Put plainly, this book changed my life. Craig Michael Mullaney captures the ethos of West Point, the Army, Army Ranger School, Oxford, Afghanistan, and the front lines of war in an authentic and heartfelt memoir that is accessible for one who has never experienced any of those crucibles. Mullaney's tale evoked in me a desire to be a better person. Thank you, Craig, for your service, your sacrifice, and your example.

I stumbled upon this book on Amazon, normally I'm not interested in Military stuff but as a biography covering recent warfare, I thought it would be an interesting read. Whilst getting through Westpoint and Ranger School required intensity, what stood out for me were the author's boyish observations and clear moral framework. Whilst he was always questioning himself internally, his background, upbringing underpin his will and decisions.

This book takes leadership lessons out of the sanitary corporate context into a different place. Whilst my perspective about military ranks has often been respect is based on rank, in this book, the author clearly outlines how respect is earned how responsibility comes before privilege, leadership is about serving and protecting - to love and cherish those you have been given.

Besides that I love the way the sometimes wildly different threads of what he experiences all add up to prepare him for that one unforgiving minute. Life as a journey and a destination is outlined in its full glory.

This has been a slightly emotional review simply because the book brought these things out of me. I'm inspired :)

I found this memoir well-written, engaging, and honest. I felt like I came away with a glimpse of what our soldiers experience in their training, and in their deployments. I got a sense of the deep commitments they carry toward each other. He illustrated beautifully that physical and intellectual strength and ability need not be in competition with each other, and that both are needed in military leadership. Mullaney does not paint himself as a hero of any kind, and is just as honest about his own struggles and perceived failings as his great successes. I strongly recommend this book.

The Unforgiving Minute is exactly what its subtitle says -- it is the memoir of a soldier's education -- from West Point, to Oxford, to the battle fields of Afghanistan. This particular soldier, Craig Mullaney, is an intelligent observer and articulate and eloquent writer, so he brings a perspective that is very fruitful for the reader. Particularly heartfelt is his description of a savage firefight in Afghanistan that led to the death of one of the soldiers under his command -- and the toll this death took on him emotionally. An excellent book.

Unforgiving Hormones

A minute can be a very long time and it must have been for PFC O'Neill as he lay dying in Afghanistan. Craig M. Mullaney's memoir, The Unforgiving Minute, shares the terrible price of leadership and service in an environment where questioning purpose is all but forbidden. But even then is it justified, that lack of questioning, that is?

I remember how we taunted soldiers returned from Viet Nam for just such a lack. Were we right? Were they? Perhaps those unquestioning moments are the more salient for they are the norm--an unquestioning minute is the hardest to forgive as each may lead to so many more unforgiving minutes.

But a 20-year-old soldier doesn't really know enough to question, even if given hours or days. He/she has hormones to worry about, those, not some, Commander-in-Chief are what's really guiding that young life. And hormones, as natural as they are, can be really unforgiving. They ignore global context even while their course may be guided by a hard lived family context. That's where the real fog of war reigns for a kid of 20.

So, when I sported the gift of an "Armee de l'air" French Air force cap, with it's gold wheat filigree, and was approached just outside Washington DC by a guy confused as to what service branch I'd been in, he still said, "I thank you for your service." I felt that that old "questioning," question from Viet Nam had finally died a proper death. PFC O'Neill had been able to develop expert marksmanship by 20, and that was likely all the control he could muster over his hormones. Honoring those kids is all we can do `cause we fear and know, we know, we'll have to call them up again and again in future, terrible, unforgiving minutes. To paraphrase Mullaney, "Nation, Take Care of Our Soldiers."

As I browse the reviews here, they appear to be divided between 5-star ratings from people who loved the book, and a number of 2-star ratings from people who are bored by Mullaney's time at Oxford, disappointed with his navel-gazing after losing a member of his platoon, disgusted by the way he turns his back on his father, and consider the fact that he leaves the armed forces after his 5 years are up as proof of his lack of character.

This is not a gung-ho war memoir designed to thrill the reader with tales of unflinching leadership, selfless bravery and unquestioning duty. It is not a piece of military propaganda. If that's what you want, go watch G.I. Joe. Rather, it is an incredibly intelligent and self-aware tale of a man fortunate enough to possess not only a "warrior" side which pushes him through the Rangers course, but also a "scholar" half which allows him to analyze his experiences.

The book is possibly the best antidote to the fact that our armed forces are quite often misunderstood and underappreciated by the public in general. Mullaney bridges the divide between our civilian lives and the military life by showing how he slid between one and the other, back and forth again, posing many important questions on the way which strike to the heart of democracy and war. To those who criticize the number of pages spent on his time at Oxford, I believe they serve to place his military experience in a wider setting, indeed contrasting it with what might possibly be its most polar opposite.

And to those who criticize the way Mullaney turned his back on his father after his father turned his back on his family, there really isn't enough information in the book to know what happened. But it does show the crucial role that the father-son relationship plays for many men, including those in the Army, and I commend him for including it, rather than glossing over it to paint a prettier picture of himself. Indeed, I can't help but think that those who are so bothered by these passages, might have similar issues which they themselves are afraid to face.

This is a book for the thinking civilian. For those who have recently served in the Army, this book might not be very interesting, since you will have lived much of what he talks about, and very few pages are devoted to firefights. If you don't want to be made to think about how military and civilian life intersect, or you don't want to think about how relationships and psychology affect a soldier's decisions, then this book isn't for you. And if a few pages about his relationship with his future wife will irreparably stain what you think should be devoted entirely to fighting and war, then please do not pick it up. But if you want perhaps the most accessible narrative written so far of what it is like today for a thinking man who enters the military, then I doubt there are more than a few people today who could write a better book than this.

General Wesley Clark called the book "a true privilege to read" for a reason. "A powerful narrative of purpose, responsibility, courage, and personal growth. Every young man and woman in America should read this book." I couldn't agree more, and wouldn't hesitate to put it on the required reading list of every high school in the country.

