8 Seconds of Courage is short book with a deep inspiring story about Flo Groberg’s life from a child in France to the award ceremony for the Medal of Honor. Step by step you read about the events and people that influenced Flo’s life and decisions towards the Medal of Honor. Truthfully, the meritorious recognition is just the country’s way to recognize the commitment and sacrifice that Flo and his Soldiers already committed. The meat and substance lies in the journey to the heroism and then the recovery afterwards.
Key Components
This book really highlights the journey it takes to move on instinct to protect your comrades. Flo is positively influenced by his uncle, finishes college, then joins the army. He then completes Army ranger school and leads two tours in the Middle East. It’s the memories, good and bad, that help lead him to make the right choices that protect lives. However, the 8 seconds of heroism is not the end of the voyage.
After the 8 Seconds of Courage comes recovery. This is where the battle of regret, self worth, courage to face loss and heartbreak edges on for years. Not weeks or months, it’s years of pain. It’s easy to highlight the act of valor or the ceremony for the Medal of Honor. Yet I found the most value in the story of the path to the salute to courage and the dark recovery within.
I fully recommend this book. It is a quick read but I was not able to put it down. The progression features the important points that the reader needs to understand to appreciate the journey of Flo.
You can find 8 Seconds of Courage anywhere books are sold. Here it is, sold on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Seconds-Courage-Soldiers-Story-Immigrant/dp/1501165887
Check out my last book review here.
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