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Black Hawk Down

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Black Hawk Down

By: Mark Bowden
Narrated by: Alan Sklar
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About this listen

 Ninety-nine elite American soldiers are trapped in the middle of a hostile city. As night falls, they are surrounded by thousands of enemy gunmen: Their wounded are bleeding to death. Their ammunition and supplies are dwindling. This is the story of how they got there -- and how they fought their way out.
This is the story of war.
Black Hawk Down drops you into a crowded marketplace in the heart of Mogadishu, Somalia with the U.S. Special Forces -- and puts you in the middle of the most intense firefight American soldiers have fought since the Vietnam War.
Late in the afternoon of Sunday, October 3, 1993, the soldiers of Task Force Ranger were sent on a mission to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord and return to base. It was supposed to take them about an hour. Instead, they were pinned down through a long and terrible night in a hostile locked in a desperate struggle to kill or be killed.
When the unit was finally rescued the following morning, eighteen American soldiers were dead and dozens more badly injured. The Somali toll was far worse: more than five hundred killed and over a thousand wounded. Award-winning literary journalist Mark Bowden's dramatic narrative captures this harrowing ordeal through the eyes of the voting men who fought that day. He draws on his extensive interviews of participants from both sides -- as well as classified combat video and radio transcripts -- to bring their stories to life.
Authoritative, gripping, and insightful, Black Hawk Down is a riveting look at the terror and exhilaration of combat, destined to become a classic of war reporting. Africa Military Solider War Air Force
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don't be put off by this being a movie. this is a special book. I hate Flanders

brilliant

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Not a light read, but an important one. I think anyone that has ever considered or is currently considering joining the military, should be sat down and handed this book! The account in this book is so eye-opening.

Masterfully written. Fairly portrayed. I still love the movie, but the book is on another level. Highly recommended!!! (but be prepared for some sleepless nights)

Confronting and enlightening

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The story was let down by the narrator who sounded like the Mandarin character from Ironman 3. Sometimes there is a southern twang coming out of nowhere and his voicing of different characters was awkward to listen to. I actually read the book a few years ago which was amazing, thought I would listen to it on my commutes and turned it off at points or drifted off not listening to the story getting bored of words from every sentence being drawn out for no purpose.. What a shame!

Narrated by the Mandarin

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A couple of listener confessions:

I watched the movie of Black Hawk Down when it was first released and didn’t really get it other then the overall gist.

Bowden’s book is obviously more detailed and now made watching the movie more informative.

I seldom listen to books twice and hardly ever listen to military ones twice at that.

But this had me for two listens and in a year or so I’ll coke back and listen again.

Bowden achieved his goal of writing a “narrative history” and then some. It’s a credit to him and and the guys who opened themselves up to him for the task.

Although nearly 25 years old the writing hasn’t dated and the subject is as meaningful today as it was then. As an Aussie it gave me a deeper insight into US foreign policy both before and after this event.

And I’ve been sleeping with narrator Alan Sklar for ages now, thanks to his role as the voice of many sleep stories on “other platforms”… although I hasten to add he is not sleep inducing in this narrative at all! But he reads with a comforting authority that neither undermines the gravitas of the subject matter nor rends the listener hopeless at the account of so many needless lives lost.

Epic story. Great research. Alan Sklar is a great narrator.

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Really enjoyed the book. A pity the movie wasn't as good. Thanks for your service.

Black Hawk Down

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