The Unit
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3.4 • 44 Ratings
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
This program features an introduction narrated by the author. It has been modified to maintain the author's anonymity.
The first and only audiobook by a member of America's most secret military unit―an explosive and unlikely story of immigration, service, and sacrifice.
Inside our military is a team of operators whose work is so secretive that the name of the unit itself is classified. Highly-trained in warfare, self-defense, infiltration, and deep surveillance, "the Unit," as the Department of Defense has asked us to refer to it, has been responsible for preventing dozens of terrorist attacks in the Western world. Never before has a member of this unit shared their story — until now.
From Adam Gamal, one of the only Muslim Arab Americans to serve inside “the Unit," comes an incisive firsthand account of our nation’s most secretive military group. When Adam arrived in the United States at the age of twenty, he spoke no English, and at 5’1” and 112 pounds, he was far from what you might expect of a soldier. But compelled into service by a debt he felt he owed to his new country, he rose through the ranks of the military to become one of its most elite and skilled operators.
With humor and humility, Adam shares stories of life-threatening injuries, of the camaraderie and capabilities of his team, and of the incredible missions―but also of the growth he experienced as he learned to understand his own moderate faith.
Enthralling and eye-opening, The Unit is at once a gripping account of the fight against terror, an urgent examination of the need for diversity, and an inside look at how America fights its battles abroad in the modern age of terrorism.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.
Customer Reviews
Meh…
The author uses 4% of the book to tell the story of two operations he participated as a super-secret squirrel operator and too often hints at how super-secret and special of a special operator he is. Kind of lame. The other 96% is a laborious diversity and inclusion message. In the end it resonates like an after school special.
Disappointed.
Others have stated why this book doesn’t land well but I just wanted to point out a lot of the details of ‘Adam’s’ operations he briefly talks about do not match with first hand accounts of people there. Specifically his details about the hunt for Saddam and details around Operation Celestial Balance. He also talks about an attack on an embassy that made the news but could not find any correlation with a real event for the timeline he gave.
‘Adam’ briefly talks about the secretive Selection process which also sounds like fiction, saying they rucked 40 miles a day for weeks. Even in the most elite selection processes, 40 miles would be considered a ‘final test’ so to speak. In fact for Delta this is known as ‘the long walk’. 40 miles everyday at the army standard of 15 minutes per mile is 10 hours a day in rough terrain it can take as much as 18. Also how one candidate was made to ruck in high heels then later stating everyone had the same weight and had to do the same things so it’d be ‘equal’. Those two details seem to contradict each other. Even though I’m sure Adam is somewhat legit, you would not know it from this book. Which often skims through big stories and most of his two decade career. And the real life details he does mention often conflicts with available information.
A big disappointment which felt like someone trying to falsely advertise a book as ‘super secretive high speed operator’ when really it is a big long propaganda message on Muslims, Islam and immigrants. Know your audience.
Super Inspiring - Great Read
I loved this book. Very inspiring as an immigrant’s story, as an American’s story, and the story of a hero. It should be required reading for EVERY American, regardless of political stripe. It’s also a pleasure to listen to as the reader is smooth and nails his pronunciation. My one criticism is that the book offers scant details of the so-called “Unit,” its history, purpose, mission, capabilities, etcetera. He also gives almost no details of any of his missions, and what he does write about, is very general in nature. I get it, you’re not a Navy Seal, famous for writing books spilling all the tea, but just a bit more grist would have been appreciated.
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