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Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 Audiobook
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Plot Summary
In the summer of 2005, four US Navy SEALS, petty officers Matthew Axelson, Danny Dietz and Marcus Luttrell, along with Lt. Michael Murphy, set out for the Hundu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan. Their mission was to track the activity of Ahmad Shah, an al Qaeda leader rumored to be commanding a small army of insurgents known as the "Mountain Tigers." Five days after an initially successful insertion, only one of the SEALS escaped with his life.
This is the story of the lone survivor of Operation Redwing, petty officer Marcus Luttrell, and the remarkable two hour battle that led to the greatest loss of life in the history of the Navy SEALS. Vastly outnumbered, Luttrell's three fellow SEALS were killed fighting bravely beside him. Badly hurt and presumed dead, but driven by thirst, Luttrell crawled for seven miles before finding shelter. He was discovered by sympathetic shepherds who provided him with food and medical attention, while risking their own lives to protect him from Taliban search parties.
Luttrell takes us from rigorous SEAL training, where soldiers discovered the demands of America's most elite fighting forces, to an ambush in the desolate mountains of Afghanistan which no combat training could have ever prepared them for. He recounts the story of his teammates' courage and honor, for which two of his fellow SEALS were posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. In this vivid, true story of sacrifice and bravery, patriotism and heroism, Luttrell shares a powerful account of modern warfare.
"Wow. I did not think I would like this book as much as I did. It's a very powerful re-telling of a series of incredibly difficult events, both physical and emotional. Marcus Luttrell is an amazing American hero, as are his fallen comrades. I highly recommend this book."
— Liz (5 out of 5 stars)
Publisher Summary
Follow along a Navy SEAL's firsthand account of American heroism during a secret military operation in Afghanistan in this true story of survival and difficult choices.
On a clear night in late June 2005, four U.S. Navy SEALs left their base in northern Afghanistan for the mountainous Pakistani border. Their mission was to capture or kill a notorious al Qaeda leader known to be ensconced in a Taliban stronghold surrounded by a small but heavily armed force. Less then twenty-four hours later, only one of those Navy SEALs remained alive.
This is the story of fire team leader Marcus Luttrell, the sole survivor of Operation Redwing, and the desperate battle in the mountains that led, ultimately, to the largest loss of life in Navy SEAL history. But it is also, more than anything, the story of his teammates, who fought ferociously beside him until he was the last one left-blasted unconscious by a rocket grenade, blown over a cliff, but still armed and still breathing. Over the next four days, badly injured and presumed dead, Luttrell fought off six al Qaeda assassins who were sent to finish him, then crawled for seven miles through the mountains before he was taken in by a Pashtun tribe, who risked everything to protect him from the encircling Taliban killers.
A six-foot-five-inch Texan, Leading Petty Officer Luttrell takes us, blow by blow, through the brutal training of America's warrior elite and the relentless rites of passage required by the Navy SEALs. He transports us to a monstrous battle fought in the desolate peaks of Afghanistan, where the beleaguered American team plummeted headlong a thousand feet down a mountain as they fought back through flying shale and rocks.
In this rich, moving chronicle of courage, honor, and patriotism, Marcus Luttrell delivers one of the most powerful narratives ever written about modern warfare -- and a tribute to his teammates, who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
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Quotes
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“[A] gripping, inspiring, take-no-prisoners combat memoir.”
