Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman

The likelihood of me picking this book up, let alone reading it were slim to nothing. One evening I stumbled upon the interview with Bill Maher and Pat Tillman's raucous brother, Richard. Richard was brazenly unfiltered, passionate, emotional, and enviably brave when speaking of his brother and offering his position on Pat's life and subsequent death.

I've never moved more swiftly through a book. Not only did it describe an absolutely fascinating man, it illuminated the intricacies of many worldwide political events and relationships beginning decades ago and leading up to 911 which was the catalyst that compelled Tillman and his brother Kevin to join the army.

The story of Pat Tillman, his parents, and his brothers made me want to be a better person. I've never read a more inspiring book. Tillman is obviously among thousands of men who have sacrificed life in the name of our country, however, it was Tillman's personal constitution that was unmatched.

This would be an EXCELLENT read for high school students. Awesome.

Good read! Gives you a different perspective of our military and those that run it. The Tillman family, and other military families, are used as propaganda to form public opinion. While most of us support our troops and are grateful for their sacrifice, perhaps we should be more skeptical of the military brass and their political agendas. Per usual, Krakauer's research and writing style is top notch. Nailed it.

Krakauer uses quotations from other works of literature throughout this book, as he did writing Into the Wild. In the epilogue he references Nietzsche's "ueber mensch" an archetype for Tillman, but I could not help thinking of another "super man" who sought through peace to build up the same part of the world where Tillman fell: Greg Mortensen (Three Cups of Tea). Mortensen's super-human efforts promoting peace and education against formidable odds, hold far more hope for humanity than the military efforts "where men win glory."

Once again, Jon Krakauer delivers another insightful and revealing account of an incident we should know about but probably don't. His in-depth digging, meticulous research and personal first-hand account interviews open up a whole new perspective of the real Pat Tillman behind the headlines. Necessarily, and sadly, he also unveils the contradicting web of lies and deceit that our government disgracefully spins about this tragedy, with no apparent caring for the military family most impacted. The sheer hypocrisy and callousness of Uncle Sam is highlighted, but by no means limited to this one account. The lies that are spun to deceive the public are depressingly and outrageously routine, and we can expect more to come.

While the media has portrayed the conflict in Afganistan secondary to the Iraq situation, this book shows how we need to keep our eyes out for a second war that we can't win. The USSR tried to do the same thing we are doing now, bring unity to a country that doesn't want it. It cost them billions of dollars, now it's our turn.

Krakauer's portrayal of the life, death, and effects of Pat Tillman's passing is extraordinary. He doesn't try to create a hero in Pat, if anything he shows us the hero is really his mother in trying to get to the bottom of a cover up that starts in a dusty canyon in Afganistan to the White House. This book helps us understand why Pat made the choice to abandon a great career in the NFL to fight for our country's armed forces. It's a story of honor and duty even when doubtful of the intents.

With the news today of another eight of our armed forces making the ultimate sacrafice in the Afganistan conflict, I understand through Krakauer's novel about not only what we are doing there, but the landscape of the conflict.

When I saw Krakauer had written another book, I spent the money to buy it while it was still expensive. I don't buy Krakauer's books so much to illuminate events. (In this case the House hearings brought out the shameful propagandizing of the Bush administration regarding the death of Pat Tillman.) I buy Krakauer's books for his impecable writing which keeps me turning page after page and because he digs deeper into the human failings that are responsible for these events. This was true for Into Thin AirInto Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster and Into the Wild . Whether it is failure to observe rules of safety and respect the mountain as in Into Thin Air or Over estimating one's ability out of naivety as in Into the Wild or in this case fear, falsehood and selfishness that ended Tillman's life, the lessons are powerful. Krakauer has the unique ability to hold the mirror without bludgeoning us with the lessons.
Whether it is for a good read, curiosity over what happened to Pat Tillman or lessons we have to learn to be human, Krakauer's books are worth the read. This one doesn't disappoint.

Pat Tillman is one of the most fascinating Americans of recent times, and while this book may not be perfect and is not the achievement it could have been, it is hard to imagine a better effort coming out of the collaboration between noted author Krakauer and Tillman's widow.

The book is concerned more with Tillman's time in the military and his death than the man's athletic career, and that is as it should be, but I felt the focus on conspiracies and coverups took away from the work and served mainly as a distraction from the larger point that Tillman was an All American hero doing something he believed in, though he was certainly complicated and questioned himself and others motives. Does Krakauer have an axe to grind with the US military? It does not surprise me that Tillman's death by friendly fire became such a mess for the Army but I do not believe that very large organizations like the US Army are capable of massive coverups like the one the author alleges. They are simply sometimes inept and poor at doing their jobs.

That said, "Where Men Win Glory" is an outstanding read and I would consider it essential reading for anyone interested in the war in Afghanistan.

I have literally read every book Jon Krakauer has written. I liked them all, think Into Thin Air remains his flagship work. And I am always, always impressed by how deeply he researches his subjects. I'm also impressed by the complexity of his subjects and Pat Tillman is probably the most complex of them all. In the beginning of the book, I kept thinking, "What's with this kid? What is he trying to prove? Are these values of his for real?" I wasn't sure. Then as the book went on I began to shift and be open to Tillman's worldview. By the end of the book, I looked upon Tillman as exceptional in many ways but very human in others. This is all Krakauer's doing as a writer. I don't know Pat Tillman. I only know how Krakauer positioned him in this work. Hats off for getting me to stay up nights to read a military story.

Krakauer has a way of helping me get into the mind of people I likely would never meet or know in my life (whether it be McCandless from Into the Wild, or the brothers from Under the Banner of Heaven or even the folks, including Krakauer types, who are EXTREME adventurers)and not only relate to them but EMPATHIZE with them. When I first started reading Into Thin Air, I was thinking, "I don't get it. Why are these people literally killing themselves to climb a mountain? What is. the. point? But that's Krakauer's biggest gift from my view.

Because of Krakauer's amazing profile of this young man, Tillman, I've been so taken with him and what his family went through that I've further researched the Pat Tillman story through his mother's memoir and a documentary about the aftermath of Tillman's death and role of the US Military that I rented. You could not have paid me in college or high school to research such a topic. Again, great storytelling is great storytelling, no matter the subject.

Gina Greenlee, author of Hush Life, a fiction debut

This account by Jon Krakauer brings Pat Tillman to life. His intellectual ability, his physical prowess, his idealism and love of life and country makes you wish you had known him. The Army's conduct after hid death by friendly fire is appalling. Thank God for Dannie Tillman, who forced the Army to face what it had done.

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.

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.

Typical Krakauer book in which he weaves together the history of a broad subject with a personal history of his subject. Great book that will make you realize how special Pat Tillman was as a human being.

Krakauer masterfully depicts this American hero and the details we know of his life and death. You start off appreciative of what seems like extra background info on the beginning but becomes the perfect explanation of the life choices of a great man in the end. I have read several of Krakauers other books and so far none have disappointed in the least. Great book I have already recommended it.

Every year for Christmas I get my stepson a sports related book. This one by far was the one I wanted him to read the most. Pat Tillman was an amazing man and a great role model for the decisions he made to serve his country. Although this story ends in tragedy it is still a story that needs to be read.

I went into this book with the notion that Tillman joining the Army was some kind of selfless, heroic act. I came out of it thinking something quite the opposite.

His wife and he had an amazing life together. He abandoned her to pursue something in his life he felt was missing--some sense of sacrifice for something greater than himself, along with military service to which it seems he felt a sense of familial obligation.

I finished the book on a flight to Seattle and as I drove through downtown that same night, I was haunted by the images of his bereaved and devastated wife staring out the window of one of those buildings.

If Pat Tillman really wanted to contribute, he would have been much better off continuing to play football and donating large sums to help returning vets.

Take it from the son and brother of a vet: You had better think long and hard about your family before putting yourself in harm's way voluntarily.

I am horribly and deeply saddened by his family's loss, especially his parents, his brothers and, most of all, Marie. I really couldn't stop crying. It's far and away the most depressing book I've ever read. I had to go on anti-depressants for three months after I read it. Seriously.

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.

Do yourself a favor and read this book. All those 1-star reviewers just can't handle the facts. Krakauer is not spewing left-wing talking points, he's presenting things as they occurred. The fact is, we DID divert resources away from Afghanistan for the war in Iraq, and both the military and our government CLEARLY went to great lengths to cover up what was obviously a friendly-fire incident in order to advance their own agendas.

The book does a wonderful job of informing us about Tillman (the man, the football player, and the Army Ranger), but it also does a great job of giving some real perspective on the situation in Afghanistan and the history of the region. The timing of this publication couldn't be better, and it's a real page-turner to boot. Read it ASAP!

Very enlightening narrative. The author did a tremendous amount of research to reveal historical background and many details of the Tillman incident that most people would not be aware of. A sobering story of how powerful agencies can manipulate the facts to further its own agendas at the expense of individuals. It's an engrossing tale that is hard to put down once you get started.

Military is a utilitarian function where a minority (soldiers) sacrifice for the greater good (of the republic). Propaganda and concealment for the expediency of military campaigns are routinely conducted during war time in the same philosophy. The moral dilemma, akin to the famous trolley problem (as the conductor, would you kill 1 to save 5 people on train tracks), has only one outcome in the utilitarian bend (simple math). This book reveals the ugly side of war, where an administration was trying to win public support to keep the war machine moving. As much as I empathize with Tillman and despise the military coverup, I see the aftermath as inevitable, and still inevitable in the future, as for long as there is war.

I was really impressed by the history and the way I was pulled into the story. Tillman's life and the historical implications were weaves together nicely. However, some passages went on too long. Those low points ruined the flow of the book.

too many of us know too little what real sacrifice is. Pat Tillman was a man that one should emulate. A man of many talents. And i am sad to say that i only knew him by probably his least best talent. That being football. If i ever have a son. i should be so blessed he turn into half the man Pat and Kevin did. I wish i had. Thank you both for your service.

This book arrived in good condition and on time. The author is a well respected investigative journalist and his research for this book was very thorough. The subject matter is upsetting but it is an informative and interesting read.

Not only a fine job of reviewing the personal life and death of Pat Tillman, but an inside look into the politics of warspin and the possibilities for clusterf**k on the battlefield that lead to fratricide.

If you are interested in either the Pat Tillman story or a fan of John Krakauer then by all means buy & read this book. It's quite long, but interesting throughout. I had a hard time putting it down once I started reading it, and even away from the book it drove alot of my thinking about the bigger picture surrounding Pat Tillman. Definitely worth the time & money to read this story.