The author tells three stories. One is the story of Pat Tillman and another the systematic failures that led to his death and produced a cover up. The third story, the modern history of Afghanistan, is used to parallel the life of Pat Tillman. The first two stories are the heart of the book. The third story is lengthy and seems to be filler. There are good maps and no photos. Given Tillman's interest in philosophy and literature, the title is appropriate as well as the quotes that introduce the chapters. You come to understand that Tillman is no ordinary jock, but an exceptional person with considerable depth.

Dysfunctions in the prosecution of the GWOT have been described many works. Here, as in Operation Hotel California: The Clandestine War Inside Iraq, personnel at a remote location literally call the shots. Here, the brass at the FOB ordered a Humvee carcass to be towed over and down a mountain and a platoon to be divided. There are rules of engagement which, like the towing and platoon split, give little weight to the front line individual's judgment. Why is it that the communications equipment, which should be state of the art (goodness, what did it cost?) doesn't work in battle? Each of these is an element that factored into the "friendly fire" death of Pat Tillman.

While the dysfunctions are described, the book's most powerful indictment is on how the tragedies of war were distorted and fed to an uncritical press in order to build support for the war. Jim Wilkinson's "perception management" had previously been successful in diverting attention from an incident resulting the 29 US deaths, 11 missing and 6 other captives by creating Jessica Lynch as a hero. The author describes how this was done and how the Tillman tragedy was similarly managed at the highest levels. The Tillman story is more insidious because evidence was destroyed, witnesses ordered to silence (despite the presence of brother Kevin Tillman in their platoon) and reports delayed and otherwise manipulated.

While the book is about other systemic problems, Chapter 19, on boot camp, is worthy of note. The description of the recruits is discouraging. This is not a cross section of Americans and clearly not like the universal commitment to WWII. The general recognition that Tillman is an exception, particularly for making a financial sacrifice, says something about the public's perception of this war. While it's the stuff of lore and jokes, what really is the purpose of "Clean your boots, scuff them up, clean them again because I said so"? Have the goals objectives and methods of boot camp been seriously evaluated in recent years? Tillman, who has had years of top notch athletic training and team work conditioning notes a lot of boot camp is "archaic, bizarre and counterproductive."

In some areas the prose seems forced. Quotes from Abdul Ghani and Reka Cseresnyes strike me as too idiomatic for second language speakers. There is a lot of extraneous content. The final chapter's discussion of Nietzsche and the masculinity of western men struck me as just plain weird. While these flaws exist, there do not seem to be any problems with the research. This is an important work and should be widely read.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. When I finally got a copy and started on it not only did I find it slow moving and boring at best; the author puts a lot of energy into working his political opinions into the story. I really did not need a chapter on the 2000 election and how Gore really won; fact is I'm over that argument, it was ten years ago. You would think that the Bush administration personally killed Pat Tillman by reading this book. I have a lot of respect for Pat Tillman and all of our men and women that have died for our great county and I think it in poor taste to try and make a political statement (left or right)with someone else's death. I would not waste your time with this book.

As someone who could be described as a centrist, I was quite depressed, though not surprised, to see reviews here reflecting political bias from both sides. The true lesson of Pat Tillman is no side can own him - not the left, not the right. Pat Tillman was a complicated man that cannot be pigeon holed. For those who can get past their own politics, this is a fascinating story and I think everyone should know something about it. Who among us can say we approach his level of following his convictions? Some might say he is a tragic figure, because his own stubborn resolve to do the right thing led to his death, but what I took from this book was if there were more Pat Tillmans there would be less tragedies like that of Pat Tillman.

We get enough politics and spin. Read this story and think about the man. When so many of us jump to knee jerk reactions over every issue, he questioned everything and everybody. His independence, intelligence, commitment and willingness to sacrifice and serve represents the kind of American we can all learn from.

Jon Krakauer has made a good living illuminating the lives of compelling madmen who pursue their dreams to fatal extremes. Along the way we've learned some good lessons: 1) Don't climb Mt. Everest in a storm (Into Thin Air), 2) Carry more than a sack of rice if you tackle the Alaskan wilderness (Into the Wild), and 3) the marriage of multiple women is something to be approached in serial, not in parallel (Under the Banner of Heaven). All well and good, and usually told in arresting prose by Krakauer. But in seeking to add one more cautionary lesson to the list --don't be a soldier unless you're willing to get shot-- Krakauer has finally missed his mark in Where Men Win Glory.

For starters, the narrative flow is jarring and disjointed. Alternating between the convoluted twists of Afghan political history and Pat Tillman's suburban childhood in California creates a vertiginous read that never really settles into a coherent pattern. The book is interspersed with long entries from Tillman's journals, and while he seems like a nice enough guy it's a bit like stumbling upon the diary of a hugely self-absorbed, angst-ridden high school kid. You almost expect to see scrawled pictures of naked women in the margins. It doesn't make you want to like Tillman more.

