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Tough As They Come
Thousands have been wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Five have survived quadruple amputee injuries. This is one soldier's story.
Thousands of soldiers die every year to defend their country. United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills was sure that he would become another statistic when, during his third tour of duty in Afghanistan, he was caught in an IED blast four days before his twenty-fifth birthday. Against the odds, he lived, but at a severe cost—Travis became one of only five soldiers from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to survive a quadruple amputation.
Suddenly forced to reconcile with the fact that he no longer had arms or legs, Travis was faced with a future drastically different from the one he had imagined for himself. He would never again be able to lead his squad, stroke his fingers against his wife’s cheek, or pick up his infant daughter.
Travis struggled through the painful and anxious days of rehabilitation so that he could regain the strength to live his life to the fullest. With enormous willpower and endurance, the unconditional love of his family, and a generous amount of faith, Travis shocked everyone with his remarkable recovery. Even without limbs, he still swims, dances with his wife, rides mountain bikes, and drives his daughter to school.
Travis inspires thousands every day with his remarkable journey. He doesn’t want to be thought of as wounded. “I'm just a man with scars,” he says, “living life to the fullest and best I know how.”
Thousands of soldiers die every year to defend their country. United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills was sure that he would become another statistic when, during his third tour of duty in Afghanistan, he was caught in an IED blast four days before his twenty-fifth birthday. Against the odds, he lived, but at a severe cost—Travis became one of only five soldiers from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to survive a quadruple amputation.
Suddenly forced to reconcile with the fact that he no longer had arms or legs, Travis was faced with a future drastically different from the one he had imagined for himself. He would never again be able to lead his squad, stroke his fingers against his wife’s cheek, or pick up his infant daughter.
Travis struggled through the painful and anxious days of rehabilitation so that he could regain the strength to live his life to the fullest. With enormous willpower and endurance, the unconditional love of his family, and a generous amount of faith, Travis shocked everyone with his remarkable recovery. Even without limbs, he still swims, dances with his wife, rides mountain bikes, and drives his daughter to school.
Travis inspires thousands every day with his remarkable journey. He doesn’t want to be thought of as wounded. “I'm just a man with scars,” he says, “living life to the fullest and best I know how.”
272 pages, Paperback
First published October 27, 2015
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December 14, 2015
MY Blog: Melissa Martin's Reading List
OMG! This book had me sobbing at parts. I'm really glad I got to read this man's story.
This is the story of SSG Travis Mills and how he became the 4th out of 5 quadruple amputee's and survived. Travis talks about life growing up, what it was like, what he wanted to do with his life, things like that. He really wanted to play football but he didn't make the grades out of high school to get asked to play. He decided to go to community college and decided he was wasting his money and then joined up with the military.
Travis talks about the squadron he was in charge of, his friends there, his family, how he met his wife, his baby girl, parents, everything. He's a tough man to go through all the went through and felt that he let his men down. There were a few times in the book that he lost his spirit but he came back and fought all of that away.
The journal entries from his wife in the book and thoughts from his parents just about keeled me over. I cried and cried, and Travis talking about how he felt like he couldn't take care of his family. But his strength and will to fight back as he has done all of this life was a thing of inspiration.. and yeah.. I cried at that too.
I'm going to leave the rest of the review to mostly excerpts from the book because they are just too good. I will comment here and there. I would recommend this book to anyone in the military or that would just like to read about this man. It's truly heartfelt.
♣♣♣♣♣
My rank was staff sergeant. I was an NCO, part of the backbone of the army. Specifically, I was a weapons squad leader in 1st Platoon, Bravo Troop, 4/73rd Cavalry Squadron, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. It's a long title, I know. Basically I was a paratrooper and a combat infantry soldier. I was a frontline soldier in a war without front lines.
I called Riot up to me and asked him where he thought we should put up the gun. I knew where it should go, but I wanted to let him decide, making sure he knew his stuff. He motioned to exactly where I thought we should put it, a good spot, and I said, "All right. Go get Neff and bring him up here." That was it. Riot left to go get Neff, and as he did, I set my backpack down. The backpack touching the dirt was all it took.
Such a simple act of war.
My world erupted.
Travis goes into great detail of what happens from there and what he remembers, no holds barred, the bad and the ugly and the gore.
The book backtracks back and forth between things that happened.
Okay then, that's what I'd do. For my first deployment, I was going to be one small part of the greater force of ISAF, helping to fight the war against global terror. It felt a lot more purposeful to me than sitting in community college, worrying I was wasting my money.
The morning of April 10, 2012, dawned bright. It was four days until my twenty-five birthday, and we were now six weeks into this deployment.
This was the day he got blown up.... the first family member called was his brother-in-law, Josh Buck, he's in the military too, but was able to get to him and spend the time with him before anyone else.
The nurse brought Josh some of my personal effects that I'd had on me when I was wounded. Among them was my wedding ring. My ring finger had been destroyed, but one of the medic at the scene had thought to find the ring. It was caked with blood and dirt. Josh asked the hospital staff for a couple of alcohol wipes. He sat in the hallway and painstakingly scrubbed until every bit of blood and grime was gone. I was still sedated, and this gave him something productive to do to take his mind off things, he said. He vowed that theh ring would not be out of his possession until he could give it to Kelsey.
When the job was finished, he put the wedding ring in his pocket next to my Purple Heart.
There are some funny parts that happened with Travis and his dad trying to cheer him up. I'm not going to put that here, but I will put in a little convo him and Josh had that cracked me up from all of the crying.
Josh was in my room.
I could see him clearly.
"Josh," I said.
"Yeah?"
"I see dead people. Don't you?"
"There are no dead people in the room," Josh said flatly. "Go back to sleep, Travis."
Five minutes went by. "Josh?"
"Yeah?"
"Those dead people are still here."
"Are you serious?"
I cracked a grin. "I'm just messing with you, dude."
I loved this part because I hate when parents don't correct their kids or try to at any rate.
Normally I like kids, and I tried to shrug it off. But the kid kept staring-and staring and staring- and the kid's parent saw her do this but didn't do anything about it. Finally, fed up, I hissed to the kid, "You know who did this to me? The bogeyman in your closet and the monster under your bed."
I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!
I'm leaving you here with one last excerpt:
I don't think what I've gone through is particularly harder than what plenty of other people go through. Maybe your mom has gone through terminal cancer. Or maybe you lost your job. Or maybe you struggle with addiction. I don't compare the degree of difficulty in my story to anybody else's. We all have our unique challenges to go through. The point is that you can keep going You can choose to never give up. You can choose to never quit.
THANK YOU FOR THAT TRAVIS, WHAT A WONDERFUL MAN. TOO MANY PEOPLE TELL YOU LOOK AT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH, YOU COULD BE THAT PERSON AND TRAVIS DIDN'T DO THAT, HE SAYS TO NOT GIVE UP AND THAT NO ONE'S PROBLEMS ARE ANY WORSE THAN ANYONE ELSE. BLESS HIM!
