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

Warrior Soul Warrior Soul Warrior Soul

3.97 of 5 stars 3.97 · rating details · 529 ratings · 38 reviews

"Since the first navy frogmen crawled onto the beaches of Normandy, no SEAL has ever surrendered," writes Chuck Pfarrer. "No SEAL has ever been captured, and not one teammate or bodyhas ever been left in the field. This legacy of valor is unmatched in modern warfare."
"
Warrior Soul" is a book about the warrior spirit, and it takes the reader allover the world. Former Navy...more

ebook, 0 pages

Published December 30th 2003 by Random House (first published 2003)

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

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 939)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Sep 05, 2009 Greg rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history-and-biography

Warrior Soul is an autobiographical account of the experiences of Chuck Pfarrer as he endures application to, training, and later experiences in the Navy SEAL units. He lived the life, and has a unique insider's perspective on some of the best training and teambuilding in the world. He also has a writer's ear and eye, and is able to accurately describe and comment on his experiences and the events in which he participated as a member of this elite military organization. At the end, as he describ...more

like · see review

Apr 03, 2013 Sarah Eiseman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally posted on Sarahsbookshelf.com:

This book, written by retired Navy SEAL Chuck Pfarrer, was a very interesting read. As you know, I enjoy reading memoirs from members of our military. Navy SEAL memoirs are of particular interest because their experiences are so much more intense than other branches of the military. They have more autonomy than other special operations forces and go on much more unpredictable missions, some that end successfully and some that do not.

Many memoirs are writt...more Originally posted on Sarahsbookshelf.com:

This book, written by retired Navy SEAL Chuck Pfarrer, was a very interesting read. As you know, I enjoy reading memoirs from members of our military. Navy SEAL memoirs are of particular interest because their experiences are so much more intense than other branches of the military. They have more autonomy than other special operations forces and go on much more unpredictable missions, some that end successfully and some that do not.

Many memoirs are written for family members, mostly children, in an effort to shed light on the reasons that dad was away from extended periods of time or why service to our country is important. It became very clear early on that this book was not written for any audience other than an adult one that was OK with getting a little more graphic. Pfarrer shares much more detail on the horror of war, more of the logistics and beaurocracy of serving as a lieutenant, the challenges of dealing with disconnected politicians and decision-makers, and most interestingly, the communication challenges of the time (no SAT phone or email). Pfarrer also talks about the challenges of moving from military to civilian life, changes in his personal beliefs, cynicism, and many of the unseen scars of war.

The dark humor in this book did make me laugh at all the times that I wasn’t cringing. I actually really enjoyed Pfarrer’s frank explanation of his experiences, but also the stark differences between his writing and the writing in other contemporary memoirs. Pfarrer was clearly coming from a different experience, a different time, and had different interactions with leadership. I think this book, in particular, can help readers understand some of the bigger challenges of military service. He’s also an experienced screenwriter, with movies such as Navy SEALs and Red Planet under his belt. I think it’s because of this that at times the book reads much more like a novel than non-fiction

Pfarrer’s final words really have stuck with me since reading them. He reminds us all to really love those important to us, because we never know when our final day will come. Speaking from hindsight, and the many challenges he’s faced and overcome, I think these are very wise words.

I would recommend this book to readers looking to understand some of the more technical aspects of service. Although this book does not go into great detail on strategy, Pfarrer spends some time talking about weaponry and chain of command logistics. He makes a real effort to educate readers on the differences between real war and the war we see in movies. Comparatively, I found this book much more graphic in its description of war, but I felt it was necessary to help the reader understand his experience. Overall, an excellent book.(less)

like · see review

Nov 29, 2011 Dev rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A book that takes you into the already well trod world of the navy seal. From the brutal Hell week to the endless evolution Ops the writer does a good job of making these practices interesting. However, much of what's related is just practice, which leeches the drama from any scene. Even the bookend story of his escape from a faulty parachute comes from a training mission. Nevertheless, Pfarrer can write and he does an excellent job of detailing what went wrong in Lebanon that resulted in the bo...more

like · see review

Jul 02, 2011 Pete rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I throughly enjoyed this book. It's clear that we are only recieving a glimpse into the author's world, but it was plenty. The book is very well written, and documents the author's career as a Navy SEAL, first with SEAL team 5 in Beruit, then with SEAL Team 4, and finally with the elite SEAL team 6. It talks about the selection process for both becoming a SEAL, and then the selection process for the even more intese SEAL team 6. It does not go into as much detail as other works on the selection...more

like · see review

Nov 01, 2009 Ian Mcenaney rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 25-book-list-thingy