— AudioFile
Awards
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Winner of the 2009 Colby Award
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A #1 New York Times bestseller
Lone Survivor Listener Reviews
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Kreg Gauss, 8/31/2023
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Sebastian Kowalski, 2/2/2023
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Tim Stenson, 10/7/2018
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Joseph, 5/24/2017
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Raymond Boswell, 11/8/2014
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Terry Ramsey, 4/17/2014
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" Made me full like a complete wuss. "
— Billy, 2/16/2014 -
" A real eye opener about the brutality of war. One man's account of his horrific ordeal at the hands of the Taliban. "
— Tony, 2/14/2014 -
" Compelling story written simply. Love how the author conveyed a perspective I've never thought about. "
— Minty, 1/26/2014 -
" Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell is truly a great book. It really makes you think about things you would do for your friends. While the book doesn't quite make you look for meanings, it is entertaining in its own way. Its a great read. "
— Rjacob414, 1/26/2014 -
" Good description of the life of a navy seal. Describes a fire fight that took the lives of three seal team members. Highly recommend reading this book. "
— Debby, 1/23/2014 -
" What a great book ! I wouldn't have wanted to miss reading this one. Feeling very sad about the new and recent loss of so many of our countries' Seals, once again. Prayers for them; and for their families, both their at-home-ones and their Seal family. "
— Re, 1/18/2014 -
" In the interest of current research began reading bios of Navy SEALs and this one was excellent. Sad but excellent. These guys are amazing actually. "
— Anne, 1/13/2014 -
" i would have liked it more if it had less politics. really the liberal media caused all your friends to die? "
— Rita, 1/9/2014 -
" I didn't finish this book. Right from the start, you know the author is the only man left standing of his SEAL team. Then they launch right into introducing the other men, and letting the reader get to know them. I knew they were going to die, so I didn't really want to go through that. The writing was pretty good, though. "
— Valerie, 1/6/2014 -
" Just started reading this book. Operations from a real Navy SEAL. Unbelievable what they go through. "
— Praffa, 1/5/2014 -
" Excellent book. Highly recommend. I listened to audio version and it was great. It is on my reread list. "
— Debi, 1/2/2014 -
" An unbelievable story of survival against all odds, but I felt it was lacking in detail. More than half of the book is about his time in SEAL training, and then the rest of the story seemed a bit rushed. Still, an interesting read. "
— Edward, 12/29/2013 -
" Excellent. Another great non-fiction. 2005 Afghanistan battle and lone SEAL team member survives to tell the story. "
— Jill, 12/25/2013 -
" One of the best books I have ever read. "
— Dwayne, 11/4/2013 -
" Very powerful book and not so overloaded with military jargon. A triumphant story. "
— Penny, 11/2/2013 -
" An interesting look into Seal training. "
— Carrie, 10/14/2013 -
" I wanted to like this book. I thought it'd be insightful but I couldn't get over the fact that Luttrell is a mouth breathing meat head. And he fails at his attempt to be witty and funny. YEAH, I SAID IT! "
— Schenley, 10/14/2013 -
" Excellent! First half of book tells how Navy SEALS are trained. Tough to read because one becomes exhausted at the training! "
— Angela, 9/29/2013 -
" WOW thats all you can say about this book. The whole story of will to live, heartbreak and brotherhood is just amazing. "
— Rcopithorne, 5/13/2013 -
" I respect what he went through, and what all armed forces and special forces members go through. I just felt this book was a little too self-promoting. "
— Desiree, 4/10/2013 -
" Don't really know what to say other than the fact that I bawled. Sooo very sad. "
— Stacy, 2/18/2013 -
" Loved it. Very exciting. "
— Steve, 2/8/2013 -
" I could have done without the often colorful language but I found this story fascinating and entertaining. "
— Todd, 12/10/2012 -
" The Shelf: Rejected, until further notice. "
— London, 10/24/2012 -
" He's not a fabulous writer, and he constantly puts his political opinions forward, but it is a heck of a story. I'm glad he was able to honor what he and his teammates did by sharing the story. "
— Tracy, 9/10/2012
About Marcus Luttrell
Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell joined the United States Navy in March 1999 and became a combat-trained Navy SEAL in January 2002. After serving in Baghdad, he was deployed to Afghanistan in the spring of 2005 and was awarded the Navy Cross for combat heroism in 2006 by President Bush. Author of the highly acclaimed New York Times bestseller Lone Survivor, he is a popular corporate and organizational speaker. He lives near Houston, Texas.
About Kevin T. Collins
Kevin T. Collins, an Audie Award–winning audiobook narrator, is an actor, singer, recording artist, and director who can be seen off Broadway, on television, and in films.