“The Unforgiving Minute is one of the most compelling memoirs yet to emerge from America's 9/11 era. Craig Mullaney has given us an unusually honest, funny, accessible, and vivid account of a soldier's coming of age. This is more than a soldier's story; it is a work of literature." —Steve Coll, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Ghost Wars and The Bin Ladens "One of the most thoughtful and honest accounts ever written by a young Army officer confronting all the tests of life." —Bob Woodward In this surprise bestseller, West Point grad, Rhodes scholar, Airborne Ranger, and U. S. Army Captain Craig Mullaney recounts his unparalleled education and the hard lessons that only war can teach. While stationed in Afghanistan, a deadly firefight with al-Qaeda leads to the loss of one of his soldiers. Years later, after that excruciating experience, he returns to the United States to teach future officers at the Naval Academy. Written with unflinching honesty, this is an unforgettable portrait of a young soldier grappling with the weight of war while coming to terms with what it means to be a man.

A West Point grad, Rhodes scholar, and Army Ranger recounts his unparalleled education in the art of war and reckons with the hard wisdom that only battle itself can bestow.

“The Unforgiving Minute is one of the most compelling memoirs yet to emerge from America's 9/11 era. Craig Mullaney has given us an unusually honest, funny, accessible, and vivid account of a soldier's coming of age. This is more than a soldier's story; it is a work of literature." —Steve Coll, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Ghost Wars and The Bin Ladens "One of the most thoughtful and honest accounts ever written by a young Army officer confronting all the tests of life." —Bob Woodward In this surprise bestseller, West Point grad, Rhodes scholar, Airborne Ranger, and U. S. Army Captain Craig Mullaney recounts his unparalleled education and the hard lessons that only war can teach. While stationed in Afghanistan, a deadly firefight with al-Qaeda leads to the loss of one of his soldiers. Years later, after that excruciating experience, he returns to the United States to teach future officers at the Naval Academy. Written with unflinching honesty, this is an unforgettable portrait of a young soldier grappling with the weight of war while coming to terms with what it means to be a man.

How do you lose 20kg in just 47 days? Strap on a 250 kg sled and haul it 1600km across Antarctica. Adventurer Tim Jarvis was inspired to do just that, treading in the footsteps of some of the most eccentric and heroic explorers by undertaking unsupported journeys to the South and North Poles. He and trekking partner Peter Treseder pulled sleds packed with tents, medicines, food and fuel across these unforgiving landscapes of sculptured snow and ice at altitudes of up to 4000 metres, enduring temperatures as low as minus 45 degrees. When the grandson of adventurer Sir Douglas Mawson heard Tim planned to haul a sled across the Antarctic, he entrusted him with his grandfather's famous black balaclava. Prime Minister John Howard and British PM Tony Blair signed up as patrons of the trek and media baron Lachlan Murdoch donated $100,000 towards the $500,000 challenge. Tim and Peter reached the South Pole in December 2000, setting a world record for the fastest unsupported journey to the South Pole and then continued on in their attempt to cross the continent. On the journey Tim was forced to fill two of his own teeth (fillings shrink under those conditions), battled storms that kept the pair in their tiny, wind-beaten tent for 36 hours straight, and worked off a quarter of his body weight, due to the immense physical strain (even though he'd been pouring olive oil on everything he'd eaten- including breakfast cereal- to try to keep up his energy levels). The adventures of Tim Jarvis don't stop there. In 2002 he and Peter attemped to walk across the North Pole unsupported, making national headlines when they were airlifted out after Peter suffered severe frostbite. Tim hit the headlines again in April this year when he and a friend attempted to canoe and trek across a partly flooded section of the usually dry Lake Eyre. Tim Jarvis is an incredible Australian with an incredible story to tell about his polar expeditions. He believes life is what you make it and that testing yourself physically and mentally brings great rewards. His story is truly inspirational.

Ryan Betancourt has got it made: he's reached the top tier of the tennis world thanks to a wild-card entry to the US Open. Ryan is meeting players he has idolized for years, including his teenage crush, Josh Andrews. But he isn't ready for the politics and manipulation that come with life at the top. Josh Andrews is closeted, private, and difficult to get to know. He's been playing tennis since he could walk, won his first tournament at five, and was sent to Spain at thirteen to attend a tennis academy. Before a knee injury forced him into a year off, he was ranked the number one player in the world. Now he's back-and intent on winning. Josh and Ryan first meet at a tournament in Brisbane. Ryan excitedly greets Josh only to be ignored. Crushed, he realizes the golden boy of tennis isn't all he seems. Only in the team-building environment of training for the Davis Cup does Josh open up enough for them to grow closer. Their developing relationship is everything Ryan ever wanted, and he is blissfully happy. But inevitably they have to play against each other, and everything changes.