Sea Stories

April 22, 2019
McRaven, a retired U.S. Navy admiral, follows his self-help guide, Make Your Bed, in which he shared principles for success learned during his more than 30 years as a Navy SEAL, with this collection of fascinating stories from his time as commander of the Special Operations Forces. In the book’s first half, McRaven describes his early life and his SEAL training and experiences, including a gripping account of his time as part of Operation Desert Shield during the first Gulf War in 1990, when he was tasked with intercepting an Iraqi tanker. Here, McRaven focuses on how the SEAL experience “builds unbreakable bonds among your fellow warriors.” The book’s second half shows how these bonds are tested when he becomes a SEAL team commanding officer and then later the commander of the Special Operations Task Force, directing the rescue of Captain Phillips from Somali pirates and the capture of Saddam Hussein. But the highlight of the book is McRaven’s detailed account of the successful mission to track Osama bin Laden (in order to confirm that it was actually bin Laden they killed, McRaven had a SEAL lie down next to the 6’4” corpse to measure his size). McRaven’s war stories deliver remarkable insight into the life of a wartime leader.

September 1, 2019

Retired Admiral McRaven was a Navy SEAL whose career was the stuff of which legends are made. Though he's probably best known for his line from a commencement address in which he stated that if one wants to change the world one should begin by making one's bed in the morning, McRaven saw combat as a SEAL and oversaw the operations which captured Saddam Hussein, rescued Captain Richard Phillips, and killed Osama bin Laden. From his youth as a military brat, his drive and daring were a nearly perfect match for Special Forces. While not a polished narrator, McRaven is an excellent speaker, and his reading of his own work is very pleasant on the ear. It is more like a conversation than a performance and his reading quickly captures the listener's attention and keeps it throughout. VERDICT Public libraries and those with a significant military clientele should consider--Michael Fein, Central Virginia Community Coll. Lib., Lynchburg

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