This is an amazing and remarkable story of Marc Luttrel, a Navy Seal caught behind enemy lines in the war on terror. It is an amazing story of courage and faith. He is a Navy Seal sent on a recon mission to find a Taliban leader in Afghanistan. Things go horribly wrong as the four seals are discovered by an army of over 200 Taliban. The amazing story of how his team fought to the last man and his harrowing escape. Alone in a foreign land severely injured and tracked by Taliban forces, he must find a way to survive to tell his story and to honor the brave men who were killed in battle. The story is told in an honest straightforward voice. He knows how to tell a story that conveys every detail and feeling. Reading it, you have the "you are there" narrative. The storytelling is supplemented by the facts provided by Patrick Robinson. Some of the information may not have been available to Marc (such as what happened in his hometown as they awaited news on whether he was dead or alive, details in his training, and cultural facts that become significant in the story.) ( )

Lone Survivor
Lone Survivor was a true story about how a brave U.S. SEAL who fought through all obstacles to survive in the high Afghan Mountains when all hope was lost. The part of this book that was so interesting was how you would think how imaginative the author was because the plot seemed to almost be made up like a fiction story but the story was true. That was a big plus in my book because it made me feel more moved to hear something like that was true.
The Afghan mountains where the story takes place and I thought gave the book itself a perfect feel. I felt as if the fire hot temperatures in the day and the freezing cold barren nights, the lonely desolate landscape filled with hatred gave the story a perfect mood. When I put myself in the characters shoes just thinking about the setting just gave me a total changed the way I read the book.
The message of the book was probably the most difficult to understand and most interesting part of the book for me. I thought it was difficult to get the message because it was a true story so it wasn’t made to relay a message but throughout it all everybody got something out of it. I believe the message was that we should stop contradicting ourselves and get something one by supporting our troops. I know that’s not really a risky message given that over half the population wants us out of the foreign lands. That’s the interesting part to me because the author was the SEAL and he wrote the book from a very Republican point of view. He was constantly attacking the liberal media and the extreme human right activist throughout the book which gave me the reason I got the message I did. Maybe somebody with a different political stand point would’ve thought the message was telling the story of lives lost because the U.S. is in the Middle East.
It just seemed so intriguing that he would write something many people wouldn’t agree with. I guess that was half of my interest in the book.

This book should be required reading for all Americans. The bravery and dedication of our Navy SEALs is unbelivable. I'm glad they are on our side. ( )

Lone Survivor chronicles the final mission of Navy Seal Team 10 in Afghanistan, their attempted rescue and how Marcus Luttrell manages to navigate the complex political and cultural world that exists in the mountainous regions of Eastern Afghanistan just to survive. Marcus describes his journey to becoming a Seal - the elite of Naval Special Forces - that began in childhood and what he did to ensure that he would make it through the Seal selection process known as BUDs. The gritty, unpolished narrative would seem like poor writing in most books, but in the context of this real life story, it makes the account all the more real, pulling you into the world that these young men exist in - a reality that is both honorable and tragic, inspiring and horrifying. No matter what your feelings about the conflicts that we are currently involved in might be, this is a must-read account of what modern small-unit warfare is really like in the 21st century. The book is neither preachy nor romantic. It's simply a rock-solid account of a tragic battle in an equally tragic war. Thank you to Marcus for honoring himself and his team with this startling story. ( )

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to be "the tip of the sword" then this is the book for you. More than just your run-of-the-mill autobiography; this is one of the best books you can read to understand what makes the Navy SEALs (or any special forces soldiers) "tick" -- why they're so tough, so confident, and unflinching in the face of danger.

While some individuals may dislike his reasoning, he does make a compelling argument against the folly of having politicians mandate rules of warfare and engagement for combat soldiers. (With numerous friends and relatives that have served, and are serving, in the armed forces, I already held many of Marcus' opinions on how to keep our soldiers safe and bring as many as possible home alive.) Others may take a dim view of his frequent diatribes denouncing the many flaws and facets of liberal politics, but having lived around the world in countries in various states of economic progress (first, 2nd & 3rd world conditions), I view his opinions as cogent, comprehensive, concise, and completely sound -- any that disagree with him need to travel more, and stay far away from tour guides and tourist traps. Marcus points out that the fluff that passes for politics and "statesmanship" of today is primarily superficial, inconsequential, and counterproductive to spreading democracy and freedom to the furthest reaches of the globe, as well as totally unprepared for (and incapable of resisting) the fanatical terrorists that are so eager to bring the west to its knees.

This book is a fitting memorial to his fallen colleagues. It's well-sprinkled with humor, but no punches are pulled, no losses are white-washed, and no "rough edges" are blunted to please or appease anyone. While I would probably hesitate to give this book to a very young child (because of the language), it would be great if were required reading for every registered voter, as well as every high school and college senior in the USA. "Lone Survivor" has renewed my appreciation for the soldiers and their spouses that have sacrificed (and continued to sacrifice) so much for our great nation. ( )