Author: Sean Naylor
Publisher: The Berkley Publishing Group
Total Pages: 425
Sean Naylor takes readers on a journey into a modern day military operation in this book which, as the title suggests, tells the story of Operation Anaconda. The goal of the mission, involving primarily the men of the 101st Airborne and 10th Mountain Divisions, was to penetrate the Shahikot Valley of Afghanistan with the intent of capturing senior Al Qaida leaders in early 2002.
From the opening paragraphs, the reader is thrust into the action. The author does a commendable job of providing ample descriptions of both the combatants and their surroundings, which truly makes the events of the story come alive. While the reader is placed in the action of the operation in the opening pages, Naylor does take the time to introduce readers to the participants and various military and para-military groups, as well as helping explain the leadership structure for the operation itself. While at times this becomes a bit cumbersome, it does serve to give the reader a very accurate picture of all the planning and coordination that an operation such as this requires.
Naylor's narrative includes many, many first hand accounts (there is a long list of interviewees included in the book, as well as many government documents, which adds to the realism, in my opinion. At parts, it is a hard book to read, not because of poor writing (the writing is very good), but rather because of the poor communication between the various groups involved in the operation, which left me feeling very frustrated as I read. This is not the author's fault - just a consequence of the way the operation was conducted. On the whole, this work is very educational in helping illustrate how such an operation is conducted. It is also an inspiring work, allowing readers to see, throughout the conflict, incidents of heroism. Finally, it is an unvarnished look at a military operation, showing both the good and the bad in its execution. While this book may not be for everyone (those who do not care for books on military action), it is an engaging read and more than just a mere treatment of another military operation on foreign soil.
Bottom line:
Would I read it again? No
Would I recommend this book to someone else? Yes
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