Travis also started the Travis Mills Foundation, which benefits and assists wounded and injured veterans. Check it out: www.travismills.org
*I would like to thank BLOGGING FOR BOOKS for a free print copy of this awesome book in exchange for my honest review.*
Travis, his wife Kelsey and their daughter Chloe.
OMG! This book had me sobbing at parts. I'm really glad I got to read this man's story.
This is the story of SSG Travis Mills and how he became the 4th out of 5 quadruple amputee's and survived. Travis talks about life growing up, what it was like, what he wanted to do with his life, things like that. He really wanted to play football but he didn't make the grades out of high school to get asked to play. He decided to go to community college and decided he was wasting his money and then joined up with the military.
Travis talks about the squadron he was in charge of, his friends there, his family, how he met his wife, his baby girl, parents, everything. He's a tough man to go through all the went through and felt that he let his men down. There were a few times in the book that he lost his spirit but he came back and fought all of that away.
The journal entries from his wife in the book and thoughts from his parents just about keeled me over. I cried and cried, and Travis talking about how he felt like he couldn't take care of his family. But his strength and will to fight back as he has done all of this life was a thing of inspiration.. and yeah.. I cried at that too.
I'm going to leave the rest of the review to mostly excerpts from the book because they are just too good. I will comment here and there. I would recommend this book to anyone in the military or that would just like to read about this man. It's truly heartfelt.
♣♣♣♣♣
My rank was staff sergeant. I was an NCO, part of the backbone of the army. Specifically, I was a weapons squad leader in 1st Platoon, Bravo Troop, 4/73rd Cavalry Squadron, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. It's a long title, I know. Basically I was a paratrooper and a combat infantry soldier. I was a frontline soldier in a war without front lines.
I called Riot up to me and asked him where he thought we should put up the gun. I knew where it should go, but I wanted to let him decide, making sure he knew his stuff. He motioned to exactly where I thought we should put it, a good spot, and I said, "All right. Go get Neff and bring him up here." That was it. Riot left to go get Neff, and as he did, I set my backpack down. The backpack touching the dirt was all it took.
Such a simple act of war.
My world erupted.
Travis goes into great detail of what happens from there and what he remembers, no holds barred, the bad and the ugly and the gore.
The book backtracks back and forth between things that happened.
Okay then, that's what I'd do. For my first deployment, I was going to be one small part of the greater force of ISAF, helping to fight the war against global terror. It felt a lot more purposeful to me than sitting in community college, worrying I was wasting my money.
The morning of April 10, 2012, dawned bright. It was four days until my twenty-five birthday, and we were now six weeks into this deployment.
This was the day he got blown up.... the first family member called was his brother-in-law, Josh Buck, he's in the military too, but was able to get to him and spend the time with him before anyone else.
The nurse brought Josh some of my personal effects that I'd had on me when I was wounded. Among them was my wedding ring. My ring finger had been destroyed, but one of the medic at the scene had thought to find the ring. It was caked with blood and dirt. Josh asked the hospital staff for a couple of alcohol wipes. He sat in the hallway and painstakingly scrubbed until every bit of blood and grime was gone. I was still sedated, and this gave him something productive to do to take his mind off things, he said. He vowed that theh ring would not be out of his possession until he could give it to Kelsey.
When the job was finished, he put the wedding ring in his pocket next to my Purple Heart.
There are some funny parts that happened with Travis and his dad trying to cheer him up. I'm not going to put that here, but I will put in a little convo him and Josh had that cracked me up from all of the crying.
Josh was in my room.
I could see him clearly.
"Josh," I said.
"Yeah?"
"I see dead people. Don't you?"
"There are no dead people in the room," Josh said flatly. "Go back to sleep, Travis."
Five minutes went by. "Josh?"
"Yeah?"
"Those dead people are still here."
"Are you serious?"
I cracked a grin. "I'm just messing with you, dude."
I loved this part because I hate when parents don't correct their kids or try to at any rate.
Normally I like kids, and I tried to shrug it off. But the kid kept staring-and staring and staring- and the kid's parent saw her do this but didn't do anything about it. Finally, fed up, I hissed to the kid, "You know who did this to me? The bogeyman in your closet and the monster under your bed."
I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!
I'm leaving you here with one last excerpt:
I don't think what I've gone through is particularly harder than what plenty of other people go through. Maybe your mom has gone through terminal cancer. Or maybe you lost your job. Or maybe you struggle with addiction. I don't compare the degree of difficulty in my story to anybody else's. We all have our unique challenges to go through. The point is that you can keep going You can choose to never give up. You can choose to never quit.
THANK YOU FOR THAT TRAVIS, WHAT A WONDERFUL MAN. TOO MANY PEOPLE TELL YOU LOOK AT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH, YOU COULD BE THAT PERSON AND TRAVIS DIDN'T DO THAT, HE SAYS TO NOT GIVE UP AND THAT NO ONE'S PROBLEMS ARE ANY WORSE THAN ANYONE ELSE. BLESS HIM!
Travis also started the Travis Mills Foundation, which benefits and assists wounded and injured veterans. Check it out: www.travismills.org
*I would like to thank BLOGGING FOR BOOKS for a free print copy of this awesome book in exchange for my honest review.*
Travis, his wife Kelsey and their daughter Chloe.
November 8, 2019
I heard an interview with SSG Mills around Thanksgiving last year. After I got the book, I was almost reluctant to read it. I'm glad I did.
SSG Travis Mills tells his remarkable story in a simple straightforward fashion. It is best summed up this way:
"People tell me that my story encourages them. That if I can keep going forward then they can too. Often I'm called a hero, but I don't know about that. I didn't do anything special. I had a bad day at work -- you know what I mean? It was a normal day in Afghanistan that turned ugly. I just had a bad case of the Mondays. "
"Never give up. Never quit. "
― Travis Mills, Tough As They Come
SSG Travis Mills tells his remarkable story in a simple straightforward fashion. It is best summed up this way:
"People tell me that my story encourages them. That if I can keep going forward then they can too. Often I'm called a hero, but I don't know about that. I didn't do anything special. I had a bad day at work -- you know what I mean? It was a normal day in Afghanistan that turned ugly. I just had a bad case of the Mondays. "
"Never give up. Never quit. "
― Travis Mills, Tough As They Come
September 18, 2018
A very inspirational story about a soldier who lost all four limbs in an IED explosion while on his third tour in Afghanistan. It chronicles his time in the Army, his accident and his subsequent recovery. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking a story about the human spirit triumphing and overcoming adversity.
