Book Review

Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


My mind is blown. I'm not sure I have even had the time to process this book thoroughly yet, but here are some impressions:


The book is several things. It is a portrait of a man who left an impression on everyone he met. It is a war story. It's also part social commentary, part investigative reporting.

Author Jon Krakauer seamlessly weaves between the details of Pat Tillman's life and the rise of US involvement in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan. He has a rich writing style that draws the reader in, immersing them in the worlds he writes about, taking his time to give details without weighing the story down.

The story of Tillman's life is interesting, but kind of normal. The story of his death is both fascinating and horrific. The realities of combat and service are shocking to the average civilian reader who suddenly becomes aware that they are "the public" and "the American people" while reading this behind the scenes look at war, government, and public relations.

This book was recommended to me by a friend; I don't normally read war or military books, but this one I will recommend to everyone. I can't believe how little I knew about what is going on in the world, and what our country/government is/was doing in other parts of the world and why.


View all my reviews