The language of the book itself simply isn't as evocative as the Krakauer's past writings. Given the terrain where Tillman fought and died, and given the author's demonstrated ability to capture with words the features and power of nature, I was surprised that the prose was fairly flat and uninspiring.

And finally --and this is the part I hated about the book-- Krakauer's unrelenting anti-Bush bias was distracting and and so strident that it marginalized the author's credibility. Krakauer tries to convince us of the illegitimacy of the Bush presidency (let's all spend several pages reading a conspiracy theorist's retelling of the 2000 election), the illegitimacy of the Iraq war (because apparently Krakauer must have known at the time there were no weapons of mass destruction but neglected to inform the world), and the byzantine cover-up of Pat Tillman's death by his fellow soldiers (that was admitted to within weeks after the death).

We get it, Jon. You don't like George Bush. Hey, I voted for Obama. But, then how do you reconcile your unadulterated admiration for Pat Tillman, who voluntarily chose to take up arms in Bush's war? Square that circle, Jon, and you might have an interesting read after all. Keep spouting your narrow-minded vitriol, and you will keep getting two stars in my reviews.

I've loved every book Jon Krakauer has written, so I was waiting for this one with a great deal of anticipation. I'm glad he didn't disappoint me!

Truthfully, I didn't really know that much about Pat Tillman except for the bare essentials: he was a good football player who, in the wake of 9/11, decided to join the military, and was killed by friendly fire a few years later. I certainly made assumptions about him as a person based on those simple facts, which this book proved were completely incorrect. But while this book tells Pat's story, it doesn't present him as a totally infallible or perfect person, which I appreciate. Certainly, reading about the events that led to Tillman's death and the cover-up that followed made me really angry and a bit surprised that none of this really came to public light. But I also know that there probably is some bias on Krakauer's part that factored into the telling of some of the story. This is a tremendously gripping book, although the background into the history of the Afghan/Iraqi conflicts was a little too dry for me. But Krakauer has brought another tragic story to life.

Here's a summary of the book:

1. Pat Tillman was a great man.

2. Pat Tillman joined the military for noble reasons.

3. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are illegal and doomed to failure.

4. The United States military and government routinely manipulate information to suit their purposes.

If you think these things before reading the book, you will think these things afterward. If you do not think these things before reading the book, you will not think these things afterward.

Why don't we all just say that instead of griping about the sources or slobbering over the amazing quality of the writing?

I like this author. He has done a lot of good stuff, and his style is entertaining and keeps the reader's attention. Mostly.

But in this book, he goes WAY out of his way to bash the Bush administration and the people in charge of the wars.

There were many parts I just had to skip because it was so full of liberal biases and unfounded "facts" that made the Bush presidency look very bad.

If you are a Bush-basher, you'll LOVE significant sections of this book.

I was excited to read this book because I myself am an officer in the military and was drawn to Tillman's story. The book started out alright for me but as I went through it, it seemed more and more Krakauer had to put his own input in on his political beliefs. I felt the book was slamming the Bush Administration more than it was telling Tillman's story. I understand Tillman wasn't always onboard with conservative ideas, he had his own, but I didn't agree with how Krakauer used this more to spread the antiwar bug in a sly way. I felt as if I couldn't believe all of the "facts" that were in the book because they were ALL so far on the left. I will now do my own research on this story but after reading this book, I felt more angered at the author for his intentions. As he stated that the White House used Tillman as a poster boy for the war, I felt like Krakauer used this book and Tillman's story as an "antiwar" vehicle and Bush attacker. Was saddened that this is where this has all come too. War is a sad and unfortunate thing, but for us to be a free people, sometimes it has to be done to defend our sense of freedom.

I'll preface this review by saying that I am a huge fan of Krakauer's work. He did not disappoint on this book, either. The story of Pat Tillman is well known - where Krakauer really succeeds is in painting a picture of Tillman the man, and how he came to be that man. Privileged with access to Tillman's personal journals, Krakauer allows us to here Tillman's voice from beyond the grave. He is certainly a more complex man than the media would have us believe, and the circumstances surrounding his death are even more tragic after reading.

Never the most gifted writer, Krakauer he is a good storyteller, and he laid out this book quite nicely. Once I got into the third chapter, I couldn't put it down. For me, nothing compares to his 'Under the Banner of Heaven', a truly great work. I did enjoy this, and would recommend it to anyone

Growing up in the Phoenix area, I had heard of Pat Tillman and vaguely recall his death and the subsequent scandal about it being due to friendly fire. This book really increased my respect for the man he was and opened my eyes to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It has also renewed my sense of the necessity to be wary of any reports coming out of the war. I recommend it to anyone!

Jon K should have written two books; The Pat Tillman Story, and Conspiracies of the Bush Administration. Unfortunately he combined both and created a book below his capability. He can do better. He has done better.

