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The Right Kind of Crazy: Navy SEAL, Covert Operative, and Boy Scout from Hell
Clint Emerson, Navy SEAL and author of the bestselling 100 Deadly Skills presents an explosive, darkly funny, and often twisted account of being part of an elite clandestine team of covert operatives whose mission was to keep America safe by whatever means necessary. Just be happy he’s on our side.
Retired Navy SEAL Clint Emerson is the only SEAL ever inducted into the International Spy Museum. Operating from the shadows, with an instinct for running towards trouble, his unique skill set made him the perfect hybrid of elite and modern day counterintelligence agent.
Emerson spent his career on the bleeding edge of intelligence and operations, often specializing in solo missions that took advantage of subterfuge, improvisation, the best in recon and surveillance tech, and even elements of Hollywood disguise to combat the changing global battlefield. MacGyvering everyday objects into working spyware was routine, and fellow SEALs referred to his top-secret activities simply as “special shit.” His parameters were: find, fix, and finish—and of course, leave no trace.
While Emerson was a real life Jason Bourne as well as a decorated soldier, he operated by only two codes: “if you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying” and “it’s only illegal if you get caught.” The Right Kind of Crazy is unlike any military memoir you’ve ever read because Emerson is upfront about the fact that what makes you a great soldier and sometimes hero doesn’t always make you the best guy—but it does make for damn good stories.
Retired Navy SEAL Clint Emerson is the only SEAL ever inducted into the International Spy Museum. Operating from the shadows, with an instinct for running towards trouble, his unique skill set made him the perfect hybrid of elite and modern day counterintelligence agent.
Emerson spent his career on the bleeding edge of intelligence and operations, often specializing in solo missions that took advantage of subterfuge, improvisation, the best in recon and surveillance tech, and even elements of Hollywood disguise to combat the changing global battlefield. MacGyvering everyday objects into working spyware was routine, and fellow SEALs referred to his top-secret activities simply as “special shit.” His parameters were: find, fix, and finish—and of course, leave no trace.
While Emerson was a real life Jason Bourne as well as a decorated soldier, he operated by only two codes: “if you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying” and “it’s only illegal if you get caught.” The Right Kind of Crazy is unlike any military memoir you’ve ever read because Emerson is upfront about the fact that what makes you a great soldier and sometimes hero doesn’t always make you the best guy—but it does make for damn good stories.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published November 12, 2019
260 people are currently reading
846 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
November 24, 2019
Oh guys, I hate when I don’t like a book as much as everyone else does—especially when it’s written by a hardcore, badass Navy SEAL. I really thought I was going to love The Right Kind of Crazy. Author Clint Emerson also wrote the wildly popular and highly entertaining 100 Deadly Skills: The SEAL Operative's Guide to Eluding Pursuers, Evading Capture, and Surviving Any Dangerous Situation. It’s amazing, and if you haven’t read it, I encourage you to go out and find it immediately!
The Right Kind of Crazy isn’t a manual. It’s a memoir of various battles, operations, and sometimes just pivotal life moments that Emerson has experienced over the years—from the 80s to just a few years ago. Every story in this book is wild. The operations are crazy and scary and impressive. But even the chapters on his family are just as powerful—and give a much better understanding of why Emerson is the way he is. (I had no idea that most SEALs come from broken homes, but I guess that makes sense).
So why the low rating? Because the book is simply not written well. It’s chaotic and rambling. Even though it’s technically divided into two neat parts, with each part containing chapters covering one specific time period, it still feels all over the place. There’s a lot of jumping back and forth, almost like stream of consciousness memory vomit. There’s so much going on, I never really knew where to look or focus. It needed major editing and some reorganization. (On that note, it would have also helped if Emerson had just deleted the blacked out redacted portions of the mission descriptions. I get that he’s trying to make a point about the government hiding so many details of his stories, but it got old. And, again, it distracted from the substance of what he was saying.)
I’m impressed with and in awe of everything Emerson has done in his life. Seriously, I’m a peace-loving mother, writer, and gardener with pacifist Mennonite roots, and I am fully aware that the only reason people like me can exist is because of people like him. I loved the substance of his stories, but I just wish they had been presented in a clearer and more simple way.
Thank you to Touchstone and Net Galley for the ARC!
