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From Publishers Weekly
The 1993 battle in Mogadishu between American soldiers and Somali militiamen gets a human-scale retelling in this jaunty but harrowing memoir. Durant went down with the Black Hawk he piloted; after a terrifying crash in which his back and leg were broken and a violent fire-fight, he was held captive for ten days by Somali militiamen as a pawn in their stand-off with American peacekeeping forces. Frightened and in agony from his wounds, he called on his survival training to help him endure, but he also relied on the empathy of some of his Somali captors, especially the gruff but sympathetic guard who feeds, bathes and bonds with him. Durant is a gung-ho army honcho, not much given to introspection, and the book often takes leave of the captivity narrative to recount his exploits in conflicts from Panama to Iraq, and to celebrate the bravado and leave-no-man-behind esprit-de-corps of his élite "Night Stalkers" helicopter unit. The writing is full of terse jargon, weapons specs, helicopter-assault procedural and special-ops swagger ("They were the kind of professionals who could pick off a rabbit from a roller-coaster with a BB gun"). But overall the story remains taut, and the prose evokes both the chaos of combat and the anxiety of confinement. Durant's perspective on the Somalia conflict is somewhat limited and jingoistic ("Mogadishu was Tombstone, and we were Wyatt Earp"), but his is a revealing portrait of the human face of war. 16 pages of b&w photos.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-A decade ago, Durant and his crew were shot down while flying a U.S. Army Special Operations Black Hawk helicopter in the heart of Mogadishu. The only survivor after a firefight with hostile forces of warlord Mohamed Farah Aidid, the author recounts the conditions of his 11 days in captivity, with experiences that ranged from heroic to gruesome, harrowing, bizarre, and compassionate. Suffering severe injuries to his back, leg, and face, moved under guard through a sequence of rudimentary facilities in a volatile combat environment, and facing the deadly risk of discovery by rival clans, Durant became a political pawn receiving global media attention. Readers of Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down (Atlantic Monthly, 1999) who wished for a more technically detailed analysis of the mission's operational aspects will savor this account. The book also incorporates chapters on the arduous training required to earn a spot in an elite squadron and lays groundwork for appreciating the Mogadishu engagement by describing prior high-risk special operations in Korea, Panama, and Iraq in which Durant participated. Each episode resonates with the sense of bonding among combat brethren, and the professional esprit and conviction behind mottoes such as "NSDQ" (Night Stalkers Don't Quit), as exemplified by Durant's squadron mates who flew above the embattled city in the days after his shoot-down, broadcasting: "Mike Durant-. We will not leave without you." A dramatic narrative by a talented storyteller.
Lynn Nutwell, Fairfax City Regional Library, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Lynn Nutwell, Fairfax City Regional Library, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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First Sentence
I WOKE UP IN THE SILENCE OF MY OWN GRAVE. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
I WOKE UP IN THE SILENCE OF MY OWN GRAVE. Read the first page
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
An exceptional book !,
By steven azeka (sunnyvale, CA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: In The Company Of Heroes A True Story (Hardcover)
This book gave a real feel for what it's like to not only fight but also be captured in present day wars. This is also a rare find due to the fact that most books of this nature are about Vietnam and Korean War POW's. This story also brings a reality; we should praise the people who save men like Michael Durant. This is also a jam packed story about struggle from the day to day bases and how he overcame them. This added another dimension to the story and the reader. The story proves that to live all you need is just hope. This book is hard to understand, unless you read Mark Bowden's "Black Hawk Down." Over all I believe that everyone should be exposed to this book. I know West Point has a new book added to the required reading.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Soldiers, Patriots, Friends, Heroes, and Fathers,
By
This review is from: In the Company of Heroes: The True Story of Black Hawk Pilot Michael Durant and the Men Who Fought and Fell at Mogadishu (Audio Cassette)
I read the book, and was intrigued by the amazing memory that a significant life event can inspire. I know some of these pilots as friends, and they are men of amazingly solid character. No, not perfect, but the values they take as their own are the pride of America. They are humble in manner, yet strong and resolute in their love of country. I'm honored to have friends like this, and believe with confidence that those who remain in service and those who are arriving now are the same kind of men. They don't ask for fame, and quietly continue to do their duty. Dan, thanks for your friendship.To those who denigrate these heroes here, you just need an education.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good for the Nightstalkers themselves,
By T. Spangelo (N/A) - See all my reviews
This review is from: In The Company Of Heroes (Paperback)
As a nightstalker wife. This book is a must have for all 160th soldiers. Especially is they have the movie. It's a key point of NSDQ history and it reminds us LNSDQ of the possibilites and the strength of our husbands and their soldiers. There aren't many books about nightstalkers, so it's about time one got written. This book was written from a man's point of view whose been there. Now, I'm gonna explain from a wife's point of view of being there. Still this book is definately a must have.
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