May 2, 2016
Short but tremendously moving and inspiring story of a combat soldier in Afghanistan who loses both legs AND both arms but refuses to be defeated. Travis Mills tells his own story in a voice that is warm, funny, down to earth, and completely authentic.
The thing that impressed me the most reading this book was how human and decent Travis Mills seems to be as a person. When you read AMERICAN SNIPER by Chris Kyle or even LONE SURVIVOR by Marcus Luttrell it's sometimes hard to relate because the killing and violence seem almost second nature to these patriotic Americans. With Travis Mills it's different. Even though he's absolutely candid about killing being part of his job and even though he describes dozens of firefights in electrifying detail, you never get the impression that he liked the killing or enjoyed it for its own sake.
What this book really teaches you is what a combat leader is and what he does. Travis Mills was invaluable to his unit not because he was the biggest or the strongest or even the bravest, though it's clear he was all those things. He was vital to the unit because he brought so much heart and so much love for his soldiers into every part of his job, and it's obvious that the bigness of his heart is also what allowed him to survive his horrendous injuries and build a new life with the help of his family, community, and his comrades in arms.
Nothing could be more shallow than to call a story like this a "feel good" story, yet that's really exactly what it is. The courage and humanity that Travis Mills shows are above politics and timeless. There are some political questions the book left me with, but I don't want to point fingers and turn this review into a political tirade. So if you're not into politics, stop reading here.
(POLITICAL COMMENTARY STARTS HERE)
I only wish that politicians like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton could read it before they made the decision to commit American troops to combat. Travis Mills was wounded in April 2012, almost ten years into the war, and a good four years into the Obama presidency. There's no reason it had to happen. Barack Obama could have ordered the troops to stand down the day after his inauguration but he chose otherwise. And yet his anti-war base just keeps on giving him a pass, year after year, because after all it's not "really" his fault.
The anti-war left doesn't really care about the casualties, because the soldiers themselves are all nobodies from small town America, fools from flyover country, bumpkins from the backwoods. These are the people Anna Quindlen sneeringly dismissed as "not smart, not rich, not directed enough for college" during Operation Desert Storm, more than twenty-five years ago. It's fair to say that Anna Quindlen never met a man like Travis Mills, but it wouldn't matter if she had. Her reflexive disdain for the military and for military families goes back nearly half a century to Vietnam. And just like the Bourbon kings of France, the anti-war left has learned nothing and forgotten nothing.
The thing that impressed me the most reading this book was how human and decent Travis Mills seems to be as a person. When you read AMERICAN SNIPER by Chris Kyle or even LONE SURVIVOR by Marcus Luttrell it's sometimes hard to relate because the killing and violence seem almost second nature to these patriotic Americans. With Travis Mills it's different. Even though he's absolutely candid about killing being part of his job and even though he describes dozens of firefights in electrifying detail, you never get the impression that he liked the killing or enjoyed it for its own sake.
What this book really teaches you is what a combat leader is and what he does. Travis Mills was invaluable to his unit not because he was the biggest or the strongest or even the bravest, though it's clear he was all those things. He was vital to the unit because he brought so much heart and so much love for his soldiers into every part of his job, and it's obvious that the bigness of his heart is also what allowed him to survive his horrendous injuries and build a new life with the help of his family, community, and his comrades in arms.
Nothing could be more shallow than to call a story like this a "feel good" story, yet that's really exactly what it is. The courage and humanity that Travis Mills shows are above politics and timeless. There are some political questions the book left me with, but I don't want to point fingers and turn this review into a political tirade. So if you're not into politics, stop reading here.
(POLITICAL COMMENTARY STARTS HERE)
I only wish that politicians like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton could read it before they made the decision to commit American troops to combat. Travis Mills was wounded in April 2012, almost ten years into the war, and a good four years into the Obama presidency. There's no reason it had to happen. Barack Obama could have ordered the troops to stand down the day after his inauguration but he chose otherwise. And yet his anti-war base just keeps on giving him a pass, year after year, because after all it's not "really" his fault.
The anti-war left doesn't really care about the casualties, because the soldiers themselves are all nobodies from small town America, fools from flyover country, bumpkins from the backwoods. These are the people Anna Quindlen sneeringly dismissed as "not smart, not rich, not directed enough for college" during Operation Desert Storm, more than twenty-five years ago. It's fair to say that Anna Quindlen never met a man like Travis Mills, but it wouldn't matter if she had. Her reflexive disdain for the military and for military families goes back nearly half a century to Vietnam. And just like the Bourbon kings of France, the anti-war left has learned nothing and forgotten nothing.
February 21, 2016
Tough as They Come is the story of SSG Travis Mills, of the 82nd Airborne who survived becoming a quadruple amputee. Like many of these books, Tough as They Come, is as much promo for the foundation started by the author to assist wounded veterans as memoir. It's a fine book, part of the increasing catalog of military memoirs, but just didn't excite me.
July 9, 2016
Mills' story is inspirational. The kind you can't put down. The kind that makes you cry with joy and pain. The kind that makes you feel like an idiot with your mundane problems and makes you promise not to complain. Ever. He has the fortitude, the upbringing, the support system and the optimism to get through anything. If he can do what he did, maybe you can meet smaller hurdles head-on and prevail. And he's funny and smart, too. A natural leader who should seriously consider politics. He should represent us somehow again now that he's retired from the military. His voice should be heard beyond the veterans he serves now. His story is told in a very open, straight-shooting, likeable way. You want this guy on your team. You want him to succeed and be happy.
Mills imparts one of my favorite life lessons that has served him well. Concentrate on the stuff you CAN control. The rest'll drive you crazy.
I have to mention, again, my bitterness about this cockamamie Bush Admin idea of nation-building in Afghanistan and the Obama Admin's dangerous, stupid, draconian rules of engagement. What are we doing in the world? How did we get such leadership? Look at our 2 candidates for the next presidency.
On a lighter note, I do have a bone to pick with Mills. He describes a dream/hallucination he had in the hospital, heavily sedated, involving a 50-year-old woman "old and wrinkly!" So not!!! Travis, you are a beautiful human being and I'm real glad you're alive.
Mills imparts one of my favorite life lessons that has served him well. Concentrate on the stuff you CAN control. The rest'll drive you crazy.
I have to mention, again, my bitterness about this cockamamie Bush Admin idea of nation-building in Afghanistan and the Obama Admin's dangerous, stupid, draconian rules of engagement. What are we doing in the world? How did we get such leadership? Look at our 2 candidates for the next presidency.
On a lighter note, I do have a bone to pick with Mills. He describes a dream/hallucination he had in the hospital, heavily sedated, involving a 50-year-old woman "old and wrinkly!" So not!!! Travis, you are a beautiful human being and I'm real glad you're alive.