The Right Kind of Crazy isn’t a manual. It’s a memoir of various battles, operations, and sometimes just pivotal life moments that Emerson has experienced over the years—from the 80s to just a few years ago. Every story in this book is wild. The operations are crazy and scary and impressive. But even the chapters on his family are just as powerful—and give a much better understanding of why Emerson is the way he is. (I had no idea that most SEALs come from broken homes, but I guess that makes sense).
So why the low rating? Because the book is simply not written well. It’s chaotic and rambling. Even though it’s technically divided into two neat parts, with each part containing chapters covering one specific time period, it still feels all over the place. There’s a lot of jumping back and forth, almost like stream of consciousness memory vomit. There’s so much going on, I never really knew where to look or focus. It needed major editing and some reorganization. (On that note, it would have also helped if Emerson had just deleted the blacked out redacted portions of the mission descriptions. I get that he’s trying to make a point about the government hiding so many details of his stories, but it got old. And, again, it distracted from the substance of what he was saying.)
I’m impressed with and in awe of everything Emerson has done in his life. Seriously, I’m a peace-loving mother, writer, and gardener with pacifist Mennonite roots, and I am fully aware that the only reason people like me can exist is because of people like him. I loved the substance of his stories, but I just wish they had been presented in a clearer and more simple way.
Thank you to Touchstone and Net Galley for the ARC!
February 7, 2023
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.
The Right Kind Of Crazy is a memoir by Clint Emerson about his life as a Navy Seal. I have to say memoirs aren't my favorites. It takes a lot for me to become fully engaged into a memoir, so don't take my review here as ... bad as it sounds I suppose.
I'm sure there is an audience out there that LOVES this book. Likely other military men / navy seals. ... however, for me, I had an extremely difficult time forcing myself through this book. I wish the author had maybe told more specific stories about interesting things he encountered as a Seal.
Overall, I wouldn't read it again.
The Right Kind Of Crazy is a memoir by Clint Emerson about his life as a Navy Seal. I have to say memoirs aren't my favorites. It takes a lot for me to become fully engaged into a memoir, so don't take my review here as ... bad as it sounds I suppose.
I'm sure there is an audience out there that LOVES this book. Likely other military men / navy seals. ... however, for me, I had an extremely difficult time forcing myself through this book. I wish the author had maybe told more specific stories about interesting things he encountered as a Seal.
Overall, I wouldn't read it again.
January 30, 2020
Interesting topic in general. Some cool stories but a lot of redactions, so no real context to many tales.
The issue may be the writers self absorbed style and constant need to come across as cool, tough, smart. The cringe starts in the self pity section towards the end where he goes through how poorly he was treated at the end of his career.
The need to justify his cruelty to animals, is logical I guess but a turn off none the less.
The issue may be the writers self absorbed style and constant need to come across as cool, tough, smart. The cringe starts in the self pity section towards the end where he goes through how poorly he was treated at the end of his career.
The need to justify his cruelty to animals, is logical I guess but a turn off none the less.
October 22, 2022
The Right Kind of Crazy is a very intense book at times – always an engrossing chronicle of a special ops–seal team member. Clint Emerson’s experiences were inspiring; he presented his experiences in a very riveting manner. His training and development were fascinating to me. I particularly liked his references to his Boy Scout training. As an adult, he knew how to take care of himself in the outdoors – start a fire, etc., due to his scout training. Boy Scouts provided a jump start to first aid, another critical skill he used extensively throughout his career. At times you could not put the book down. It is a fun read.
October 10, 2021
What a great book. This book had a different take on telling the story of military life. I've read a few other books from SEALs and I have to say that this is one of my favorites. The author is equally entertaining and informative, although I think some people may find his smart ass attitude offensive. The redactions were somewhat annoying, but that was something that was out of the authors control. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs a change up of reading and maybe a different perspective of SEAL life.
December 12, 2019
This book did not shed a good like on military personnel. He openly admits to torturing and murdering cats, stealing from friends and family, and the importance of hazing, in the fashion of having your face duct-taped to another man's privates for hours, as an important part of the military.
