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|  | Author: Doug Stanton
Publisher: Scribner
List Price: $28.00
Buy New: $14.35
as of 11/22/2009 12:44 CST details
You Save: $13.65 (49%)
New (42) Used (28) Collectible (5) from $11.49
Seller: NextstepBK
Rating:  86 reviews
Sales Rank: 1453
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 416
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6 x 1.3
ISBN: 1416580514
Dewey Decimal Number: 958.1047
EAN: 9781416580515
ASIN: 1416580514
Publication Date: May 5, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back!
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 21-25 of 86
 An astonishing and incredible story August 27, 2009
John C. L'Engle (Orlando, Fl, USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
If this were fiction it would be a damn good read. The fact that it is a true story is indeed astonishing. The fact that a small group of highly trained, skilled and motivated soldiers, mainly NCOs, became the catalyist in the overthrow of an intolerant, distructive and violent ruling regiem in weeks is incredible. This story by Doug Stanton is an example of reporting at its very best. The time, effort and professionalism is evident from the first page to the last. I agonized over the death of Mike Spann. I was appalled the story of "Taliban" Johnny Lindh. Was he actually a knowing traitor or just an screwed up kid with incredibly bad judgement? The teams led by Captains Nelson and Dean preformed military miracles under the most arduous and dangerous conditions while dealing with contentious and unperdictible Afghan warlords. Sometime in the not to distant future this is going to a hell of a movie. I can't wait.
 A little too New York Timesy August 16, 2009
Zoltan Newberry (Chicago)
My first reaction was we are so fortunate to have people like this. I hope the murderer, Putin, reads this. It will certainly make him think a lot before messing with us. Ahmydinnerjacket too! Is there any military on earth that can rival this? Why aren't the survivors among these people being asked how to win back Afghanistan now? If any of you are reading this now, please accept my fondest regards and deepest gratitude. Your families too! I also find it reassuring to know that there are tens of thousands of retired military commandos like these people living among us lesser types here at home.
The author couldn't help admiring these men, and does a good job describing them and their Afghani counterparts. The bit about the American traitor, Lindh, was a little too fair and balanced for my taste. The author makes a good point, however, when he repeats one of our Special Forces guys' opinion that this kind of quick victory would probably never happen again. This seems to be the case, at least for now. We are back to quagmire city, which is very disappointing, after all these people gave of themselves years ago to kick AQ and Taliban butt.
Make Sure You Read This Book--700 Stars! August 14, 2009
Gerard F. Zemek (Parma, Ohio)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book was 700 pages in a large print book and I hated to see it end. It's a great book! This is going to be the BEST BOOK I read all year! I just wish this could be made into a movie. It is an amazing story of a group of men who are special forces who, after 911, go to Afghanistan to fight the Taliban. I don't want to tell you too much because I want you to read this book! You will be proud to be an American after you read this. Mr. Stanton, thank you for putting this story in print--fabulous job! I also thank the men of the special forces in this book for your service! God Bless!
 Tales of Great Bravery and Adaptability Told in a Convoluted Fashion August 11, 2009
Professor Donald Mitchell (Boston)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
"Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, 'Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance.'" -- Deuteronomy 31:7
Don't miss this book! It tells of extraordinary service that all Americans should honor and respect.
In the days following 9/11, the American government made the unprecedented decision to send in Special Forces and CIA paramilitary officers as the leading wedge of an effort to aid the about-to-be-decimated Northern Alliance leaders and their forces in Afghanistan. The Taliban were about to wipe out the last remaining opposition and secure a permanent safe haven for terrorists such as the notorious Osama bin Laden. Few times in American history have so few warriors made such a huge impact on a military campaign as did the men described in this book. What was accomplished is truly astonishing and mind-boggling.
Mr. Stanton sets up the book by describing a dangerous situation: hundreds of Taliban prisoners were being kept near a large stash of weapons and ammunition while being guarded by hardly any Northern Alliance and U.S. troops. The book then moves backwards in time to provide the background for how that situation happened to occur before detailing what happened next . . . and thereafter.
As bad as that situation was, the initial insertion of the U.S. forces into Afghanistan was even more hair-raising . . . starting with impossible flying conditions.
To me, the worst part of the book came at the end, where there's a list of the Special Forces soldiers who lost their lives in either Afghanistan or Iraq. A high price has been paid by these men and their families. Seeing that we are once again fully engaged fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan, it made me sad to think that so much courage and devotion to duty were frittered away while all eyes turned toward Iraq and those fictitious weapons of mass destruction.
The book is great for someone who wants to get to know the individuals and their families, something that seems called for in light of the service that these people gave to us and to the world. I agree with those critics who have noted that there's a lot of detail in here while events occurred in Afghanistan that could have been left out. The book almost seems padded out in places.
My advice is to just flip a few pages until you get back into the main thread of the story. You'll be glad you did.
 Poorly Written, not worth the money. August 4, 2009
Leo (Orlando FL)
3 out of 11 found this review helpful
I had hoped this book would be good, as it has a great subject matter. The writing was poor, I had expected more. I don't often leave negative reviews but this book was not worth the money.
Showing reviews 21-25 of 86
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