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The Life and Legend of Chris Kyle: American Sniper, Navy SEAL
A New York Times The life story of Chris Kyle, the American Sniper. A brutal warrior but a gentle father and husband, Chris Kyle led the life of an American hero. His renowned courage and skill in military service earned him two nicknames -- The Devil among insurgents and The Legend among his Navy SEAL brethren -- but his impact extended beyond that after he came home from combat and began working with fellow veterans. Journalist Michael J. Mooney reveals Kyle's life story, from his Texas childhood up through his death in February 2013. Mooney interviews those closest to the late SEAL and also sheds light on the life of the suffering veteran who killed Kyle. The Life and Legend of Chris Kyle is a candid, essential portrait of a celebrated warrior -- a man about whom a movie has only added to the legend.
88 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 23, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
April 22, 2015
I am just fascinated with Chris Kyle as of late. His story is intriguing, inspiring, and in the end, tragic. The author gives a heartfelt (albeit short) account of Kyle's life: Patriotic bad-ass, loving husband and father, caring veteran who would drop everything to help a fellow vet. I liked the perspective in this book, especially since it differs from Kyle's own book American Sniper. Hence, we learn many new things about Kyle.
I have so much respect for this man and what he contributed to our country and way of life. The best part? It is obvious Kyle was not a narcissist or publicity seeker. He just did his job and did it well. He put others before himself. He battled his demons upon returning from war and found his niche as an entrepreneur and helper of struggling veterans. When the divorce rate of Navy Seals is above 90%, Chris Kyle fought those odds and worked out any marriage issues with his devoted wife, Taya.
It's just truly sad that this guy's life ended so soon and so tragically. But his memory and example will live on.
I have so much respect for this man and what he contributed to our country and way of life. The best part? It is obvious Kyle was not a narcissist or publicity seeker. He just did his job and did it well. He put others before himself. He battled his demons upon returning from war and found his niche as an entrepreneur and helper of struggling veterans. When the divorce rate of Navy Seals is above 90%, Chris Kyle fought those odds and worked out any marriage issues with his devoted wife, Taya.
It's just truly sad that this guy's life ended so soon and so tragically. But his memory and example will live on.
February 17, 2015
This chronicles his life before his days as a SEAL. And what he went through to assimilate back into civilian life after he got out. To include his funeral service. It was short and a wonderful insight into the life of The Legend. Any fan of military history, warfare, autobiographies; and all Americans will enjoy this.
February 20, 2025
2020 52 Book Challenge - 16) Borrowed From A Friend
This was a very quick brief summary of Chris Kyle's life. I've never seen the film that his life was turned into, and in fact, before I perused my friends bookcase, I'd never heard of him before, so for me, this was a perfect overview of him to read.
This was a very quick brief summary of Chris Kyle's life. I've never seen the film that his life was turned into, and in fact, before I perused my friends bookcase, I'd never heard of him before, so for me, this was a perfect overview of him to read.
March 21, 2015
I remember first picking up Kyle's book American Sniper long before his name began circulating in social media. I was blown away by his story. This is my go to genre of reading hands down every time. To me it's not about romanticizing Kyle (like Taya says) but reading how he struggled with his family back home without him there and serving 4 tours, and the toll it took on him. Especially his transition back into civilian life. He is a hero, saved American lives and was passionate about his country. Following him on Facebook, watching live interviews and hearing there would be another book, American Gun...I was deeply saddened when his death was reported. I'm glad that so many people know his name, and his story. There are so many other great ones too.
January 23, 2020
Personally I enjoyed reading this book. This book entails the story of Chris Kyle who was a war hero in the United States Navy SEALS. This book intrigued me to see what it is like to be overseas and to learn more about a man who was renowned in this field. This book by Michael Mooney explored what it is like for soldiers who have came home.
One reason I enjoyed this book was the imagery used. I enjoyed how Mooney described Kyle's experiences with other soldiers with PTSD which Kyle also struggled with. I also enjoyed the chapter with Kyle's killer where Mooney went into an interview with the killer, but he was just struggling.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who would want to know more about soldier's struggles after they serve.
One reason I enjoyed this book was the imagery used. I enjoyed how Mooney described Kyle's experiences with other soldiers with PTSD which Kyle also struggled with. I also enjoyed the chapter with Kyle's killer where Mooney went into an interview with the killer, but he was just struggling.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who would want to know more about soldier's struggles after they serve.
January 17, 2016
I think it was a very good book. The main characters were Chris Kyle and his wife. He became a navey seal and was in Afghanistan after he watched the twin towers get blown up. He was very angry about it so he became a navey seal. He was the best sniper with 160 confirmed kills and the main problem was that he kept on going to make tours he went for 4 tours and while he came home he was not mentally stable because all he could think about is war. I liked this book because he was saving lots of marines and he had over 160 kills last but not least the book was based on a true story. The only thing I did not like was that there was a lot of swearing in it. Over all it was the best book I've ever read.