February 4, 2020
finished this morning of the 4th of february 2020 good read three stars i liked it kindle library loaner and the first from emerson. the redacted portions are a sin, the fabled they also redacted a chapter title. heh! i suspect tactics...likely...and a pain as emerson writes about developing a...did he say "new" something or other, strategy/tactics i guess...spy stuff...and the little that isn't redacted prior to a big black chunk (irving, washing, "i long for you tragically.) had a couple guys in a room told to do this do that looked like they were looking for folk aware of what's up. liked the memoir, liked the telling of time before he became a snake eater, as a kid, more. i recall climbing out of a van on coronado, heading to ngfs training, some guy in a helmet, boots, some type of utilities jumping off a porch landing in a puddle and away he went and nurding...where are you now chris?...complained about some bud/s asshole. splashing in puddles. had no idea what a seal was, late 70s. might have been a pair of boots, helmet on top, on the porch floor. knew there was something called bud/s but didn't know the /s stood for seal. thought all it had to do was getting into one of those underwater spacesuits, long hose, wrench, bang bang bang on the hull. anyone home? avon calling! memoir has many small stories within the larger...oh yeah...that could happen. and like too many, he'd experienced the wrath of the machine based on nothing more than chickenshit. take a jumbo...across the water...
November 17, 2019
After purchasing and reading Clint Emerson's '100 Deadly Skills' books I decided to read this story of his time as a Navy SEAL and covert operative. I have to say that I was not surprised at much of what I read, but some parts of the stories changed my perceptions of special forces soldiers a little. As elite members of the military with the best training on the planet, they still have flaws and human weaknesses. Mr. Emerson brought more than a few of those issues into the light of day in this book, which seemed a lot different than other books written by SEALs that I've read. I only gave it 4 stars due to the copious amount of redaction throughout the book - if information was truly redacted, why not re-write those parts? Seeing row upon row of blacked out text was amusing, and made me think it may have been his way of expressing frustration over the government's redaction process. Or maybe it's just a stunt to add some spice to the story? Overall I recommend this book to anyone looking to get inside the head of a 20-year veteran of special forces. Clint Emerson's rough humor and language isn't for everyone, but I found his approach to writing refreshingly real. Give it a go.
May 3, 2022
A different perspective on the life of a Navy SEAL.
March 23, 2021
A surprisingly enjoyable read. This book lacked the pretentious and self-aggrandizing nature of many of the SEAL books of the last decade or so. Emerson’s style of writing makes him seem very relatable though his life has been far from normal. Accompanying the story is a series of comic book-style illustrations that added to the overall enjoyment of the book.
November 18, 2019
I liked it, I did! I had to read in parts, only because I had to process it. Sometimes, look stuff up, just to double check lol, should've known better. My bubble has been burst, SEALs are human, working isn't at all glamorous, and it really does take a special skill/mindset to make/be a SEAL, I am impressed. There's not much room for emotions, it seems, life and death, split seconds, eternal waiting, switches on and off, human machines and all.
This is gritty, to the point, as much as can be with redactions, and there is even a bit of emotion, tho that's dangerous and unacceptable too, my take only, along with a bit of comedic relief, always appreciated and needed. Relating incidents from when he was a kid to now.
Kudos and thank you to our elite and all military. A very good read, thought provoking and bringing to mind more questions that probably cannot and shouldn't be answered.
This is gritty, to the point, as much as can be with redactions, and there is even a bit of emotion, tho that's dangerous and unacceptable too, my take only, along with a bit of comedic relief, always appreciated and needed. Relating incidents from when he was a kid to now.
Kudos and thank you to our elite and all military. A very good read, thought provoking and bringing to mind more questions that probably cannot and shouldn't be answered.
February 8, 2020
Emerson was a SEAL, recruited to do individual intelligence missions in hostile countries and environments. This is his story, raw and filtered only by the DOD pre-publication review process. He starts with his growing up in Saudi Arabia in the Dhahran compound for the American expatriate workers of Aramco, to his teenage years in Texas before going to his services with the Teams.
Why I started this book: I love SEAL books, from the first humble brag, "of anyone could do this which is why X number washed out of our training class," to the "best part of my job is blowing things up" to the "rah, rah, rah, AMERICA."
Why I finished it: Emerson has bridges to burn, merchandise to sell and axes to grind, and he does them all gleefully and openly in this book. Most SEAL books have a subliminal "my dick is the biggest and baddest" in their books. Emerson's charm is once again his rough embrace, front and center, of penis stories... probably because he was trained as a medic. I think that he spent so many years in the shadows that he is eager to come out and tell everything, minus the parts redacted. (But he is quick to show where in the story the redactions fit in and how senseless he finds them.)