January 22, 2017
From the first chapter I was enthralled and could not put this book down. I cannot even begin to imagine what soldiers go through while in combat and to hear Travis tell it with such detail paints such a vivid picture. After hearing a brief summary of what happened on April 10, 2012 Travis takes us back through the journey that led to that fateful day and the journey to healing afterward.
Travis telling about his tours in Afghanistan in such detail really put you into that world. War has always been something that makes me cringe despite knowing it's a necessary evil. Hearing Travis tell his story you can feel the brotherhood. My favorite part of his story was hearing Travis tell about how he met and married his wife and the birth of his daughter. Beautiful!
You feel both the physical and emotional pain and frustration that Travis feels as he comes to grips and learns to deal with no longer having arms or legs.
After reading Travis' story, one can not help but be motivated. If this man can overcome everything that he has overcome, being a quadruple amputee, then surely the rest of us can overcome the obstacles that we face.
I highly recommend this book and thank you to Travis and all the men and women who have served this great nation of ours.
*I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review
Travis telling about his tours in Afghanistan in such detail really put you into that world. War has always been something that makes me cringe despite knowing it's a necessary evil. Hearing Travis tell his story you can feel the brotherhood. My favorite part of his story was hearing Travis tell about how he met and married his wife and the birth of his daughter. Beautiful!
You feel both the physical and emotional pain and frustration that Travis feels as he comes to grips and learns to deal with no longer having arms or legs.
After reading Travis' story, one can not help but be motivated. If this man can overcome everything that he has overcome, being a quadruple amputee, then surely the rest of us can overcome the obstacles that we face.
I highly recommend this book and thank you to Travis and all the men and women who have served this great nation of ours.
*I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review
November 17, 2015
As I read SSG Travis Mills’ story 2 things stood out: one this guy didn’t clean up everything to make war and what our soldiers go through palatable for the reader; this is as real as it gets. The second thing I noticed is that even though Tough As They Come is marketed under the Christian genre, he and his co-author show us that he had anger about what happened to him and he felt far from God in his darkest times. This was challenging for him and his family and yet in the midst of suffering God was present.
SSG Travis Mills is one of a few surviving quadruple amputees. As a member of the 82nd Airborne Division he was blown up by a hidden IED in Afghanistan. He, as the title suggests, is one tough guy and a living example of “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” In the midst of all the horror of this war tale, SSG Mills’ humor is a bright light that had me laughing through my tears. I came away thinking “if he can go through this and all the rehabilitation, then what the heck am I whining about.” I highly recommend this book to all vets, families of vets, caregivers, doctors who work with them and anyone who cares about what our soldiers go through. I’m giving 5 stars and lots of prayers to the authors for being brave enough to unflinchingly tell his story.
SSG Travis Mills is one of a few surviving quadruple amputees. As a member of the 82nd Airborne Division he was blown up by a hidden IED in Afghanistan. He, as the title suggests, is one tough guy and a living example of “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” In the midst of all the horror of this war tale, SSG Mills’ humor is a bright light that had me laughing through my tears. I came away thinking “if he can go through this and all the rehabilitation, then what the heck am I whining about.” I highly recommend this book to all vets, families of vets, caregivers, doctors who work with them and anyone who cares about what our soldiers go through. I’m giving 5 stars and lots of prayers to the authors for being brave enough to unflinchingly tell his story.
January 7, 2016
Travis Mills is one of the handful of survivors who have a quadruple amputation. He's living on the boundary of modern medicine but he's not going to let anything slow him down. This is his down to earth biography, the highs and lows that brought a man in his twenties face to face with death.
Why I started this book: I needed to be inspired this year, plus it looked awesome.
Why I finished it: I couldn't put it down. Fascinating audio book and a reminder that the fight is tough for us all, and that we can survive more than we would ever imagine. I would recommend reading Run, Don't Walk: The Curious and Chaotic Life of a Physical Therapist Inside Walter Reed Army Medical Center with this.
Why I started this book: I needed to be inspired this year, plus it looked awesome.
Why I finished it: I couldn't put it down. Fascinating audio book and a reminder that the fight is tough for us all, and that we can survive more than we would ever imagine. I would recommend reading Run, Don't Walk: The Curious and Chaotic Life of a Physical Therapist Inside Walter Reed Army Medical Center with this.
September 6, 2015
I received this galley in exchange for an honest review.
When I saw this book on netgalley, I requested it right away. I enjoyed reading about Travis Mills story. While serving his country in Afghanistan, Mills lost both his arms and legs in an IED blast. His story is so powerful and brave. People should read his book and become inspired. If Mills can get through what he experienced, then there is hope for the rest of us to be able to move on when something terrible happens in our own lives. I highly recommend his breathtaking story about overcoming all odds.
When I saw this book on netgalley, I requested it right away. I enjoyed reading about Travis Mills story. While serving his country in Afghanistan, Mills lost both his arms and legs in an IED blast. His story is so powerful and brave. People should read his book and become inspired. If Mills can get through what he experienced, then there is hope for the rest of us to be able to move on when something terrible happens in our own lives. I highly recommend his breathtaking story about overcoming all odds.
June 19, 2017
A little too much bragging....not about surviving the injury - that would be worth bragging about. But his entire life. In fact, very little about the book is about how he overcame the quadruple amputee injuries. Most of it was about how funny he was as a youngster, how great of a leader he was to everyone around him, etc. That was disappointing.
October 31, 2015
Courage in the face of adversity
Amazing and incredibly inspiring true story.
Could not put this book down. Thank you Travis Mills
for your courage, determination and the love you have
for your country, your friends and, especially, for your family
too.
Amazing and incredibly inspiring true story.
Could not put this book down. Thank you Travis Mills
for your courage, determination and the love you have
for your country, your friends and, especially, for your family
too.
June 8, 2019
I have seen Travis at many different events. He is amazing, very humble, down to earth, funny as hell, and all around a great guy. I enjoyed his book and look forward to many more events that help, encourage, and support veterans.
October 25, 2017
Tough As They Come is the story of Travis Mills' military career and subsequent injury. When he came to our school I was so excited to win a copy of his book. Honestly though I wasn't sure if I'd like it. First, I'm not necessarily into military books and, second, I wasn't sure what his writing style would be like. He was funny and engaging as a presenter but many, many people are great speakers but not engaging authors. I was so pleasantly surprised by his book. It is full of his voice and after hearing him in person it was like I could hear him reading or telling the story to me; it felt personal and like I was there in the action. One of the things I loved most is that it's not just about his injury. In fact, I would say 80% of the book is about his life before his injury and since I didn't hear about this in his presentation or the Netflix documentary I found it really interesting. I think people who like action packed books or are inspired by his story would love this book. There are some gore-y parts and some somewhat mature parts so I wouldn't recommend it if you're sensitive to either of those, but overall I loved it and would recommend it to almost anyone.