THE UNFORGIVING MINUTE: A Soldier's Education, (2009) by Craig M. Mullaney is a well-written, honest, account of war. It is soul-searching, heart rendering and a page-turner. Mullaney is a West Point graduate, An Army Ranger, a Rhodes scholar, a combat veteran of Afghanistan, and a professor of history at the U.S. Naval Academy. I think everyone should read this book. I give it five stars. That said, I think it would be better titled: A Soldier's Education: Men Behaving Badly. For all his formal and existential education, I do not think Mullaney "gets it." "IT" being what he tries desperately to uncover in the telling of his story. IT leaps from almost every page. IT is the story of Displaced Aggression--it is the story of war from the beginning of time. It is a story of rape. Rape being: Imposing a more powerful person's will (the father, the army, the Nation) on less powerful, or in some cases, helpless, others. Then the perpetrator rearranges his behavior in his own mind as "this is for your own good," and tries to convince his victim of that.

Men behaving badly and making excuses for it.

Mullaney knows this at some level but cannot quite say it. He needs to believe that the "doing of the thing" (combat) is what heroes and honor are made of (The Hero Complex.). That is like raping a girl, but insisting upon doing it well so that she will bond to you, and then calling it love. He is at war with his father--a bully and a coward (a Working Class Hero)--but cannot face him. Moreover, in the end, he cannot even dissuade his younger brother to take a different path than that of "warrior."

The myth persists.

An example (there are many): In a battle in the mountains of Afghanistan, a US soldier is killed. The "enemy" is completely destroyed--they count sixty bodies. Mullaney views this as a personal failure, is devastated, and then seeks revenge. The U.S. military extracts it. Sixty to one, a hundred to one, a thousand to one? Body counts. The "enemy" is dehumanized and killed without remorse or regret. One U.S. soldier's death is tragic and has ripple effects throughout the "civilized" world. Never mind that the "warriors" on the other side also have fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins, who mourn their death. We create more "enemies" as we "help" the people of Afghanistan. Does Mullaney know this? Yes!!!! He says so on page 362: "The best thing we could have done for Afghanistan was to get out of our Humvees and drink more green chai. We should have focused less on finding the enemy, and more on finding our friends." He goes on, "Getting the strategy right hadn't been my responsibility. My mission had been to fight well and bring my men home, although we had fought well, I had failed to bring every soldier back."

Hey, Craig--it's war! People get killed. But wait, there's more: "Successfully leading in combat required faith in the perfectibility of my men and myself." Hey, Craig ... human beings are not capable of being perfect. Not your father and not you. Your responsibility was to your family first, not to your men. If you had "fought" the battle with your father you wouldn't be trying to create perfect soldiers (my men) and perfect battles. You KNOW that is not possible!!
There is failure, lots of it and Mullaney knows this. In chapter heading quotes, he often sites references to failure. War is stupid. It is about men behaving badly--men failing in their primary responsibility, and displacing rage and aggression on less powerful others. In some cases it is about defending--your territory, property, and loved ones. One could argue that is noble and justified. On his reading list, which he includes, should be two books: "The Territorial Imperative," (1961) by Robert Ardrey, an English playwright; and my novel: Attachment; a novel of war and peace. (2006) http://www.amazon.com/Attachment-m-e-Jabbour/dp/1425710395

Each time I read a coming of age narrative I look at the opportunity to reflect on the uniqueness of the author's life but in the context of how their experiences were shaped by their ethics, judgement and grit. The son of hardworking, working class parents, the author critically chronicles the complex facets of a West Point education, carefully including periods of self doubt and dissapointments as well as great success. The graduation ceremony, which included high honors and a subsequent trip to Oxford as a Rhodes scholar are separated by his stent at Ranger school, where he attains the Ranger badge. All of these experiences make him a singularly, well rounded Army officer. However, a question of overriding personal and professional significance needs to be answered-will he be able to successfully lead his men in battle?
The author acknowledges that one of the motivations to write is to make a wider audience appreciate the military. He succeeds by making the reader appreciate the degree to which qualities such as intelligence, extreme attention to detail and mega preparation are prevalent and as important as bravery and resolve. His description of his tour in Afganistan, particularly the battlefield encounters, depict the danger and confusion in a manner that only a combat veteran can do well.
This book is a must read for anyone, whose child is considering a military career or anyone who wants an well written personal story of the making of a modern military officer. It is a intelligent soldier's honest look at the complexities of his life and reveals his deep appreciation of his military education and the military option for public service. This book is hard to put down once started- a well craft narrative of very principled, intelligent and respectful individual.

When you are squared away enough to be second in your class at West Point and receive the Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford, you would think the story would simply blow you away. But the old stereotype of the book smart, life-dumb officers kept rearing its oh-so accurate head. When I served in the Army, I was a driver for several officers at Ft. Knox and I was amazed at how vanilla they were when compared with the NCOs we were around most of the time. The contrast was startling. Honestly, I knew some officers that did not necessarily fit this mold, but the vast majority were wooden and colorless. Craig Mullaney delivers a powerful piece of evidence in favor of this argument.

The book is basically separated into three portions: life at West Point, life at Oxford and life in Afghanistan. The idea that a single person could be subjected to such story-rich settings and come up with nothing more than this seems truly tragic. But that is exactly what happens. Each chapter seems to be verging on ignition, but never makes it off the tarmac.

The Unforgiving Minute is at its best a rehashing of the typical military training stories you see in the movies and read in other memoirs. I kept waiting for him to give some powerful stories of growth through adversity, or trial by fire, but none ever reach the reader. The saddest part was when he started pontificating about how Oxford challenged him to think for himself and opened him up to a whole new world. This was more than I could take. It sounded like a really square version of a college-level Breakfast Club. Not a single memorable event took place.

But then when he gets to Afghanistan, it gets at least marginally intense. But I have to say, it ends and you honestly feel like you just wasted several hours of your life for nothing more than a pity-party for an officer who loses one man in a firefight. I do not want to belittle the life of that young soldier, but the trauma this causes Mullaney is really not something a book should be written about. It all comes together to create one humongous grey story that fails to inspire.

To experience the vivid contrast of the two different perspectives (officers and NCOs) read this book, then read the powerful account of fighting in Afghanistan titled, House to House by SSG David Bellavia. You will understand my review and what I mean by not being moved by several shades of grey.

A civilian friend that knows nothing about war referred this book to me w/high praises, and as a person that can appreciate a good war story, this book wasn't worth my time or cash. I kept reading it hoping it would get better and it didn't. The title of the book should have been "Meena". The book was whimsical, polite, clean, and boring.....war is none of those things. I thought I was getting a war story, this book doesn't even come close. Too much whining in this book...poor me.

