.

The Unforgiving Minute has r...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 28, 2012 Jim rated it 4 of 5 stars

A true story written of the experiences of a Army Ranger, West Point Graduate, and Rhodes Scholar at Oxford. There is not as much war as one might expect but rather life's experiences. I loved, laughed, and cried as I read this book. Thinking objectively I suppose this book will be more meaningful to those who have lived this life or one similar, to have had these experiences. If it can be read will an open heart it will help those who have never served in the military understand the service per...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 23, 2012 Ka rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoirs

This book is by an Army vet, about hs training at West Point, his time (officially in the Army) as a Rhodes Scholar in Oxford, and his subsequent deployment to Afghanistan. The author, while clearly very intelligent and a hardworking student, just seems to suspend his critical thinking when it comes to all the Army's bullshit, accepting the tough-guy training and macho, xenophobic, 'America is #1' philosophy without question. Although he can see that the mission in Afghanistan is poorly executed...more

like · see review

Apr 01, 2009 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

I normally do not read anything in the military genre mostly because it's just too hard to read. I saw Craig Mullaney on The Daily Show and the interview was compelling enough that I checked the book out from the library.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/ind...

This is an exceptional book. Mullaney writes about his time at West Point, going to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and leading a platoon of soldiers in Afghanistan, all before he turned 25. The book follows through with his life after war - ge...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 03, 2010 Lorri Coburn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Captain Craig Mullaney restores my faith in our military. He is a young man (early 30's) but is an old soul. Educated at West Point and a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, he is thoughtful, sensitive, intelligent, both traditional and liberal, and a courageous war veteran. Craig describes his education at West Point--I would never make it out of boot camp. The challenges these men have to pass to become leaders are incredible. Craig was a platoon leader in the early days of the Afghanistan war, and his...more

like · see review

Mar 22, 2010 Greg rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history-and-biography, personal-development, professional-development

The title of Mullaney’s autobiographical account refers to a passage from Rudyard Kipling’s “If.”

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!

Craig Mullaney has written a thoroughly compelling account of his passage through West Point, graduate work at Oxford, and platoon leader in Afghanistan, a turbulent, but growth-filled period of his life. Frequently, I found myse...more The title of Mullaney’s autobiographical account refers to a passage from Rudyard Kipling’s “If.”

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!

Craig Mullaney has written a thoroughly compelling account of his passage through West Point, graduate work at Oxford, and platoon leader in Afghanistan, a turbulent, but growth-filled period of his life. Frequently, I found myself wishing that I had read this book when I was a young teenager. It paints a more realistic picture of war than most of what I read then (actually a relatively small part of the book), but at the same time, I was drawn deeply into his heart as he prepared himself to live out his deeply felt values about honor, leadership, love, and loyalty. He is flawed, as he is only too willing to admit, and his reflections about his mistakes is are sometimes searing in their honesty. On the whole, though, it was a tremendously motivating account, as we see a talented young man who exerts himself every minute of every day to make the most of himself.

I recommend this book highly to anyone embarking on a military career or to anyone leading others in any environment, military or otherwise. It digs deep into what I consider to be the most important aspects of leadership – the fundamental values of compassion, commitment, and self-sacrifice that underlie the best of leadership anywhere. He ends his book with an appeal to his brother that might as well be a paean to leaders everywhere:

“Gary would have his own unforgiving minutes, I feared, but what mattered was that he fill those minutes with “sixty seconds of distance run.” And just as important were all the hours of demanding preparation before the unforgiving minute: the education and training, the running and marching, the deliberate planning married to decisive action. His men expected no more than everything he had; they deserved no less. Yet the only way Gary would be able to measure success would be to look in the mirror.”