May 17, 2024
Probably one of the best books I've ever read. Travis tells his story in such a beautiful way. I absolutely loved reading this book and couldn't put it down. Travis has clearly overcome a lot of obstacles but he is truly an inspiration. This book truly shows what the love and support from your family can do. I can't say enough good things about this book.
December 19, 2023
Grit. Resilience. Humor through an unimaginable injury and recovery. An incredible book written by an incredible hero. Thank you for sharing your story, SSG Travis Mills.
July 17, 2024
I fell connected to this book, heartfelt ♥️ extraordinary bio!
December 15, 2015
"Tough As They Come" is a memoir by Retired US Army Seargeant Travis Mills of the 82nd Airborne Division. SSG Mills is one of five surviving quadruple amputees and now serves as a motivational speaker.
SSG Mills starts out with a heartfelt and humble note honoring all those who have served and are serving in the military: "... I don't hold the value of my service in the military above anyone else's. I don't think I served better of harder or greater than any other soldier. I'm just thankful I was able to serve my country..." While serving for the US Army, SSG Mills did three deployments in Afghanistan and faced numerous challenges. Unfortunately, all his limbs were amputed after an IED blast. Clearly, he has faced numerous challenges in his life. His second point in his note reads, "... even though I've been wounded badly, I don't think the challenges in my life are any greater than anyone else's." I was sold and wanted to read more about his experiences, struggles and his ways to overcome them.
The main message that the author wants to convey is: "Never give up. Never quit."
SSG Mills takes us through his high school life in Michigan where he excelled at sports. After a brief stint at a local community college, he chose to enlist in the armed forces. He was drawn to the US Army 82nd Airborne Division. As a young soldier, he served in Afghanistan. The book takes us through each of his deployments while simultaneously narrating his personal life, as it happened. It provides a good glimpse into the life of a soldier in Afghanistan – the struggles, the frustration, the brotherhood, and the daily grind.
During his third deployment, an IED blast – the cause for the high number of fatalities and injuries – took away his limbs. He was alive, but did not easily give up.
Throughout his career, his family has been very supportive and he thanks them for the same throughout the book.
About a little over halfway into the book, Mills talks about the IED blast in which he was injured. He takes us through his thoughts after the blast, through the surgeries and the rehabilitation process.
The book mentions many of SSG Mills' thoughts and some of them are very motivational. The two which stood out to me are:
These are applicable to everyone; not just those injured in wars. And that is what makes it a good read, since you can take lessons from the book and apply to your life. Even if you do not want to take any lessons, but just want to read, it is an interesting memoir about a solider's life in Afghanistan.
The author does not take any political sides when it comes to war but mentions that he is there to perform his duty, which is to serve his country. Being a practicing Christian, SSG Mills talks about his faith and belief in God and the Bible. Before reading the book, I wasn't aware about that; but after reading it, I would still not necessarily classify this as a "Christian" book.
Overall, it makes for a good read.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
SSG Mills starts out with a heartfelt and humble note honoring all those who have served and are serving in the military: "... I don't hold the value of my service in the military above anyone else's. I don't think I served better of harder or greater than any other soldier. I'm just thankful I was able to serve my country..." While serving for the US Army, SSG Mills did three deployments in Afghanistan and faced numerous challenges. Unfortunately, all his limbs were amputed after an IED blast. Clearly, he has faced numerous challenges in his life. His second point in his note reads, "... even though I've been wounded badly, I don't think the challenges in my life are any greater than anyone else's." I was sold and wanted to read more about his experiences, struggles and his ways to overcome them.
The main message that the author wants to convey is: "Never give up. Never quit."
SSG Mills takes us through his high school life in Michigan where he excelled at sports. After a brief stint at a local community college, he chose to enlist in the armed forces. He was drawn to the US Army 82nd Airborne Division. As a young soldier, he served in Afghanistan. The book takes us through each of his deployments while simultaneously narrating his personal life, as it happened. It provides a good glimpse into the life of a soldier in Afghanistan – the struggles, the frustration, the brotherhood, and the daily grind.
During his third deployment, an IED blast – the cause for the high number of fatalities and injuries – took away his limbs. He was alive, but did not easily give up.
Throughout his career, his family has been very supportive and he thanks them for the same throughout the book.
About a little over halfway into the book, Mills talks about the IED blast in which he was injured. He takes us through his thoughts after the blast, through the surgeries and the rehabilitation process.
The book mentions many of SSG Mills' thoughts and some of them are very motivational. The two which stood out to me are:
"... if you still think of yourself as 'wounded', then you're still focusing on your injury. I wasn't going to do that. I was healed. I had my scars, but I was the same 'me' as I'd always been. I'd be a man with scars who chose to live life to the fullest and best."
"Hard times come to everybody. When hard times happen, we have a choice to make. We can become discouraged and bitter, or we can choose to never quit. When life gets hard, the key is just to keep pushing forward. Instead of saying, 'It could be worse', the key is to say, 'It's going to get better.' Then work with all your might toward that goal."
These are applicable to everyone; not just those injured in wars. And that is what makes it a good read, since you can take lessons from the book and apply to your life. Even if you do not want to take any lessons, but just want to read, it is an interesting memoir about a solider's life in Afghanistan.
The author does not take any political sides when it comes to war but mentions that he is there to perform his duty, which is to serve his country. Being a practicing Christian, SSG Mills talks about his faith and belief in God and the Bible. Before reading the book, I wasn't aware about that; but after reading it, I would still not necessarily classify this as a "Christian" book.
Overall, it makes for a good read.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
December 18, 2015
"Never give up, never quit" is the theme that runs through Travis Mills's book. His is an inspiring story of overcoming odds that seem to us almost insurmountable. Gravely wounded in Afghanistan and one of only five surviving quadruple amputees living today, SSG Mills tells his tale of the IED blast that changed his life and body forever.
The story moves along swiftly in a matter of fact way. SSG Mills paints a memorable picture of the life of today's combat soldier. Deployed three times, Mills recounts both the boredom and the terror of his three tours. One particularly astounding chapter tells of a day when he and his men slogged through a grueling six-mile hike out in the open to a place of safety, enduring ten firefights with insurgents along the way. Compare that to your worst day at the office!
Perhaps the author is as "tough as they come," but I must say I would have liked to learn more about his inner life. When he tells his side of the story, it sounds like he pretty much decides to do something, then just does it. Walk for the first time, give up painkillers -- whatever it is, he seems to just make up his mind and get the job done. But when he recounts entries from his wife's journal, the reader gets a different picture: "Being wounded in that capacity is obviously a hard thing to deal with, and it's natural to feel so many things so strongly. He needed to work through a lot of emotions." I would have like to read more about his emotional healing, not just his physical healing.
In addition, I think the ghostwriter failed SSG Mills at times. He resorts all too often to the trope of "it's hard to describe." A writer has one job... to describe! So think a little harder and describe. And call me old fashioned, but count me in as a reader who doesn't want to encounter dialog that begins, "I was like."