The one thing I did "get" out of this book is why so many NCO's and enlisted make fun of the West Point grad and hate serving w/them. If they are all like this guy I can see why. There are some great West Point heroes out there, but I wonder how many of these guys ratio wise actually stay in the military and continue to serve after all the education? It seems more of a prestige thing than anything. Give me an NCO boot on the ground war story any day. They are the true Soldier.

I can respect the author made it through Ranger school and that is about it w/this book.

What a stunning book! I absolutely LOVED this book and the title resonated with me immediately as I had to memorize the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling in the seventh grade in Oakton, Virgina.( Thanks Mrs. Richardson!)

As an Army Brat I was quickly drawn into the story of a working class young man who went to West Point. His accomplishments there were incredible. What strength and will power. Where do we get such young people to serve our country? Do we value them enough? I don't think so. If you have a son this would be a perfect gift on becoming a man.

The author's story goes from the United States Military Academy to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar to Ranger School, Afghanistan, serving with the Old Guard at Ft. Myer (the burial detail at Arlington where my parents, grandparents, uncle, and college roommate are buried) and also teaching at the Naval Academy. Truly an extraordinary human being!

It's hard to put down and the story will stay with you for a long time if not forever. Don't miss this one!

I appreciate current military literature as much as the next guy, but I found myself rolling my eyes at his corny remarks and Army cliches more than anything else. He often tries to comes off as poetic when in fact it's pathetic. I suppose if you aren't in the Army or you went to West Point, then you would appreciate these nuances, but it bored me quite frankly. While it was interesting to read of the differences between what West Point cadets experience from ROTC cadets, that's where the interest stayed.

I admire anyone who can right a book and get it published. No easy accomplishment. But not all books are worth reading and this is one of them. The NYT book review steered me wrong again.

I thought his take on West Point was cliche. Sure it was hard. Sure you never got laid. Sure you loved your country. So tell me something I didn't expect or know. His take on Oxford came across as naive and dull. We argued, we laughed, we drank beer. So what. The best part of the book was Afghanistan. With that said, the death of O'Neal seemed more like a plot point for self analysis than true anguish. Finally, he's pissed at his Dad for divorcing his Mom. Let see how he feels after he's been married for 28 years. Marriage ain't easy buddy. Even for a virgin. I wouldn't even regift this book. Nothing new here.

Couldn't put it down. Mullaney has written a thoughtful, extremely engaging book, I promptly convinced my entire family to buy copies. I'm Navy, my dad was Army, my mother never served and each of us loved it. Mullaney writes beautifully, simply, with touches of humor that had me laughing out loud (you can actually hear the voices of his fellow West Pointers, the instructors, his troops as they offer commentary and jokes throughout the book). His story is remarkable, start to finish - a typical American family to West Point to Jump School to Ranger School to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar to the Sandbox. This might have been an invitation for some to write a self-promoting, hoorah account, yet throughout the book Mullaney is humble, the story is deeply personal and real. This account of leadership, scholarship and service is striking, inspiring and makes me regret deeply that women cannot serve in infantry.

The Unforgiven Minute was the best book I've read in a long time. Mr. Mullaney gave me a glimpse of what it's like to be a Cadet at West Point, the trials of Ranger school and the sacrifices of going to Afghanistan.

Thank you Mr. Mullaney for a truly thought provoking book. I could not put the book down.

Kathy

Craig Mullaney's book, The Unforgiving Minute, was a pleasure to read. It inspired me to think deeply; and to make the most of every opportunity. Craig's story is interfused with many layers: warrior, scholar, husband, friend, son, brother... and now diplomat! While this is an amazing story, what is even more amazing is that this story is unfinished - Craig is still only 31 years old. Some elements of this story will continue to unfold in the years ahead - I look forward to reading about those!

Gabe S.

Our family has sponsored West Point cadets for nearly 18 years. However, I never truly knew how interesting the life of a cadet could be. This book is an excellent insight into the history of West Point, a behind the scenes look at the making of our military leaders. I laughed, I cried and I have passed the word to everyone I know. Read this book! Appreciate the fine young men and women graduating from the "School up the hill". Bravo, Craig Mullaney, bravo on a beautifully written book.

What a fantastic book!

I picked it up to learn a little more about our soldiers and ended up learning a ton. I now have a much higher regard for our soldiers after learning about what their schooling and training consists of. I found the book to be enlightening and entertaining. The writing is highly engaging.

Be sure to read it!

My granddaughter's friend, an ROTC guy highly recommended THe Unforgiving Minute and it was well worth the read. I'll be passing it on to my son for his library and recommending it to all my friends. Movie???

I really enjoyed the book. It was well written and had me wanting to pick it up and read it at times when I don't normally read like during the middle of the day! My son (23) and husband also loved it. I have a new found respect for our soldiers after reading it and I learned a lot about the military, West Point, Rhodes Scholars, etc. WELL DONE!!

The title of this captivating book comes from the last stanza of Rudyard Kipling's poem "If":

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Using his rich personal experiences, Craig Mullaney makes a compelling case for living a life in search of balance while "fighting the world's fight". The term "world's fight" was coined by Cecil Rhodes in one of his wills as a criterion for the world-renowned Rhodes Scholarships. Mr. Mullaney was a recipient of one of these highly sought after awards and shares his story during the selection process and his two-year stint at Oxford during the middle portion of this book. Though the book is about much more than Rhodes, I picked it up as a student interested in pursuing this scholarship and found a true gem - a candid and intriguing read. Though it sounds trite, I physically could not put this book down.

I will not attempt to summarize the narrative timeline here, since many other reviewers have done that for you. I do, however, want to comment on Mr. Mullaney's writing style. A young writer, his work brims with youthful energy. Each vivid anecdote flows seamlessly into a insightful critique of the world around him, whether in the West Point mess hall, Oxford's pubs, or an Afghani mountain village.

Mr. Mullaney is remarkably well-read, and each chapter opens impressively with a quotation he has picked up somewhere. From revered Indian poet Rumi to the old testament prophet Isaiah, the diverse quotes reinforce what I believe to be the underlying message of the book: that a solider can, and should be a scholar, a reader, a listener in addition to being a protector. The chapter opening quote which best reinforces that message is one from Sir William Francis Butler:

"The nation that will insist on drawing a broad line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man liable to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking done by cowards."

