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Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman
Unavailable
Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman
Unavailable
Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman
Audiobook13 hours

Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman

Written by Jon Krakauer

Narrated by Scott Brick

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

The bestselling author of Into the Wild, Into Thin Air, and Under the Banner of Heaven delivers a stunning, eloquent account of a remarkable young man's haunting journey.

Like the men whose epic stories Jon Krakauer has told in his previous bestsellers, Pat Tillman was an irrepressible individualist and iconoclast. In May 2002, Tillman walked away from his $3.6 million NFL contract to enlist in the United States Army. He was deeply troubled by 9/11, and he felt a strong moral obligation to join the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Two years later, he died on a desolate hillside in southeastern Afghanistan.

Though obvious to most of the two dozen soldiers on the scene that a ranger in Tillman's own platoon had fired the fatal shots, the Army aggressively maneuvered to keep this information from Tillman's wife, other family members, and the American public for five weeks following his death. During this time, President Bush repeatedly invoked Tillman's name to promote his administration's foreign policy. Long after Tillman's nationally televised memorial service, the Army grudgingly notified his closest relatives that he had "probably" been killed by friendly fire while it continued to dissemble about the details of his death and who was responsible.

In Where Men Win Glory, Jon Krakauer draws on Tillman's journals and letters, interviews with his wife and friends, conversations with the soldiers who served alongside him, and extensive research on the ground in Afghanistan to render an intricate mosaic of this driven, complex, and uncommonly compelling figure as well as the definitive account of the events and actions that led to his death. Before he enlisted in the army, Tillman was familiar to sports aficionados as an undersized, overachieving Arizona Cardinals safety whose virtuosity in the defensive backfield was spellbinding. With his shoulder-length hair, outspoken views, and boundless intellectual curiosity, Tillman was considered a maverick. America was fascinated when he traded the bright lights and riches of the NFL for boot camp and a buzz cut. Sent first to Iraq-a war he would openly declare was "illegal as hell" -and eventually to Afghanistan, Tillman was driven by complicated, emotionally charged, sometimes contradictory notions of duty, honor, justice, patriotism, and masculine pride, and he was determined to serve his entire three-year commitment. But on April 22, 2004, his life would end in a barrage of bullets fired by his fellow soldiers.

Krakauer chronicles Tillman's riveting, tragic odyssey in engrossing detail highlighting his remarkable character and personality while closely examining the murky, heartbreaking circumstances of his death. Infused with the power and authenticity readers have come to expect from Krakauer's storytelling, Where Men Win Glory exposes shattering truths about men and war.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateSep 15, 2009
ISBN9780739357859
Unavailable
Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman
Author

Jon Krakauer

Jon Krakauer is a mountaineer and the author of Eiger Dreams, Into the Wild, (which was on the New York Times bestseller list for over a year and was made into a film starring Emile Hirsch and Kristen Stewart) Into Thin Air, Iceland, Under the Banner of Heaven and Where Men Win Glory. He is also the editor of the Modern Library Exploration series. He has received an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. According to the award citation, "Krakauer combines the tenacity and courage of the finest tradition of investigative journalism with the stylish subtlety and profound insight of the born writer."

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Reviews for Where Men Win Glory

Rating: 3.9418604693446087 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Meaning in no way to diminish the loss of Pat Tillman to his family, the striking aspect of this book is that once again Jon Krakauer has put wide-ranging, in-depth research together into an excellent piece of Non-Fiction, with a powerful message. No government, including that of the United States, can be trusted tol choose the truth over revealing deeply embarrassing information. It is crucial to take in news with an ear attuned to what motivations are involved, and to who is the source of the information.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Tremendous reporting! The reader knows the outcome before page ! But, regardless, the book is so impressive (and engaging) because of all the background information that Krakauer must have had to uncover in the years following Tillman's death. Very good descriptions of the complexity and the ambiguity associated with USA's role in the Afghan war.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Noted nonfiction author Krakauer turns his microscope and talents to the Pat Tillman story: acclaimed AZ State and AZ Cardinals football player who enlisted in the Iraqi War and was subsequently killed by friendly fire. The Pentagon and Bush Administration attempted to cover up the details of his death and use it for political gain. While never an easy read (one reviewer called the coverup "nauseating") and Tillman himself is, at times, a hard person to like with his anger issues and over-confidence, this is a powerful tale well told.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A great book about a really fascinating guy. "Hero" is a term that we apply pretty loosely in this country, but Pat Tillman as Krakauer presents him was unlike any other American hero- a truly unique individual. A jock who challenged himself with books; a patriot and soldier who believed the Iraq war was wrong and said so, a guy who could have had a lot of women but was devoted to one. If you're a Bush and Rumsfeld fan, and a supporter of the war in Iraq, you will like the book somewhat less, but read it anyway to learn about Pat Tillman.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    The first 6 or so hours are good, however after that the author stops talking about pat Tillman and focuses on other cases of friendly fire deaths. Completely awful, had to stop listening to biased recollection of events. This book stands on the grave of Pat Tillman and the other soldiers while using them as political props to attack the Bush administration.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Pat Tillman was an up and coming star of the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL. Pat was very moved when September 11 occurred. He and his brother, Kevin joined the army because they felt it was the right thing to do. At one point, Pat could have gotten out of the army and gone back to the NFL, but Pat honored his comittment and stayed in. In April 2004, Pat was killed by friendly fire, shot by a member of his own company. His mother persisted in finding the truth about how Pat died, which was at first covered up.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Ebook from my library. Pretty interesting; a little too much sports, a little light on the Jihadists (current and historical).
    Finished. The sports stuff is over quickly. Very well-written, and an extemely powerful story. In the center of the story is another friendly-fire incident in the town of Nasiriyah. Highly recommended.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Krakauer really knows how to piss you off reading a book of his. Regardless of your political view if you're not pissed at how the govt. used Pat Tillman's life & death, well, you're no better than the govt. itself ...
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I really was bored with the first 2/3 of this book. Sports Politics and War? yaaaawwwwn.