Why I started this book: I love SEAL books, from the first humble brag, "of anyone could do this which is why X number washed out of our training class," to the "best part of my job is blowing things up" to the "rah, rah, rah, AMERICA."
Why I finished it: Emerson has bridges to burn, merchandise to sell and axes to grind, and he does them all gleefully and openly in this book. Most SEAL books have a subliminal "my dick is the biggest and baddest" in their books. Emerson's charm is once again his rough embrace, front and center, of penis stories... probably because he was trained as a medic. I think that he spent so many years in the shadows that he is eager to come out and tell everything, minus the parts redacted. (But he is quick to show where in the story the redactions fit in and how senseless he finds them.)
April 6, 2020
Overall - pretty disappointed in this book. While most of any us can appreciate his service - I'll reflect and say - based on his story - he's a certifiable jerk. Perhaps not all his fault - but is a book worth selling where material parts of it are largely redacted? I'm sure he still collects full fees - but an unwitting reader feels cheated when pages and passages are blotted out. What's the point of selling the book? Further - in current iteration he does/leads red teaming activities - work I am vert familiar with. Scary that he see little to no professional boundaries - allegedly sleeping with an employee of his target company. What's your next physical plant breach Clint? Holding someone at gunpoint to gain access? Last - author spends too much time tossing anecdotes to make him seem like the "Boy Scout from Hell" and too little time reflecting on his actions, their consequence - both good and bad. Thanks for your service sir. Sorry I wasted money on your book.
June 22, 2021
If you're looking for an entertaining book and an interesting memoir of military life and covert operations, you may want to look elsewhere. A few funny anecdotes can be found here, but they're mixed with a constant flow of personal baggage and relationship drama. Entertaining at times, but the detailed explanations of how the author repeatedly ends up in dubious near-miss sexual encounters while barely maintaining his commitment to his ex wife is straight out of Leisure Suit Larry lore. To borrow one of the author's lines.. 'how'd you like to get hit on for a while?' Move over 007, you've got some competition from this 'covert operative.'
March 24, 2020
I thought I’d like this book, but was disappointed. The flow jumped all over the place, making it hard to follow. I was looking forward to interesting missions, but most were brief overviews. A lot of the book was bragging about how tough he is. They wasn’t enough character development to be invested in anyone but Clint and Carrie, and neither of them came across as likable. All of the blacked out parts was annoying. I’m sure Clint has great stories to tell, but this wasn’t a good way to tell them.
December 9, 2019
The Right Kind of Crazy has way to much sodomy jokes in it. I appreciate all of his military service, I come from a military and law enforcement family. This book needs some editing,just because you were in the military does not mean you make a great author. He does have some interesting information in this book, it is just scattered.
April 17, 2021
Couldn't finish it. Totally redacted. Might of been a good book , who knows. Enjoy my money. What a shame and a waste of time. Thanks for your service though, America needs people like you.
Ok ,this book lost my attention because of all the dark black lines. Let me know if it is ever readable.
Ok ,this book lost my attention because of all the dark black lines. Let me know if it is ever readable.
December 31, 2020
Too much swearing and redactions
January 24, 2020
The Right Kind of Crazy 5/5
For someone with progressive views of social justice and diversity, I can be surprisingly primitive in a lot of ways: I love fighting (martial arts), I love grueling physical training, and I am not above physically incapacitating (and hurting) another guy if I witness him abusing or bullying a weaker or defenseless person. I know that last part can be dangerous, and even illegal, but as far as character flaws go, I think a lack of self-control against violent bullies is certainly one of the least worse.
If I have the opportunity to act to defend someone else (and yes, inflict pain in the attacker is a plus), I have to do it. I honestly believe in that famous JFK quote, from a 1961 speech, which says: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing". As a former victim of bullying and physical aggressions, I refuse to be the guy who turns a blind eye towards abuse and violence.