Those issues aside, I would recommend this book to anyone who needs encouragement to "never give up, never quit." The author holds a generous view of the struggles other people face; he doesn't feel his circumstances are any worse than anybody else's. You will be inspired not only by SSG Mills, but also by his young wife, Kelsey, whose life was as dramatically changed as her husband's.
The story moves along swiftly in a matter of fact way. SSG Mills paints a memorable picture of the life of today's combat soldier. Deployed three times, Mills recounts both the boredom and the terror of his three tours. One particularly astounding chapter tells of a day when he and his men slogged through a grueling six-mile hike out in the open to a place of safety, enduring ten firefights with insurgents along the way. Compare that to your worst day at the office!
Perhaps the author is as "tough as they come," but I must say I would have liked to learn more about his inner life. When he tells his side of the story, it sounds like he pretty much decides to do something, then just does it. Walk for the first time, give up painkillers -- whatever it is, he seems to just make up his mind and get the job done. But when he recounts entries from his wife's journal, the reader gets a different picture: "Being wounded in that capacity is obviously a hard thing to deal with, and it's natural to feel so many things so strongly. He needed to work through a lot of emotions." I would have like to read more about his emotional healing, not just his physical healing.
In addition, I think the ghostwriter failed SSG Mills at times. He resorts all too often to the trope of "it's hard to describe." A writer has one job... to describe! So think a little harder and describe. And call me old fashioned, but count me in as a reader who doesn't want to encounter dialog that begins, "I was like."
Those issues aside, I would recommend this book to anyone who needs encouragement to "never give up, never quit." The author holds a generous view of the struggles other people face; he doesn't feel his circumstances are any worse than anybody else's. You will be inspired not only by SSG Mills, but also by his young wife, Kelsey, whose life was as dramatically changed as her husband's.
November 25, 2016
“Tough as They Come” is the inspiring story of one of only five soldiers to survive quadruple amputee injuries as a result of his service in Afghanistan. This story is another reminder of why the title “hero” is so incredibly appropriate to describe our servicemen!
Sergeant Mills writes with an openness, honesty, and humor that keeps the pages turning. Coming from a family that has several servicemen in it, I was both humbled and encouraged – Sergeant Mills’ selflessness, positive attitude, and the love and support between him and his family were wonderful to witness throughout the pages.
At one point, someone asked him, “I hear you’re doing a lot of public speaking lately. What do you have to speak about anyway, dude?!”
He replied, “Nothing really. All I do is walk into a room full of people and say, ‘Hey, everybody, snap your fingers and wiggle your toes.’ They snap and wiggle, and I say, ‘Okay, your life’s not so bad.’”
Great mix of humor and humble challenge!
Negatives: Though Sergeant Mills stated that he believes in prayer, God, right and wrong, the Bible (“at least as it pertains to helping a person live his life better”), and that “faith can help a person along in life”, I was saddened that his Faith did not seem to go much deeper than those simple acknowledgements. He mentions a verse that helped reassure and inspire him during his recovery, but the Lord was plainly working in his life in such larger ways than just through that one Bible verse! Perhaps he simply chose not to speak about his Faith in greater detail; I don’t know. I do hope and pray that he knows Jesus Christ for himself, in more than just generalities.
There were also several instances of crude or foul language.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Sergeant Mills writes with an openness, honesty, and humor that keeps the pages turning. Coming from a family that has several servicemen in it, I was both humbled and encouraged – Sergeant Mills’ selflessness, positive attitude, and the love and support between him and his family were wonderful to witness throughout the pages.
At one point, someone asked him, “I hear you’re doing a lot of public speaking lately. What do you have to speak about anyway, dude?!”
He replied, “Nothing really. All I do is walk into a room full of people and say, ‘Hey, everybody, snap your fingers and wiggle your toes.’ They snap and wiggle, and I say, ‘Okay, your life’s not so bad.’”
Great mix of humor and humble challenge!
Negatives: Though Sergeant Mills stated that he believes in prayer, God, right and wrong, the Bible (“at least as it pertains to helping a person live his life better”), and that “faith can help a person along in life”, I was saddened that his Faith did not seem to go much deeper than those simple acknowledgements. He mentions a verse that helped reassure and inspire him during his recovery, but the Lord was plainly working in his life in such larger ways than just through that one Bible verse! Perhaps he simply chose not to speak about his Faith in greater detail; I don’t know. I do hope and pray that he knows Jesus Christ for himself, in more than just generalities.
There were also several instances of crude or foul language.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
December 28, 2016
I loved Tough As They Come, the story of SSG Travis Mills. Travis "Big" Mills is one of only five soldiers who has survived a quadruple amputation from combat injuries. Tough As They Come is Travis' story, and it is a fascinating story indeed.
Travis is one of the toughest most courageous soldiers I have ever been introduced to. He was a Staff Sargent in the 82nd Airborne Division of the US Army and saw three tours of duty in Afghanistan. A natural leader, Travis inspired others of both higher and lower rank through his own work ethic, never quit attitude, and sense of humor. He gave his all in everything and anything he did. I have deep admiration for this man and the way he served his country and I am grateful to have people like him defending my freedom every day.
Only days from his 25th birthday, SSG Travis Mills, led his men out on an ordinary patrol, not different from their patrols any other day of their duty tour. Yet on this day, an exploding IED planted by Taliban fighters, would change Travis' life forever. This explosion led to Travis losing all of his limbs, numerous surgeries, pain beyond agony, and hundreds of hours of rehab. Yet, Travis triumphed. He determined that he would learn again to sit up, to feed himself, to walk, and to drive. He vowed to keep fighting, not on the battlefield, but in the hospital. This time not for his country, for his men, but for himself and for his wife and daughter.
Tough As They Come is inspiring, heartwarming and funny. I highly recommend it. I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.
Travis is one of the toughest most courageous soldiers I have ever been introduced to. He was a Staff Sargent in the 82nd Airborne Division of the US Army and saw three tours of duty in Afghanistan. A natural leader, Travis inspired others of both higher and lower rank through his own work ethic, never quit attitude, and sense of humor. He gave his all in everything and anything he did. I have deep admiration for this man and the way he served his country and I am grateful to have people like him defending my freedom every day.
Only days from his 25th birthday, SSG Travis Mills, led his men out on an ordinary patrol, not different from their patrols any other day of their duty tour. Yet on this day, an exploding IED planted by Taliban fighters, would change Travis' life forever. This explosion led to Travis losing all of his limbs, numerous surgeries, pain beyond agony, and hundreds of hours of rehab. Yet, Travis triumphed. He determined that he would learn again to sit up, to feed himself, to walk, and to drive. He vowed to keep fighting, not on the battlefield, but in the hospital. This time not for his country, for his men, but for himself and for his wife and daughter.
