Customer Reviews

American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History

5 star:		(157)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(57)

 

 

Very broad stroke tale of Chris Kyle's career as a SEAL. Broad in the sense that there is very little detail on actual shots taken/contact with enemies (where he actually engaged targets in his capacity as a sniper).

I was initially going to review the book after having read the first 30% of it which left me a bit disappointed but I decided to give it a chance, and finished it before re-writing my entire review. I fully agree with some of the previous reviews that the writing could have been better and I have to admit that I actually started wanting to skip all the passages written by Chris's wife (Taya) entirely. It does give a bit of perspective on their private life but as a shooter I was more interested in Chris's actual accounts.

I found it very interesting (and initially a bit brazen) how Chris starts his book exactly the same way Carlos Hatchcock* did with his autobiography referencing having had to kill a woman the same way Carlos started his book having had to kill a boy. Later in the book Chris pays homage to Carlos so the similarity became understandable.

* Carlos Hathcock - technically the best sniper ever to have walked the earth and probably the best written Sniper autobiography to date)

Comparing the countless records on fighting in wars like Vietnam compared to modern day warfare in places like Iraq you cant seem to shake the feeling that the enemy guys like Chris face there just aren't cut from the same cloth. The Vietcong were a very formidable enemy, living the war and being excellent at guerilla warfare, tracking, planning and even having some superb snipers in their ranks. Reading Chris talk about his enemy using beachballs to cross a river in order to reach American positions (which he promptly shot resulting in them drowning), the enemy mostly being completely jacked up on heroin, being stupid and having NO clue how to actually fight (pot shots and stupid fighting) and talking about picking off enemy soldiers on a nightly basis (sometimes up to 3 a night) really gives the impression that its much easier to rake up a high kill tally than it was in past wars. Chris goes on to admit how much he admires Carlos Hathcock and that he admits he is not even in the same league saying that he got as many kills as he did because he was lucky in mostly being where the action was. Therefore reading about some of the kills leaves you feeling less than 'impressed'. That being said, what Chris has achieved and what he did for his country is nothing short of heroic and respectable.

Chris does go on to discuss some of the street fights (clearing building to building) he was involved in out of his own choice after swapping his rifle for a Marines m-16 in order to fight along side them as he felt he could be of more use to the marines he was assisting on the ground than he could be as over-watch (a large number of his kills were CQ kills), which is also highly respectable.

So...

- If you are interested in the technical side of being a Sniper and actual details on shots taken, there are better books (for a start Carlos Hathcock's autobiography, A 100% flawless must read!)

- If you're interest is purely in details of SEAL operations and their involvement in recent wars (Iraq) then this book will probably disappoint as it lacks detail. It is however very interesting to see how much the role of the modern day SEAL has changed (where and how they are deployed and how they operate as part of joint force missions with other branches of the US military).

- If you want to read about Chris Kyle for the sake of learning about him as a person, where he came from and a quick run-down on his kill record (with no detail on separate kills as they tend to be summed up as "...that day I killed 3..." then this book will probably be of interest.

All in all a good-ish book...couldn't say its $13 I'd spend again for the Kindle version, but not regretting having read it.

What a remarkable story of heroism, patriotism, and self-sacrifice by an even more remarkable American, Chris Kyle. A Navy SEAL and highly trained sniper, Kyle is even more remarkable in his straightforward admittance that his accomplishments alone are not to be lauded, but the accomplishments and sacrifices of his fellow military men who sacrificed their vision, limbs, and some ultimately their lives in fighting for the freedoms that we often take for granted, yet hold so dear. It may not be much, but here is one American that is forever grateful and thankful to Chris Kyle and ALL of our brave men and women fighting for our country.

Kyle joins the ranks of such American sniper greats as Carlos Hathcock 93 confirmed kills during the Vietnam War, and whose sniper exploits were so eloquently related to the reader in these two books written by Charles Henderson; Marine Sniper: 93 Confirmed Kills and Silent Warrior: The Marine Sniper's Story Vietnam Continues, as well as, other sniper greats such as; Chuck Mawhinney a U.S. Marine with 103 confirmed kills during the Vietnam War and Adelbert Waldron the previous U.S. Military record holder with 109 confirmed kills.

One particular aspect that I liked about how this book was written was the occasional viewpoint expressed by Kyle's lovely wife, Taya. Although both she and Kyle allude to problems both faced concerning each other and his absence during his military service, one can't help but realize what a truly remarkable women Taya is and Chris is a damn lucky man to have her. I am quite sure that God has and will continue to smile upon the both of them.