December 31, 2017
This was a string of anecdotes put together and called a book. Having said that, there were a few things in here that I didn't know, and I left feeling like I had a better understanding of the person. This was definitely written to mostly honor him, (positive side). (However, I disliked the part about hitting cows, but *shrugs* it is what it is. That's not a fault of the author.) Having helped a 5th/6th grader with a research project on Kyle, I think this would be a good (quick) reference for such. Or a "cliffnotes" version of his life. It doesn't have a lot a substance, but it does cover a lot of material in a short amount of time, mostly through anecdotes. (Audiobook) 3*
January 27, 2015
Michael J. Mooney writes about Chris Kyle as if he expanded a magazine article into a book. Well, that's what he's done. So there's not time to explore the myths perpetuated about Kyle, or dig into some of the stories that persist about the murdered sniper. Mooney takes a quick pass at the story of Kyle killing to carjackers in Texas, but seems to toss up his hands and resolving what comes across as fiction, not fact. Maybe some perspective, and open air on current military secrecy will enable a better picture of Kyle, but it's not here.
February 1, 2016
Having read the reviews I really couldn't wait to get stuck into this. I finished the book in only a few days (its very short) and I have to say that I found it incredibly disappointing. It skipped quickly over the interesting parts of his life and just seemed to repeatedly say how much of a legend he was, whilst I agree that he was a legend the book needed a lot more depth. Fans of Chris Kyle should stick to his official American Sniper biography and steer clear of this hearsay account of his life!!
February 13, 2019
a really good book that shows Mr. Kyle in a new perspective
December 30, 2022
Without detailing the reasons Chris Kyle became a modern day legend but rather sketching out the life lived around it, Michael Mooney produces an excellent grounding fork for history to build around.
The wide success of the movie version of American Sniper, along with the earlier Passion of the Christ, and fears of a Republican president holding office in the aftermath of 9/11, led a massive campaign from liberal circles to redefine the course of American life in the past twenty years. The idea of Chris Kyle being a hero, an icon, was the one exception to the mounting narrative that has come to define the times, that being American, much less being proud to be American, is somehow an embarrassment.
I had a brother-in-law who resembled Kyle, for a few years, in my life, and so it’s difficult to separate the two in my thoughts. The Kyle who emerges in this book is unabashedly larger than life, who came to dominate through sheer force of will the world around him, even as he simultaneously refused to let it create an ego to match. He simply led his life, even if that life was difficult for others to comprehend. In today’s world a military individual is just another component of life, and yet their lives are infinitely different than the average, especially those who fought in multiple tours of the two major wars America prosecuted this early century. We’ve done our best to mythologize those wars, so that they’re not really human, whether remote (which is the sin of all wars Americans have fought in the past hundred years), or embarrassing (the most famous anecdotes to come from them, none of which involved actual combat). Those merely fighting them have been portrayed as fighting private little wars, personal ones, crusades, and somehow still remaining human. That was Chris Kyle. And they come back and face people who really can’t understand what they experienced.
Mooney talks about how Kyle became a celebrity even before he died, before the movie, before he ever left a battlefield, The Legend, because stories were being told about him. And Mooney tells very few of them. The one he emphasizes most happens at a gas station in the States. He’s not even sure it really happened. He keeps insisting that if records were unclassified the Chris Kyle story would be all the more sensational. And perhaps one day that story will be told, too.
As I said, this is a good way to find a baseline. It’s short and gets to the point, and it makes its point. This is a story worth telling. This is an American worth knowing, an embodiment of an age, even as the age around him keeps trying to pretend otherwise. These are the times, and someone like Chris Kyle will simply get on with their life and let someone else worry about getting the recognition. So far he’s proven undeniable. That’s exactly as it should be.
The wide success of the movie version of American Sniper, along with the earlier Passion of the Christ, and fears of a Republican president holding office in the aftermath of 9/11, led a massive campaign from liberal circles to redefine the course of American life in the past twenty years. The idea of Chris Kyle being a hero, an icon, was the one exception to the mounting narrative that has come to define the times, that being American, much less being proud to be American, is somehow an embarrassment.
I had a brother-in-law who resembled Kyle, for a few years, in my life, and so it’s difficult to separate the two in my thoughts. The Kyle who emerges in this book is unabashedly larger than life, who came to dominate through sheer force of will the world around him, even as he simultaneously refused to let it create an ego to match. He simply led his life, even if that life was difficult for others to comprehend. In today’s world a military individual is just another component of life, and yet their lives are infinitely different than the average, especially those who fought in multiple tours of the two major wars America prosecuted this early century. We’ve done our best to mythologize those wars, so that they’re not really human, whether remote (which is the sin of all wars Americans have fought in the past hundred years), or embarrassing (the most famous anecdotes to come from them, none of which involved actual combat). Those merely fighting them have been portrayed as fighting private little wars, personal ones, crusades, and somehow still remaining human. That was Chris Kyle. And they come back and face people who really can’t understand what they experienced.
Mooney talks about how Kyle became a celebrity even before he died, before the movie, before he ever left a battlefield, The Legend, because stories were being told about him. And Mooney tells very few of them. The one he emphasizes most happens at a gas station in the States. He’s not even sure it really happened. He keeps insisting that if records were unclassified the Chris Kyle story would be all the more sensational. And perhaps one day that story will be told, too.