Engaging, erudite, and energetic; Mr. Mullaney will leave you inspired and full of hope for the future of our great nation.

I just finished your book and I must say I was truly impressed with your writing. I am one of those people who say I support the troops but not always the war-thanks for giving me a "real" view of combat. It has changed my perspective for the better. I am glad you came home safe and could marry Meena. I wish you both the best that life can offer. You truly inspired me.

I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Mullaney's book. He took an interesting approach in the sense of focusing on many of his experiences at West Point, Oxford, and the Army's various training programs (Ranger School, Airborne, etc.) along with combat in Afghanistan. This book is definitely worth reading!

Eloquent, engaging, enchanting, emotional. So much for my "e"literation of this powerful and compelling personal memoir. It takes its title from Chapter 29, page 279; a title which attracted me to place it on hold at my library several months ago. So after several months of patiently waiting it arrives and I am initially disappointed. I am going to have to wade through a personal narrative starting at Plebe Summer West Point. Been there, done that. However, once starting I quickly realize that this initial third and longest part of the book labeled "Student" is easily the best part of the book. The second part "Soldier" is superb. This is not so much a book about combat but a book about life and how to live it with passion and zest and to treasure it. Conflict and coping with it or resolving it not only on a geo-political/tactical scale but on a personal level with peers, seniors, family, and subordinates is a constant theme. I almost feel like a member of Craig's family after reading this. He communicates an intimacy and honesty but still manages to keep some secrets like all of us. I'll be buying this book and recommending it to patrons at my library. It's easily in my top ten for military memoirs.

I saw the author Craig Mullaney give an interview on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and was intrigued by his memoir of the his journey as a West Point officer, Oxford scholar, and, eventually, Captain of an infantry platoon. Upon reading the memoir, I was educated both of his trials and tribulation borne on the battlefield and in the heart. Unexpectedly, this gave me an understanding of the "intestinal fortitude" it takes for those choosing to volunteer to serve as comrades in arms in a time of war, which includes my own soldier, who was deployed to Afghanistan a month after I read the book.

Generally this was a very interesting book about military life. Mullaney's descriptions of his experiences at West Point, Ranger School, and in Afghanistan are great. Unfortunately, the book also includes a rather long, drawn out section dealing with the author's experiences at Oxford, including the wooing of his wife, which are not all that interesting. One fascinating question is, what drives people like Mullaney to become such overachievers? In Mullaney's case, it seems to have much to do with gaining the approval of his father. In any event, I recommend this book for anyone considering going into a military academy or pursuing a career in the military.

An interesting memoir - but less about the 'Unforgiving Minute' than about his 'Soldier's Education'. Great detail about his West Point and Oxford days, his training at Ranger school, and his budding relationship with his future wife - followed by a cursory overview of his tour in Afghanistan, and rather obscure lessons learned. Mullaney shares his difficulty with losing two soldiers, but reveals little of the details of the engagements where they died, what went wrong, how he could have done anything differently, or why he tortures himself. Perhaps the details are still too personal, or maybe he wants us to experience the same fog of war that he did - but the hub of his life is the Unforgiving Minute, and in the book it passes meekly.

Ultimately he realizes the reality of the paucity of control any individual can impose on the chaos of combat and moves beyond his guilt, and we are glad to see him at peace. Thanks for a good read Captain, hope to hear more from you in the future.

Mullaney's book is moderately well-written but fails to deliver. I salute his service, but as an Iraq war vet, I am very disappointed by his lack of leadership, and I am equally disappointed with the book. As such, it is probably good that Mullaney decided to leave the Army when his contract was up.

The author boasts his blue-collar, Irish-Catholic upbringing, but as and adult he completely disrepsects and literally turns his back on his hard-working father, whom he can't bring himself to forgive for his parent's divorce. When writing about one of his men who was killed in combat, Mullaney devotes several pages focused on his feelings, which is fine as one of the book's themes, but it leaves the (correct) impression that Mullaney is way too into himself to be a good military leader. For example, in true narcissistic fashion, he couldn't even bring himself to respond to a touching letter written by the dead soldier's dad. What kind of leadership is that? Then, after his return from Afghanistan, he visits the dead soldier's grave, but can't overcome his own self-absorbed emotions to pay a visit to the kid's dad. Maybe he has a problem with father figures. Ironically, in the end, Mullaney "forgives" himself for the death of a soldier, but never forgives his own dad for the divorce.

I'm sure Mullaney is a bright guy, but what comes across is a very shallow intellectualism. Two stars is the most I can recommend. Save your money.

Thanks to Craig Mullaney, not only for his contributions as a soldier, but also for providing readers with a glimpse into the life and mind of the modern infantry soldier. The anecdotes are entertaining and funny, but Mullaney really scores with his honesty and his humility about his fears, acoomplishments, responsibilities, and honor. I am honored to have read it.

This is the spellbinding account of a soldier's rigorous training and grueling combat in Afghanistan. It's a dramatic coming-of-age story written by Captain Craig Mullaney, who is a unique mix of one part Army Ranger and one part Oxford Rhodes scholar. (I felt a particular kinship with him because we're the same age. He started at West Point in 1996, only one month before I started college.)

Having never served in the military myself, Mullaney's vivid prose gave me a new appreciation for our men and women in uniform, and a better understanding of the Bible's frequent war metaphors. Endorsed by General Petraus and Wesley-Clark, this book is very hard to put down.

The Unforgiving Minute is the well-written and engaging story of a young man as student, soldier, and veteran. The autobiographical narrative follows the author as he attends West Point, becomes a Rhodes Scholar in England, undergoes military training, and eventually serves as a junior officer leading a platoon of soldiers in Afghanistan. The subtitle of the book is "A Soldier's Education," and the central question of the book is whether the author's education truly prepared him to lead soldiers in combat. I think that the author's answer is that he was as prepared as the educational and training system could make him, and yet he ultimately concluded that he was not "strong enough" to make the military a career. The loss of one of his soldiers in Afghanistan apparently troubled the author a great deal, and his (understandable and common) sense of guilt and grief took some time to resolve.