This book was about a navy seal and all of his tours of duty that he goes through in syria and the mid-atlantic. This book also shows how much of a tough ass you have to be to go through the things that happen in war.
Text to world: Thisbook connectes to the world because everything really did happen and people die everyday in Iraq.
Text to Text: This book realets to Tom Clancys Ghost Recon because there both true stories about soilders who risk everything everyday.
I rated this book like this beca...more

like · see review

Dec 20, 2009 Christina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Any military enthusiast

Chuck Pfarrer is an undoubtedly heroic and understandably arrogant individual who sacrificed much to provide an invaluable service to America. His account of the 234 Marines who perished during the barracks bombing in Beirut in the early 80s from a SEAL's perspective was very enlightening as I was previously unaware of a special forces presence in that area at the time and the details he provided regarding the environment prior to the incident give a new perspective to the tragic event and the r...more

like · see review

Jan 22, 2012 Margaret rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Chuck Pfarrer's autobiography of time served as Navy SEAL with TEAM FIVE, FOUR and the elite TEAM SIX.
He describes briefly his training, not as much as you would read in other books. He gives you an account of his deployments, his teammates and the equipment and gear he needed to use. He gives you a detailed account, as much as he can, of his time served in Beruit with TEAM FOUR and the bombing at Beruit's International Airport in which 240 Marines were killed. That is painful to read and you ca...more

like · see review

Mar 18, 2011 Oceana2602 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, biographies, male-writers, english, holiday-reading, military

I cannot believe I failed to write a review of "Warrior Soul" when I first read it last summer! And now that I do, I fail to remember what it was exactly that I liked about it so much,

You should know this, however: Warrior Soul was the book that started my recent bout of reading military-themed books. I read it on vacation (yes, southern France, thanks for asking, and no, I don't think you need to be there in order to enjoy the book, but you would surely enjoy being in Southern France for other...more I cannot believe I failed to write a review of "Warrior Soul" when I first read it last summer! And now that I do, I fail to remember what it was exactly that I liked about it so much,

You should know this, however: Warrior Soul was the book that started my recent bout of reading military-themed books. I read it on vacation (yes, southern France, thanks for asking, and no, I don't think you need to be there in order to enjoy the book, but you would surely enjoy being in Southern France for other reasons), and, well, you know how my mind gets side-tracked (at least you should know if you've been reading my reviews for a while).

I get these escape fantasies if I really like a book. I let myself be taken into a different world (isn't that what reading is about?), and with this one, although it isn't fiction, but the memoir of a Navy Seal, that different world fascinated me enough to let myself be taken to that world a lot. As in, during the day. While I wasn't reading. And during the night. And, well, a lot.

No, I won't join the Seals. And the real me in me knows that even if I had lived a different life, I would not have joined the Seals (or rather, I would not have joined the Navy and become a Seal)*

But there is that inner, fantasy part of me that wants me to have been the person who would have joined the Navy and become a Seal. Because that's what escape fantasies do. They make you want to be someone you aren't, and you will never be, and you probably don't really want to be, but that you want to want to be. (this sentence makes complete sense in my head)

And I am completely comfortable telling all you strangers on the internet that my 30something female self whose favourite color is pink daydreams about being a person who would have wanted to be a Seal, because really, I know that you all do it, even if you don't admit to it. I'll admit to it for you.

There, confession time is over.

Oh, and the book is good, a very solid and enjoyably written memoir. I'm sure you'll enjoy it even if you are not as prone to silly little escape fantasies as I am.
(but I'll have enjoyed it more).

*because if I had joined the Navy I would totally be a Navy pilot, and I would even more totally have flown F-14s. Just so you know.(less)

like · see review

Sep 04, 2010 Jess Haines rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: memoir, non-fiction

Funny story, but I never would have read this book if people at my second job hadn’t started calling each other “Chuck” around the office. It became a thing—“Hey, Chuck, I need _____!” “Chuck, can you get this for me?” “Chuck!”

Turns out that this book is behind that silly bit of office shennanigans. It’s the memoir of a Navy SEAL, and Chuck Pfarrer pulls no punches as he tells the tale of how he graduated from a surfer dude to one bad-ass mo-fo. It made the rounds at the office, and I finally go...more Funny story, but I never would have read this book if people at my second job hadn’t started calling each other “Chuck” around the office. It became a thing—“Hey, Chuck, I need _____!” “Chuck, can you get this for me?” “Chuck!”

Turns out that this book is behind that silly bit of office shennanigans. It’s the memoir of a Navy SEAL, and Chuck Pfarrer pulls no punches as he tells the tale of how he graduated from a surfer dude to one bad-ass mo-fo. It made the rounds at the office, and I finally got a chance to get my hands on it about a month ago.

It took me a while to get through this book. At times, it was a difficult read. I’m not familiar with a lot of the military jargon or abbreviations that were used throughout Mr. Pfarrer’s story. That didn’t make it any less compelling, it just meant that instead of devouring it in a week or two as I usually do with books these days, it took me over a month because I was side-checking definitions or looking things up on the internet.

