No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission that Killed Osama Bin Laden by Mark Owen

From the streets of Iraq to the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips in the Indian Ocean, and from the mountaintops of Afghanistan to the third floor of Osama Bin Laden's compound, operator Mark Owen of the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Development Group--commonly known as SEAL Team Six--has been a part of some of the most memorable special operations in history, as well as countless missions that never made headlines.

No Easy Day puts readers alongside Owen and the other handpicked members of the twenty-four-man team as they train for the biggest mission of their lives. The blow-by-blow narrative of the assault, beginning with the helicopter crash that could have ended Owen's life straight through to the radio call confirming Bin Laden’s death, is an essential piece of modern history.

In No Easy Day, Owen also takes readers onto the field of battle in America's ongoing War on Terror and details the selection and training process for one of the most elite units in the military. Owen's story draws on his youth in Alaska and describes the SEALs' quest to challenge themselves at the highest levels of physical and mental endurance. With boots-on-the-ground detail, Owen describes numerous previously unreported missions that illustrate the life and work of a SEAL and the evolution of the team after the events of September 11.

In telling the true story of the SEALs whose talents, skills, experiences, and exceptional sacrifices led to one of the greatest victories in the War on Terror, Mark Owen honors the men who risk everything for our country, and he leaves readers with a deep understanding of the warriors who keep America safe.

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What always fascinates me when I read these types of books is the difference between what the participants and the politicians say about the same event(s). The raid conducted by the U.S. Military that killed Osama Bin Laden is a historically significant event. However, to the brave men and women who made it possible, it was just another "day at the office." They were given a job to do and they went out and did it. They weren't concerned with the historical or political implications. They were just trying to do their job and get back home safely.

I have read other reviews that criticize it's action-thriller approach to telling the story, but it didn't bother me. I didn't chose to read this book for a textbook account of the raid. I wanted to hear the "boots-on-the-ground" perspective, which is what this book gives. Was it a flawless literary work, no. But I don't think that was the point. In the end, I was left with a feeling of respect for these brave men. Not everyone has what it takes to become a SEAL and sacrifice the way they do. I enjoyed listening to this novel and would recommend the audiobook.  

2016 Reading Challenge: An autobiography 

Bomb: The Race to Build - and Steal - the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin

In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned 3 continents.

In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos.

This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb.

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Those who enjoy history will enjoy this book. It retells the story of the development of the atomic bomb and the spy networks that ultimately led to the secret project being leaked. This book reminded me of a YA version of an Erik Larson book. It takes the stories of all the various people involved and weaves them together to create an entertaining narrative, lacking all the dryness of a typical textbook. The book was well researched and I can see why it has won so many awards.

Thunderstruck by Erik Larson

In Thunderstruck, Erik Larson tells the interwoven stories of two men--Hawley Crippen, a very unlikely murderer, and Guglielmo Marconi, the obsessive creator of a seemingly supernatural means of communication--whose lives intersect during one of the greatest criminal chases of all time.

Set in Edwardian London and on the stormy coasts of Cornwall, Cape Cod, and Nova Scotia, Thunderstruck evokes the dynamism of those years when great shipping companies competed to build the biggest, fastest ocean liners, scientific advances dazzled the public with visions of a world transformed, and the rich outdid one another with ostentatious displays of wealth. Against this background, Marconi races against incredible odds and relentless skepticism to perfect his invention: the wireless, a prime catalyst for the emergence of the world we know today. Meanwhile, Crippen, "the kindest of men," nearly commits the perfect crime.

With his superb narrative skills, Erik Larson guides these parallel narratives toward a relentlessly suspenseful meeting on the waters of the North Atlantic. Along the way, he tells of a sad and tragic love affair that was described on the front pages of newspapers around the world, a chief inspector who found himself strangely sympathetic to the killer and his lover, and a driven and compelling inventor who transformed the way we communicate. Thunderstruck presents a vibrant portrait of an era of séances, science, and fog, inhabited by inventors, magicians, and Scotland Yard detectives, all presided over by the amiable and fun-loving Edward VII as the world slid inevitably toward the first great war of the twentieth century. Gripping from the first page, and rich with fascinating detail about the time, the people, and the new inventions that connect and divide us, Thunderstruck is splendid narrative history from a master of the form.

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Erik Larson is one of my favorite historical writers. I love how he often combines two seemingly unrelated stories into one. In this case, he chronicles the development of wireless technology by Guglielmo Marconi and combines it with the story of Hawley Crippen, a medical man who commits murder. Although historical nonfiction, Thunderstruck reads more like a narrative and lacks the stereotypical “textbook” feel of other historical nonfiction. It is not simply a recounting or list of facts, but rather a story told using facts. Having said that, it is clear that the book is thoroughly researched, and I suppose Larson does take some artistic license, but for the most part the story appears to stay true to verifiable facts. This is the third book by Larson that I have read, and I will definitely be picking up more in the future.

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

The Devil in the White City weaves together the story of the World's Fair that was held in Chicago in 1893 and the tale of a serial killer who used the Fair to lure in his victims. This is the second book that I have read by Erik Larson and I have to say that I really enjoy his writing style. Some people criticize this style of writing as sensationalism and question it's historical value. I, however, find it entertaining and engaging.

Let's face it. History can be boring. I think all of us can recall a high school history teacher who spent their time boring us to tears. We are always looking for ways to make history "come alive," and I think that Larson accomplishes this quite well. Yes, I do think that there is some sensationalism and I'm sure that Larson had to take some creative license. Nevertheless, his work is also meticulously researched. His citations are primary sources and he mentions in his notes that he does not use the internet to do research. The result is a book that reads more like a mystery novel than a dry historical narrative.

For all you history buffs out there, I recommend that you give Larson a chance.

Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly & Martin Dugard

I picked this book up because Lincoln is one of my favorite presidents and I was curious to read this book after I heard so much hype about the book. I am not a huge fan of Bill O'Reilly, but decided to give the book a chance when I heard that it was written more like a suspense novel than a straight historical non-fiction book.

I liked the set up of the book - it is broken up into 3 parts. The first part of the book recaps the last week of the Civil War and the surrender of Lee. Part two focuses on John Wilkes Booth and the formation of the assassination plot. I liked how the authors didn't just focus on Booth and included the other players as well. I think most people who don't know a lot about the subject would assume that Booth acted alone and the only intended victim was Lincoln, and this book does a good job illustrating how this assassination plot's goal was bigger than just killing the president - the goal was to bring down the Federal Government, which is why it included other prominent political figures such as the Vice President, the Secretary of War, and General Grant. The last section of the book deals with the aftermath of the Lincoln's assassination, including the manhunt for Booth and the trials and punishments of his various accomplices.

I was somewhat disappointed with the book overall and did not appreciate the style of the book. In fact, I think in a lot of ways it detracts from the story. I felt that O'Reilly and Dugard took too many liberties with interpreting the thoughts and feelings of the various characters in an effort to make the book more dramatic and suspenseful. The problem with this style is that some of the more dramatic statements and conclusions can be construed as actual facts, rather than an interpretation of the truth. I think I would have preferred a more straight forward telling of the story. Nevertheless, people who are not fans of historical non-fiction, but are interested in the subject will probably enjoy the style more than I did. It is a quick read, so if you are like me (and have a pet-peeve about starting and book and not finishing it) and discover that the style of the book is annoying, at least it won't take you long to get through it.