If my students embrace these truths, they will have learned what is most important about leadership.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 02, 2009 Corny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

The hero of this sometimes extraordinary sometimes tedious memoir is driven to perfection. Whether it is competing academically, physically or socially, failure does not seem to be an option. When failure does come, we are treated to pages of self recrimination and meditations on "how could I have done this better." To his credit by the end of the book, he has realized that there are limits to human perfection, that no matter how well prepared sometimes "sh-- happens."
When we are reading about W...more

like · see review

Aug 11, 2009 Jglhome rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book, and in thinking about why, I decided it was because its protagonist is to me an honest to goodness hero of our time. Also, because it provided a window into the mind and day to day life of a military man, a world I have no access to in my life. The book is autobiographical, Craig Mullaney's story of his own growth as an infantry soldier and a leader. He begins his story as he enters West Point. Just the glimpse into college education as provided at West Point was fascinating....more

like · see review

Jun 10, 2009 Lana rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a true coming-of-age story, but the coming-of-age of a soldier as he goes to West Point and has to mentally justify killing, as he falls in love with a Hindu woman and has to examine his religious beliefs, goes to war and is charged with protecting his platoon in battle and is faced with the reality that he can't, and coming home to approach life with a changed perspective. "One never steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man." Heraclitus

He lea...more

like · see review

Apr 09, 2009 Robin rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: those who like memoirs

Shelves: 2009-list, memoirs

This author grew up in Rhode Island and went to the United States Military Academy at West Point, like my oldest son. He went on to become an infantry officer and served in Afghanistan about 5 years ago. (I believe that is the timeframe, anyway.) And if those two connections weren't enough, it turns out that the author is befriended by a priest we know who was at our parish until his assignment changed last year. Now, I don't buy many books these days. Sometimes I will purchase a craft book if i...more

like · see review

Sep 02, 2012 Rachael rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked getting the perspective of a West Point cadet, an Oxford scholar, and Afghanistan-stationed soldier. Craig Mullaney is not your average soldier (at least, not the idea of an "average" soldier I have in my head). After all, how many soldiers can say they spent time as a Rhodes scholar? Mullaney's intelligence comes through this book, especially in his choice of chapter epigraphs from the likes of Shakespeare and Dante. He ruminates about the notions of courage and bravery and what it take...more I liked getting the perspective of a West Point cadet, an Oxford scholar, and Afghanistan-stationed soldier. Craig Mullaney is not your average soldier (at least, not the idea of an "average" soldier I have in my head). After all, how many soldiers can say they spent time as a Rhodes scholar? Mullaney's intelligence comes through this book, especially in his choice of chapter epigraphs from the likes of Shakespeare and Dante. He ruminates about the notions of courage and bravery and what it takes to lead a platoon in war. We need more books that tell us what life as a soldier is really like.

The writing is solid and journalistic. But I wasn't a big fan of the length and how the book was arranged. At 375 pages, it ran a little long. It's an all-inclusive account from his first year at West Point to when he leaves the Army. The time span is not all that long, only a few years, but at times the detail was exhaustive. The book is arranged in chronological order. I would have preferred to be taken into the action of Afghanistan first, and then have flashbacks to various points in his Army training. Set up that way, I think a lot of the extra detail would have been unnecessary. The information about Oxford is interesting, but I think that's where the story sags. The storyline with his father could have been developed more. I got the sense that his relationship with his father was what drove him the most. Mullaney says how he feels, but I didn't get the depth that I wanted.

There's a lot of "telling" in this story. That's all well and fine, but since Mullaney drew upon his journals to write this story, there's more recounting than there is of scene.

I found myself most drawn to Mullaney's accounts of Ranger training, because I have no idea what goes into the making of a soldier. I cannot imagine ever undertaking anything like that, so I admire those who have been through it. I also was drawn to his romance with Meena. I'm typically not a sap, but I found myself rooting for him since his early pursuit of Meena was no slam dunk.

I recommend this book to anyone who doesn't know much about what goes into the making of a soldier but wants to learn. I agree with Mullaney that the media doesn't give us much information about our soldiers, and that's a shame. This book helps rectify that situation.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 17, 2010 Brandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Being an Afghanistan vet, it was great to read a book that I could relate to more often than not. Granted the author was an officer, it was good to see it from another point of view.

I do feel, however, that some parts of his book are dragged out more than what they should have been. For example, his time at Oxford, while quite the accomplishment, was not the most intriguing nor completely relevant to his 'unforgiving minute'.