The chapters are short and well-focused, and the author's self-effacing style makes this account of a relatively privileged educational experience an accessible reading experience. The most enjoyable portion of the book for me was the chapters describing his experience as a platoon leader, first while readying himself and his unit for deployment, and later while in Afghanistan. The remaining 2/3 of the book was, unfortunately, not really new ground; most military officers have read other accounts of the West Point experience and heard/told/lived stories about the amazing ordeal of Ranger school, and the author's experience was not so unique or well-told to justify another iteration. I wish that the author had reversed the proportions and spent more time analyzing or reflecting on his combat experience and the sufficiency of his education for the role of a combat leader. This approach would have mitigated another shortcoming of the book, i.e., its cinematic quality, by which I mean that I sometimes felt like I was reading a series of chronologically ordered vignettes rather than a fully cohering story. There were parts of the book that begged for elaboration, but the "slide show" just continued. That being said, this is a young man's memoir, and I imagine that the search for context and significance is an ongoing effort in the life of the author. I wish him well in this endeavor, and I hope this is not his last book! Perhaps a second edition of this book published in a few years could improve the coherence of the narrative and shed some of the youthful self-absorption, particularly in connection with his relationship with his father and his difficulty dealing with the death of one of his soldiers. In connection with the latter issue, I respectfully submit that the author might profitably consider the proposition that the purpose of an officer's education is exactly to prepare oneself for the death of others (and oneself).

I strongly recommend this book for those without military experience who wish to better understand the education, training, and circumstances of military officers in today's Army, especially young people considering an academy education. It is also an informative read for older soldiers and veterans who want to better understand the junior officers who are leading our soldiers today.

My background is very different from Mullaney's--I have no experience with the military at all, and I would've guessed no interest in reading about it, either. And yet, I was totally drawn in by his story, and felt like I "got" what that life was like for the first time. This is an important, eye-opening book, and a very good read, as well.

I have never read a book that I related to as much as this one as an adult reader. I am of the same generation and have been in many similar situations to what Craig describes and I undoubtedly feel that he is right in his sense of questioning the casualties of war, in particular those under his command. I see a few reviewers have passed judgement on this. I believe that those leaders who have been on the ground in combat will truly relate to his questioning his tactics as engagements in war can be akin to moves in chess as one lays in bed at night questioning if the right or wrong moves played out on the battlefield sometimes years later. Craig does this well and I have not seen anyone write as accurately about their own faults in combat since the book "Platoon Leader". If my children choose a vocation of service, then I will surely have them read this book prior to enlistment. Well done Craig.

I've never understood quite how to oppose the war and honor the warrior. Craig Mullaney's captivating book has helped me to understand how a commitment to duty and honor can help to resolve this conundrum.
His writing made me proud of our men and women in uniform and their commitment to duty and honor.
The dust jacket indicates that Mullaney was working in the Obama-Biden Transition Team. I'd like to know how this happened and what he is doing now.

Wow. This is a great book. Unlike most memoirs, the author writes honestly about his life, his family members and his personal struggles.

Mr Mullaney is clearly a bright man and a good writer, and if you want a glowing review, read the overwhelming number of 5-star reviews above. I had high expectation for this book, but I came away disappointed. I enjoyed the description of life at West Point, the years at Oxford less so, and his experiences in Afghanistan almost seemed an afterthought. Where he lost me however, was in his treatment of his father and the father of one of his soldiers. Early in the book he describes how hard his father worked and the sacrifices he made to support his large family. After Mullaney's returns from Oxford, his father and mother divorce, and Mullaney confronts his father expecting an apology and an explanation. His father's explanation is basically "that sometimes people grow apart". Mullaney's response? "My father drew close to give me a hug, but I turned my back to him." And that's how it remains. Later, when he's in Afghanistan, his father writes him asking how he's doing, however "There wasn't a word of contrition in the letter." He writes a short response and "I answered none of his questions but gave him an ultimatum instead: No communication would be possible without a full explanation and an apology". He then tore up the letter his father had sent and burned the scraps. THIS is how you treat the man who worked like a dog his whole life for you? Is this the response of Mr West-Point-grad, Rhodes scholar or a petulant teenager? Later, one of Mullaney's men is killed in a firefight and he spends many pages dealing with his feeling that he has failed to "protect" his men. He even gets a gracious letter from the father of the slain soldier but he "can't muster the courage" to respond. Over a year after his return to the states he visits the gravesite of that soldier and drives right past the fire station where the soldier's father works. Might that man have appreciated a visit from his son's platoon leader? Mullaney doesn't even seem to consider the notion. What would a real leader do? He is able to forgive himself for the death of one of his soldiers, but he can't forgive his own father? His apparent profound lack of self-awareness makes his intellectual pretentions seem shallow. For me, the author's narcissism overshadowed the good qualities of the book.

Conflicted Ambivalence.
A better title for Captain Mullaney's The Unforgiving Minute would be Professor Mullaney the Intellectual goes to War. Although well written and intellectual to the max, I found the story wanting in the gut issues concerning the gritty realism of combat. As a 3 time combat veteran and retired AF pilot, I simply could not relate to much of the fluff in Captain Mullaney's work. He touches all the right bases but does so with self-absorbed narcissism that I found wanting. His West Point education has been told before with much more passion. His Oxford experiences were interesting but left me scratching my head as to relevance. His Army Airborne and Ranger training were excellently told and very engaging as to his military education. Altogether the first half of the book pertained to Captain Mullaney's soldierly education and was mediocre at best. There are many better books on this subject.

I salute Captain Mullaney for his service. His narrative pertaining to his combat experiences had a certain softness to it that bothered me. Combat is the ultimate human experience that if not personally engaged in can only be vicariously tasted from afar. Captain Mullaney tries hard to describe his combat time but again there was a softness that weakened its impact. Maybe it's the times we live in where exposing one's soul and feelings for others to read about is the new warrior ethic. Combat is very personal and extremely complex. Words can never do it justice. Yet some authors like William Manchester, E.B. Sledge, Stephen Ambrose, and Robert Leckie accomplished that difficult task. Captain Mullaney did not. He spent way too much time second guessing himself and emotionally berating himself. If all military commanders/leaders did that the war would be lost in a sea of tears and self-recrimination. Combat by its very nature is extremely chaotic where mistakes are made and people die; not through failed leadership but by the vagaries of the tumultuous situation. Get a grip Captain Mullaney, you did your very best, it was not your fault that you lost a man. In war soldiers die.

