The Unforgiving Minute is the extraordinary story of one soldier’s singular education. From a hilarious plebe’s-eye view of the author’s West Point experience to the demanding leadership crucible of Ranger School’s swamps and mountains, to a two-year whirlwind of scintillating debate, pub crawls, and romance at Oxford, Mullaney’s winding path to the battlegrounds of Afghanistan was unique and remarkable. Despite all his preparation, the hardest questions remained. When the call came to lead his platoon into battle and earn his soldiers’ salutes, would he be ready? Was his education sufficient for the unforgiving minutes he’d face? A fascinating account of an Army captain’s unusual path through some of the most legendary seats of learning straight into a brutal fight with Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, The Unforgiving Minute is, above all, an unforgettable portrait of a young soldier grappling with the weight of his hard-earned knowledge while coming to grips with becoming a man.
While the common read starts with the learning communities program, our hope and intention is that any and everyone who is interested will join us.
Tthe goal of the common read is to create community and conversation with our students, our families, and our community. All students, faculty, staff, families, and community members are welcome to join us in reading the book, participating in discussions, and attending events. We hope that some of the many Book Clubs in the area will choose the book; we hope that families will use it as a conversation piece as your son or daughter is preparing to leave home this summer; and we hope that our events and activities will lead to learning from each others' perspectives.
All learning community students, faculty, and staff are being asked to read the book over the summer prior to the start of the fall 2012 semester. The book may be used in conjunction with learning community courses, and there will be a variety of out-of-class events throughout the year, including:
Keep checking back as we add details for each event. Events are free and open to the public.
Join us on Facebook! Engage in online discussions, get event updates, and be the first to know what the book for next year is! www.facebook.com/MSUCommonRead
You may also consider becoming a fan of learning communities on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MSULearningCommunities as events will be posted there as well.
Author's official website: www.craigmmullaney.com
For your Book Club: [PDF] Book Club and Classroom Discussion Guide (55 KiB)
The Unforgiving Minute is available in hardcover, paperback, e-Book, and in audio format at many online and local booksellers. Check with your local library as well!
In Mankato:
If you have an idea for a future common read book, want to help plan an event, or have other ideas, contact Kate Hansen in the Office of First Year Experience; 507-389-5498.
