My Review of:
American Sniper by Chris Kyle
Reviewer: Adam Rohlinger
In this harrowing autobiography we
are offered a rare account of life as a Navy SEAL and the war on terror, but we
are given something greater still. We are given the honest truth of the life of
a man who goes from Texan rodeo boy to elite sniper, who is confirmed to have
the most confirmed sniper kills in U.S. military history. This account is not
the story of the soldier who was forced into a war, pitied the enemy and tried
to understand them and longed for peace and home. This is the non-fiction
account of a top-tier specialist who did everything possible to kill the enemy
in order to protect the lives of comrades and of us. It is an amazing read not
because it encompasses an entire war, but the struggles of one man’s decision
to join that war, and what he does after it.
What gives this book its power and
hold over its reader is the voice of Chris Kyle in the novel, which seems as if
he’s recounting his life story in a classic Texas drawl in a room with you, rather
than you reading his bestselling book. The idea of him sharing this very
personal account of his life, considering his famous position in the military
feels personal, gives the reader a sense that he is just talking to them. He
has gone though many terrible and extraordinary thing and the simplistic,
no-nonsense descriptions, and opinions of his in the book make every page
gripping and intriguing. Chris Kyle’s motivations and drive behind his reasons
and conclusions for the actions he takes throughout this account make one
ponder the true nature of war and of this man. “The first time you kill
someone, you get a little nervous. You think, can I really shoot this guy? Is
it really okay? But after you kill your enemy you see it’s okay. You say, Great. You do it again. And again. You
do it so the enemy won’t kill you or your countrymen. You do it until there’s
no one left to kill. That’s what war is”(Kyle 6). Chris having gone to war may
seem cold and detached through this quote, but understanding him through his
experiences in this autobiography, and what it means to be a soldier to him, is
what makes it nearly impossible to put down. He is a real and interesting
character.
An aspect. however that didn’t work
in this book’s favor completely were the specific explanations of equipment
Chris used during the war. “The gun was super easy to handle, and was virtually
interchangeable with the M-4, which, though not a sniper weapon, a still a valuable
combat tool. As a matter of fact, when I got back to my platoon, I took the
lower receiver off of my Mk-4 and put it on the upper receiver of my Mk-12.
That gave me a collapsible stock and allowed me to go full-auto” (Kyle 100). We
learn that Chris grabs our attention as an expert in military weaponry, but it
starts to drag on a bit and get a bit confusing. Although these details were quite
interesting at times, not sure it was the best thing to include all the
modifications Chris made to a United States Navy Mk-12 Special Purpose Rifle
when trying to grab a reader’s attention. However often these specific bits of information
would come into play latter in the most action-packed parts of the book. This
made the reading of these information passages feel like a school assignment
given before a holiday, you have to do it to truly enjoy your holiday. Just as
you have to read these descriptions to truly understand some of the most
intense moments of the book, and therefore of Chris Kyle’s life.
Overall the rating of
this book I would consider appropriate is a solid A. This book was a uniquely
written biography of one of the most honored figures in the United States
military. It feels like the author sights, takes aim, and fires on your
interests and emotions with this powerful book. The voice of the author,
descriptions of action, and sheer force of Chris’s experiences without a doubt
wins this book an A easily. The plot of this book is one man’s real trying
challenges at war and home. American
Sniper hits the mark when looking for a powerful read, and is a must read
for autobiography lovers and military history fanatics.