By the end of the book I had more questions than answers. Did the author's education prepare him for combat? Why did Captain Mullaney leave the military? What is he doing now? Did he ever reunite with his father?
I liked the book overall even with its glaring flaws. This is why I have conflicted ambivalence about The Unforgiving Minute. It is very well written and shows the author's intellectualism, but it simply fails to deliver on its overall thesis of "A Soldier's Education." At times I felt I was reading a Soldier's "Love Story" with Craig Mullaney playing the part of Ryan O'Neal. What did Captain Mullaney learn from all his experiences? What is his message? I almost get the impression by the final pages that maybe Captain Mullaney was not cut out for a soldier's life. Don't get me wrong, he is one bright, tough, dedicated man, but something of the warrior ethic is missing. Only he knows what that is.

Difficult to recommend as a hardback. Get it from the library or wait for the paperback. For a better understanding of this subject see Peter Blaber's The Mission, The Men, and Me: Lessons from a Former Delta Force Commander, or The Nightingale's Song by Robert Timber. In my humble opinion Captain Mullaney missed the mark.

My husband ,a Vietnam Veteran loves war stories. I purchased this based on the online review and he was pleased. Recent war stories seem more realistic then how Vietnam was treated by journalist, authors and history.

When I saw Craig Mullaney on the Daily Show I was so intrigued by his insight that I immediately ordered the book--not knowing what to expect. I did not expect such a thoughtful, heartfelt gift to his brother that in turn has been a great gift to me. Thank you for changing my entire perspective on military service to our country. Understanding the specific details of your training, your love of books (and what they teach us) and your dedication to your family and friends is inspiring. But most of all your service is awesome. You provided me with such a great read, I couldn't put it down. Thank you for enlightening my perspective on war, the military and sharing a love of books. Can''t wait for your next book!

Outstanding book and a very quick read. Told from the the first person narrative, you definitely get inside the shoes of Mullaney to experience everything from West Point to Oxford to combat in Afghanistan. I'd highly recommend it to anybody - but especially those currently serving their country today.

I live in Berkeley, CA, and like most of the population here, am as far to the left politically as it is possible to get. I have always had a negative view of the military in general and in particular, of the kind of person who would volunteer for it. It has seemed to me to be the sort of thing men (and to a lesser extent women) do who want to have power over others, and who need to feel superior to others. Needless to say, news from Abu Ghraib did nothing to change my perception of this.

Mullaney's story, however, has changed my mind. His sense of integrity, honor, and humility, along with others he served with, comes across so clearly in his writing, that I have had to re-evaluate my beliefs about military culture. He is the kind of person I would actually trust to carry a gun, and to represent the U.S. in other countries. I can only assume that he would not love the army so much unless it was filled with other people holding values similar to his. He wrote in the Author''s Note that he hoped his book would help America better understand its military. He has done that for me, and I believe many like me will feel the same.

I recommend this book to every American--to those who love the military, and especially to those who think they hate it.

This book is an account of education, growth into manhood, and the demands of leadership. It unites the intensity of battle with the anguished thoughts of a young man who desperately wants to be worthy of the trust invested in him. I found it a fascinating read and one that was atypical for war memoirs (of which I've read many). Mullaney is both a jock and an intellectual, a guy who is as comfortable in the halls of academia (he was a Rhodes scholar) as he is in the wrestling ring (where he was quite an accomplished athlete). He is far from a Texas Republican (like the authors of many of the memoirs I've read) and yet he's also not quite the Rhode Island liberal we might (unfairly) expect for a guy who is part of the Obama-Biden Transition Team. He offers a poignant look at coming of age on the battlefield that is reminiscent of the similar memoirs of men like Eugene Sledge and Erich Maria Remarque, to whom he is clearly indebted. Forewarned is forearmed and, as Mohler noted, there is a little bit of profanity in this book, though it is mostly descriptive and happens on battlefields (where, by all accounts, there tends to be a fair bit of profanity). If you are interested in war memoirs, this one is a must-read.

The Unforgiving Minute's cover conjures images of yet another story from the front, another chronicle of combat or story of epic heroism from a war soon marking the end of its eighth year. But it would frankly be a mistake to characterize Craig Mullaney's book as just another war story. With sparing prose, wry humor, and wisdom beyond his years, Mullaney tells the story of one extraordinary soldier's education both inside the classroom and out.

This is the tale of one fiercely passionate man's coming of age first as a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy, then as a student at the U.S. Army's elite Ranger School and as a Rhodes Scholar studying at Oxford University, and finally as a leader of Infantry on the front lines in the Global War on Terrorism. Through his great narrative gift, Mullaney imparts lessons that are useful to any reader. With The Unforgiving Minute, the author both entertains and edifies like no other war memoirist of his generation.

Interestingly, although much of this book takes place in a military culture that rewards strength and stoicism, Mullaney initially conveys an unusual vulnerability. He recounts his experiences with a youthful exuberance that is immediately endearing. Yet he combines a great sense for irony with deeply contemplative, soulful musings about his struggles during the four years at West Point and then later in the Army coming to terms with both who he is and how he adjusts to an altogether unfamiliar martial culture and the American way of war.

Defying many Americans' perception of soldiers as 'mouth-breathing', 'knuckle-draggers', this guy can think!

Searching for meaning in seemingly minor experiences, he brilliantly shares his findings with an audience found surprisingly hungering for more. And, perhaps most important, we laugh with Mullaney during this period as he recounts his baptism by fire like we have never laughed before!

Through his experiences at West Point we soon realize that the author feels genuine awe at a venerable institution and its tradition-bound practices. His deep insights belie his young age. Though often hard pressed to find the purpose, but never the humor, in many of the challenges he faces not only at West Point but eventually in the U.S. Army's mentally and physically demanding Ranger School, Mullaney anticipates how those lessons will enable him to be a better combat leader and eventually relates how he applies them on the battlefield during his combat tour as a platoon leader in Afghanistan. That he would experience the challenges he does and then be able to provide an account as vivid, richly detailed, and instructive as The Unforgiving Minute is undoubtedly a gift!