This book was very meaningful to me for that reason. He uses his personal story from a rebellious teen to a navy seal special operator, as a perfect example of how you can embrace your flaws, be honest about them, and still strive to become the better version you can be of yourself, especially when deep down you have a principle-based belief system of what is right and what is wrong. Sure, those kinds of binary beliefs have been used by religious and political zealots to defend their bigoted views, by saying that [insert sexual orientation, religion, political party] is wrong because it just is.
This is exactly why Emerson's book is so compelling, he avoids completely political or religious ideologies in order to avoid the mental gymnastics or complete suspension of reason that those require, he just sticks to a simple idea of defending the victims and being able to act when needed. He now has a business based on helping people prepare for that, ingeniously using his story to state his company's mission, which also represents exactly how I think visionary companies should be built: As Jim Collins or Simon Sinek would put it, by producing a real added value based on real core convictions that justify and inspire its existence.
For someone with progressive views of social justice and diversity, I can be surprisingly primitive in a lot of ways: I love fighting (martial arts), I love grueling physical training, and I am not above physically incapacitating (and hurting) another guy if I witness him abusing or bullying a weaker or defenseless person. I know that last part can be dangerous, and even illegal, but as far as character flaws go, I think a lack of self-control against violent bullies is certainly one of the least worse.
If I have the opportunity to act to defend someone else (and yes, inflict pain in the attacker is a plus), I have to do it. I honestly believe in that famous JFK quote, from a 1961 speech, which says: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing". As a former victim of bullying and physical aggressions, I refuse to be the guy who turns a blind eye towards abuse and violence.
This book was very meaningful to me for that reason. He uses his personal story from a rebellious teen to a navy seal special operator, as a perfect example of how you can embrace your flaws, be honest about them, and still strive to become the better version you can be of yourself, especially when deep down you have a principle-based belief system of what is right and what is wrong. Sure, those kinds of binary beliefs have been used by religious and political zealots to defend their bigoted views, by saying that [insert sexual orientation, religion, political party] is wrong because it just is.
This is exactly why Emerson's book is so compelling, he avoids completely political or religious ideologies in order to avoid the mental gymnastics or complete suspension of reason that those require, he just sticks to a simple idea of defending the victims and being able to act when needed. He now has a business based on helping people prepare for that, ingeniously using his story to state his company's mission, which also represents exactly how I think visionary companies should be built: As Jim Collins or Simon Sinek would put it, by producing a real added value based on real core convictions that justify and inspire its existence.
September 8, 2020
I will say I thought the first part of his book was really good and entertaining. He skipped over the training since it has been discussed in other books, and got into his story. Which was good. He even speaks of his marriage and how he takes full responsibility for the break up of that and also his working at being a father.
He goes into different missions at least some details that he can, other information is blacked out and he does talk about why a certain part got blacked out. He tries to make it funny. What really got me was about losing his friend in Bengasi which is not spoken about much and he also speaks of another mission of great loss of life named Extortion 17, both of these are not talked about much so to see them at least spoken a little bit was nice.
Towards the end, he goes into being investigated along with others just because they knew a member a former Seal who wrote a book without approval. He goes through what it felt like and though he and others did nothing wrong were treated differently even after nearly 20 years of service and sacrifice for our country. How the powers to be di not even look into that but just because he met the guy once or twice. Really an eye-opener when you get to that part of the story. Overall a good book and worthy for anyone to read. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave this book 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
He goes into different missions at least some details that he can, other information is blacked out and he does talk about why a certain part got blacked out. He tries to make it funny. What really got me was about losing his friend in Bengasi which is not spoken about much and he also speaks of another mission of great loss of life named Extortion 17, both of these are not talked about much so to see them at least spoken a little bit was nice.
Towards the end, he goes into being investigated along with others just because they knew a member a former Seal who wrote a book without approval. He goes through what it felt like and though he and others did nothing wrong were treated differently even after nearly 20 years of service and sacrifice for our country. How the powers to be di not even look into that but just because he met the guy once or twice. Really an eye-opener when you get to that part of the story. Overall a good book and worthy for anyone to read. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave this book 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
October 15, 2021
Hard to figure out how much of this is really real and how much is just a good story.
Some of it was illogical, most of it was not believable.
The book was full of useless pictures that belong in a science fiction magazine as that is the only place I recall seeing this 'style' of artwork.
The book is an imaginative self promoting memoir that mostly sounds fake or exaggerated.
Too much cursing using the name of God in vain.