As I said, this is a good way to find a baseline. It’s short and gets to the point, and it makes its point. This is a story worth telling. This is an American worth knowing, an embodiment of an age, even as the age around him keeps trying to pretend otherwise. These are the times, and someone like Chris Kyle will simply get on with their life and let someone else worry about getting the recognition. So far he’s proven undeniable. That’s exactly as it should be.
October 2, 2022
I read this book a few year after reading American Sniper. This is a good book for small details about his life or the people around him. It humanizes the legend.
For example
Pg. 72 He (Chris Kyle) started collecting replicas of old west guns…Taya would find him practicing his quick draw and gun twirling skills with an unloaded six-shooter. If she(Taya) saw someone on the screen that she didn’t like she would jokingly ask “can you shoot that guy?” He would put the pistol at the TV and pretend to fire “Got ‘em, babe.”
For example
Pg. 72 He (Chris Kyle) started collecting replicas of old west guns…Taya would find him practicing his quick draw and gun twirling skills with an unloaded six-shooter. If she(Taya) saw someone on the screen that she didn’t like she would jokingly ask “can you shoot that guy?” He would put the pistol at the TV and pretend to fire “Got ‘em, babe.”
December 31, 2019
Really loved this other side to the Chris Kyle story. This book gives you insight that other books about him did not … I would HIGHLY recommend this book if you have read other books about Chris Kyle. This is a Quick read and you will find you will want to share the stories from this book with others I did!
Read
April 21, 2023this was the best nonfiction book ive ever read, ive always been into military books and this one is amazing, talking about chris kyles time in service, and how transitioning into the civilian life was difficult but also the best decision he made, and how much he made a impact on the world before he passed away
February 4, 2018
This was an easy to read and enjoy book focused on Chris Kyle has a person. Briefly mentions his accomplishments but focuses more on the how the people in his life saw him and his reactions to things. It was almost like finding out a different side of the American Sniper.
May 19, 2018
This was such a good book. It’s a short one but very well written. One chapter actually made me tear up. I read this before I read American Sniper so this was almost a spoiler to American Sniper for me. It’s very detailed but it’s almost like a summary and American Sniper covers the nitty gritty. This book seems to be more personal and appeal to emotions more than American Sniper did. They are both good books but this one moved me more than American Sniper.
October 4, 2018
I picked this book up because I wanted to get my biographies out of the way, but after reading the book I liked it because I had never known about Chris Kyle. After reading this book, I now know he was the greatest sniper ever.
December 19, 2018
So true this is the patriotism that we are supposed to have.
True patriotism. This was what I feel the people of our country should feel. Heart wrenching to know you aren't safe in your own country.
True patriotism. This was what I feel the people of our country should feel. Heart wrenching to know you aren't safe in your own country.
February 19, 2021
Very quick read and author skims over a lot of detail. Felt almost like a long magazine article and would’ve liked more in depth detail. Interesting book but extremely surface level which drives the rating.
March 9, 2024
I read this book with breakfast & it was really interesting. I picked it up not knowing who Chris Kyle was, or what the book was about, but I did know of the name “American Sniper”. It turns out the movie is about him. It was cool to read about such a hero in the American military.
June 19, 2017
Review
I have not read the autobiography on Chris Kyle yet. I should have read the autobiography first for story references.
I have not read the autobiography on Chris Kyle yet. I should have read the autobiography first for story references.
July 31, 2017
Inspiring
Chris Kyle was an amazing person. I had hoped this book would be longer and share more of his life, but I devoured each word and loved it.
Chris Kyle was an amazing person. I had hoped this book would be longer and share more of his life, but I devoured each word and loved it.
February 5, 2018
If you want information about the American Sniper this is the book to read.
February 28, 2018
Simple yet excellent book with lessons for everyone who picks it up. We get to learn more about the man behind the legend. The book length does justice to what kind of man Chris Kyle was.
June 8, 2018
*3.5/5
This was an easy read, that really packed an emotional punch at the end. It was very short, getting to the point a lot. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.
This was an easy read, that really packed an emotional punch at the end. It was very short, getting to the point a lot. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.
March 31, 2019
A sniper's life is reviewed.
Many bits of this book were interesting, but it was too brief to give any real sense of the man.
Overall rating 3.5.
Reading time around one hour.
Many bits of this book were interesting, but it was too brief to give any real sense of the man.
Overall rating 3.5.
Reading time around one hour.
May 31, 2019
This was a short but fascinating look at the complex life of Navy Sniper Chris Kyle. It’s a must read to understand Kyle’s complicated and storied legacy.
August 7, 2019
Very good read
You can really tell the author put time into finding out who the man behind the legend was. Very emotionally gripping content
You can really tell the author put time into finding out who the man behind the legend was. Very emotionally gripping content
August 9, 2020
I listened to this after listening to American Sniper... Amazing! What a true Hero🙏
February 3, 2021
What can I say, this guy was simply a bad ass. He had more kills than any other sniper. The book and movie didn't really match up. This was a great read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews