Eric Greitens is not your average military man. A Duke University graduate and a recipient of Truman and Rhodes scholarships that granted him a few years of study at Oxford, Greitens counts his volunteer work in Bosnia, Rwanda and Bolivia as life-defining experiences.
Still, since both "the education of a humanitarian" and "the making of a Navy Seal" are listed on the book's dust-jacket, it's only fair that he walks us through his memories of both. Greitens' account of his years - from his trips to developing countries as an idealistic college student, to the hellish training regimes he endures as a mature Seal hopeful - ring a pleasantly honest tune from beginning to end. It's a consistent tone even throughout his observations on the bleaker outcomes of war, as evidenced from his time in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Those critical enough will point to Greitens' sometimes naive perspective on complex issues relating to US foreign policy, but those looking forward to a compelling memoir of an interesting life should be left satisfied as his last chapter draws to a close.
