The Unforgiving Minute

A Soldier's Education

By: Craig Mullaney

Narrated by: Todd McLaren

Craig M. Mullaney's education had been relentlessly preparing him for this moment. The four years he spent at West Point and the harrowing test of Ranger School readied him for a career in the Army. His subsequent experience as a Rhodes scholar at Oxford couldn't have been further from the Army and his working-class roots, and yet the unorthodox education he received there would be surprisingly relevant as a combat leader.

Years later, after that unforgettable experience in Afghanistan, he would return to the United States to teach history to future Navy and Marine Corps officers at the Naval Academy. He had been in their position once, and he had put his education to the test. How would he use his own life-changing experience to prepare them?

The Unforgiving Minute is the extraordinary story of one soldier's singular education. From a hilarious plebe's-eye view of the author's West Point experience to the demanding leadership crucible of Ranger School's swamps and mountains, to a two-year whirlwind of scintillating debate, pub crawls, and romance at Oxford, Mullaney's winding path to the battlegrounds of Afghanistan was unique and remarkable.

Despite all his preparation, the hardest questions remained. When the call came to lead his platoon into battle and earn his soldiers' salutes, would he be ready? Was his education sufficient for the unforgiving minutes he'd face?

A fascinating account of an Army captain's unusual path through some of the most legendary seats of learning straight into a brutal fight with Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, The Unforgiving Minute is, above all, an unforgettable portrait of a young soldier grappling with the weight of his hard-earned knowledge while coming to grips with becoming a man.

©2009 Craig Mullany (P)2009 Tantor

excellent listen

great story of one Americans journey to leading his men into battle and the ups and downs that comes with that great responsibility

Highly recommended

First off, the author makes me feel like a serious underachiever. Secondly, he gives very good descriptions of life at West Point, Ranger training, Airborne training, being a Rhodes Scholar, and life as a young officer at war time.

One more good book to add to your military history books.

Loved the story!

This book was really well written and narrated. The overall story depicted the human side of most soldiers and it related the common feelings and fears that are felt. The narrator did an excellent job of telling the story with energy and accents. Both story and narrator kept me enthralled the whole time.

Nicely Done!

I found this very interesting without it being totally gung ho or overly jingoistic as other similar stories I've read. Craig gives a nice insight into the blending of a military life with an academic bent to it. It gave me a view that I haven't really appreciated before. Good story but I wanted more at the end. I'm sure his story will continue.

A Modern Warrior Tells His Story

Would you listen to The Unforgiving Minute again? Why?

Because it tells how a member of a current generation of Twentysomethings makes choices that define them.

What does Todd McLaren bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He makes it feel like a personal narrative.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

His first time dealing with the death of soldiers under his command.

Any additional comments?

This was required for my rising freshman at the University of Kentucky to read. I am glad I experienced it.