Chuck talks about most everything as candidly as can be expected—though, of course, there are some points where he has to be vague because of state secrets. You can’t expect him to go into detail about what he learned about terrorist tactics, blowing up buildings and ships, etc. That in no way detracts from the action or flair for dramatic detail he goes into when he does specifically recall certain incidents, such as his last mission—jumping out of an in-flight Boeing 727 so military air traffic control can test if a free falling SEAL team can be detected on radar. By the end of the first chapter, your heart will be in your mouth and you’ll quickly find yourself sucked into the story of how Chuck worked his way from being a military brat who moved around the country with his family to arriving as a “surfer hippie dude” at the toughest military school in the country. He graduates the Staunton Military Academy only to go on to CSU Northridge to study psychology, of all things.

Then, the fateful moment. He decides that his life was boring and, to spice things up, he should join the Navy to become a SEAL.

You follow his story of how he worked up the ranks, the training he went through, and then, finally, to some of the missions he carried out during his time as a SEAL. Chuck is very blunt about his own personal faults, his observations of people and operations, and does a good job at expressing his opinions by for the most part showing his actions instead of telling you how he felt about what was going on. You get a real feel for some of the places he’s been, the people he met, and the conditions he had to endure. He makes no apologies for his mistakes, though he does recognize them and makes no effort to soften them when he reveals some of his infidelities.

I’ve never read anything quite like this before. It’s an excellent book, and a very heartfelt story. You find yourself caught up in the suspense and drama of the moment as shells fall around, the search is on for snipers, and would-be terrorists are caught before they can bomb a ship. You curse at the slow-turning wheels of diplomacy as terrorists get away with murder, grip the edge of your seat as you wait for a rescue that might not come, and possibly shed a tear as the last remaining mark of Chuck’s military service is taken away.

For someone who doesn’t read memoir, this book really hit a note with me. As I mentioned, I haven’t read anything like it before. Honestly? I think it is the first memoir I’ve ever read. Chuck’s story gave me a lot to think about, and really drove home what it must be like for some of our country’s finest to be enlisted. This is a fabulous story, and I highly recommend it.(less)

like · see review

Aug 07, 2010 Jacqueline rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography-memoir, from-work-borders, seals-spec-ops-mercs, military-nonfiction

This is a real good look at the life and experiences of a Navy SEAL. This shows how these are guys who are somehow extraordinary while still being normal human beings with all the problems that the rest of us have. They just have something inside that makes them just keep going when the rest of us would quit. In my opinion, this is a good introduction to SEALs for thosse who wonder about them. It is very well written, accessible and fast paced.

like · see review

Jan 25, 2013 Michelle Ule rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An excellent, beautifully written account of a difficult and challenging Navy SEAL life. Pfarrer goes into detail about his training and reflects on the many places his career took him over the years. I used this as source material for my novel Bridging Two Hearts-Pfarrer captures the life in a way that makes it understandable for even the most sedentary land lubber.

Highly recommended if you're interested in Navy SEALS.

like · see review

Jul 26, 2011 Andrew Spangler rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone

Awesome, awesome, awesome.

Like Beetlejuice, if you say those words three times - this book appears on your Kindle (app).

But seriously, this is one of the more engaging memoirs I've ever read for obvious reasons. Detailing his journey through BUD/s, his time in SEAL Team 4 and his stint in SEAL Team 6, Chick Pfarrer weaves a gripping saga of adventure and emotion that is hard to put down.

like · see review

Jul 18, 2012 Ammad rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is nothing short of entertaining. Chuck Pfarrer walks you through his personal experiences as a Navy seal and his entire military career. You begin to see the type of anamalistic nature that one has to acquire in order to become an elite soldier. I appreciate the honesty in his stories and was quite taken back by his indifference toward some of his behaviour. Nevertheless, a great read.

like · see review

Mar 16, 2011 Darcy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, non-fiction

This was an interesting book. It seemed like Chuck told it like it is within the Navy and the SEAL's. You have to wonder just what screw is loose that makes these men want to do this, but I am glad that there are people out there that do do this. Often things weren't pretty, and even the author didn't paint himself in the best light. If you enjoy reading about the military this book will appeal to you.

like · see review

Aug 12, 2010 Audra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, want-to-know-more

I picked it out wanting to learn more about the SEALs and I did. Pfarrer is a good story teller, blunt and honest. His writings about Beirut were really mesmerizing. I was reading steadily until Beirut and then I went on a serious binge. Could not put the book down.