Several times Jon Krakauer mentions Tillman's fear that if he died the Army and the Bush Administration would "drag his body through the streets" as if to underscore the importance of that not happening, yet that is exactly what the author does in this book by using the story to spread his far left political views and criticism of the Bush Administration. Got news for you Jon, Bush is no longer President it is time to move on already!

I guess I should not be surprised at the author but then again I never expected him to use someone's death to further an agenda. Oh shoot, forgot about Into Thin Air. Silly me.

This book had a lot of promise as it is a good story and a story worth telling. I had no idea of the complexity of Pat Tillman's personality and character. He was a truly fascinating person and I doubt anyone who knew him was not touched in some way by the encounter. This aspect of the story is great, if only the author would have stopped there.

This book is probably 100 pages too long, which means there is 100 pages of Bush criticism and criticism of a military that to my knowledge Krakauer never served in. He has no credibility as far as I am concerned to be criticizing the military. Oh and someone please tell me how 5 pages of retelling the Al Gore lawsuit in 2000 had anything to do with Pat Tillman. Unless of course you are looking to blame Pat Tillman's death along with everything else on George Bush. It snowed here the other day after the weatherman said it would be 50 degrees. Guess that is Bush's fault too.

In the end, Tillman's story is fascinating but should have been told by a unbiased author with no political motivations (does one of those exist?). If you can ignore Krakauer's rants and hidden political digs and suppress the urge to vomit as Krakauer uses someone's death to further his agenda then the book is enjoyable.

The book came packaged wonderfully, the condition of the book was exactly like the seller said. I would do business with this seller again.

It is too bad that Mr. Krakauer misused the story of a life cut tragically short to further a biased political agenda. I found it ironcic that Pat Tillman as outlined in this story avoided PR, and yet his wife turns over his intimate diaries including exerpts about thier relationship that should have remained an edearment between the couple. It is frustrating to spend the time reading a book that you have been mislead to detail and document a subject you are interested in only to be blindsided by opionins you are not interested in. Shame on Mr. Krakauer for misusing the life and death of Pat Tillman. By the way I was never able to determine from this book just where it is that men do win glory.

This book was a great read and hard to put down. I find it soothing that finally a face can be put on the reality of what most atheists are about. Virtue. It disgusts me living in the south that people are preoccupied with who is more religious instead of who is a good person and what do they offer to other people.

Recieved a hardback copy of "Where Men Win Glory" as a gift. Read his first two books "Into the Wild" and "Into Thin Air". Both these books were great. Near Masterpieces of non-fiction. Read "Into The Wild" twice.
His book "Where Men Win Glory" reveals his far left political views which cast doubt on his ability to be objective.
Could not finish it and actually tossed it into the garbage.

Jon Krakauer has a gift for telling stories of extraordinary achievements by remarkable individuals in such a way that those heroes become accessible to the reader and appear as fully-realized human beings. This was the case for me when I read "Into Thin Air" and "Into the Wild." He continues his string of soul-stirring stories with "Where Men Win Glory."

I first learned of the death - the sacrifice - of Pat Tillman in the Sports Illustrated article that told of his decision to leave his job in the NFL to enlist in the Army and fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. I was so moved that I hung a picture from that copy of SI in my office as a reminder of all those who make similar sacrifices to serve our nation. Little did I know how much more there was to this story. Krakauer's book brings to light the rest of the story of his death by "friendly fire" that has been teased out over the active resistance and obstruction by many in the upper echelons of the Army, Department of Defense and White House. As told by Krakauer, this is a story that makes one proud of Tillman and other heroes who have covered themselves sacrificially in glory. The story also makes one cringe at the ineptitude and mendacity of those who acted less than heroically - on the battlefield and in the comfortable offices back in the Pentagon and in the White House.

The blurb on the back of the book gives an apt overview of this book:

"Pat Tillman walked away from a million-dollar NFL contract to join the Army and became an icon of port-9/11 patriotism. when he was killed in Afghanistan two years later, he became a tool for white House propaganda. Thus a legend was born. But the real Pat Tillman was much more remarkable, and considerably more complicated, than the fiction sold to the public."


If you are anything like I am, reading this book will make you weep and gnash your teeth. Our sons and daughters who step up to go abroad and fight our wars deserve better treatment than that which was given to Pat Tillman, his brother Kevin and others in his unit. The families of those who fall deserve better treatment than that accorded to Tillman's wife and family.

At the end of the day, I reflect on what I want to think and feel as a result of the multiple-layered tragedy that was the death of Pat Tillman and the subsequent cover-up. As I reflect, I am reminded of Abraham Lincoln's parting words as he stood by the gravesite of the thousands who had fallen at Gettysburg as a result of the large-scale fratricide that was our inglorious Civil War:

"But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate--we cannot consecrate--we cannot hallow--this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain--that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom-- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Amen!

