13 Hours

November 24, 2014
Journalist Zuckoff has a knack for recreating the emotional intensity of combat in his reading of his book, which describes the horrific experiences of the security team at the U.S. State Department Special Mission Compound in Benghazi, during the 2012 terrorist attack in which J. Christopher Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya, was killed. Zuckoff effectively conveys the camaraderie of the team of CIA contract operators—all men in their 30s or 40s with specialized military backgrounds—prior to the attack. Zuckoff’s evocative delivery also successfully captures the ambiguity of the conflict, as the soldiers find themselves unsure of exactly who they are fighting and how to engage the enemy. Given the rapid-fire style of the interactions, casual listeners may find themselves struggling to keep up with the story. A Hachette/Twelve hardcover.