    But somewhere in that last third I found myself unable to stop thinking about what I was reading and what it all meant.

    Not sure I got out of it what most people did, but as I read it for my first book club I guess I will find out.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Krakauer really knows how to piss you off reading a book of his. Regardless of your political view if you're not pissed at how the govt. used Pat Tillman's life & death, well, you're no better than the govt. itself ...

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A tough book to get through. Certainly paints a negative picture of the culture of the Army and of our government, that something like this could not only happen but then be manipulated to try and make politicians look good. It was a hard book to get through.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Pat Tillman walked away from a multimillion-dollar NFL contract to join the Army and became an icon of post-9/11 patriotism. When he was killed in Afghanistan two years later, a legend was born. But the real Pat Tillman was much more remarkable, and considerably more complicated than the public knew...
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    loved this book. would have gone 5 stars, but I cant help but feel there is more to the story not being told.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Excellent book, excellent narrator... intricate story. Hard to grasp occasionally but Krakauer did an excellent job explaining some of the inexplicable events in Pat Tillman's military experience.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Yes, "Where Men Win Glory" has the typical flaws of any Krakauer novel, including bias and sensationalism. Corporal Pat Tillman was adamant upon enlisting in allowing the media and political machine to exploit his decision to join the military, so there remains the nagging sense that this book disservices the spirit of Tillman himself.So yes, there are problems, but I freely admit that is the first non-fiction text to render me to tears of frustration, genuine sadness and disillusionment. Given the systemic institutional cover-up of Tillman's death, from the White House to the Pentagon and CENTCOM, perhaps Krakauer's bias is a necessary device. Through both the government's and Krakauer's accounts, the reader is tasked with ascertaining the truth of the tragedy, and free to do so on their own terms, which I believe to be critical.Further, Krakauer's narrative is beyond compelling, which makes the historical context and abstract politics of Afghanistan, Pakistan and FATA concrete and navigable to the lay reader. Which is not to say that Tillman's legacy, in and of itself, it is not a compelling read, but together, Tillman's experiences and the historical backdrop provides a "perfect storm" of information for the reader.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Riveting. Except for the football. 'Blink' explains how it's near impossible to act rationally in a high stress situation. But the politicians thought up their evil 'spin' in the cold hard light of day.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    good, informative
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    shshsjsjdjd
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    We will never really know why Pat Tillman resigned from the NFL and joined the military, only to be killed by so-called friendly fire. Krakauer at least clearly describes the on-the-ground events and confusion that lead to Tillman's death. Krakauer does not do so well in assigning blame, if blame is to be assigned. War is always messy. Politicians are always lying. The military is always trying to save face. The middle east seems hopeless. And young men don't always make good decisions.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I was vaguely aware of the media frenzy over Pat Tillman, but since I am not a football fan, I didn't appreciate his story. Now I do. This book really brings home the toll war takes on soldiers and their families. Reflecting on it, I am newly conscious of the need to clearly state one's ethical principles and of how easily, even thoughtlessly, I have shunted aside the question "What is the most just, the most moral action I could take under the circumstances?" Tillman agonized over these questions, and made courageous choices.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Worse than the Bush administration's shameful cover up of Tillman's death from "friendly fire" is its repugnant exploitation of the man's life and death for political gain. The revelation that General Stanley McChrystal played a significant role in the cover up is all the more disturbing since Obama hand-picked him to direct the war in Afghanistan. Tillman turns out to be a fascinating fellow and more's the pity his life was wasted senselessly.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In telling the story of Pat Tillman, a uniquely virtuous, admirable, brave—but also profoundly human and therefore imperfect—man, Jon Krakauer does what we who know his work have come to expect from him. Not satisfied with simply telling the story of the tough-as-nails and sublimely intellectual NFL player who abandoned a promising sports career, loving wife, and supportive family in order to serve his country in the wake of September 11th, Krakauer places Tillman’s story within a context that he hopes will illuminate its meaning and provide some understanding of why Tillman did what he did. And he succeeds.Considering various aspects of Tillman’s character and his motives for enlisting to serve in the army, Krakauer explains how virtue, patriotism, masculinity, and a sense of honor and duty combined to drive Tillman to make decisions—and ultimately sacrifices—that most of us can’t even imagine. Compounding the tragedy of Tillman’s death by friendly fire during a battle in Afghanistan in 2004 is the military’s unscrupulous efforts to cover up the true course of events that led to Tillman’s death and the Bush administration’s despicable efforts to use the tragedy as propaganda to win re-election. Krakauer tells Tillman’s story in an effort to understand the man and his character; in doing so, he also tells the story of our government’s disgraceful manipulation of the truth for political gain.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a riveting book that I could not put down. I didn't give it four stars because at times it feels like a piece of rush-to-publish investigative journalism (maybe an excellent example thereof) but that sort of thing comes dangerously close to voyeuristic true crime so I can’t bring myself to give it the same “score” as Savage Detectives. That’s like comparing a road apple to an astral orange.

