{Life} Navy SEALS and Books

Guys, recently I got into this book rut. Everything I picked to listen to just had me disgusted. Usually I will at least listen to something once before I condemn it forever. But I was quitting books just because I was not enjoying them. Fiction failed me. I was tired of dystopian societies, tired of teen romance, tired of the same-old, same-old.

So I reached for a good dose of real stories. It started with Unbroken which I really enjoyed. I talked to my dad about it so much I got my mom to read it. It's a real story. It's courageous and heroic and it's history. Those are the top reasons I liked it.

Not long after listening to that story, I watched Lone Survivor with dad, mom, and Tyler. Dad and Tyler had seen it before. I wasn't so sure going into it. All I knew was it was an action war movie. I don't typically fall head over heels for those. There was some major problems with this movie. We muted one whole part. Most of the movie, every other word was bad language. (Just so everyone knows this isn't a run out and watch it on a whim kind of movie) It was violent, and sad. I learned part of the way through it was also a true story.

So, quick synopsis (SPOILERS BY THE WAY). Lone Survivor is based on the true story of Marcus Luttrell and a mission he did with his team. For all the team except him, it was their last mission. They were to watch a village where an enemy was camped. Just watch. But their hiding place was discovered by three men (one old, one military age, one boy) and their goats. They captured the three men, but decided to let them go (versus killing them and "removing the compromise"). The team took off intending to put as much ground between themselves and the camp as possible. The enemy came after them and backed them up against a cliff basically. All the men died one after the other except for Marcus Luttrell who managed to hide and was saved by natives before being later picked rescued by the army. When it was down to him and one other man (who was already severely wounded), the other man said to tell "Cindy" (his wife) that he loved her. Then he said to tell her, "died with my brothers". I had some tears. But that was the only part I cried during!

Anyway, I really enjoyed the movie. So dad recommended I listen to the Navy SEAL story Fearless. Fearless is the story of Adam Brown, who was killed on March 17, 2010.

I liked this book. Why? It's the true story of a less than perfect man who got to the top (SEAL team six) only by the grace of God. He and his family were/are very open about that. He was at the bottom (we're talking prison and drugs) before God worked in him and his family to bring them to Him. He got passed substantial obstacles to be the best he could. He lost an eye and the dexterity in the fingers of his shooting hand, but passed sniper school less than a year after learning to shoot left handed. Stuff like that was pretty cool. But I won't kid you, I cried. Sheesh I'm becoming pretty tearful of late. But anyhow, I cried while I was making cookies, cried while I was running, cried while I was laying in bed. It's sad. (Just a note, there's some questionable things in this book. Drugs, some bad language, and a little bit of rough to crude humor. And, obviously descriptions of wounds.)

That's where I've been with books of late. Have you guys ever run into a book rut? What did you do to get passed it? How do you feel about true stories?