The World Needs More Heroes...

Eric Greitens is a rare breed...

This Missouri-born US Navy SEAL officer can say a great deal about his life, though he has yet to celebrate his fortieth birthday. In fact, it makes for quite an interesting book and one that proves why might should always exist in tandem with compassion and courage. It tells of Greitens' life in straightforward and detailed language devoid of literary “flourishes.” This is a story worth reading. Allow me to elaborate so as to support my claim: this Rhodes and Truman Scholar began pursuing educational success at Duke University, where he studied ethics, philosophy, and public policy. After graduating from the University of Oxford in 2000, Greitens joined the US Navy. He has been deployed on four separate occasions, seeing action in Afghanistan and Iraq, among other regions of the world. He has been honored by both the military and the commander in chief on more than one occasion (and it is easy to lose track with an award list such as this one). However, this is only the beginning of a long list of accolades, and these are not the reasons for Greitens' putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys, as the case may be). At the heart of his story is a genuine sense of the need for more peace-making in the world, and his remarkable list of humanitarian efforts serve to exemplify the strength of his convictions. Greitens has been involved with relief-providing programs in at least eight countries around the world. He is also an award-winning documentary photographer and founder of The Mission Continues, a non-profit organization that aims to help disabled and wounded military veterans take a more active role as leaders in their communities.

With that being said, I believe that my case has all of the evidence it needs: Eric Grietens is a special type of fellow who has become a hero in the minds of those many people directly affected by his life's work, and he has gained both notoriety and honor through the challenge of his experience and the significance of his achievements. Now, a true sense of his life is made available to you in his own resounding words. Greitens' latest contribution to the world is The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, The Making of a Navy Seal. This is adventure with a purpose, and it has a certain heartfelt wisdom at the core that will inspire you and reassure you that, yes, heroes are still made in America.

A scholar and a warrior, a Navy SEAL and a humanitarian, Eric Grietens is the sort of person this world requires for greater degrees of meaningful social progress on both a national and global level. The world needs more “heart and fist.” For anyone interested in powerful, serious stories that help to show the impact of strength, compassion, and a life lived to the fullest extent, The Heart and the Fist is a must-read. This book would also be great for anyone wanting to learn more about military and humanitarian efforts across the world through a personalized account from someone who has been a part of the action across the world.