Al

Outstanding and important book that entertains and educates at the same time. Every American should read this book.

Where economically challenged newspapers and magazines fail to cover the complexities of their stories, "Where Men Win Glory" brandishes the power of great journalism. Yes, with a little time and patience a writer like Krakauer can get to the heart of a beautifully unique human event.

This book kept me gripped in the enigma that was Pat Tillman while setting in place a collision course with the historical episodes that have shaped Afghanistan over the last three decades. A must read for those that have enjoyed Krakauers previous works. He has returned my faith in investigative reporting.

A pretty good read. There are huge chunks of important time and events that appear to be not covered or edited out. There also appears to be a bias at many points in the book. The truth is guilt lies with many people and they will have to live with it. The loss of Pat Tillman, or any soldier in these circumstances is unforgiveable. My heart aches for all of us soldiers that serve our country as brothers - sisters in arms and share a common understanding of the war(s). We know what it takes to achieve victory, but are thwarted by senior leaders in search of rank and personal recognition.

Krakauer's books tackle complex stories that are oversimplified (and grossly distorted) in the popular media, surprising us with less widely known but instrumental personalities, motives, and events. I've long enjoyed Krakauer's writing, and my experience with this book was no different. He's a meticulous researcher and great storyteller, and Tillman and military politics are both fascinating subjects. The writing is at its best when describing Tillman using quotes from his diary, and through the accounts of his widow, friends, and fellow soldiers. Unfortunately Krakauer has a tendency to editorialize from time to time, needlessly injecting himself into the story. I find this distracting, but it is rare and not troubling enough to dissuade me from eagerly awaiting his next book.

This was a very good story of a heroic American caught in an all too common tragedy. Its unfortunate that so many readers were unable to set aside their personal grievances long enough to let the book tell its tale. Its poignant and powerful to see Mr. Tillman's path relentlessly unfold before him.

I loved "Into the Wild" and "Into Thin Air", but Krakauer turned this so-called tribute to Tillman into a format for Krakauer's own political leanings and opposition to Bush, et al. The Tillman brothers also come off as spoiled brats who do things their way and have had all the opportunities that you would expect from a good looking super star athlete, raised in the "Tillman compound" in the suburbs, going so far as to call his conviction for assault in High School a "error in judgement". I have GREAT respect for what Pat and Kevin Tillman sacrificed, and it was reprehensible what the Government did in the cover-up attempt, but this book did NOT present anyone in a positive light.

If you Liked the previous works from this author, you will enjoy this book. As always, Krakauer doesn't pull any punches on the depth of his research and preparation, while telling a fascinating story. The book also does a good job of educating the reader on the Soviet conflict in Afghanistan, and other significant historical events that led up to the culmination of the 9/11 attacks, for those of us who are historically challenged.

As far as the writings about Tillman, his brother, wife and family and friends are concerned, the book gave excellent insight into their lives, thoughts and feelings. I came away feeling like in some small way, I knew Pat Tillman, or at least maybe could relate to him. Krakauer obviously, like his other writings did his homework with regards to those involved.
The book chronicles Tillmans life from childhood shenanigans and juvenile hall, to college football, to the NFL and lastly the US Army Rangers. All the while, the introspective Tillman seemed to become more so, but to someone like me, it was positive. He was a family guy and kept a tight close circle of friends.
Where I really became agitated was the non-stop ranting by the author about how horrible Bush was, what a liar Wilkinson was, Rumsfeld was deceitful, blah, blah blah. If I wanted to read what Krakauer thought about our leadership I would have searched for a book written by him about that topic. To be honest, I put the book down for quite a while because I grew so tired of his ranting about unrelated incidents, which he tries to tie loose ends to Tillman so that he can show how horrible that Administration was and how they were responsible for Tillman's death, without outright saying it. I finished the book finally for the reason I purchased it, I wanted to learn about Pat Tillman and what motivated, inspired and made him the man he was.
Last book I will purchase by this author.

One of the best books I've ever read. Paints a good portrait of Pat Tillman that shows well what an exceptional person he is. It also is the saddest book I've ever read. I'm so glad that Krakauer wrote this book because it lets everyone in on what is lost in war - exceptional individuals - not only Tillman but he also talks about the 13 marines in Nasiriah friendly fire incident. I hope military reads this so that they can help to decrease the number of friendly fire incidents. I think a lot could be learned from this book. However, a lot of military types are conservative, and though it didn't bother me in the least, (and I found it kind of comic relief from the overall tragic story), Krakauer condemns various conservatives throughout the book (Bush, Rumsfeld, etc.). This might turn off a lot of military types - hopefully not so much they won't read the book. I know from the first book I read of Krakauer's that he is very liberal (in a good way - not like idiots that make dumbass movies like Michael Moore).

