Thursday, January 19, 2012

American Sniper by Chris Kyle GIVEAWAY and review

Goodreads: From 1999 to 2009, U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle recorded the most career sniper kills in United States military history. Iraqi insurgents feared him so much they called him al-Shaitan ("the devil") and placed a $20,000 bounty on his head. Kyle earned legendary status among his fellow SEALs, Marines, and U.S. Army soldiers, fighting alongside them in the streets, as well as protecting them from rooftops and stealth positions. Through four combat deployments, he was awarded seven medals for bravery, including two Silver Stars. Gripping and unforgettable, Kyle's masterful account of his extraordinary battlefield experiences ranks as one of the great war memoirs of all time.

My take: I read Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell and really enjoyed it, albeit the detailed blood and gore. He told a good story, remained objective while including some of his own thoughts and ideas. It was engrossing and the story itself sung of the heroism of him and his SEAL team. This book wasn't as cohesive or objective. I had a difficult time following Kyle's line of thinking. He included a lot of interpretation, little emotional insight, and random situations. One of the random situations is that he met Marcus Luttrell and counts him as a friend. That's it. He doesn't reference Luttrell's experience in Afghanistan. If a reader did not know the background to Luttrell's story, it wouldn't be extraordinary. I also didn't like the arrogant manner Kyle referenced himself or the short answers he gave. Basically, if you don't know how hard it is to be a SEAL, join the Navy SEALS. If you don't know what kind of guy Chris Kyle is, ask one of the SEALS. The writing was somewhat defensive and style pedantic.

I did not finish the book, therefore, I can only report on my first impression of the first 100 pages or so. The book is not without merit. Kyle is a great soldier and admirable in his service. My problems are with the writing style, not the subject or the author. He has interesting stories to tell. The telling however, lacks clarity and cohesiveness. 

Subject is interesting and mindset of the military makes the book worth reading. Here is a sneak peak.

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