Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman

[austinN4]

I just finished reading this and have mixed feelings about the writing. I own and have read all of Krakauer's books, and would have listed him as one of my favorite authors. Luckily I borrowed this one from the library as, after I finished, I didn't think it rose to the standard of his previous works.

The story of Pat Tillman and his family is both interesting and heartbreaking, and this part of the book was well worth reading and seemed well written.

But I felt that Krakauer used the Tillman story to grind his (Krakauer's) own political axe and bash the Bush administration too many times for my tastes. This isn't what I was expecting from this book.

I am curious as to other opinions.

[parishioner]

I looked at the book at a bookstore and glanced through it. I read something along the lines of Bush using Tillman's story as war propaganda and that immediately told me what kind of book it would be. Needless to say I didn't read it.

[mattjmcd]

I have not read it. I looked at it for some time while waiting for the wife and kids at the local B&N. It seemed to have a fairly bitter tone. My initial impression was that it is likely an agenda-driven piece.

[Submariner]

I looked at the book at a bookstore and glanced through it. I read something along the lines of Bush using Tillman's story as war propaganda and that immediately told me what kind of book it would be.

Do you think Tillman's story wasn't used as war propaganda? :confused:

[M4Fundi]

Krakauer is, lives in and is hero to an "Activist Obsessed Community"... I expected nothing less from him

[Rider]

I read it and liked the book overall. It is not great but it was worth the time. Tillman was an interesting guy. I dont think it is was propaganda one way or the other. It talked a lot about Pat's patriotism and sacrifice's. BTW, the Army did try to use his death as propaganda until it came out that it was a friendly fire shooting. I feel especially bad for his brother who was there.
RIP american hero

[M4arc]

The only Krakauer book I've read is Into Thin Air about the May 1996 Everest climb. While I thought he was justifiably critical of some of the other guides on the mountain he didn’t seem to point out nearly as many from his own guide and almost seem to blame another guide, from another group, for his teams loses. Odd. However it was his behavior after the book was published that caused me to lose a lot of respect for him as an author and a man.

I won’t be reading this book.

[parishioner]

Do you think Tillman's story wasn't used as war propaganda? :confused:

No, but I could just tell what tone the book had due to the way the sentence was worded.

[JHC]

I'll tell you. The Administration absolutely did not use Tilman's enlistment as propoganda. I was all over it in real time. Be happy to read the sources of where there was any.