I took to heart when he described his transition from Afghanistan to...more

like · see review

Dec 15, 2012 Jack Sagrillo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jack Sagrillo

The Unforgiving Minute

By Craig Mullaney

On the Pakistan Afghanistan at Losano ridge Captain Craig Mullaney of the army's 10th mountain division enters a fierce firefight with Al-Qaeda fighters. He and his platoon fight for several hours then one of his men is killed in the battle. The Unforgiving Minute is a thrilling, informative, and also sad but it shows the path of one man’s journey through the military. It follows Craig through his college years at West Point. While at West Poin...more Jack Sagrillo

The Unforgiving Minute

By Craig Mullaney

On the Pakistan Afghanistan at Losano ridge Captain Craig Mullaney of the army's 10th mountain division enters a fierce firefight with Al-Qaeda fighters. He and his platoon fight for several hours then one of his men is killed in the battle. The Unforgiving Minute is a thrilling, informative, and also sad but it shows the path of one man’s journey through the military. It follows Craig through his college years at West Point. While at West Point the book shows both his hardships and comforts. Whether it be his training for combat or meeting his future wife. The Unforgiving Minute also shows the few years after he returns home like teaching new officers about the fates of war and what to expect.

I felt this book was inspiring book about one soldiers challenges in life both in college and in war. As someone who wants to be a marine officer I believe this book not only helped to prepare me more but also to see what my future might be one day. When I first saw this book I didn’t feel like I would truly love. But I strongly feel like this may be one of the best books I have ever read. Something I really liked about this book is it didn’t sugar coat the problems he faced in life. It told you exactly what was happening either in war, or a test at school, or even training at boot camp. Reading is something I find very entertaining I usually don’t read biographies because I find them boring but this one book has changed my whole point of view on that; I have actually started to look more into biographies than ever before.

The Unforgiving Minute in my own words is one of the best reads of all time. If anyone is looking into the military as a common soldier or especially as an officer must read this book. Even parents of children who are in or going into the military should read to get an aspect of what they might go through. But if not it is also perfect for just a good read for anyone who likes biographies, war, or challenges. The Unforgiving Minute in my opinion scores a 6 out of five.

(less)

like · see review

Jul 31, 2009 Sheehan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Well written autobiography, chronicling the life of an Officer's life in the Army and personal growth associated with leading men into battle.

The book made me continue to re-evaluate preconceived notions I have about the military. Oral histories and autobiographies, this one especially, provide a depth of understanding of the individual experience that is lost in a lot of the more polemical books I have read about war in general.

Yes, war is wasteful, often engaged in lightly by those in power an...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 11, 2010 Tom rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mullaney's clear, readable military memoir, despite its subtitle of "A Soldier's Education" makes very clear early on that much of what he deals with in his career deals with things he doesn't know, and in some cases never will. These things go from the innocent uncertainty on how to court his future wife, to what advice to give his younger brother, and to somehow make a deployment casulty free. The latter, he learns, is impossible, and as a result he comes to blame himself and has to learn to f...more

like · see review

Oct 21, 2011 Terry Stanton rated it 5 of 5 stars

I saw Mullaney on The Daily Show and was captivated by his energy, his youth, and his sense of duty. I was compelled to buy this book more for my 16 year old son than for me. But I loved it. The Unforgiving Minute is the story of a young man who faced childhood adversity, excelled in academics and athletics, and entered West Point with confidence - only to realize that the qualities that made him so special in his small town weren't so special there,as he was entering a campus filled with valedi...more

like · see review

Jun 15, 2010 Meg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-books

So, my brother joined the Army recently, and I read this book to get an idea of what he would be learning in basic training, etc. I found Mullaney's chapters about West Point, BCT, and Ranger school to be well written and captivating. As he moves on to his studies at Oxford and his deployment to Afghanistan, I started to get the feeling that he was changing things to fit a preconceived storyline - or at least to fit into a "classic" storyline. It was less authentic, and I started to doubt his ac...more

like · see review

Oct 04, 2009 Louis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: military, biography

The Unforgiving Minute is about the training of Captain Craig Mullaney, U.S. Army. Craig starts out at West Point as part of training to be an infantry officer. He does the usual path of West Point and Ranger school, but also takes a detour, to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. And then to find out if the training was right, be leads men in battle in Afghanistan as part of the American effort in Operations Enduring Freedom.

