| | |  | Threats & Solutions | Home » » Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman | | | | | | | Description: | | This edition has been updated to reflect new developments and includes new material obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.
Pat Tillman walked away from a multimillion-dollar NFL contract to join the Army and became an icon of post-9/11 patriotism. When he was killed in Afghanistan two years later, a legend was born. But the real Pat Tillman was much more remarkable, and considerably more complicated than the public knew...
A stunning account of a remarkable young man's heroic life and death, from the bestselling author of Into the Wild, Into Thin Air, and Under the Banner of Heaven. | | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| Jon Krakauer | | Paperback:
| 480 pages | | Publisher:
| Anchor | | Publication Date:
| July 27, 2010 | | Language:
| English | | ISBN:
| 030738604X | | Product Length:
| 5.18 inches | | Product Width:
| 1.06 inches | | Product Height:
| 7.99 inches | | Product Weight:
| 0.75 pounds | | Package Length:
| 7.8 inches | | Package Width:
| 5.1 inches | | Package Height:
| 1.3 inches | | Package Weight:
| 0.8 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 409 reviews |
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| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
227 of 245 found the following review helpful:
 An honest portrayal of a complex manSep 20, 2009
By E. Jacobs
This book is not a `war story'. It is a rendering of a man who was far more complex than the one-dimensional hero who was portrayed in the media and who, through no fault of his own, was basically used as propaganda by the US government. Interestingly, that was one of the threads woven throughout the book, along with the use of Jessica Lynch as a tool to boost support of the war.
Krakauer does a great job in the beginning of the book by contrasting the carefree life of an American boy growing up in the suburbs vs. groups of boys being groomed by the Taliban to become terrorists. His description of Pat Tillman's early life gives insight into how he came to make the decisions that ultimately resulted in his joining the Army.
Some of the detail in the middle of the book got a bit cumbersome. However, it was a useful primer on some of the things that went terribly wrong in Iraq in Afghanistan during Tillman's time there, and I'm not certain that Krakauer could have told the rest of the story without the level of detail provided.
Nonetheless, the author provides a refreshingly honest look at a man who at times I found rather unlikeable, frankly. Without question however, the picture of Tillman that emerges is one of a man who cannot be categorized easily. His complexity was well illuminated in the book, which was a far more honest and respectful portrayal of his life than if he were simply portrayed as the `good' character in a morality play.
This book does not paint a rosy, cozy picture of the US government's actions, of the wars in Iraq in Afghanistan, or, it must be said, of Pat Tillman himself. But that served to make both the book and the man more interesting.
329 of 379 found the following review helpful:
 A book that changed my perspective.Sep 17, 2009
By C. Jewell
I was originally not very impressed by Pat Tillman's sacrifice. I believe our culture it too quick to call someone a hero. Most people use the expression to counterbalance their own insecurity of not serving in the military. After serving 6 years in the army including tours in Korea, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq, I can honestly say I did not meet one hero--including myself. I now believe Pat Tillman's life was heroic. I say this because he was truly cognizant of America and its misgivings and yet he still willingly served. I did not become aware until about halfway through my tour in Iraq. Once I became aware, rage consumed me. Rage is a normal reaction when one realizes halfway through an act that what they are doing is morally reprehensible. Tillman could have easily escaped combat duty if he wanted. He refused to be used by the Bush regime and the military industrial complex, but still performed the duties that he believed to be right. I cannot express how unique of a person he was. He was a rarity in our world. The narrative on how the military brass and the Bush regime tried to use him and then cover up how he died made the rage come back all over again. I had to walk away from the book several times. The politics behind the story is vital to the context of the story. It's what makes him a tragic hero. A story that only romanticizes his sacrifice so we Americans can thump our chests in pride would be a disservice to his life. Those who are truly aware will appreciate this book. Those who wish to be in the dark will not.
31 of 33 found the following review helpful:
It's not just about Pat TillmanJan 03, 2010
By A. Brennan
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.
230 of 276 found the following review helpful:
 A Conflicted Account of a Reluctant VolunteerSep 20, 2009
By J. A. Walsh
A brief disclaimer to begin. Like Pat Tillman, I was a post-9/11 volunteer enlistee, and for that reason his story has always had particular resonance. That said, the similarities end quickly. I did NOT walk away from millions to enlist. I did NOT join an elite infantry unit, nor did I see any action in a theatre of combat - let alone engage in fire fights. Lastly, I DID make it home.
Krakauer takes up the Tillman story with a view to what made the NFL Safety turned Ranger tick. In some reviews, including Dexter Filkins' NYT review, the fact that it takes Krakauer more than 150 pages to get Tillman's boots into the Afghan sand is to the book's detriment. In my opinion, Krakauer's aim - if not the book itself -is better served by the time he takes in exploring Tillman's motives.
Those looking for either a behind-the-lines military tome with some added star power, or a pot-boiler about government and military propaganda and corruption, should look elsewhere. Instead, Krakauer spends most of his effort on trying to wrestle with a very common conflict in the hearts, souls and minds of many post-9/11 military volunteers. While visions of the towers tumbling compelled Tillman instictively to look for some way to help, he also couldn't help but retain the healthy skepticism of his government that had him concerned - in Krakauer's telling - that should he die on the battlefield, he might be used for propaganda purposes.
That conflict is a defining element of the all-volunteer force that is fighting these wars. So many of the men and women I served with loved their country, but joined to defend their families as much as to fight for their government. That might not be a logical or well-informed course of action - but, for many, like Tillman, it was an instinctive one.
Krakauer wrestles with that conflict, and that insight is the value of this book. I don't think it achieves the effect so spectacularly, but like IF I DIE IN A COMBAT ZONE, I expect this book to eventually enter itself into the Iraq and Afghan literary canon as a nuanced look at the soldiers fighting this war.
Tillman's fame and his dramatic story are perhaps most valuable in that context. After reading this book, I am left with an impression of Tillman as a microcosm of that component of today's force who seem - paradoxically - to be among the last people we might expect to subject themselves to service, but the first we would expect to step up when the call to action comes.
36 of 41 found the following review helpful:
A Modern Greek TragedySep 21, 2009
By G. Baird
Where Men Win Glory is a biography of the late Pat Tillman interwoven with a hornbook political history of Afghanistan in the last thirty (30) years. It's interesting, thoughtful and features Krakauer's trademark: impeccable and exhaustive research. The author also has priceless access to Tillman's personal journals which were given to him by Tillman's widow, Marie. If you are a Tillman or Krakauer fan, the book is a must read.
The book also functions as a modern Greek tragedy. The title comes directly from dialogue spoken to the Greek hero, Achilles, in Homer's Iliad. Comparisons between Achilles and Tlllman are implicit throughout the book and Tillman comes off as a modern hero, tragically flawed in the tradition of Achilles. Some examples include: the almost supernatural physical abilities of Tillman, Tillman's adherence to an admirable code of values to his own detriment and to the detriment of his loved ones, and Tillman's ultimate end. Further, the bungling of Tillman's military superiors as well as, the exploitation of Tillman by the government made me think of Agamemmnon and Menelaus from the Iliad.
While justifiably critical of the Bush Administration generally, and Rumsfeld's defense department specifically, the book is not a vicious attack from the Left. The point Krakauer makes is that perhaps the true heroes of western culture always have been (and always will be) exploited, betrayed and let down by their governments, superiors and society. It's a theme that is almost 3,000 years old.
Even those unfamiliar with ancient Greek tragedy will still be treated to an easy-to-read, page turner that's a must for anyone interested in the army, football, the Afghanistan war, politics and interpersonal relationships between spouse, family and friends.
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