I tend to choose books more by subject matter or recommendations than author. I also like to have a print book (the actual book, not an ebook) going at the same time I’m listening to one.

Juggling books through the library system Libby can be challenging because one is never exactly sure when the next book in the queue will become available. Then you have a limited time to claim it, so to speak, and 21 days to listen.

Because the library didn’t have Eric Blehm’s latest book available I decided to see what other of his books I could access immediately while I waited for the next book I had signed up for. This led me to Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown (WaterBrook Press, 2012).

Military books aren’t something I naturally gravitate to. The Iraq war isn’t a topic of much interest. I had never heard of Adam Brown.

Wow—I am so glad I somewhat randomly came across this biography. Blehm is an incredible storyteller who makes you care about the people he writes about.

This isn’t a shoot’em up, hoorah, let’s kick the shit out of the enemy story. It’s about a person, the people in his life, what it took for him to overcome challenges to become part of such an elite segment of the military, and how spirituality played a significant role.

Brown wanted his whole life story to be told. He said as much in the paperwork he filled out for the Navy in the event of his death. His life was summarized at his funeral as requested.

The book, though, paints a portrait through words of a life full of expectations, that gets derailed, and ends on the battleground. From start to finish I was captivated. While I knew the outcome—Blehm tells us as much in the first sentence—it was like I couldn’t stop listening. I wanted to know more.

The bonus to having listened to Fearless is at the end is a Q&A with Blehm that added even more to the story.