Mullaney spends two years at Oxford where he trades a cloister (West Point) for a comparative paradise in which he resolves to not let his schooling interfere with his education. It is almost incidental to his 'education' that he completes two Master's Degrees. His account of how he emerges from his shell, sheds his boyish awkwardness, and in the process woos the woman he eventually marries (and her devoutly Hindu parents) will leave you in stitches! Priceless!

In a more serious vein, the author deftly captures some of the frustrations of the Afghan War. Not wholly prepared for counterinsurgency and doctrinally still fighting a 'linear battle' a la Desert Storm, Mullaney's light Infantry soldiers readily adapt to the ambiguity of the 'asymmetric' battlefield. Much of The Unforgiving Minute details how they improvise and demonstrate once again the trademark tenacity of the American GI. This account of how these men adapt to counterinsurgency should be required reading for all deploying soldiers!

Finally, we witness the agony of soldiers' combat deaths through Mullaney's eyes, and through his narration, feel almost viscerally the pain of those deaths, particularly the one he believes he should have prevented. We eventually see in Mullaney a maturity and judgment he demonstrates as a combat leader juxtaposed with his emotional torment. His inner conflict invokes the younger, more vulnerable Craig Mullaney we see earlier in the book. Reconciling these 2 personas - the one strong, stoic, the other immature and vulnerable - is perhaps the greatest challenge Mullaney faces on his way to manhood. He handles it beautifully.

It is also a testament to both the author's willingness to listen and learn from the Noncommissioned Officers in his platoon and his ability to adapt in a highly complex operating environment that he is ultimately successful. Suppressing his rueful soul-searching over his personal loss while being tested in the crucible of combat, Mullaney emerges both as a man and as a capable leader.

Most enjoyable about The Unforgiving Minute, Mullaney portrays a joie de vivre that is truly heartwarming. Combining self-deprecating humor with an authenticity that is uniquely his own, he recounts his unusual coming of age in a way that not only captures our imagination but that leaves us wistful for our youth. Bravo!

Fortunately, it is precisely because, and not in spite of the Global War on Terror that we have fine young writers giving voice to those who struggle and experience the searing pain and bitter anguish of war. These are the Stephen Cranes, Erich Maria Remarques, and Norman Mailers of today exposing us to both the exhilaration of modern combat and the heartbreak of young American lives tragically lost. Indeed, we are blessed to have soldier-scholars like Craig Mullaney to ground us in the grim realities of war and to enable us to bear witness to those many great Americans who are willing to sacrifice everything in defense of freedom.

To Craig Mullaney we say God bless you for giving a new generation of proud, patriotic Americans such an eloquent voice! Thank you for your service, and thank you for sharing your life-affirming story with us!

Literate, Funny, Soulful!

5 Stars!

The Unforgiving Minute's cover conjures images of yet another story from the front, another chronicle of combat or story of epic heroism from a war soon marking the end of its 8th year. But it would frankly be a mistake to characterize Craig Mullaney's book as just another war story. With sparing prose, wry humor, and wisdom beyond his years, Mullaney tells the story of one extraordinary soldier's education both inside the classroom and out.

This is a story of a fiercely passionate man's coming of age first as a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy, then as a student at the U.S. Army's elite Ranger School and as a Rhodes Scholar studying at Oxford University, and finally as a leader of Infantry on the front lines in the Global War on Terror. Through his great narrative gift, Mullaney imparts lessons that are useful to any reader. With The Unforgiving Minute, Mullaney both entertains and edifies like no other war memoirist of his generation.

Interestingly, although much of this book takes place in a culture that rewards physical and mental strength and stoicism, Mullaney initially conveys an unusual vulnerability. He recounts his experiences with a youthful exuberance that is immediately endearing. He combines a gift for irony with deeply contemplative, soulful musings about his struggles during the four years at the Military Academy and then later in the Army coming to terms with both who he is and how he adjusts to an altogether unfamiliar martial culture and the American way of war.

Searching for meaning in seemingly minor experiences, he brilliantly shares his findings with an audience found hungering for more. And, perhaps most important, we laugh with Mullaney during this period as he recounts his baptism by fire like we have never laughed before!

Through his experiences at West Point we soon realize that the author feels genuine awe at a venerable institution and its tradition-bound practices. His deep insights belie his young age. Though often challenged to find the purpose, but never the humor, in many of the challenges he faces not only at West Point but eventually in the U.S. Army's mentally and physically demanding Ranger School, Mullaney anticipates how those lessons will enable him to be a better combat leader and finally relates how he applies them on the battlefield during his combat tour in Afghanistan. That he would experience the challenges he does and then provide us an account as vivid, richly detailed, and instructive as The Unforgiving Minute is undoubtedly a gift!

Mullaney spends two years at Oxford where he seemingly trades a cloister (West Point) for a comparative paradise in which he resolves to not let his schooling interfere with his education. It is almost incidental to his 'education' that he successfully completes two Master's Degrees. His account of how he emerges from his shell, sheds his boyish awkwardness and in the process woos the woman he eventually marries (and her devoutly Hindu parents) will leave you in stitches! Simply priceless!

In a more serious vein, the author also deftly captures some of the frustrations of the Afghan War. Not wholly prepared for counterinsurgency and doctrinally still fighting a 'linear battle' against Soviet-era heavy forces, Mullaney's light infantry soldiers readily adapt to the ambiguity of the 'asymmetric' battlefield. Much of The Unforgiving Minute details how they improvise and demonstrate once again the trademark tenacity of the American GI. This account of how these men adapt to a counterinsurgency fight should be required reading for all deploying soldiers!

We witness the agony of soldiers' combat deaths through Mullaney's eyes, and through his narration, feel almost viscerally the pain of those deaths. We eventually see in Mullaney a maturity and judgment he demonstrates as a combat leader juxtaposed with his emotional torment over the loss of his father in an inexplicable and sudden divorce. It is both a testament to his willingness to listen and to learn from the Noncommissioned Officers in his platoon and to his ability to adapt in a highly complex operating environment that he is ultimately successful. Suppressing his rueful soul-searching while being tested in the crucible of combat, Mullaney emerges both as a man and as a capable leader.

Most enjoyable about The Unforgiving Minute, Mullaney portrays a joie de vivre that is truly heartwarming. Combining self-deprecating humor with an authenticity that is uniquely his own, he recounts his unusual coming-of-age in a way that not only captures our imagination but that leaves us wistful for our youth.