I highly recommend this book. But please see a movie comedy afterwards. There's enough depressed people in the world already.

Awesome book! I highly recommend it to everyone. Very simple read in true Krakauer fashion.

You are nothing without principles and your principles don't mean anything unless you hold on to them under the most difficult of circumstances. This was the legacy of Pat Tillman. Has there ever been a person like Tillman in the history of the US? You can argue with Jimmy Stewart, Joe Lewis and the like during WWII, but that was not all voluntary. Tillman gave up everything and got killed by friendly fire in the end. He stands out, not only as an undersized, over-achiever on the football field, but as a man driven by his principles off and on the field. He turned down a 9-million dollar contract with St. Louis even after his first tour in Iraq. He turned down leaving Arizona because of his loyalties to the Cardinals. If Krakauer proves anything about his subjects, it is to capture the rugged individual as he did with Tillman and in a previous book "Into the Wild." with Chris McCandless.
The big criticism being voiced on Amazon review is that Krakauer is using Tillman's story as a vehicle to trash the Bush Administration. Nonsense! Read the book. All of it is about Tillman and how a generally non-political man tries to do what is right and becomes recruitment fodder for the Bush Administration. The cover-up with the friendly fire are part & parcel of the story and legacy of Tillman. It cannot be ignored simply because some people object to the US military and Bush Administration looking bad. Very little is about the Bush Administration actions. If it paints a bad picture of Bush's wars, it certainly reflects Tillman's and later his mother's views. Biographies are generally boring with many pages that can be skipped, but Krakauer captures the essence of a now legend and someone we can all use as a role model to live our lives by.

I love Krakauer's other work -- and this is stunning to read as well -- with one flaw...

I agree with some of the negative reviews about the author's overt political statements. These statements are unnecessary because the facts as the author reports them clearly indicate for the reader just how unethical and maddening were the actions of the many people involved in the cover-up. My only guess is that the author was so personally upset by his research into Tillman's life that he couldn't help but interject himself with these intermittent comments.

I am grateful that I picked up this book at the library! I feel like I learned so much about the history of the wars, the Army, Tillman and his family, and the truly awful marketing of war... My heart goes out to the Tillman family...

5 stars - a must read

As good as Jon Krakauer is as an author on boring subjects , he is captivatingly wonderful every time. I never want to read his books from the title , then I buy it knowing his magnetic eye power and am sucked in until I finish it with total shock at how great a reading experience I just had.

HOWEVER.... I humbly believe Jon K missed a huge point/subject or story line in this book that I hope he approaches in "The Movie" or His Next Book.

This is a situation where Drugged peasants are ruled by Drug Lords, against the Oil and Gas Industries and Drug Business (Drug Lords). Just like Siam or Mexico or Columbia, etc. It is definitely not a religious war nor a democracy war nor a war amongst countries, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, as we are led to believe.

Look back at U.S. history and the West with Gold. Until it was Government controled , factions blew up everywhere for claims. Same with Drug farm land, warehouse centers, distribution channels, airports, seaports, etc. When the day comes that some sort of an honest goverment steps in , controls the drugs from crop areas to the users, worldwide, charging appropriate taxes along the way, THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL THIS WAR AND MOST OF THE CURRENT WARS END! OR AT LEAST ENTER INTO A CONTROLLED WAR ENVIRONMENT.

Once this is recognized , appropriate measures and taxes can be accomplished and the situation will be like controlling gold or diamonds or copper or even orange juice.

I rest my case. Sorry Tillman got sucked in.

P McLaughlin
Corvallis, Oregon

"Where Men Win Glory", stolen from Homer, is a worse choice than most titles ripped from the classics, given that the book is mainly about the Army's inglorious efforts to cover up the facts surrounding Tillman's death by friendly fire. It would be better entitled "Where Men Lose Glory" - those men being Rumsfeld and his subordinates at the time of Tillman's death.

Despite the title, "Where Men Win Glory" is a great read, as are most of Krakauer's books. Krakauer has heart and an old-style journalist's eye for the facts, and ultimately does a great job of telling us who Pat Tillman is. My only problem with the book is that it ignores the biggest ramification of what happens when an Army covers up the facts.

Ultimately, the real tragedy of this coverup is that so long as the Army is allowed to continue to bury the truth surrounding friendly fire incidents like the one that killed Tillman, there will be no investment in the improvement of its processes or technologies, and more young people will die.

More than four in ten of the number of casualties of the first Gulf War (41%) were caused by friendly fire - twice as many as very affected in World War Two.

Reading Krakauer's book, it is abundantly clear why young soldiers continue to be killed or wounded by their own team-members in such numbers - because the Army ignores its own written procedures, can't perform a simply ROI analysis at HQ or in the field (in the book, the Army places a value on a broken Humvee far in excess of the resources needed to salvage it), and has not invested in the kind of innovations that would allow friendly fire to be prevented altogether (this would not appear to be a difficult technical challenge, given that both sides of the equation are manipulable).