And way too much useless sex that was off putting not interesting.
One technical error, a few SPAG errors.
Lots of words which the author admits he mostly did not write.
He also admits he is using his (alleged) seal background to make money now that he is retired.
The cover blurbs and hype made claims that the book did not come close to proving.
Overall worth one and a half stars for a good beach read for high school kids.
Adults should find the book less than that as there was no real there there.
One small section was interesting, a couple of small ones had potential, but most of the book was just words to fill up the space the silly pictures did not achieve to do.
The pages did not fall out so the book was well manufactured unlike so many that I get at the dollar store remainder pile.
A better title would be Crazy Psychopath Makes Good in US Navy,
and avoids ending up in prison.
Some of it was illogical, most of it was not believable.
The book was full of useless pictures that belong in a science fiction magazine as that is the only place I recall seeing this 'style' of artwork.
The book is an imaginative self promoting memoir that mostly sounds fake or exaggerated.
Too much cursing using the name of God in vain.
And way too much useless sex that was off putting not interesting.
One technical error, a few SPAG errors.
Lots of words which the author admits he mostly did not write.
He also admits he is using his (alleged) seal background to make money now that he is retired.
The cover blurbs and hype made claims that the book did not come close to proving.
Overall worth one and a half stars for a good beach read for high school kids.
Adults should find the book less than that as there was no real there there.
One small section was interesting, a couple of small ones had potential, but most of the book was just words to fill up the space the silly pictures did not achieve to do.
The pages did not fall out so the book was well manufactured unlike so many that I get at the dollar store remainder pile.
A better title would be Crazy Psychopath Makes Good in US Navy,
and avoids ending up in prison.
March 4, 2020
I would recommend this book to anyone that has an interest in the military. This book was a great read and had everything from action to jokes and much more. I really enjoyed this book and think that if you have an interest in anything military even if it's not about becoming a Navy SEAL, that this book is great for you. In this book he talks about his training and his tours around the world. I really like the style he writes in and think that he and his illustrations go very well together. When you read this book it will take you into a place where you feel like you are behind enemy lines with them. He does a really good job of making you feel like you are with them and helps you see what they see. He is very descriptive and has lots of jokes making the book even better. I would say that you need a different sense of humor for this book and also you can’t be offended easily. If you are then this book would be very hard for you to read because he makes lots of jokes and also swears a lot which can be hard for some people to read. I give this book a five star because it really made me feel involved in the book.
November 14, 2019
Excellent read
Fantastic! If you love 100 Deadly Skills (either edition) or his predecessor book Escape the Wolf, you'll have undoubtedly wondered about the SEAL behind the pages, his bio, his actual name, etc. And you mind find yourself stalking him on Instagram for entertaining content. This is Clint's story. Although several sets of genitals were harmed along the way, and you'll find the liberal use of the F bomb as a verb, adjective, and noun, it's a super great read. It might not make the Accelerated Reader list at your child's school, but The Right Kind of Crazy will give you a healthy dose of life led by someone with motivation and persistence. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was a bit sad to come to the end. It left me wondering why I too hadn't been an operator instead opting for such ridiculous notions as graduate school! I can't seem to scroll back up and proof read what I've tapped out on my smartphone so BLUF: buy the book and read it cover to cover. Then go make a sugar cookie.
Fantastic! If you love 100 Deadly Skills (either edition) or his predecessor book Escape the Wolf, you'll have undoubtedly wondered about the SEAL behind the pages, his bio, his actual name, etc. And you mind find yourself stalking him on Instagram for entertaining content. This is Clint's story. Although several sets of genitals were harmed along the way, and you'll find the liberal use of the F bomb as a verb, adjective, and noun, it's a super great read. It might not make the Accelerated Reader list at your child's school, but The Right Kind of Crazy will give you a healthy dose of life led by someone with motivation and persistence. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was a bit sad to come to the end. It left me wondering why I too hadn't been an operator instead opting for such ridiculous notions as graduate school! I can't seem to scroll back up and proof read what I've tapped out on my smartphone so BLUF: buy the book and read it cover to cover. Then go make a sugar cookie.
