Fearless, by Eric Blehm

Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown, by Eric Blehm

5 stars: Deeply touching and inspirational.

Adam Brown was a man with a lot to overcome. He had been a hard-charging go-getter ever since he was a kid, with a very high tolerance for pain, and a penchant for keeping his promises. After high school, however, he got into drugs and was pretty much circling the drain. His family did all they could for him, but it wasn't until he found God that things began to turn around.

He still had a hard road ahead, though. He got married, and his wife spent a good deal of her time in those early years either wondering where he was, or tracking him down in crack houses. Then a glimmer of hope--a chance to train for and become a Navy SEAL. Adam knew this was probably his last chance to make something of himself. So he took the chance, going on to become one of the very elite in an already elite profession.

This one was recommended by my husband. It gave us a lot to talk about together.  If you know someone who struggles or has struggled with addiction, you will recognize them in these pages. If you know someone who is fiercely patriotic and loyal, someone who would do anything to protect those he loved, you'll see them here too.

There are people I love and care about struggling with addiction right now. This hit home in so many ways for me. No-one decides to be an addict when they grow up. It can be as simple as one "friend" opening that door. Of course, most people think they can stop at any time...until they try to do it. 

Adam's struggles were not sugar-coated. I think that's partly what makes this book so moving. You see how low he went and what it took to climb back out of that pit. His faith in God, and that of his parents, became the bedrock of a new life. Then, if that weren't enough, his injuries started piling up, yet he never let that stop him from giving it everything he had, and reaching his goals.  Plus, I have to say, he never would have made it without his wife. She was the backbone of his success.

Content: There's some language in it, there are scenes of war and intense situations described. There's the drug-related content, as well. This is not a book for kids. However, I would feel comfortable handing it to an older teenager. In fact, it's one I intend to hand to my kids when they're old enough.