Note about the New York Times review of this book: I have never read a more lazy and inept review of a book by a major author. The reviewer clearly flipped through the book in a cursory fashion and didn't bother to check some of his conclusions. Please do not make a purchasing decision based on that review - it wouldn't be fair to Tillman's memory, or Krakauer's work.

Most of the negative reviews regarding this book seem to come from readers who somehow think the author was out to impeach the character of the Bush administration. If you get caught up in this thinking, then you are an idiot who clearly missed the entire pt of the undertaking. Pat Tillman was a great man and he deserves this touching, thoroughly researched, and compelling tribute. A great book that will soon enter the library of required reading concerning the war in afghanistan.

This is such a horrible account of an 'EPIC' real life story that I actually forgot what I was reading about through many parts of the book. "The Odyssey of Pat Tillman" is actually part of the title, yet I felt like I was reading the "political Odyssey of Jon Krakauer". There is a true Odyssey in this story and it is one man's Odyssey to find himself, what he is about, and the Courage it takes to discover such things about ourselves. Who among us is willing to take such risks and to do so in serving others, rather than being ultimately selfish?

Unfortunately, Krakauer forgot that story somewhere in between stories about Dick Cheney and Love letters from Condy Rice. Ultimately, and Ironically, Krakauer reveals the Villain at the end of this lengthy research piece. It is "The Last Man" from Nietzsche, the antithesis of the Ubermensche. "The Last Man" Krakauer explains, is educated, self-absorbed, and lacking all traits of the Alpha Male. "The Last Man" is raised in a liberal democracy and is "content to sit at home congratulating himself on his broadmindedness and lack of fanaticism." Wake-up Krakauer, that's you!! I'm not asking for fanaticism, but how about just a little PASSION in your writing. Tillman was, and still is the Ubermensche, the Hero of the story, and you, my friend, are "The Last Man" and the antithesis of everything he represents. Its no wonder that there are now three-hundred and some odd pages that stand as proof that you know absolutely nothing about this man.

I am disappointed because I, like you, had hoped that this would be your Masterpiece.................

I have never been disappointed with a book that Krakauer has written and this one was no exception. Krakauer did a wonderful job portraying Pat Tillman and all of his complexities. Also, the research that he undertook to show how the government put a spin on his death was first rate. I found this to be a very emotional book and was moved to tears with the accounts of when Tillman's family learned of his death.

I don't typically write reviews, but I think a few points raised by other reviewers need to be addressed...

First, Krakauer isn't just writing about Pat Tillman. He's also writing about Afghanistan. To suggest that Tillman's story could be told in a simpler fashion is merely stating the obvious.

Second, Afghanistan is a complex story. To tell it honestly requires exploring details that might not excite a reader looking for action and adventure. War isn't always what you see in the movies.

Third, Tillman's story would not be complete without addressing the political fallout of his death. Does Krakauer express opinions on these topics? Absolutely. But that doesn't mean he approached the subject with a political agenda.

If anything, Krakauer is attacking the political forces that would seek to use Tillman's life to advance their own agenda -- something that Tillman himself would have done if he were alive to do so. It's disingenuous to criticize somebody's writing simply because you disagree with the political truth that the author is exposing.

This is a complex book handled deftly by a strong, even-handed storyteller. I highly recommend it.

John K. is one of my favorite writers and I appreciate the variety of subjects he has brought his deep insight too. I have not forgotten anything about this book for months after reading it. Without Pat's writings this would have been a hard story to recreate; thankfully he had a great upbringing and was a man with deep character and soulful wondering about his own purpose, who kept a record. To me, J.K. tells a factual, multi-level story and sets the table for readers to find their own conclusions. Reality is vastly more complex than any novel will ever be, so throw your political self-fulfilling political leanings away and ponder the universe of unexplained tragic happenings where there are a million causes. I'm grateful to J.K. that he presents an epic tale to be pondered. Other soldiers are getting killed in Afghanistan while you and I peruse the web....what does it mean ?

This well-told story held my fixed attention for six days. That doesn't happen to me often with non-fiction. Of course, Krakauer's Into Thin Air was that good. Into the Wild fell short because it was difficult to identify with the protagonist. Tillman, on the other hand, made himself into the kind of man we've all dreamed of being - strong, action-oriented, intelligent, and into living a meaningful life rather than into money. Krakauer captures this man's persona by presenting lots of information from Tillman's wife and man unadorned passages from Tillman's own journals. These entries are exceptionally revealing considering this guy was such an Alpha Male and, for too brief a time, an NFL success story. There's the suggestion here that he might have become a significant figure in the wider world if he had survived his service. That doesn't mean this is a story of a conspiracy, at least not beyond detailing the well-known inclination of ranking military officers to cover their asses. Let the government and military apologists complain about the truth that is revealed here. I'd suggest actually reading the book before deciding what to think. For me, Krakauer's telling of the details of Tillman's killing comes off as even handed and sure as anything he's written. No doubt the President and the generals in charge of Afghanistan are aware just how easily chaos can overwhelm the best of soldiers who now serve at the isolated outposts on the border of Pakistan. But it wouldn't hurt for our leaders to reread this story from time to time to remind themselves of the value of small actions that make a difference rather than grandiose actions that make good PR, that fill out their chain of command reports - and end up killing our spirit as learn how badly we were misled.