Tough As They Come is inspiring, heartwarming and funny. I highly recommend it. I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.
December 28, 2015
“You have to make the best of it. You have to keep going. You’ve got to be as tough as they come.”
Tough As They Come is an inspiring true story, one that will challenge and motivate all who are facing adversity! “It’s amazing what you can accomplish once you make the all important decision to go forward.”
I appreciated Travis’s candor and honesty as he recounts his life before and after the IED explosion that forever changed his world. “Against the odds, he lived, but at a severe cost – Travis become one of only five soldiers from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to survive a quadruple amputation.”
Travis shares his thoughts and actions throughout the book, and he also shares those of his family and friends. I was moved not only by Travis’s words, but also by the journal entries from his wife Kelsey that detail the emotional turmoil their family endured.
Travis says, “My main message is one that many people can relate to. Hard times come to everybody. When hard times happen, we have a choice to make. We can become discouraged and bitter, or we can choose to never quit. When life gets hard, the key is just to keep pushing forward. Instead of saying “It could be worse,” the key is to say, “It’s going to get better.” Then work with all your might toward that goal.”
Travis Mills’ memoir is a remarkable story and one that will encourage all who read Tough As They Come!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts expressed are my own.
Tough As They Come is an inspiring true story, one that will challenge and motivate all who are facing adversity! “It’s amazing what you can accomplish once you make the all important decision to go forward.”
I appreciated Travis’s candor and honesty as he recounts his life before and after the IED explosion that forever changed his world. “Against the odds, he lived, but at a severe cost – Travis become one of only five soldiers from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to survive a quadruple amputation.”
Travis shares his thoughts and actions throughout the book, and he also shares those of his family and friends. I was moved not only by Travis’s words, but also by the journal entries from his wife Kelsey that detail the emotional turmoil their family endured.
Travis says, “My main message is one that many people can relate to. Hard times come to everybody. When hard times happen, we have a choice to make. We can become discouraged and bitter, or we can choose to never quit. When life gets hard, the key is just to keep pushing forward. Instead of saying “It could be worse,” the key is to say, “It’s going to get better.” Then work with all your might toward that goal.”
Travis Mills’ memoir is a remarkable story and one that will encourage all who read Tough As They Come!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts expressed are my own.
June 26, 2017
Tough As They Come is the story of Travis Mills, US Army Staff Sergeant, who, in his third deployment to Afghanistan, was injured in an IED blast. "Injured" really doesn't describe what happened accurately, though. Mills became one of only five US soldiers in the Iraqi or Afghan wars to survive his injuries which resulted in a quadruple amputation.
This book goes so much deeper than just recounting his time leading up to that fateful day and his life afterward. He uses the book to encourage others rather than focusing on his own story. The book has an epigraph that is a bit of scripture: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9. In the author's note, he states that he doesn't hold his military service above any other soldier's - that, despite his injuries, he didn't serve better or fight harder - and that his challenges are no greater than anyone else's.
This is a true hero's story. Inspiring from start to finish. When it would have been so easy for him to roll over and die, he didn't. He pushed through and equates his journey to anyone going through a tough time in their life, saying it is possible to get through the dark tunnel and make it out the other side. Tough As They Come is on my best reads list for 2016. If it's the only book you pick up this year, it will be worth it.
*I received an advanced reading copy from the publisher for my honest review. All opinions are my own.*
This book goes so much deeper than just recounting his time leading up to that fateful day and his life afterward. He uses the book to encourage others rather than focusing on his own story. The book has an epigraph that is a bit of scripture: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9. In the author's note, he states that he doesn't hold his military service above any other soldier's - that, despite his injuries, he didn't serve better or fight harder - and that his challenges are no greater than anyone else's.
This is a true hero's story. Inspiring from start to finish. When it would have been so easy for him to roll over and die, he didn't. He pushed through and equates his journey to anyone going through a tough time in their life, saying it is possible to get through the dark tunnel and make it out the other side. Tough As They Come is on my best reads list for 2016. If it's the only book you pick up this year, it will be worth it.
*I received an advanced reading copy from the publisher for my honest review. All opinions are my own.*
July 28, 2025
There is much to admire and learn from in this memoir. Some of the humor here is juvenile and unfunny to older men like me, but it also makes me remember how young many American troops are, and Sergeant Mills proves that he's more than a combat infantryman who survived horrific injuries; he is, in fact, a thoughtful person.
What he has to say about the rules of engagement and about the Taliban being essentially a drug cartel is fascinating. That on his third deployment, Mills and his men were forbidden by stupid rules of engagement from defending themselves effectively is nothing less than an indictment of leadership at higher levels. It also suggests (as science fiction grandmaster and U.S. Navy vet Robert Heinlein once did) that this country would be better served if more of its politicians were also military veterans.
The reason I cannot give this book five stars is that there is not enough in it about what makes Mills the man he is. His hometown, his parents, his wife, his baby daughter, and his brothers-in-arms all get appreciative mentions, but not every similarly-situated high school football player grows into an outlook on life that is so positive and determined.
Mills may not himself be able to explain where he got his attitude from, but it would have been instructive (edifying, even) if he and his co-writer had taken another 20 pages to plumb that question in more detail.
What he has to say about the rules of engagement and about the Taliban being essentially a drug cartel is fascinating. That on his third deployment, Mills and his men were forbidden by stupid rules of engagement from defending themselves effectively is nothing less than an indictment of leadership at higher levels. It also suggests (as science fiction grandmaster and U.S. Navy vet Robert Heinlein once did) that this country would be better served if more of its politicians were also military veterans.
The reason I cannot give this book five stars is that there is not enough in it about what makes Mills the man he is. His hometown, his parents, his wife, his baby daughter, and his brothers-in-arms all get appreciative mentions, but not every similarly-situated high school football player grows into an outlook on life that is so positive and determined.
Mills may not himself be able to explain where he got his attitude from, but it would have been instructive (edifying, even) if he and his co-writer had taken another 20 pages to plumb that question in more detail.
December 24, 2015
This is a story about Travis Miller who was part of the 82nd Airborne Division. He is also one of five survivors of quadruple amputations during Iraq and Afghanistan. The beginning of the book talks about his life growing up and then how he decided to join the service and then how he picked the Airborne. The 82ND was the unit my father was with during WWII and I have always held them a little special because of that, but Travis was really a true leader. He was always singing airborne songs and running back to camp after a mission was completed, a true spirit of Airborne when you know about their history. The story also goes into his marriage and birth of his daughter and then leads up to the third deployment that is the one where he is injured. From that point on you get to see first-hand more of the fear and pain of losing all of his limbs. At the same time you see how he builds his courage to fight past though obstacles, fears, and the pain with the help of his wife, family, friends and the rest of the military community. For his grit really showed to the point where even a group of Marines were encourage by his determination to overcome and not to let his injuries overcome him. A very, very outstanding book, but more importantly a book about a true hero and a wife to stand by him. I got this book from net galley.