December 18, 2019
Having read both 100 Deadly Skills books and watched many of Emerson’s videos, I was excited to read this one. His memoir reads just as he talks with no filter for a realistic dive into Navy SEAL life and stands apart from others. As a Navy vet that went to Great Lakes for boot camp about the same time, this one hit home for me. I write about that in my novel, Fire on the Flight Deck (shameless plug), but only mention that if you want another Navy story after reading Emerson. More importantly, I hope you’ll take his message to heart about equipping yourself with the resources Escape the Wolf makes available. Not only am I’m more confident in protecting myself, my family, and my coworkers, I’ve taught these skills along with other skills I’ve acquired to friends and family. I attend a large church in the Dallas area and want our teams going overseas for missions to prepare themselves but also find Emerson’s work helpful for both staff and residents in senior communities. Do yourself a favor. Enjoy the ride of this book and then pick up the first 100 Deadly Skills book. Be a sheepdog.
December 3, 2019
Audible:
First, Clint Emerson is a badass. He has a TRUE determination that fuels his own ego, and benefits others at the same time. Few people are capable of balancing the two.
Clint is obviously not a literary guru, so the writing isn’t exactly life changing. But his experiences ARE fascinating, and Navy Seals hold the most interesting stories, although not all good.
In my opinion Clint could hold some Sociopathic ideations, but for any successful Navy Seal this is necessary. I’m not sure I could handle his ego in person for long periods of time, but I most definitely respect him. I hope he continues to encourage future military personnel his survival techniques and determination. There are few people that can walk off battlegrounds, turn their experiences into an optimistic situation, and move on with life.
And Clint, you BADASS you... (I mean that!). Don’t narrate your own stories anymore! 😜
First, Clint Emerson is a badass. He has a TRUE determination that fuels his own ego, and benefits others at the same time. Few people are capable of balancing the two.
Clint is obviously not a literary guru, so the writing isn’t exactly life changing. But his experiences ARE fascinating, and Navy Seals hold the most interesting stories, although not all good.
In my opinion Clint could hold some Sociopathic ideations, but for any successful Navy Seal this is necessary. I’m not sure I could handle his ego in person for long periods of time, but I most definitely respect him. I hope he continues to encourage future military personnel his survival techniques and determination. There are few people that can walk off battlegrounds, turn their experiences into an optimistic situation, and move on with life.
And Clint, you BADASS you... (I mean that!). Don’t narrate your own stories anymore! 😜
March 4, 2020
I couldn’t wait to finish this book... The author had me on edge from the beginning when he said he went through Navy Boot camp and gained weight. When I went through the same training as a teenager in shape, I lost 12 pounds.
I was looking to hear about how the special operations trained him to transition to civilian life as well as the current political climate that shined a light on Eddie Gallagher. This book talks about too much about his upbringing in Texas, touched lightly on BUDs and a few of the spec ops missions.
And why do I have to read about being on lock down when the command was fishing for anything related to Rob O’Neill? (It was cool he bought his house) STFU and suck it the FU man.
In the end, it was cool to read he started his own security firm. Too many Vets are lost when transitioning to civilian life, the authors plan to head back to Texas and start a new chapter was a nice ending.
I was looking to hear about how the special operations trained him to transition to civilian life as well as the current political climate that shined a light on Eddie Gallagher. This book talks about too much about his upbringing in Texas, touched lightly on BUDs and a few of the spec ops missions.
And why do I have to read about being on lock down when the command was fishing for anything related to Rob O’Neill? (It was cool he bought his house) STFU and suck it the FU man.
In the end, it was cool to read he started his own security firm. Too many Vets are lost when transitioning to civilian life, the authors plan to head back to Texas and start a new chapter was a nice ending.
April 3, 2020
This is self narrated memoir of Retired Navy SEAL, Clint Emerson. I few things I want to point out:
If you like listening to Ron Swanson from Parks & Rec talk, then this guys narration is very similar. After I compared him to Ron in my head it made several parts funnier than they actually were. That being said, he isn't the best narrator....don't worry Clint we all now know this isn't your day job. HOWEVER, anyone else reading it would not have had the same "bang" that it did with Clint doing it himself.
Second, this badass guy is motherfucking crazy!
Third, I am definitely not his target audience.
I found some of his stories very interesting and enlightening, and some of his stories were scary and creepy. If you are a military buff, if you are thinking about joining the military, if you are thinking of starting your own tech business, this book should definitely be on your list to read.