Fortunately, it is precisely because, and not in spite of the Global War on Terror that we have many fine young writers giving voice to those who struggle and experience the searing pain and bitter anguish of war. These are the Stephen Cranes, Erich Maria Remarques, and Norman Mailers of today exposing us to both the exhilaration of modern combat and the abject heartbreak of young American lives tragically lost. Indeed, we are blessed to have soldier-scholars like Craig Mullaney to ground us in the grim realities of war and to enable us to bear witness to those many great Americans who sacrifice everything in defense of freedom.

To Craig Mullaney we say God bless you for giving the new Greatest Generation such an eloquent voice! Thank you for your service, and thank you for sharing your life-affirming story with us!

Literate, Funny, Soulful!

5 Stars!

The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education

My 16-year-old son recommended this book to me after Craig Mullaney visited his high school alma mater as part of his book tour, and had I not been laid up I probably would not have read the book. That would have been a mistake.

Before reading this book I had no concept of what officer candidates go through to complete West Point, never mind the unbelievable rigors of Ranger School and actual combat.

Mullaney does a splendid job describing his journey from Bishop Hendricken High School to West Point to Oxford and then to Afghanistan. He has a lively voice touched with humor and humility. It was a revelation to me to see that our armed services are staffed by people as distinguished and intellectually nimble as Craig Mullaney. His story is all the more inspiring when one considers his humble beginnings in a working class neighborhood in Rhode Island.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have recommended it to many of my friends who are both for and against our activities in Afghanistan and Iraq. I myself benefitted mightily from Mullaney's reality check on Afghanistan. Like so many people, I had been guilty of mentally consigning Afghanistan to the back burner and focusing on Iraq, but Mullaney's book makes it clear that our involvement in Afghanistan is far from over. For all of you who are opposed Bush's war, take heart that there are people with the intellectual depth of Craig Mullaney trying to mop up the mess made by the Bush administration. For those who are in favor of the war, you too will be gratified by Mullaney's story.

If you're only going to read one book about US foreign policy overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan -- or only one memoir -- then this is the one you should pick. Craig Mullaney's memoir spans a period of nearly ten years, from the time he begins West Point at the age of eighteen, through his years at Oxford as a Rhodes scholar, through three military tours (Ft. Drum, NJ with a deployment to Afghanistan; Washington, DC and Annapolis). In the course of the memoir, he also meets a girl, falls in love and marries her after sorting out a complicated long distance, interfaith, intercultural relationship. He also suffers through the divorce of his parents. All of these disparate strands of his story are held together by the probing questions he asks about duty, honor and country -- including whether duty means simply blindly following (or giving) orders without a proper consideration of their moral implications; whether trying really hard at something and still failing can be as honorable as succeeding, and whether he has the right to ask his wife to make and endure all of the same sacrifices which he has chosen. He's no saint, and he's honest throughout the memoir about the ways in which he wrestles with weakness, self-discipline, uncertainty and fear. Unlike some of the other memoirs which have come out, he really doesn't proseletize, nor does his politic. His is a very personal story and larger US foreign policy issues are seldom touched upon unless they directly relate to his story. This reads more like a good novel than a treatise on foreign affairs but does an excellent job of entertaining the reader, showing you what the military life currently looks like and showing you the sorts of lessons he has drawn from his military training. My ONLY reservation about the book is that I would have liked to have known more about his decision to leave the military and whether his choices were due more to: having fulfilled his obligation; moral and political reservations or simply an inability to make the family issues work. As a military wife myself, I would have enjoyed reading a bit more about how his highlyg educated Indian physician wife, who is about as atypical a military wife as you can get, fit into the military life and how much, ultimately, this may have colored his decision to leave military service. Great book!

This is the intimate, real life account of soldier-scholar Craig Mullaney. His experiences take us from the first day at West Point, to the swamps and cliffs of ranger school, to Oxford romanticism, and then finally to Afghanistan and after. Mullaney's prose is powerful but simple and measured, most closely resembling a modern day Hemingway. The shear breadth of the novel isn't clear until the end - which interestingly, is where it begins at West Point.
Throughout his experiences Mullaney remains remarkably humble. The US Army Ranger and Rhodes Scholar stays true a simple message, "It's not about you". Whether at West Point, in Oxford or Afghanistan Mullaney never allows himself to be consumed by his own experiences, and never loses his sense of humor or vulnerability. Finally, by the end of the novel, the reader is left reflecting on how relationships matter in life, regardless of however extraordinary that life may be.
Mullaney's novel is a gem - something that should be read by every student in my generation. His work addresses a timeless message amidst a changing times.
I was drawn to this book as a high school senior considering West Point. While Mullaney's story may not have convinced me one way or the other - it certainly inspired me.

I don't usually read memoirs, but Mullaney's life is the rare exception to the old adage "your life-story won't make a good book". He tells the story of his life tracing through his days as a West Point Cadet, the grueling Airbone Ranger school, two years in Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and eventually a combat platoon leader in Afghanistan. It reminds the reader that soldiers are people too, albeit sometimes extrodinary people. He makes you think about the now ubiquitous phrase: "I support the troops." He asks, "In what way?" The consummate warrior poet, Mullaney's story is amazing because he manages to seem like a normal guy even though you can't help but notice that he is exceptional. You don't have to be interested in military history or strategy to be deeply effected by this book. Lucky for us, Mullaney has a gift for narrative that draws us into the fetid Georgian swamps of Camp Benning, the ivy-clad walls of Oxford, and the dusty, dangerous wadis of Afghanistan. Even the index is interesting: it contains a reading list with authors ranging from Jane Austen to Jean-Paul Sartre to Truman Capote.

This is a very touching and emotional book. Following one enlistee through school at West Point, then studying at Oxford as a Rhode's Scholar, then through Ranger School and finally through deployment in Afghanistan and his life afterward, this book gives a great look into a soldier's life.

If you are looking for a book that is heavy on combat, this is not the book for you. Less than 1/4 of the book deals with his deployment in Afghanistan, with the rest dealing with his schooling leading up to deployment, and his life afterward. Overall a great book.

I am a history buff and avid fan of Iraq and Afghan war books, but found this work sub par.
Self-involved and precious to a fault. Inferior to Generation Kill, The Gamble and others of the genre.
Though I salute Mr. Mullaney's service, can't say the same for his tale.