Authors: Steven Pressfield
To Dave Danelo for demolishing an earlier version of this story (which deserved demolition)—and to Nancy Roberts for laboring mightily to help build it back. To Shawn Coyne, for understanding this tale better than I did and for elevating it to a level higher than I had envisioned or hoped. To Callie Oettinger, for being a rock for me amid turbulent waters.
And to Major Jim Gant, U.S. Army Special Forces, for friendship and wisdom beyond the call of duty.
Steven Pressfield is the author of the fictional works
The Legend of Bagger Vance, Gates of Fire, The Afghan Campaign
, and
Killing Rommel
, and the nonfiction book
The War of Art
. He lives in Los Angeles.