I really liked Kyle's no apologetic statement that he enjoyed his job and took great pride in saving the lives of his fellow soldiers as they fought against the evils that they found in Iraq. Kyle doesn't go into a lot of gruesome detail concerning that subject but he makes it painfully clear that unless you have actually been there and seen the evil that hasn't been diluted by politicians and the media, then you really have no idea what it is like. I would wholeheartedly agree!

Kyle talks about not only his involvement as a Navy SEAL sniper in Iraq, but also his working relationship with other branches of the military. Some real insightful stuff!

Kyle not only gives you a glimpse into the world he and his fellow SEAL's lived during the Iraq War, but also the difficulties he faced when he came home in between tours and for good upon his retirement from the Navy. And although there were difficulties, he also shares some very humorous moments as well. I especially liked the story about the "burglar" breaking into his home while he was on leave and while he was still in bed after his wife left for work. I was laughing so hard that I couldn't stop for several minutes. As a matter of fact I am laughing real hard right now as I type this review. Sorry Chris, I am laughing at you as well as with you on this one. Ha Ha Ha

I am not one for posting a lot of spoilers when I do my reviews, but I do have to say that one only needs read a few pages to realize that not only is Chris Kyle one of the finest soldiers the United States of America has every produced, but he is also, and perhaps more importantly, one helluva human being and a truly great American. God Bless!

I highly recommend this book to every American as a very inspirational read as well as a biography of one extraordinary human being.

Shawn Kovacich
Martial Artist/Krav Maga Instructor
NRA Firearms Instructor
Author and Creator of numerous books and DVD's.

While not high prose, this was a quick and interesting read. I totally support our troops and their actions so obviously am positively predisposed. However, I think that the authors story is fascinating and important. What our troops do to protect us should not be forgotten or dismissed. It is a pretty breezy and easy to read account of Chris' tours of duty and participation in many very important activities in the war. It is not a history book but one man's experiences during those historic moments. I found it very informative about a particular aspect of the SEALs and sniping in particular; both topics that I do not know a lot about. I enjoyed it and think that if you are interested in the war and or sniping then this is a worthwhile read. Perhaps if you are an expert it might be detailed enough, but I liked it.

Thanks to Chris and all his brothers in arms for their sacrifice.

This book is about much more than what you're hearing on some tv and radio shows regarding confirmed kill numbers and former governors - it's really more about saving lives, American lives, than it is about killing. As someone with no military experience, it was very moving to read about Kyle's multiple deployments to Iraq. It was also very interesting to hear the impact of those deployments on his family though his wife's contributions throughout the book. American Sniper reads like you're sitting at a bar trading war stories with a friend. Kyle exposes the good, bad, and ugly parts of his experience. I appreciate his (and his wife's) candor and feel that I might have a better understanding of the sacrifices our military families make.

If you're like me and have been living safely at home in the US during the last 10 years of war, I recommend you read American Sniper and learn more about the people who've provided that freedom.

Chris and Taya were our next door neighbors for most of the time the events in this book were taking place. While Chris has sanitized many of the events he was involved with, the book offers a seldom seen look into the trials and pains that American Forces, especially or SEALS endure along with their family and friends. There are no politics in this book, just a saga of the human side of war and conflict. For me it was a must read and for Chris, I'm sure it was way of purging nightmares and letting the public see that the men who protect us are just as human as we are.

I read this book in a day, thanks to a couple of flights and I found it a riveting book. No, it's not a manual on how to be a sniper and I believe the author intentionally focused on what the special ops teams do, not going into a lot of detail about the "how's".
If you are looking for a "how to be a sniper" this is not the book. Yes, he inserts a small amount of "Texas humor" from time to time.

If you want detail on the level of commitment that it takes to perform at this level, the stress that it can provide to a young family and a marriage, the constant daily danger, and the "hardening" of emotions that take place over the years in a hostile environment, then I would recommend this book.
It's also sobering to read how Mr. Kyle coped with assimilating back into society, and working on his family and marriage, as well as life after the SEAL's.

While many are offering negative reviews and opinions, I have gratitude and appreciation for these men and the sacrifices they make in serving their country.
If Mr. Kyle happens to read this, I'd like to say "Thank you, Sir"

First things first:

Thank you for your AND your wife's sacrifice that y'all made for this country....and for my (our) freedom.

