-
An honest portrayal of a complex man Sep 20, 2009 (100 of 109 found this helpful)
This book is not a `war story'. It is a rendering of a man who was far more complex than the one-dimensional hero who was portrayed in the media and who, through no fault of his own, was basically used as propaganda by the US government. Interestingly, that was one of the threads woven throughout the book, along with the use of Jessica Lynch as a tool to boost support of the war.
Krakauer does a great job in the beginning of the book by contrasting the carefree life of an American boy growing up in the suburbs vs. groups of boys being groomed by the Taliban to become terrorists. His description of Pat Tillman's early life gives insight into how he came to make the decisions that ultimately resulted in his joining the Army.
Some of the detail in the middle of the book got a bit cumbersome. However, it was a useful primer on some of the things that went terribly wrong in Iraq in Afghanistan during Tillman's time there, and I'm not certain that Krakauer could have told the rest of the story without the level of detail provided.
Nonetheless, the author provides a refreshingly honest look at a man who at times I found rather unlikeable, frankly. Without question however, the picture of Tillman that emerges is one of a man who cannot be categorized easily. His complexity was well illuminated in the book, which was a far more honest and respectful portrayal of his life than if he were simply portrayed as the `good' character in a morality play.
This book does not paint a rosy, cozy picture of the US government's actions, of the wars in Iraq in Afghanistan, or, it must be said, of Pat Tillman himself. But that served to make both the book and the man more interesting.
-
A Conflicted Account of a Reluctant Volunteer Sep 20, 2009 (110 of 131 found this helpful)
A brief disclaimer to begin. Like Pat Tillman, I was a post-9/11 volunteer enlistee, and for that reason his story has always had particular resonance. That said, the similarities end quickly. I did NOT walk away from millions to enlist. I did NOT join an elite infantry unit, nor did I see any action in a theatre of combat - let alone engage in fire fights. Lastly, I DID make it home.
Krakauer takes up the Tillman story with a view to what made the NFL Safety turned Ranger tick. In some reviews, including Dexter Filkins' NYT review, the fact that it takes Krakauer more than 150 pages to get Tillman's boots into the Afghan sand is to the book's detriment. In my opinion, Krakauer's aim - if not the book itself -is better served by the time he takes in exploring Tillman's motives.
Those looking for either a behind-the-lines military tome with some added star power, or a pot-boiler about government and military propaganda and corruption, should look elsewhere. Instead, Krakauer spends most of his effort on trying to wrestle with a very common conflict in the hearts, souls and minds of many post-9/11 military volunteers. While visions of the towers tumbling compelled Tillman instictively to look for some way to help, he also couldn't help but retain the healthy skepticism of his government that had him concerned - in Krakauer's telling - that should he die on the battlefield, he might be used for propaganda purposes.
That conflict is a defining element of the all-volunteer force that is fighting these wars. So many of the men and women I served with loved their country, but joined to defend their families as much as to fight for their government. That might not be a logical or well-informed course of action - but, for many, like Tillman, it was an instinctive one.
Krakauer wrestles with that conflict, and that insight is the value of this book. I don't think it achieves the effect so spectacularly, but like IF I DIE IN A COMBAT ZONE, I expect this book to eventually enter itself into the Iraq and Afghan literary canon as a nuanced look at the soldiers fighting this war.
Tillman's fame and his dramatic story are perhaps most valuable in that context. After reading this book, I am left with an impression of Tillman as a microcosm of that component of today's force who seem - paradoxically - to be among the last people we might expect to subject themselves to service, but the first we would expect to step up when the call to action comes.
-
A book that changed my perspective. Sep 17, 2009 (155 of 187 found this helpful)
I was originally not very impressed by Pat Tillman's sacrifice. I believe our culture it too quick to call someone a hero. Most people use the expression to counterbalance their own insecurity of not serving in the military. After serving 6 years in the army including tours in Korea, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq, I can honestly say I did not meet one hero--including myself. I now believe Pat Tillman's life was heroic. I say this because he was truly cognizant of America and its misgivings and yet he still willingly served. I did not become aware until about halfway through my tour in Iraq. Once I became aware, rage consumed me. Rage is a normal reaction when one realizes halfway through an act that what they are doing is morally reprehensible. Tillman could have easily escaped combat duty if he wanted. He refused to be used by the Bush regime and the military industrial complex, but still performed the duties that he believed to be right. I cannot express how unique of a person he was. He was a rarity in our world. The narrative on how the military brass and the Bush regime tried to use him and then cover up how he died made the rage come back all over again. I had to walk away from the book several times. The politics behind the story is vital to the context of the story. It's what makes him a tragic hero. A story that only romanticizes his sacrifice so we Americans can thump our chests in pride would be a disservice to his life. Those who are truly aware will appreciate this book. Those who wish to be in the dark will not.