Two underlying questions: First, was the best leadership education that the Uni...more The Unforgiving Minute is about the training of Captain Craig Mullaney, U.S. Army. Craig starts out at West Point as part of training to be an infantry officer. He does the usual path of West Point and Ranger school, but also takes a detour, to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. And then to find out if the training was right, be leads men in battle in Afghanistan as part of the American effort in Operations Enduring Freedom.

Two underlying questions: First, was the best leadership education that the United States Army could devise sufficient for bringing us into a different kind of war then we had prepared for. Second, does the finest liberal arts education in the world make a difference in what is sometimes called the graduate school of war.

The first part of the book looks at his training. Military training at West Point, Airborne School, Ranger school, Infantry Officers Basic Course. And it contrasts with his time in Oxford. Each type of education brings its merits. The stress put into military training was attributed to instill attention to detail and precision in action, even when under stress. Such discipline would be needed in a battle, when your duty must be done perfectly even under the worse conditions, or it would mean someone's death. The education and habits of thought at Oxford provide the ability to think critically, and to grasp the overall picture and understanding where details fit in the overall scheme of things. And it comes together at the end, where Craig is now teaching the next group of young officers-to-be, and he has the opportunity to put everything together as best he knows how.

Another aspect that made this book unique was how it was in the context of something else. All of us have lives, even soldiers. And much of the book had as background his family life, his relations with his father, mother and siblings, and his courtship and marriage of his wife. All in a context of an Army whose members believe that it is only one part of a full life. And the parts intrude on each other. Not just the interference in time due to duties, but all the ways that it affects the plans of life into the future.

One scene near the end was poignant. Before his wedding, he went to Arlington Cemetery with his fiance. I remember doing the same, walking through the area with the newest graves from the time I was in Afghanistan with my fiance. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Nov 27, 2012 Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Over the past year or two I have listened to or read many war memoirs and I have learned much from these men and women about the training, leadership, and dedication. I think I have found many very worthy books and this is another great military memoir.

Craig hailed from a small state and was head of his class in both academics and sports and applied for West Point. He was accepted and had the harsh lesson of though he was top of everything at his high school. Though he was good at most fields o...more

like · see review

Jun 19, 2011 Christina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Just a few of my favorite quotes interlaced in his book:

"We all have but one death to spend." - John Alexander Hottell III

"One must learn to endure what one cannot avoid."

"Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet." - Afghan Proverb

"Your heart I take in mine. Whatever is in your heart shall be in mine, whatever is in mine shall be yours. Our hearts shall be one, our minds shall be one. May God make us one." - Panigrahana Vow

Perhaps because I'm dating a Captain in the US Army who also happened t...more Just a few of my favorite quotes interlaced in his book:

"We all have but one death to spend." - John Alexander Hottell III

"One must learn to endure what one cannot avoid."

"Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet." - Afghan Proverb

"Your heart I take in mine. Whatever is in your heart shall be in mine, whatever is in mine shall be yours. Our hearts shall be one, our minds shall be one. May God make us one." - Panigrahana Vow

Perhaps because I'm dating a Captain in the US Army who also happened to go to West Point, or perhaps because the author is Catholic, close to my age and from a similar famiy, I enjoyed this book. Either way, I still enjoyed the book and hearing the perspective of a war fought in Afghanistan by someone close to my age. I feel like the media obviously tells us what they want us to know, slanted to the right or the left. I feel like many authors also have their own agenda, as do some of the movies coming out (i.e. the Hurt Locker and Restrepo) though I believe those are more close to reality than anything else we get to see "back home."

The book is in three phases: 1. Student (his experience at West Point and Ranger school) which gave me a whole new appreciation for Army Rangers Also he was a Rhodes scholar and I never really knew what life was like for a typical Rhodes scholar, it was an interesting point of view. 2 .Soldier (his experience leading men in combat in Afghanistan before we ever really knew how bad things were there because the media had us focused on 9/11 and Iraq). It really had me upset thinking about how many resources we threw at Iraq all the while leaving so many of our soldiers vulnerable and unable to truly fight in Afghanistan because of lack of resources, lack of a defined mission and a lack of being able to identify the enemy (because it really could be anyone). 3. Veteran (his transition returning home from combat and eventually getting out of the military).