This book shows the difference between those with real courage and honor and those who merely give it lip service, such as most politicians. Krakauer examines how a real and complex American hero was used by the Bush administration for it's own ends, without regard for the truth, and how the Tillman family had to fight to make the truth known. I was a little surprised by how overtly political the book is at times but I suppose there is no way to avoid that, given the facts. The circumstances surrounding the ambush that resulted in Tillman's death is a little hard to follow and requires some effort. The reader is also told of how certain general officers were complicit in the cover up after Tillman's death, and they may take that into account when evaluating the same officers continued involvement in shaping policy in Afghanistan.

As a devoted reader of Krakauer, I was not disappointed by Where Men Win Glory.

As is typical of Krakauer, he begins his book with a great deal of context. Some would say that this is unnecessary, and slowed the pace of the book, but if Into Thin Air didn't contain the intricate detail of sherpa culture, the Everest's "cheapening" by commercial adventures, and the stories of those who have climbed it, then the narrative of the everest catastrophe wouldn't stand alone the way it does. Jon discussed the political factions of the conflict in the middle east before our involvement, the political climate here and how the election of Bush came into play, and how that brought us into the middle east. More specifically to Pat, it discussed his upbringing, high school/college football career, and his character. He then fuses these together and creates all the necessary context for the narrative to take on a different direction; from football hero to soldier in a complicated conflict.

Basically, all the one/two stars say this book is slow paced, and riddled with the political agenda of Krakauer. Yes, the book contains a ton of information in it one was to get through in order to enter the narrative. However, if this information wasn't presented, people would whine about how the omission of information would contribute to the political bias of Krakauer. To clarify, there is a great deal of information, which would disqualify it from a good coffee table book. But that makes it a relevant source of information. Next, though Krakauer makes his opinion of the war no mystery, it isn't a bashing of the Bush administration as much as it is a bashing of government cover up. You may love Bush to death, but the fact of the matter is that this took place under his watch and with the help of his administration. That's a reality conservative readers must face down. Blind allegiance to any presidential administration gives the government the leeway to pull these shenanigans in the first place.

I believe the ultimate purpose of the work is to present the strength and complexity of a person who became a tool of propaganda. Krakauer did a stellar job of informing the reader of what exactly went on and who it happened to, which gave this reader the ability to reach a very real depth of anger for the cover up which took place. On the whole, I believe the authors intent was to inform and further clarify the story of Pat Tillman and do it in such a way that it informs the reader. Krakauer did this, and did it very well in my opinion, therefore, I give the book five stars.

This book is junk. I had to resort to skimming the last half to finish it and I labored at that. The Pat Tillman story could have been told more briefly and much better without it being clouded by Krakauer's political bent. I mean are we not completely and utterly sick to death of all the Bush bashing by now. Kaukauer just could not refrain from devoting a significant portion of this book to tangenital issues that have little to do with the young hero. The author's obvious disdain for the Bush Administration, unfortunately, cheapens the story of a young man who found duty in yet another life challenge.

Too bad. Maybe someone will present the Tillman Story in a different context.

Jon Krakauer is one of the most thorough research writers I have ever read. The intense research is so evident in his books. I have also read Into Thin Air and Into the Wild. The thorough research is one of the aspects of Krakauer's writing that makes it so interesting to read. The story of Pat Tillman seemed to me to be more of a political statement than anything else. Mr. Tillman seemed to be a great man of character and personal integrity - just a very decent man. I enjoyed reading about him, his family and his life story. I am truly sorry that he was killed in such a tragic, unfortunate way. Aside from the story of Pat, there seemed to be an overt attempt to protray President Bush and his administration as the enemy. There were some instances in the book that were Krakauer's political opinions, but that were presented as fact. The political overtones in the book actually detracted from the story of Pat Tillman. His story can be told without including any personal political views. I enjoyed reading Pat's story and I am sorry that our country has lost such a valuable citizen, as we have in so many cases.

Had read and heard lots about the death of Pat Tillman but this book really brought it home. There were times I had to put the book down because it actually made be physically ill to think that the government could have acted as they did. I hope that someday, Bush, Cheny and Rumsfeld will pay for their actions. I've ordered two other Pal Tillman books, I've Got Things to Do with My Life and Boots on The Ground By Dusk, written by his mother. What that family has gone through is a crime and I hope someday those who caused the crime will pay for it.

