Man Down

by Mark Ormrod

By his own admission, Mark Ormrod was a 'gravel belly', a 'bootneck' marine who loved nothing more than being in the heart of the action when things kicked off. It's what he was trained to do, all he'd ever wanted, and he relished the prospect of a tour of duty in Afghanistan. And then the unthinkable happened. In one heartstopping moment Mark's life was brutally shattered when a land mine tore off both his legs and his right arm. The catastrophic injuries he sustained, the race to airlift him out of danger and the shocking truth behind the doctors' battle to save him are all described in graphic detail in this remarkable memoir. This is also the story of how, on the brink of despair, Mark began the greatest battle of his life - to walk again and, using state-of-the-art 'bionic' legs, to stand shoulder to shoulder with his comrades to receive his campaign medal. It was a battle he had to win if he was to rebuild his life as a serving marine. Told with brutal honesty, "Man Down" is a searing, action-packed account of courage and comradeship, of life on the front line in the Afghan desert and the terrible legacy of war. It is a story of true grit you will never forget

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remarkable man who continues to amaze with his determination and what he achieves against all odds.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-d...

The book was a very quick read but you do have to keep referring to the glossary of army terms at the start to understand it. Know that Mark is working on a follow up book and I’ll definitely be reading that too.

PS Reading this will also make you think better of Prince Harry when you read the parts where he features.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read giving a true insight to life on the front line. Mark Ormrod's positiveness shines through after experiencing something so terrible. Whilst reading this book I found myself crying one minute and then laughing the next. A truly gripping read and one of the best books I have read about the realities of the conflict in Afghanistan. Mark Ormond is an example of a truly inspirational guy who refused to be beaten.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written and highly inspiring book. Reading it really puts life into perspective. It is a demonstration on how you can overcome any barrier life throws at you if you have the right attitude. This is an all round great read and I often refer to it as it wakes me up to reality; that whatever I'm worrying about, undoubtedly somewhere someone has overcome something a lot worse.

[Alex Laycock · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT BOOKS.

and when i read the paragraph how grateful he was that Help for Heroes had raised enough money for a swimming pool at their rehab place,im 100% decided now on that is my chosen charity.

insight of what its like in War plus the wonderful mentality of our Armed Forces.plus the determination of the human spirit and the amazing things medics,physios, prosthetics etc can do

[Paula Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! An honest and witty account from a man who has such courage and fighting spirit. He encompasses the whole Royal Marines ethos!

[Clare Sole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cracking read

[Emmaline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book. Highly recommend

[David Parnall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book from start to finish. Easy to understand. I wanted to read it all in one sitting. Well done Mark you and your colleagues are an inspiration to us all

[Callum Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hugely inspirational definitely recommend

[Jim Bunkers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skim read the interesting parts of a copy in the tea room at work. Better written than I expected, an inspiring story.

[Hannah Spooner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational. This is a true hero. He covers every emotion and you feel it with him.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read giving a true insight to life on the front line. Mark Ormrod's positiveness shines through after experiencing something so terrible. Whilst reading this book I found myself crying one minute and then laughing the next. A truly gripping read and one of the best books I have read about the realities of the conflict in Afghanistan. Mark Ormond is an example of a truly inspirational guy who refused to be beaten.