This book has me wanting to read more books about this time period now. I already have a few on my list but I'm thinking of adding a few more to the mix. If you're interested in any of the above things I mentioned then I'd recommend it. It might surprise you and it might make you appreciate our military a whole lot more than you thought possible.

"There is only the fight to recover what has been lost
And found and lost again and again: and now under conditions
That seem unpropitious. But perhaps neither gain nor loss.
For us there is only the tryin. The rest is not our business." - T.S. Eliot, "Four Quartets"(less)

like · see review

May 04, 2011 Kristine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-groups, memoir-or-biography

A clearly written, emotionally and culturally revealing memoir of one self-disciplined person's young adult experiences as he pursues a military career. Not only does Mullaney attend West Point, he also pursues Ranger training, becomes a Rhodes Scholar (studying at Oxford before and after 9/11), and then serves in Afghanistan. Mullaney, a Catholic Rhode Islander, includes his emotionally complex father-son relationship as well as his interfaith challenges winning over his future wife (a medical...more

1 like · like · see review

May 21, 2010 Matt Owens rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading this book. Craig Mullaney is an amazing individual with many great abilities. He is a scholar-soldier in every sense of the word. With that said, I found myself thinking at the end of the book that he overstated his case a bit. I will add, I am not a soldier, have never been through military training, and haven't seen combat. But I have to say that Craig's "unforgiving minute" in combat didn't seem quite as intense as, say, those young citizen soldiers in World War II, Korea, o...more I enjoyed reading this book. Craig Mullaney is an amazing individual with many great abilities. He is a scholar-soldier in every sense of the word. With that said, I found myself thinking at the end of the book that he overstated his case a bit. I will add, I am not a soldier, have never been through military training, and haven't seen combat. But I have to say that Craig's "unforgiving minute" in combat didn't seem quite as intense as, say, those young citizen soldiers in World War II, Korea, or Vietnam. As I was reading The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education I was also reading With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa,Goodbye, Darkness: A Memoir of the Pacific War and had recently finished Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War. The accounts of combat in those books were truly horrifying. I know, all combat must be terrible. I'm not saying it's not. I hope I never have to see the blood and carnage of warfare as a direct participant. But I do not think that Craig's handful (if that) of firefights in Afghanistan compares to the merciless combat experiences of Eugene Sledge or William Manchester. In one part of the book, Craig Mullaney said that after one firefight he was done and all he wanted to do is go home. I imagine I'd think the same thing. No one wants to die in a combat zone. Yet, the way he said it made me think, "Come on. . . you're a professional soldier, attended West Point, attended Airborne and Ranger school, etc. You're a trained professional." Many of those boys in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam weren't professional soldiers and they experienced far greater suffering and saw much more death and destruction than Mullaney did. To carry on as if it was greater than it really was is an insult to those other boys. Mullaney's "unforgiving minute" lasted literally a minute. Those boys on Okinawa, like Eugene Sledge, were engaged in horrific mortal combat for over 80 days straight. There "unforgiving minute" didn't last a mere minute. It lasted for hours, days, weeks, and months. (less)

1 like · like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 92 93 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Books That Furthered a Soldier’s Education	1	22	Jun 23, 2009 12:32pm
A Soldier’s Education: Interview with Craig Mullaney	1	15	Jun 23, 2009 12:23pm

combine
Other Editions (12)

More editions...

Genres

Non Fiction

51 users

War > Military

48 users

War

21 users

Autobiography > Memoir

21 users

Biography

20 users

History

16 users

Military > Military History

11 users

Book Club

6 users

Biography > Autobiography

4 users

Leadership

3 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Unforgiving M...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from The Unforgiving Minute...

“Long distance is hard. You have to trust that as you each change on your own, your relationship will also change along with you. It takes hope, good humor, and idealism. It takes a massive dose of courage to protect the relationship at all odds. It is hard, but worth it. You'll both be stronger as a result.” — 188 people liked it

“Keep me in your heart and know that however great the distance, I am with you always.” — 30 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education
avg rating	preview: The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education Goodreads rating: 4.00 (1555 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6061067-the-unforgiving-minute?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347658934l/6061067.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6061067-the-unforgiving-minute?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education by Craig M. Mullaney[/url]

The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

combineOther Editions (12)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About The Unforgiving M...

Quotes from The Unforgiving Minute...

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (12)