The portion of the book that told of Pat Tilman's life was well written. But for the author's political agenda that bloated this book, it would have been a good read. I used to really respect this author's work however, his use of this book to promote his liberal leanings has made me question the authenticity of the facts presented in his previous work.

Although I have enjoyed Krakauer's other books, I had little interest in reading this one, but alas someone had a copy lying around, and I was bored.

I had thought Pat Tillman as a somewhat outrageous narcissist through the popular media. What I came away with was a complex, thoughtful and honorable man. He alone deserves your time.

I agree with many of the other reviewers; that it is a partisan book. But truth be told, the military is flawed in many ways, and war on the ground is ugly. The politics of war is even more shameful. I don't think this book takes away from the sacrifices of our military, but it does inflect a degree of honesty that we rarely see about them; albeit overzealously preached.

i loved into thin air , but was astonished how dull this book is.
was JK trying to fill it out to a certain length ?
- reprints from pats diaries, what sausages he likes , which he doesnt, what macca's burger he ate.
- 3+ pages to start a chapter giving JK's view that al gore actually won the 2000 election.
- pat bought a ford mercury, other cardinals players drove different models, or didnt drive fords...
- emails provided by ex spies that the spy sent to condaleeza rice or don rumsfield, obviously from the spy's mum's scrapbook.
- mundane overly long and uninteresting re-statement of various events in al-quieda history "on sept 11, planes flew into buildings, people were shocked, on this day SS Cole was blown up, the explosion was loud..."
- on november 13, arizona played washington, the score was 23-12, pat made 11 tackles, on november 20, arizona played dallas, the score was 14-36, pat was angry he missed a tackle, but glad he made another one, he made 7 tackles, on november 27...etc etc
- 100s of other examples...
and plenty more filler....


DO NOT BUY this book if you want to know too much about pat tillman or about the cover up, its just a long cut and paste...

We all know the story of the NFL Football player who turned down millions of dollars to fight for his country in the wake of September 11th. What we don't know is the story behind the headlines. The story of a fierce, strong, intelligent, independent and passionate individual named Pat Tillman who lived a life according to his own philosophy and code. He lived by example and exhibited the type of courage that most of us day dream about but never act upon.

Krakauer writes a riveting account of the life of a fallen husband, beloved brother and strong warrior. Not only do we grow to love Pat Tillman through his wonderful and heartfelt journal entries but we also learn about the history of Afghanistan and how this country came to be overrun by a regime that would rather throw acid on the face of a little girl than allow her into a classroom.

This is in depth journalism of the highest order. Tillman's story will leave you devastated, inspired, proud and most of all, grateful - that there are still those amongst us who represent the best of us. Read it now.

This is a must read book, not only does it tell the story of a brave soul but it places it in the context of afganistan.
not many people understand afganistan and its people but this book goes a long way to tell it as it is and is, therefore a must for those who care.
the story of Pat Tillman needs to be told, warts and all.

Before reading Jon Krakaurer's book, I had a very superficial knowledge of Pat Tillman. A patriot, to be sure, to give up a lucrative football career to join the Army after 9/11, but there was so much more substance to him than I realized. He was a very decent, if occasionally impulsive and sometimes even naive, man, but overall, a superb citizen soldier in the very best sense of the term.

It also was very disappointing to see how the Bush administration tried to use his death for their own ends to promote their own policies and try to shape the public perception of the war. It was one further example of the dishonesty that prevailed in the previous administration, as well as the dishonesty that existed in the Army. Did they not learn anything from our fiasco in Viet-nam? Covering up the facts, instructing Pat Tillman's colleagues not to say anything about what happened, deceiving his family for so many months, was a terrible blot on the honor of the service itself. It was disillusioning.

It is a fast book to read, and a very compelling, if tragic, story.

Not a book worth considering. Seems like hero worship on the part of the author. Just microscopic boring drivel. A waste of money and time. Junk

I always find Krakauer's writing engaging. Regardless of his subject, myth becomes reality, icons become men, the inconceivable becomes understood. I knew this was a book I would want to read -- I wanted the complete story after having heard the pieces and theories along the way. This book did not disappoint.

The story of Pat Tillman and his family is not just about an NFL player off to war. It's about the Bush era, the wars the US is fighting, the men and women who are there to protect us. And it's about a very personal tragedy. Krakauer gives us a wonderful glimpse at who Mr. Tillman was -- and he does so honestly and without apology. The controversy around his death and the misinformation campaign is explained, but more than anything, it's a beautiful tribute to a man, a soldier. I think what makes this book so special is because that it is not hyperbole. Krakauer does not put Tillman on a pedestal, Tillman simply existed. And who he was and who he tried to be is an example for us all. And I appreciated the chance to get to know the man.