Best Iraq War History Books of 2025

Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win (New Edition) by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin is a groundbreaking leadership book that teaches how to apply principles from the battlefield to business and life. The authors share their firsthand accounts of heroism, tragic loss, and hard-won victories, revealing that leadership is the most important factor in whether a team succeeds or fails. They also offer SEAL leadership training to pass on their lessons of self-discipline, mental toughness, and self-defense to help forge the next generation of SEAL leaders. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to develop their leadership skills and create high-performance teams.

Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger is an insightful book exploring the human need for tribal connections and the impact of their absence in modern society. Junger draws on history, psychology, and anthropology to explain why we are stronger when we come together and how this can be achieved in today's divided world. He also sheds light on the experiences of combat veterans, highlighting the loss of closeness that comes at the end of deployment and the impact it has on their mental health. A thought-provoking read that offers a unique perspective on the human quest for meaning and belonging.

Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations is a thrilling memoir by Admiral William H. McRaven, a decorated Navy SEAL who has been involved in some of the most famous missions in recent memory. McRaven shares stories of bravery and heroism during his career, including the capture of Saddam Hussein, the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips, and the raid to kill Osama bin Laden. The book is action-packed, humorous, and full of valuable life lessons, making it a remarkable memoir from one of America's most accomplished leaders. Overall, Sea Stories is an engaging and well-written book that reads like a thriller, offering insight into the life of a wartime leader and the essential work of military special forces.

Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 is a gripping memoir by Marcus Luttrell, a Navy SEAL who survived a harrowing mission in Afghanistan. The book details the bravery and sacrifice of Luttrell's fellow SEALs, who fought fiercely alongside him until they were tragically killed in action. Luttrell's vivid account of the battle and his subsequent survival is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the true stories of American heroism in modern warfare.

Killing the Killers by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard is the eleventh book in the Killing series and an instant #1 New York Times bestseller. The book takes readers on a thrilling journey inside the global war on terror, which began more than twenty years ago on September 11, 2001. The authors narrate America's intense global war against extremists and individual targeting of the most notorious leaders of these groups. With fresh detail and deeply-sourced information, Killing the Killers is an unstoppable account of the most important war of our era. Overall, the book is a gripping read that offers a unique perspective on the global war on terror.

American Sniper is the #1 New York Times bestselling autobiography of Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history. From 1999 to 2009, Kyle recorded the most career sniper kills in United States military history. In this gripping memoir, he shares his extraordinary battlefield experiences and the pain of war, including the deaths of two close SEAL teammates. His wife, Taya, also speaks openly about the strains of war on their family. Kyle's honest and moving first-person passages make this book one of the great war memoirs of all time.

Perfectly Wounded is a memoir that tells the incredible true story of former Navy SEAL Mike Day. The book recounts the night of April 6, 2007, when Day was shot twenty-seven times while on a mission in Iraq. Despite the odds, he managed to take out all four terrorists in the room before rescuing six women and children and walking out on his own to safety. The book is a testament to Day's incredible resilience, courage, and love, and it sheds light on the invisible wounds of war. Overall, Perfectly Wounded is an inspiring and awe-inspiring read that will leave readers with a newfound appreciation for the sacrifices made by our brave servicemen and women.

The Operator by Robert O’Neill is a gripping memoir that recounts his time as a SEAL Team operator, including his involvement in the mission that killed Osama bin Laden. Through his vivid and blunt language, O’Neill describes the 400 counterterrorism operations and close quarter combat he experienced in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations. The book provides an unvarnished portrait of America’s most storied commandos at war. The author's unique storytelling style and his ability to convey the human side of combat make this book a must-read for anyone interested in military memoirs.

The #1 New York Times bestselling first-person account of the planning and execution of the Bin Laden raid from a Navy SEAL who confronted the terrorist mastermind and witnessed his final moments.. From the streets of Iraq to the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips in the Indian Ocean, and from the mountaintops of Afghanistan to the third floor of Osama Bin Laden’s compound, operator Mark Owen of the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Development Group—known as SEAL Team Six—has been a part of some of the most memorable special operations in history, as well as countless missions that never made headlines.. No Easy Day puts readers alongside Owen and his fellow SEAL team members as they train for the biggest mission of their lives. The blow-by-blow narrative of the assault, beginning with the helicopter crash that could have ended Owen’s life straight through to the radio call confirming Bin Laden’s death, is an essential piece of modern history.. In No Easy Day, Owen also takes readers into the War on Terror and details the formation of the most elite units in the military. Owen’s story draws on his youth in Alaska and describes the SEALs’ quest to challenge themselves at the highest levels of physical and mental endurance. With boots-on-the-ground detail, Owen describes several missions that illustrate the life and work of a SEAL and the evolution of the team after the events of September 11.. In telling the true story of the SEALs whose talents, skills, experiences, and exceptional sacrifices led to one of the greatest victories in the War on Terror, Mark Owen honors the men who risk everything for our country, and he leaves readers with a deep understanding of the warriors who keep America safe.

The Mission, the Men, and Me: Lessons from a Former Delta Force Commander by Pete Blaber is a captivating book that takes readers on a journey through the life of a Delta Force Operator. Blaber's intimate knowledge of warfare is translated into valuable lessons that are just as applicable in civilian life as they are on the battlefield. He presents his hard-won principles of leadership and illustrates them with intense personal stories and accounts of leadership amidst chaotic modern warfare. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in gaining insights into never-before-revealed missions executed around the globe. Overall, The Mission, the Men, and Me is a unique and enlightening read that is sure to leave readers wiser, more capable, and better prepared to succeed in life than they ever thought possible.