American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History in Around the World in 80 Books

Feb 26, 2012 Jim rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: weaponry, biography, middle-east, iraq, snipers, military-non-fiction

I was all excited when I purchased this book, expecting a Carlos Hathcock type tale of derring-do. What a letdown - I was sick of Mr Kyle by page 5.

To begin with, I'm not sure who to credit for this bit of writing; I suspect that Kyle contributed little but the anecdotal accounts and his name to the effort, as two other names are listed with his on the cover. Interestingly, his wife is not given any co-author status although she provides significant input throughout the book.

Now all feelings abo I was all excited when I purchased this book, expecting a Carlos Hathcock type tale of derring-do. What a letdown - I was sick of Mr Kyle by page 5.

To begin with, I'm not sure who to credit for this bit of writing; I suspect that Kyle contributed little but the anecdotal accounts and his name to the effort, as two other names are listed with his on the cover. Interestingly, his wife is not given any co-author status although she provides significant input throughout the book.

Now all feelings about the propriety of this very controversial armed incursion into Iraq aside, one thing that turned me off about Kyle was his total lack of regard for his opponent. They're all "evil" or "blinded by evil" throughout this book. What makes them evil is never satisfactorily explained; perhaps Mr Bush's "axis of evil" speech had something to do with it. Anyway, lightly armed Iraqis who oppose heavily armed and armoured coalition troops on Iraqi soil are "evil" and "terrorists". He states several times that he is getting payback. Payback for what, exactly? He also repeatedly claims to be defending his country, although I know of no attempt on the USA by Iraq.

I fully understand that he doesn't decide to send the troops over, and that he has a job to do, but please, Mr Kyle...just a little more regard for the human beings you're killing? Maybe a little remorse for the retarded kid you pounded because he didn't understand you? Hello...he's retarded....and he speaks another lanuage...what the hell did you expect?? People like Mr Kyle are a large part of the reason that the citizens of the USA are held in such disdain by many foreigners. His pomposity and vainglory ooze off of every page.

And the violence! I'm not talking about warfare here...I'm talking recreational violence. Bar fights. Destruction of property. Beating a fellow up because the victim's girlfriend was in an argument with another SEAL. Maybe he figured the other SEAL couldn't handle her? I cannot believe this chap didn't end up in jail. In one chapter he gleefully tells about beating a celebrity because he thought the celebrity (a former governor) was disrespecting a SEAL wake or some such BS. He neglects to mention that the celebrity is now in his 60's. Look it up on Youtube - you can see the "hero" chortling about it on a radio interview.

If this book is worth reading at all, it's only to see the decline in the American military. Apparently the officers have no control. Hazing is rampant. Citizens are beaten with apparent impunity. Childish behaviour like mooning neighbours and chasing Iraqis with radio-controlled vehicles are considered legitimate pastimes. I could go on and on...suffice it to say I won't buy any more books with this fellow's name on them. But if his wife wants to write a book about how she survived living with a self-centred vainglorious manchild, I'm buying it...her contributions were the only parts of the book that made any sense. ...more

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