    Still, this book was amazing. The revised Anchor Books edition offers far more detail than The Tillman Story documentary and debunks some conspiracy theories too. Highly recommended.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Pat Tillman was an exceptional athlete who left an NFL career and millions of dollars, as well as a newlywed wife, to join the military in order to defend the U.S. Reading this account of Pat Tillman's life and death was informative. It is tragic that this young soldier lost his life while serving his country. The fact that friendly fire, weapons fired by his fellow Rangers and friends, were responsible for his death makes it even more difficult to digest. It was enlightening to have the recent history of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan presented in an organized manner. I found the author's presentation of policy and politics to be very polarizing. It is surprising how we can look back at the same experiences and see the facts so differently.The biggest tragedy for me is the hopelessness that remained for the Tillman family when Pat was killed. As atheists, there is little source of comfort for them. How sad . . . The conversation between PFC Bryan O'Neal and Pat Tillman, as they realized that they were being fired upon by men from their unit, was chilling. (O'Neal speaking) "I began to pray out loud," he said. "I was sure I was going to die . . . Pat then asked me why I was praying, he asked me what it could do for me."Moments later, Pat was shot with mortal wounds to the head. O'Neal survived.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Not the typical Krakauer I'm used to. Found his research spurious, at best. Had no consent from the Tillman family for the material within the book. Relied on Tillman's widow predominantly for information on all parts of Pat's life. Provided history of Afghanistan is excellent, succinct yet thorough. However, the historical piece are tediously spliced with background on Tillman using awkward and abrupt transitions. Most concerning are the in-your-face political opinions (not that I disagree with them, necessarily) that serve only to show the sizable agenda that Krakauer wanted to address. Important to do, I guess, but takes away from the incredible story of Pat Tillman.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Very interesting and in depth book. Takes a look at the events and circumstances leading up to 9/11. The parts having to do with the actions of the Bush administration (or lack there of) stood out to me. Very interesting story. worth the read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    My least favorite Krakauer book. I was excited to read it, having loved Into Thin Air and Under the Banner of Heaven. Into the Wild a little less so. This is one of the most depressing stories ever; makes you despair for the country. I suppose it's important to know this story, but don't keep a loaded gun nearby; it may be hazardous to your own health.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The tragic story of Pat Tillman is told by Krakauer with his typical terrific reporting style. His description of Tillman's life is some of his finest writing and the research and reporting on the disturbing cover up, by the US government, of his death, is in depth and infinitely interesting. This book gives a new perspective on an already controversial war and does honor to a fallen soldier.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It is appropriate to write this book review on the eve of the 10th anniversary of 9/11. After all, if 9/11 hadn’t occurred, this book would have never been written and Pat Tillman would probably still be alive.Does the name Pat Tillman ring any bells for you? When I first saw the subtitle of the book—The Odyssey of Pat Tillman—the name sounded familiar but I couldn’t place it. Upon reading the book description, I realized that he was the NFL player who had enlisted in the Army after 9/11 and was killed in action. I didn’t recall any specifics though, other than marveling that someone could have made that choice.Deeply troubled by the events of 9/11 (as so many of us were), Tillman did what he felt was right and honorable: join the Army to fight for and defend his country. Although 9/11 inspired many Americans to do the same thing, I suspect that most post-9/11 military recruits didn’t leave behind a $3.5 million football career. Tillman’s decision wasn’t done for public relations reasons either. He never publicly addressed his decision to join the Army—despite the Bush Administration’s desire to use him as a poster boy—and turned down all media requests regarding his enlistment and military service.I mention the subtitle for another reason too—the use of the word odyssey. “Odyssey” is such an appropriate word to describe Pat Tillman’s story. Not only do the definitions of odyssey aptly describe Tillman’s life… 1: a long wandering or voyage usually marked by many changes of fortune 2: an intellectual or