| Lone Survivor | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | Marcus Luttrell (Author) Patrick Robinson (Contributor) |
| Original title | Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of Seal Team 10 |
| Genre(s) | Non Fiction |
| Publisher | Little, Brown and Company |
| Publication date | June 12, 2007 |
| Media type | Hardcover, Paperback, Mass Market Paperback, eBook |
| Pages | 390 |
| ISBN | 9780316067591 |
| OCLC Number | 151067825 |
| LC Classification | 2007921207 |
Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of Seal Team 10 is a work of non-fiction written by Marcus Luttrell with assistance from novelist and ghostwriter Patrick Robinson and published in 2007 by Little, Brown and Company. The narrative takes place in Afghanistan where the reader follows Marcus Luttrell and a group of Navy SEALs.[1]
Contents |
At the beginning of the book, Marcus Luttrell describes his childhood and his training to prepare for the Navy SEALs with Billy Shelton. After joining the U.S. Navy and completing SEAL training, Luttrell describes his posting in Afghanistan, in the Hindu Kush mountains of the Kunar province. With him are the rest of SEAL Team 10, except Shane E. Patton, for whom Danny Dietz was substituted. Their mission, Operation Red Wing, was to stake outside a village and capture or kill a leading Taliban member thought to be allied with Osama Bin Laden. One night in June 2005, while hiding out, the team encountered three Afghanistan shepherds, including a boy. The team debated sparing or killing the three shepherds but after a vote, Luttrell had to make the decision. To uphold the Rules of engagement, Luttrell let the shepherds go. About an hour later, the four SEALs were surrounded by more than a hundred Taliban warriors. The two parties engaged, the odds drastically against the SEALs, all of which died save Luttrell. The New York Times[2] sums up the story: "Mr. Luttrell was the only one of four men on the mission to survive after a violent clash with dozens of Taliban fighters. Eight members of the Seals and eight Army special operations soldiers who came by helicopter to rescue the original four were shot down, and all aboard were killed. Mr. Luttrell was then rescued by a group of Afghan Pashtun villagers who harbored him in their homes for several days, protecting him from the Taliban and ultimately helping him to safety."
Critics have praised the book [need citation] and right-wing pundits Glenn Beck and Michelle Malkin have spoken their support. More mainstream news media, such as NBC's The Today Show and CNN also showcased the book. The Washington Post[3] writes "If you're looking for a true story that showcases both American heroism and Afghani humanity, Marcus Luttrell's Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Red Wing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 (Little, Brown, $24.99), written with Patrick Robinson, may be the book for you." The book became a New York Times Bestseller.[4][5] The New York Times[6] review was laudatory, but also noted, "Along with the tragic story about how Mr. Luttrell lost his comrades, the book is spiked with unabashed braggadocio and patriotism, as well as several polemical passages lashing out at the 'liberal media' for its role in sustaining military rules of engagement that prevent soldiers from killing unarmed civilians who may also be scouts or informers for terrorists."
Universal and Peter Berg are developing a movie about the book's events. According to Luttrell's Facebook page, he has flown to Los Angeles to "oversee" filming. The expected release date is sometime in 2013.