-
Krakauer's subjects defy convention Sep 28, 2009 (25 of 28 found this helpful)
Pat Tillman went from playing in the NFL to giving up a
multi million dollar contract to become a "friendly fire" statistic
in Afghanistan. Krakauer says thus far in the current Iraq War 41
percent of U S casualties are by "friendly fire". The number was 39
percent in Vietnam and 52 percent the first Iraq war. Tillman's
widow Marie was the only family member to contribute "on the record"
for Krakauer's book. Political alert: Since most of my conservative
friends see anything that challenges their orthodoxy and world view
as unworthy of attention I don't think they will like or appreciate
this book. Why? Because we learn that Pat Tillman and his family do
not reinforce the stereotype of a fallen American Military hero.
Tillman questioned the Iraq war, opposed the Bush administrations
conduct of the war, was an atheist who did not wish to have a
religious or a military service if he died and all the same was a
reluctant hero who gave up much to volunteer along with his brother
to fight after 9/11. Why did Tillman join the Army and want to be an
enlisted man? Tillman kept a very detailed and personal journal and
Krakauer is an excellent writer who seems to find these unusual
individuals that defy convention (such as in his books Into the Wild
and Into Thin Air which is still his best work). Here Krakauer jumps
back and forth between recent events to focus on Tillman's life,
marriage, and friends concluding with how it was possible for him to
be shot by an individual from his own platoon with three .223-caliber
bullets tightly grouped together as they entered the right side of
Tillman's forehead. His brain to be found days later in the dirt near
where he died and it was later lost as a result of one of many
strange Army snafus. How could this event happen? Why when it did
happen did the Army cover it up? Did they cover it up? Why did the
Army provide false testimonial evidence to support a silver star for
Tillman? Why did they order members of Tillman's platoon not to
provide accurate information on the events of the shooting,
especially to Tillman's brother who was a member of that very same
platoon? And why was manufacturing pro war propaganda so important to
those in the Bush administration? And lastly, how many Americans
today even know the truth about Tillman after all these years
(Tillman was killed in 2004)? This is a sad and disturbing book that
leads one to think about what it means to fight and die for one's
country. This is also an important book, if only to insure we obtain
a better understanding of what happened to someone who marched to his
own personal beliefs no matter the risk. And how his government
betrayed his memory. (Note: Krakauer's book reminded me, in part, of
the excellent 1976 book about Vietnam by C.D.B. Bryan, titled
"Friendly Fire". That book is about one of the individuals who became
part of the 39 percent statistic that Krakauer quotes for that war.)
-
A Modern Greek Tragedy Sep 21, 2009 (20 of 24 found this helpful)
Where Men Win Glory is a biography of the late Pat Tillman interwoven with a hornbook political history of Afghanistan in the last thirty (30) years. It's interesting, thoughtful and features Krakauer's trademark: impeccable and exhaustive research. The author also has priceless access to Tillman's personal journals which were given to him by Tillman's widow, Marie. If you are a Tillman or Krakauer fan, the book is a must read.
The book also functions as a modern Greek tragedy. The title comes directly from dialogue spoken to the Greek hero, Achilles, in Homer's Iliad. Comparisons between Achilles and Tlllman are implicit throughout the book and Tillman comes off as a modern hero, tragically flawed in the tradition of Achilles. Some examples include: the almost supernatural physical abilities of Tillman, Tillman's adherence to an admirable code of values to his own detriment and to the detriment of his loved ones, and Tillman's ultimate end. Further, the bungling of Tillman's military superiors as well as, the exploitation of Tillman by the government made me think of Agamemmnon and Menelaus from the Iliad.
While justifiably critical of the Bush Administration generally, and Rumsfeld's defense department specifically, the book is not a vicious attack from the Left. The point Krakauer makes is that perhaps the true heroes of western culture always have been (and always will be) exploited, betrayed and let down by their governments, superiors and society. It's a theme that is almost 3,000 years old.
Even those unfamiliar with ancient Greek tragedy will still be treated to an easy-to-read, page turner that's a must for anyone interested in the army, football, the Afghanistan war, politics and interpersonal relationships between spouse, family and friends.