November 4, 2016
Wife picked this book up off a display at the Library and thought i'd be curious... indeed i was! As the book progressed it kept getting better and better. When you start the book it can be quite intimidating, and he doesn't pull any punches about the conditions and how they operate over there. Even hearing him retell firefights and death and devastation it sounds so much like fiction (I'd just finished Kite Runner before this). He is so humble about the hard work he put in and his God-given abilities you forget how young he is/was when all this is occurring. I did chuckle at some of his shenanigans and wondered if he really was as built as he claimed (I'm thinking he said 55+" chest with 22" arms which is approx Arnold Schwarzenegger at the same age for comparison) but I've no doubt at all Travis is and was , a stud.
As the book goes in and out of timelines i thought it flowed very well and told a compelling story of what it means to serve and how our presence is serving a purpose of bringing peace and compassion to a cruel and harsh world. I hope we can bring Travis to speak at UK (university of Kentucky) and wish him only the best, not only does he deserve it, he earns it every day bringing hope to us in our situations.
As the book goes in and out of timelines i thought it flowed very well and told a compelling story of what it means to serve and how our presence is serving a purpose of bringing peace and compassion to a cruel and harsh world. I hope we can bring Travis to speak at UK (university of Kentucky) and wish him only the best, not only does he deserve it, he earns it every day bringing hope to us in our situations.
December 8, 2016
The first two-thirds of the book described Travis Mill's childhood and 3 deployments in Afghanistan. He describes daily life and some of the action he took part in. He doesn't "talk technical," so his story is easy to follow and to get a sense of what it's like. The last third of the book talked about the IED blast and his recovery. From the book description, I'd expected most of the book to be about his recovery, but he's not the type of guy to dwell on the past. It's part of the reason he's doing so well. He's also always up for a challenge, has a positive attitude, and has the support of a loving family. He gave enough details that you can understand what he and his family went through and how they made it through. To give an idea of what Travis is like, here's a quote (from an ARC, so the final version might be different) from page 246:
"Hard times come to everybody. When hard times happen, we have a choice to make. We can become discouraged and bitter, or we can choose to never quit. When life gets hard, the key is just to keep pushing forward. Instead of saying, "It could be worse," the key is to say, "It's going to get better." Then work with all your might toward that goal."
I received this review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.
"Hard times come to everybody. When hard times happen, we have a choice to make. We can become discouraged and bitter, or we can choose to never quit. When life gets hard, the key is just to keep pushing forward. Instead of saying, "It could be worse," the key is to say, "It's going to get better." Then work with all your might toward that goal."
I received this review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.
January 14, 2016
4 1/2 stars
Reviewed for www.compassbookratings.com
Overall Review:
"It's amazing what you can accomplish once you make that all-important decision to go forward"
Tough as They Come is the inspirational autobiography of United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills. Mills is extremely likable, and his narrating style is direct, yet pleasant and conversational. The book briefly touches on Mills' childhood before launching into his millitary service and subsequent deployments. Despite the serious subject matter, Mills allows his sense of humor to shine through and includes lots of funny lines in the book. Those unfamiliar with the military will appreciate the straightforward explanations of army life as well as observations about the Taliban. Mills talks openly about his injury, emotions, and the difficult rehabilitation process. Tough as They Come is a fantastic, highly recommended motivational read!
For full content analysis, go to www.compassbookratings.com
Reviewed for www.compassbookratings.com
Overall Review:
"It's amazing what you can accomplish once you make that all-important decision to go forward"
Tough as They Come is the inspirational autobiography of United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills. Mills is extremely likable, and his narrating style is direct, yet pleasant and conversational. The book briefly touches on Mills' childhood before launching into his millitary service and subsequent deployments. Despite the serious subject matter, Mills allows his sense of humor to shine through and includes lots of funny lines in the book. Those unfamiliar with the military will appreciate the straightforward explanations of army life as well as observations about the Taliban. Mills talks openly about his injury, emotions, and the difficult rehabilitation process. Tough as They Come is a fantastic, highly recommended motivational read!
For full content analysis, go to www.compassbookratings.com
January 19, 2016
Thank you netgalley for letting me review this book.
This book would have been rated a 5 if it wasn't for the writing. This story was about Travis Mills who on his 3rd deployment was injured gravely in an IED explosion. He is one of only 5 quad amputees that have survived.
In the beginning of the book it was a lot of "I am AWESOME" and it really didn't change. I know that a lot of military men are like this because of the job but it became repetitive on how "awesome he was". The writer should have been able to help develop him more and describe things better. I realize that Afghanistan is in the desert but to describe everything as just brown or I don't know how to describe it was very repetitive. All in all I think that I liked this book because of his determination, passion and love of life. What he is now doing for other injured soldiers is amazing. I appreciate everything that he has put on the line for us and I hope that light never dies in him or in his family.
This book would have been rated a 5 if it wasn't for the writing. This story was about Travis Mills who on his 3rd deployment was injured gravely in an IED explosion. He is one of only 5 quad amputees that have survived.
In the beginning of the book it was a lot of "I am AWESOME" and it really didn't change. I know that a lot of military men are like this because of the job but it became repetitive on how "awesome he was". The writer should have been able to help develop him more and describe things better. I realize that Afghanistan is in the desert but to describe everything as just brown or I don't know how to describe it was very repetitive. All in all I think that I liked this book because of his determination, passion and love of life. What he is now doing for other injured soldiers is amazing. I appreciate everything that he has put on the line for us and I hope that light never dies in him or in his family.
February 21, 2017
This book is all about attitude. Travis Mills reflects how he always had the confidence that he would come out all right- even while laying in the helicopter, four days before his 25th birthday, with no arms or legs...
I am not a huge fan of overt "faith" or religion-based writing, and I was worried this book would preach to me, but it doesn't and he doesn't. He is faithful for sure, but it comes through as a revelation in the end of the book, not as a driving theme of the story.
My Take: Recommended
There is much more to this book than I am describing here. If you like memoir, or real life stories of inspiration, this book fits that slot. I really got a lot from this book, and have been sharing his story with my kids as a model for overcoming negative thoughts and finding faith in hard times.
I am not a huge fan of overt "faith" or religion-based writing, and I was worried this book would preach to me, but it doesn't and he doesn't. He is faithful for sure, but it comes through as a revelation in the end of the book, not as a driving theme of the story.
My Take: Recommended
There is much more to this book than I am describing here. If you like memoir, or real life stories of inspiration, this book fits that slot. I really got a lot from this book, and have been sharing his story with my kids as a model for overcoming negative thoughts and finding faith in hard times.
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