In The Company of Heroes

[Martinez]

A must have/must read, of course.

In The Company of Heroes: A True Story (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0399150609/qid=1075066970/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/104-9029320-5504754)
by CWO4 Michael J. Durant, USA (Ret)

I thought it was an excellent book. I very much enjoyed reading CWO4 Durant's story and learning about his life, his version of the battle, his time in captivity and the insights he shared. I also liked when he told about Donovan Briley and the others. Things I otherwise would not have known.

[The Reaper]

He speaks to our SERE grads occasionally.

Good man. Almost like a Private Ryan type story.

TR

[D9 (RIP)]

I listened to this in audiobook (CDs) recently to pass the time during a long road trip. I also thought it was well-done. It is a good account of the mission from Durant's perspective, as well as his time in captivity and afterwards. The book is literally an account of Durant's own experiences, so anyone picking this book up shouldn't be hoping for too much in the way of digressions into the mission of TF Ranger in general or the activity of the Rangers or Operators. While there is some mention of those things, it is ancillary.

There is a good deal of time spent in the book where Durant recollects his emotions and thoughts during the ordeal. For me, this is the kind of thing that can get old really fast in a book if it is not done well. Often when an autobiographer falls back into recollecting his private thoughts, they take on a grandiosity that doesn't square with their actions. It's my guess that this happens because some people tend to idealize their own motives beyond what really happened, and this can create a rift between the author's professed motive and the actions he is describing. I'm always leery of this when there is too much exposition of private thoughts. It is a very difficult thing for a writer to pull off. But to his credit, Durant does it well. For the most part, his description of his internal struggle squares up with the events, adding another dimension to the story without calling the writer's integrity into question. At the end of the book , these expositions are woven with the action sequences in such a way that it is nearly seamless. For this, Durant deserves praise for his writing.

As indicated, the story is compelling. The book provides a stark reminder of the incredible psychological burden placed on a POW, as every certainty one normally takes for granted is suddenly cast into serious doubt. But it also reminded me of how incredible the brotherhood is between men who stand shoulder to shoulder in battle. Durant also captures this well, and his sincerity in the admiration of those who risked everything to bring him back is beyond doubt.

Another bonus in the audiobook series is that it is read by M. Durant, adding a personal note to the story one might not get from a reading (which I normally prefer). He reads the text well, with a clear voice and good cadence. Obviously, he also has a swagger and authoritative tone in his voice that is unique to the military. If you've got $35 to spare, this audiobook is a great way to pass six hours in the car.

[brownapple]

Just finished Durant's book. Recommend it very highly. Once again, I am struck by the quality of man who serves in SOCOM... and find that my judgement of Hackworth many years ago is once again validated.

[Pandora]

I read it a few months ago. One of the strongest take-aways I had from reading was the brilliance in his methodical noting in the bible of details/dates/occurences.

Others may or may not have thought to take notes in this manner, but seeing the photo of his "code" in the bible margins drove home the point that Durant was serious about gathering and recording the information, and protecting it.

[ghuinness]

D9's review of the CD version is here:

http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=1596#post1596


I think it is worth repeating :)

[Gypsy]

I finished this book about a month ago, it is truly an amazing read.