The book is a fascinating and personal look at the type lives that many of our service men and women live.

I found it to be a very inspirational book. It exposes human hearts as they go through the sacrifice that is war and life. The love that binds a man and a woman. The reality of war, the bravery of our service men and women. The ability to overcome opposition.

We owe you a debt that we can never truly repay.

The book reads like a military thriller. There are times in his narration that you forget this is true. The segments and stories are ones that draw you in to the ugly side of war. It is reality. I served in Iraq myself and many of the battles that Chris describes in the book are ones that I was familiar with. Although I never saw nearly the action that he did, I knew of those battles. He describes the hell that is war. He describes the insurgents, or savages as he calls them, and what they would do. He describes the firefights and the battles in such detail. His recollection of these incidents as he takes you through them lets you see inside the life of a silent professional, the life of a SEAL. Although it might not be the most eloquent prose you can find in a book, he is a Navy SEAL not a professional writer.

I have read some of the comments online and many make it seem as though he is an arrogant man just wanting everyone to know how good he is. These people have obviously not read the book. He points out in the book that his main reason for writing it was because other people were planning on writing about his story and he wanted to make sure that the proper people got credit. He constantly talks through the pages about how he is not the most skilled sniper, but he is lucky and was surrounded by great people. Through his narration you get to see the teamwork that occurred to accomplish the numbers he did, and the pure luck at times. He constantly praises the soldiers and Marines that he was with. You get the sense of a humble man, one reluctant to tell the story but does so in order to honor those who surrounded him.

The hardest parts to read were the loss of his friends. He tells the story of Marc Lee, a story I know through his mother Debbie's activism after his death. He also tells the story about how Ryan Job was wounded. You could tell the sadness in the words on the page. It is powerful. Having a husband that was wounded in Iraq it opened my eyes to what others feel when someone is wounded in front of them. Chris's dedication to those he served with is nearly palpable as he speaks of them.

The most intriguing were the words of his wife, Taya. She writes about what she felt and experienced as his wife and the mother of their children. Many of the emotions she felt were ones that I felt when my husband was deployed. Although her situation was much more intense than mine would ever be, I could sympathize with her words. She provided the real insight to the man and not just the sniper.

A part that touched me is when Chris spoke towards the end of the book about giving back. He discusses the retreats that he has helped with for Marcus Luttrell's charity the Lone Survivor Foundation (LSF). My husband, daughter and I were fortunate enough to be on one of these retreats that he described at Barefoot Ranch. It was an amazing experience.

Chris is a great man and this is a great book.

I discovered the book while browsing through suggestions one night. After reading the sample, I'll say the book is worth the read. I have not read the "Sniper Autobiography Genre" nor have I read many autobiographies in general.

It's first and foremost a biography; this fact is forgotten by some reviewers who are looking for a study of war, the SEALs, or sniping. Its a decently written autobiography. The book gets a little repetitive in places. His descriptions of some of the battles and deployments get dry and I think some of them could be forgotten.

I enjoyed that there were contributions from his wife. There's always another side of your story, and it's nice to have that. I was annoyed that his wife's passages were inserted at random, it seemed. Though valuable insights, her parts had no connection to the story before or after, so it was a little disjointed.

The writing isn't fantastic, but I wasn't expecting it to be. He doesn't pretend once to be anything other than a soldier. There's a blunt simplicity that makes the author credible, and a tad cocky. He doesn't refer to Iraqis as savages or despicable creatures. However, he is honest with himself and you that the insurgents were savages. He backs up that claim with stories about women with grenades, men using their sons as human shields, and boys sent to recover RPGs.

The author never claimed, in this book, that he punched Jesse Ventura. I finished the book ten minutes ago and figured out who he punched from the comments.

This isn't a book that glorifies war, worships death, or supports a political agenda. Its the story of the sniper with the most confirmed kills. If you're interested in the story of that man, read the book. I bought It Saturday night and just finished it. I enjoyed the book for the story that the author told.

This book is a must read for anyone who wants to find out what we are up against in the Mideast. Chris Kyle is a true American hero whose exploits are recounted in a down to earth and self-deprecating way. His courage, conditioning, toughness, fortitude and coolness under fire are absolutely humbling. An incredible story, not to be missed. Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to Chris Kyle and all of the amazing men he served with in the elite group of warriors known as the U.S. Navy SEAL's. They know freedom isn't free and have chosen to put their lives at risk to defend it for the rest of us.