spiritual wandering or quest…but it is also a nod to the Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey. Although Tillman’s journey does not mirror Odysseus’s journey, Krakauer quotes a variety of Greek tragedies and philosophical works (including Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra) at the start of the book’s various sections. As the book developed, I began finding these quotes almost prescient—as if they had been written specifically about Tillman.Of course, that last statement sounds like hyperbole … because it is. Pat Tillman wasn’t a god or a mythical figure. He was a man with virtues and flaws like everyone else. However, to say that Tillman was “ordinary” doesn’t do him justice. He lived life on his own terms—following his internal moral compass and beliefs. He didn’t always play by the rules or follow the pack. This strong internal drive led to his success on the football field and his enlistment in the Army, a decision that caused him much angst. His journals reveal his struggles with his enlistment decision, leading as it did to his separation from his beloved wife Marie and bouts of frustration, disgust and anger at the Army and its practices.The book isn’t a simple telling of Pat Tillman’s story however. It also provides a fairly concise history of the conflict in Afghanistan, the formation of the Taliban, the rise of Osama Bin Laden and why the events of 9/11 came to pass. By alternating Tillman’s personal history with the history of the conflict in Afghanistan/Iraq, the reader starts to feel a sense of inevitability as events that will slowly and inexorably lead to Tillman’s horrible death unfold … because as much as this book is about Tillman’s life, it is also very much about his death.Pat Tillman’s death in Afghanistan was the result of friendly fire (what the Army terms “fratricide”). In other words, Tillman was killed by his fellow Army Rangers. Although fratricide is a fact of life in war (and, as Krakauer discusses, much more frequent than most of us probably realize), the Army chose to cloud the circumstances of Tillman’s death with cover-ups, fabrications and outright lies. Krakauer makes a good case that Tillman’s death was used to distract the American public from the public relations nightmare of Abu Ghraib. (In much the same way it used the Jessica Lynch story to distract Americans from how poorly the war in Iraq was progressing.) However, the truth of Tillman’s death didn’t make for a good enough story. After all, friendly fire doesn’t sound so heroic… but getting killed while fighting the Taliban does. So that was the initial story that the Army put out—both to the public and Tillman’s family. Until, of course, the truth came out and the powers that be needed to be protected and distanced from the cover-up.As you can tell from the length of this review, this book affected me quite deeply. I found Tillman’s story to be so tragic. He tried so hard to do the right thing and made the ultimate sacrifice, yet the Army and the U.S. government pissed all over it. It sickened me to read about the Army’s actions, and the lies and misdirection that the Bush Administration practiced throughout the conflicts that followed 9/11. In addition, the seeming futility of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan (recent events notwithstanding) is disheartening and upsetting. This was a thought-provoking and upsetting read…and exactly why I think that people ought to read it. (Although I suspect that supporters of George W. Bush and his administration will not find much to like in this book.)A word about the audiobook narration: I finally listened to a book narrated by Scott Brick—the “voice crush” of quite a few book bloggers. I can see why Brick is a popular narrator. His voice is easy on the ears, and his reading of what was sometimes a technical book was flawless. I was riveted by his narration… particularly the sections in which Krakauer describes the events that led to Tillman’s death as well as the firefight in Nasiriyah that happened after Jessica Lynch’s rescue. I was on-the-edge of my seat listening to these sections, and it made the chaos and confusion of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan feel very real. After listening to the book, I’m glad I opted for this format over the printed copy.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Pat Tillman's life and odyssey are absolutely fascinating and inspiring. As with his other books Krakauer does a fantastic job of researching the topic and is a fluid writer which makes the book very readable. The only detract from the book is that Krakauer permits his own political ideologies to infiltrate the work and to cause skepticism regarding some of his conclusions. It seems partisan that he finds one administration culpable and another blameless with respect to identical errors. In the end though there is no denying his conclusion that there is honor in the man if not the cause. And regardless, it is a book that sticks with you.