I really appreciated how well he explained not only the lifestyle but the details of armor, equipment, and other gear. And the jargon. Really brings the stories into close focus.

like · see review

Jan 27, 2012 Les Walters rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Violent and bloodthirsty in many ways, but you'd expect that of such a book. Very readable and even exciting in a perverse way. I have to admire the grit and determination of men like Chuck Pfarrer, not to mention the courage and determination. It's a shame that the job skills he writes about are still so necessary in our world.

like · see review

Jun 12, 2012 Vicky rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: u-s-military

Not a bad book, but I personally don't like his attitude, and how he has lived his life. I had a different impression of him when I first saw the book, and briefly skimmed the first few pages. Otherwise, an average book. There are those with better lives who have written similar books.

like · see review

Jun 19, 2011 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought this book was okay. Though the topic is interesting, I found the book's tone to be a back-slapping, frat-boy, research paper approach rather than a memoir that revealed a tremendous amount of personal growth. There was one exception - when the author describes his experience of being Beirut when the Marine barracks were bombed, you are transported to that terrible scene and can feel his pain. I just wish Mr. Pfarrer had brought more of that approach to the rest of his book. Even his ad...more

like · see review

Oct 24, 2012 John Carr rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

gave a good perspective on historical moments with valued insight. did not care for the manner in which it was written. i found myself looking up the meaning of 4 lettered words... people just dont usually speak in this vernacular.. you’ll need a dictionary with this one.

like · see review

Jul 29, 2010 blackness rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

loved it. I think this book is significant in the whole "memoir of navy seal" sub-genre because of his transparency and honesty. Not full of blowhard self-aggrandizement that some of the others are.

This felt like it was written by a real guy, and a real writer.

like · see review

Aug 06, 2011 Keith Zimmerman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow! This book was suggested to me and was well worth the time. Great stories of the trials and tribulations of becoming and being a Navy SEAL. I am inspired by where he turned up in life and the path he chose.

like · see review

Nov 12, 2011 Roger Weston rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was an excellent biography. It was inspiring, entertaining and insightful. I was always eager to pick this up and read another chapter.

Roger Weston, author of The Golden Catch

like · see review

Nov 29, 2008 Hugh Vail rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I could read this book over and over. It has excellent humor for an intense memoir that stems from the life of a SEAL. This is a must read for any interested in S.F

like · see review

Nov 29, 2012 Libby rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So, so, so interesting. Hard to believe it is a true story. A cool look at a life you would normally never know about. I would highly recommend this book.

like · see review

Nov 18, 2012 Jeremiah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Learned a lot about the frogmen, operators. I also learned quite a bit about the Beirut mess from the early 80's. Not as much war action but still very interesting.

like · see review

Nov 30, 2011 Zack rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: military, non-fiction, borrowed

Pfarrer can tell a story, and keep it interesting through the whole book! Once I started reading this, I could not put this down. Pfarrer talks about many of his personal experiences and missions he had been on, only changing a few details to protect identities. From his training to the Middle East.

like · see review

Aug 16, 2011 Neil Morgan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Interesting read. Pfarrer is a former SEAL who has since written screenplays for films, incluidng SEALs! 8 years in the elite outfit, lots of stories e.g. in Beirut when the Marines were killed. For fans of military biography only.

like · see review

Apr 12, 2011 Michael York rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So far so good! It is a well written piece that details life as a SEAL in the late 1970's and 1980's.

like · see review

Feb 01, 2009 Jake rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Outstanding Memoir of a former Navy SEAL.

like · see review

Mar 14, 2013 Michael Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Love the SEALS, love their get it done approach.

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 31 32 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (3)

Genres

War > Military

27 users

Non Fiction

15 users

Biography

4 users

War

4 users

History

3 users

Military > Military History

2 users

Biography Memoir

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Chuck Pfarrer

Chuck Pfarrer is a former assault element commander of SEAL Team Six. He has written op-eds for The New York Times and the Knight Ridder syndicate, and appeared as an author and counterterrorism expert on C-SPAN2, NPR, Alhurra, IPR, Voice of America, Fox News, and America Tonight. Pfarrer serves presently as an associate editor of The Counter Terrorist, the American Journal of Counterterrorism. Pf...more

More about Chuck Pfarrer...

Books by Chuck Pfarrer

SEAL Target Geronimo: The Inside Story of the Mission to Kill Osama bin Laden

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Warrior Soul: The...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Warrior Soul Warrior Soul Warrior Soul
avg rating	preview: Warrior Soul Warrior Soul Warrior Soul Goodreads rating: 3.97 (529 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7298188-warrior-soul-warrior-soul-warrior-soul?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1267384746l/7298188.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7298188-warrior-soul-warrior-soul-warrior-soul?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Warrior Soul Warrior Soul Warrior Soul by Chuck Pfarrer[/url]

Warrior Soul Warrior Soul Warrior Soul

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website