American Sniper

This is an amazing book that not only shows you the heroic side of Chris Kyle, but also the side that was his struggles through being a Navy SEAL, Husband, and Father.

There is no doubt of what Chris Kyle did for our country and I am sad for his wife and children for the loss of their loved one, but not for one second do I believe that Kyle was in it for the patriotism.

Kyle was a self-professed cowboy who loved old John Wayne movies “especially the cowboy ones” who mostly referred to insurgents as “savages”. Not that they were savage in their tactics. They were savages. I wonder where he picked that up from? Kyle entered the military so he could kill people. Plain and simple.

I had an opinion of Kyle before going into this book and that didn't change. If anything, it got worse. His bragging of all his bar fights and good ole boy, aw shucks it's just cause I'm so tough and I'm a SEAL, it's what we do bullshit was grating. If being a SEAL means you have no self control in the civilian world we have problems.

It was a struggle to get through this. I looked for one ounce of compassion or humility but there was none here. He was in it for the kills.

American Sniper is the story of a man who put his life on the line time and time again for the benefit of his country. He felt it was his duty to America, and it left him at odds with his wife.

As the book progresses, you quickly learn to like Chris Kyle. I never met the man myself, but I am deeply moved by his story, and his patriotism. He felt that country was above family, and that was somethign that was hard for his wife to understand. He put his life on the line time and time again for the betterment of America, and felt that he could and should do more. He states in his book that it is not the ones you save, but the ones you lose that mean the most to you, that stay with you.
He sacrificed so much to do what he felt should be done, and is very black and white when it comes to what he thinks about anything and anyone. He tells you as it is, and he prefers to lay it out in the open, so that there is no misunderstanding.

As the book goes into detail and in each chapter, there is a segment from his wife, and I wish that I had bought a copy of the book without her details in it. By the time I was halfway through the book, I found myself skipping over her segments, until I had finished the other, and then I would go back and read hers. I was aggravated, and felt as though her thoughts and such put military wives in a really bad light. I felt that all she did was complain about her husbands choice of career, being home alone, etc. It is nothing that no other military wife has not been through, but for some reason, her wording and her actions really angered me. I found myself disliking her more and more as the book continued. Maybe it is because I would never give my husband the ultimatum that she did, or maybe because I felt as though she was not really honest with him either. There was no uplifting, side to her stories. I felt myself being drug down by her descriptions, and wish that she had found someone that could have talked to her and let her know that military life is hard, it stinks, but its worth it!

I really loved the majority of the book, minus the section that I highlighted above. I guess as a soldier and military spouse I see it different. The sense of humor that is placed within the book really gives you an idea of the man that was and the enigma that he was.

All in all a good read.. highly recommended, but with the noted that there is violence and language throughout the book! No weak stomached person should open the cover.

I found this to be a very easy read and very entertaining. I think the most sad part of book is near the end when he discusses his contract work and helping out veterans following injury, since this is how he was ultimately killed after retiring from the service. His editor could have done a better job about not repeating things and organizing his thoughts, but it was very enjoyable.

Abandoned pretty early on. The author just sees the world as black and white, with america and killing as the ultimate good. I was hoping for a little more nuance in the narrative.

Additionally, one of the last books I read really changed my opinion of the Iraq war. I may need to allow time to pass before I read anything on the war.

An interesting perspective on the lives of those we send to war.

This book was fantastic. I did need a small amount of time to get through how simple and to the point it is written. Once I overcame the new writing style I sank in to a very visual experience from Kyle's life. Written more honestly than much of what I have read from this genre, Chris Kyle really did not hold back when it came to saying what he felt needed to be said. Taya, Chris Kyle's wife, provided an incredible side of the story which gave my wife and I a more full understanding of the life described by these patriotic people. The book offered less about what it means to be a sniper, the nuts and bolts of the trade, and more about his life, experiences, thoughts, feelings, and lessons learned. Finally, his conclusion was eloquent, simple, and compelling. Overall this was a great read and I am glad I took the time.