Scan barcode
sjhensley4's review against another edition
3.0
It's very hard to imagine living in a world where it's obvious who the bad guys are. If he takes a shot at you, he's bad guy. If he didn't, then hold your fire. The bad guys didn't hesitate to hide behind women and children or initiate shooting from a mosque (knowing that U.S. troops were reluctant to fire on places of worship).
I liked this book a lot at first, but I had trouble with the short, choppy stories. By the time I was into the scenario, the story was over and he was on to another story. This structure made it somewhat tedious. When Chris talked about the war, he came off as aloof and matter-of-fact at times. I know that was not the case. Taya's viewpoint showed us more about the real man. I suspect that it was really hard for him to talk about the things that did affect him. I felt that we got a better idea of the real Chris near the end.
I think the movie effectively portrayed the balance between Chris the sniper and Chris the human being. I think the book needed better editing and more Taya.
I liked this book a lot at first, but I had trouble with the short, choppy stories. By the time I was into the scenario, the story was over and he was on to another story. This structure made it somewhat tedious. When Chris talked about the war, he came off as aloof and matter-of-fact at times. I know that was not the case. Taya's viewpoint showed us more about the real man. I suspect that it was really hard for him to talk about the things that did affect him. I felt that we got a better idea of the real Chris near the end.
I think the movie effectively portrayed the balance between Chris the sniper and Chris the human being. I think the book needed better editing and more Taya.
megurr's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to love this book. But I didn’t. It was hard to even like Chris at times.
stillkvl's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
2.0
The movie adaptation of American Sniper is an entertaining watch— at least as far as shoot-’em-up war stories go. It’s an easy re-watch, the kind of film you can have on in the background while doing something more important.
The book, on the other hand, is something else entirely. I’m not quite sure how best to characterize it.
For those who glorify war, American Sniper is probably a kind of bible. For those who believe they don’t need to take responsibility for their own actions— that choices and blame can always be assigned to a higher power— the book reinforces that mindset, giving permission to disengage from daily decision-making and personal accountability.
At its core, American Sniper is about war, bro-culture, and America’s unwillingness to see the bigger picture of the world it exists within. It reads as one man’s justification for murder, absent of empathy or any real understanding of the larger global community.
There are human elements here— grief, PTSD, love, family, difficult choices, and ethical dilemmas. The final quarter of the book does offer glimpses of humility and empathy, moments that acknowledge war is more than just “us vs. them” or “we’re good, they’re bad; they deserve to die.” But these moments are overshadowed by an unwavering belief that killing and violence in the name of the USA is justified, no matter how wrong it may be.
I’m not pro-war or particularly pro-USA, so I recognize my own bias. But asking the author to show some empathy, to acknowledge the complexity of war, and to take real responsibility for their actions doesn’t seem like too much to ask.
debbie92's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
fast-paced
5.0
Absolutely loved this book! I watched the movie and it made me want to read the book with Chris Kyle’s first hand perspective. He presents everything in the book very straightforward. I learned so much about the war and how at least some of it was fought. It was very informative.
hmalones's review against another edition
4.0
How can you rate someone's autobiography, let alone Chris Kyle's? It was difficult to read (I feel stupid even saying that). It is truly tragic that after all he accomplished and survived after four combat tours of duty in Iraq that he was killed by a coward. Someone he was trying to help, nonetheless. Kyle is a hero in my book, and reading his story gave me a window into a world I would never know about otherwise. I also feel for Taya and his children. They seem like a family that just gets through stuff, which I greatly respect. Now I want to see the movie. RIP Chris. Thank you for sharing your story with us. <3
sarabearian's review against another edition
You've probably seen a very buff Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle in this year's hit movie American Sniper. This book is where it all began. Chris Kyle was a sniper. But he wasn't just any sniper. He holds the record for most sniper kills in the U.S. military history and was feared enough by the Iraqi insurgents to have a bounty on his head. Chris served his nation for 10 years as a Navy SEAL, dedicating his life to a cause he believed in. This book is his record of those 10 years, detailing his experiences, his opinions, and providing some good insight on military activity during that time. – Megan M.
neeroc's review against another edition
1.0
On page two he describes the sewer stench of Iraq and on page four he’s moved on to the twisted souls of the evil savages and by that point I’d had enough of his bs. The one star is because I’ll be able to use it as kindling.
andreahrome's review against another edition
I picked up this book because I saw the award-winning movie a few years back, and was intrigued. The book was similar, although it felt like there was less of a narrative thread and more a series of random events that Chris Kyle jotted down and strung together as he remembered them. There were some pretty intense war stories in this memoir, but mostly presented as "this happened, then this happened, then we shot this guy, then we went to this place"-- not very dramatic storytelling. He came off as a competent military guy who hated paperwork and the upper command (who apparently had no idea what was going on). The inserts that his wife wrote were very insightful to his family life and his ability to cope once he returned home. Quite a few stories where he probably should've died, but didn't for one reason or another.
It didn't seem like his random escapades all over Iraq had any coherent purpose, or strategy. This made me wonder if such a strategy exists, or if military strategy is: "There are a bunch of badguys here, let's kill them." They didn't seem too concerned about the never-ending supply of insurgents (how they were recruited, what they wanted), or the condition in which they left the country (Iraqi troops working with ours were unhelpful and untrained, cities were destroyed)... of course the minute we pull out the country crumbles- not a shock! Seems pretty broken, and I'm not sure we did anything useful. Which is sad, because it sounds like there are some pretty solid, competent, brave men and women over there who are not being used in a way that makes the world better.
It didn't seem like his random escapades all over Iraq had any coherent purpose, or strategy. This made me wonder if such a strategy exists, or if military strategy is: "There are a bunch of badguys here, let's kill them." They didn't seem too concerned about the never-ending supply of insurgents (how they were recruited, what they wanted), or the condition in which they left the country (Iraqi troops working with ours were unhelpful and untrained, cities were destroyed)... of course the minute we pull out the country crumbles- not a shock! Seems pretty broken, and I'm not sure we did anything useful. Which is sad, because it sounds like there are some pretty solid, competent, brave men and women over there who are not being used in a way that makes the world better.