If you like listening to Ron Swanson from Parks & Rec talk, then this guys narration is very similar. After I compared him to Ron in my head it made several parts funnier than they actually were. That being said, he isn't the best narrator....don't worry Clint we all now know this isn't your day job. HOWEVER, anyone else reading it would not have had the same "bang" that it did with Clint doing it himself.
Second, this badass guy is motherfucking crazy!
Third, I am definitely not his target audience.
I found some of his stories very interesting and enlightening, and some of his stories were scary and creepy. If you are a military buff, if you are thinking about joining the military, if you are thinking of starting your own tech business, this book should definitely be on your list to read.
July 1, 2024
A stretch for me to read this... didn't work out. If you love egomaniacal meatheads, you may love this.
The book does give a soldier's perspective on some of the history in the middle east in the 90s and 00s. This guy went active in the 90s, was a SeAL, and was active until post-9/11. So, you get to hear some of the perspectives from the folks on the ground in those conflicts.
The problem is, you have to hear that perspective from Clint Emerson, who is is an unapologetic ass.
For the very literate, this could be an interesting exercise in "unreliable narrator". Even listening to this with 50% attention at 185% speed, Emerson is pretty clearly full of shit. So, it could be fun to go through the book with a highlighter, and mark up all the areas where there's a potential (better) story behind what he's putting in the text.
The book does give a soldier's perspective on some of the history in the middle east in the 90s and 00s. This guy went active in the 90s, was a SeAL, and was active until post-9/11. So, you get to hear some of the perspectives from the folks on the ground in those conflicts.
The problem is, you have to hear that perspective from Clint Emerson, who is is an unapologetic ass.
For the very literate, this could be an interesting exercise in "unreliable narrator". Even listening to this with 50% attention at 185% speed, Emerson is pretty clearly full of shit. So, it could be fun to go through the book with a highlighter, and mark up all the areas where there's a potential (better) story behind what he's putting in the text.
April 13, 2022
For me, this book both demystified SEALs to an extent, while still cementing their status as upper echelon warriors. And the author's contributions to fighting the war on terror as an operative made for some fascinating story-telling.
I laughed and cringed in equal measure (overweight SEAL on a bucket; will never unsee that). The writing was conversational and quotable, full of funny tidbits I can only describe as "Clint-isms" (i.e. Kremlin-sponsored retirement party; that one was in the epilogue, but there were so many others. It's just the freshest on my mind).
I thought it would take me longer to read this book, but the story kept me turning pages. I'm probably going to check out his "100 skills" books now and fantasize about wiping out dangerous criminals as a Violent Nomad.
I laughed and cringed in equal measure (overweight SEAL on a bucket; will never unsee that). The writing was conversational and quotable, full of funny tidbits I can only describe as "Clint-isms" (i.e. Kremlin-sponsored retirement party; that one was in the epilogue, but there were so many others. It's just the freshest on my mind).
I thought it would take me longer to read this book, but the story kept me turning pages. I'm probably going to check out his "100 skills" books now and fantasize about wiping out dangerous criminals as a Violent Nomad.
August 3, 2022
SO, HERE IS THE DEAL. THE AUTHOR DID MORE IN ONE DAY DEFENDING OUR COUNTRY THAN I HAVE DONE IN MY LIFETIME. IF THERE WERE A BUNCH OF BAD GUYS COMING MY WAY OR TO MY HOUSE, I WOULD WANT THIS GUY ON MY SIDE. I HAVE READ ENOUGH STUFF FROM RECENT VETERANS TO HAVE IN MY MIND WHAT I WANT TO GET OUT OF A MEMOIR. THIS WAS NOT IT. I CAN DO WITHOUT THE REPETITION OF CUSS WORDS AND REFERENCES TO THE MALE ANATOMY. I CANNOT IMAGINE MARRYING THIS GUY AND BEING AROUND HIM IN A HOME SETTING. I HAVE MY DOUBTS THAT ALL THE STORIES TOLD ARE TRUE BUT WHO I AM TO JUDGE. MANY PROBABLY ARE AS CLOSE TO REALITY AS WAR MEMORIES CAN GET. IT IS STILL A CRAZY AND DARK TIME IN OUR COUNTRY AS WE FOUGHT IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN AND FOR WHAT REASON?
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