American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History

An autobiographical book written by Chris Kyle in collaboration with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice was published in the United States in 2012, and by February 2, 2013, its author was tragically killed by the hand of a mentally ill veteran, Eddie R. Root—an ex-Marine suffering from post-traumatic stress.

Chris (Christopher Scott) Kyle served from 1999 to 2009 in the SEAL ranks—an elite “Navy SEALs” formation of the US Navy’s special operations forces. After four combat deployments in Iraq, he became the most effective sniper in US history. He accurately eliminated 160 Iraqi militants, or 255 according to other sources.

Kyle’s successes made him a popular figure not only among his fellow countrymen but even among enemies: Islamists gave him the nickname “al-Shaitan Ramadi” (“The Devil of Ramadi”) and offered a reward for his head.

In his autobiography, Chris Kyle tells in detail about service in SEAL Team 3 and his own participation in combat operations in Iraq, about fellow snipers, and about the specifics of sniper work in modern counterterrorist warfare. He also devoted significant space to his personal life, in particular his relationship with his wife Taya.

Kyle’s book, which became a bestseller in the US, is written in a vivid and accessible language, with extra charm added by the professional jargon of its author. The Russian edition is aimed at the widest readership, though, undoubtedly, it is of special interest to “people in uniform” and domestic veterans of “hot spots.”