[Poll Book Tally] American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper int US MIlitary History 2 stars

[Karin]

This book was a tough read for me. It's not the first American military autobiography or biography that I have ever read, although I have not read that many. I don't care for reading this much about war. While I do respect the fact that there need to be people willing to be in the military and fight for freedom; this doesn't happen by accident, and, sadly, doesn't always happen via peaceful means. But understanding how a Navy Seal or a sniper thinks was the hardest for me. It wasn't just that I hate the violence and ugliness of war, it's the horrible hazing they all give the new people and the horrible, albeit most likely necessary, way Navy SEALS are trained (and also weeded out). It was how his war mindset (and anyone who is going to fight in a battle has to get one to do their job well, particularly as a Sniper) was different than any I have read before. Also, his language--it is realistic, but I just don't need to read the f word so often.

As for any rah rah attitude, he spends as much time criticizing top brass as praising them, and he makes a point of recognizing when others from different branches of the military did their jobs well. But this is a book I hope to soon forget, and I wasn't as impressed with this man as I might have been or as I have been for other vets.

[Joi]

I read the book written by his wife- American Wife: Love, War, Faith, and Renewal, and gave that one 2 stars too. Never picked this one up because of it.

[Karin]

Joi wrote: "I read the book written by his wife- American Wife: Love, War, Faith, and Renewal, and gave that one 2 stars too. Never picked this one up because of it."

Wow, he's dead now, I see from the blurb. It's ironic that he survived so many things during war and died trying to help a vet.