Lone SurvivorLone Survivor
Score Modern
What it's about
On a June night in 2005, four Navy SEALs set out in northern Afghanistan near the Pakistani border to capture or kill a Taliban leader. Less than twenty-four hours later, only one remained alive. This is the story of Marcus Luttrell, the sole survivor of Operation Redwing, and the desperate battle in the mountains.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 8 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's a harrowing account of courage and loss.
You'll love it if you liked
13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi
Black Hawk Down
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and RedemptionGood to know
It was written with Patrick Robinson and adapted into a 2013 film. It's graphic and patriotic.
By the numbers
- Readers68 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller61 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #443 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #852 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
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Quick answers
Is Lone Survivor worth reading?
Yes. It spent 8 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #852 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Lone Survivor about?
On a June night in 2005, four Navy SEALs set out in northern Afghanistan near the Pakistani border to capture or kill a Taliban leader. Less than twenty-four hours later, only one remained alive. This is the story of Marcus Luttrell, the sole survivor of Operation Redwing, and the desperate battle in the mountains.
How long does it take to read Lone Survivor?
About 10 hours (416 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Lone Survivor?
If you liked it, try 13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi by Mitchell Zuckoff with members of the Annex Security Team, Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden or Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.