Disarmed: Unconventional Lessons from the World's Only One-Armed Special Forces Sharpshooter

Description

On January 8, 2009, Izzy Ezagui--a 19-year-old American who had enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)--lost his arm in a mortar attack on the border of the Gaza Strip. In this stirring memoir, full of chutzpah and dark humor, Izzy recounts his tortuous trek through rehabilitation to re-enlistment as a squad commander in the IDF. He became the only one-armed Special Forces sharpshooter. This isn't a typical war chronicle. Izzy eschews macho bluster, steering clear of the usual hero tropes of most war memoirists. He wrote this book for his fellow millennials. Not necessarily those with military ambitions, but for everyone facing life's daily battles. His message is simple- if a self-described "nerd" and "one-armed basket case" like him can accomplish what he set his mind to, then anyone can become a hero in his or her own life. Growing up in a religious household in Miami, his early life, plagued by self-doubt, family drama, and girl troubles, culminated in a life-changing terrorist attack he and his family barely escaped when he was thirteen. His search for direction eventually led him to that explosion on the Gaza border, changing his life forever. In the midst of disaster, he discovered a deep well at his core, from which he could draw strength. Through his motivational speeches across the world, he encourages people to seek their own power, and to face whatever adversity life throws at them. Combining refreshing candor with self-deprecating wit, Izzy's story will provoke readers to live up to their aspirations despite seemingly impossible odds.

Izzy Ezagui, a decorated squad commander in the Israel Defense Forces, is the only soldier in the world who lost an arm in combat and returned to the battlefield. In 2011, former President Shimon Peres awarded him one of Israel's highest military honors. While he continues to serve in an elite unit in the reserves, Izzy delivers inspirational talks across the United States and internationally. He's appeared on the Huffington Post, Al Jazeera America, and Fox News. The Algemeiner chose Izzy as one of 100 people positively influencing Jewish life. He also raises millions of dollars for hospitals, rehabilitation programs, and other charities, such as the Birthright Foundation. He has worked with amputee organization, schools, colleges, universities, hedge funds, and corporate events for companies such as Nike and Apple.

""Izzy Ezagui may be the most inspirational figure you'll meet. Gruesomely wounded as a volunteer soldier, he allows nothing to stop his quest to return to a normal life. That he tells his story with irreverence and laugh-out-loud humor makes reading Disarmed a joy. People thrown by lesser obstacles will benefit from reading this moving and triumphant story." --Seth M. Siegel, author of the New York Times bestseller Let There Be Water "Amidst a sea of compelling military memoirists, Ezagui's voice stands out. Not because he's tougher, more tenacious, or further accomplished than the Lone Survivor or the American Sniper. But because Izzy is human, flawed, and often weak, which are his greatest strengths as a writer. He isn't afraid to bleed on the page, to leave a piece of himself with his readers, the way he did on the battlefield that crisp morning. Helping Izzy return to combat was a risk well taken on my part. A few pages into Disarmed, and you'll understand why." --Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant, former commander, Southern Command, Israel Defense Forces "A thoroughly engaging combat memoir driven with action, which our narrator negotiates with hope, reflection, humor, and insight. Izzy describes the IDF as Joseph Heller would, and deftly weaves his story of recovery through time with a fluid style and unflinching candor. I'm looking forward to seeing what he writes next." --Mark Valley, actor, writer, veteran "Warning: The author of Disarmed will try to convince you that he's average, ordinary, a total 'nerd.' Okay, so the last one's right on the money. But know this: Izzy is anything but conventional, not as a warrior nor as a poet. His blend of comedy and brutal honesty regarding his own shortcomings will keep you in a tight, one-armed grip until the final act. I hope to see an adaptation of Disarmed on the big screen!" --Haim Saban, founder of Saban Entertainment "Izzy's well-told story is not simply one of overcoming myriad obstacles but also a tribute to the fellow soldiers, noncommissioned officers, company-grade officers, and even a general, whose tough love and unwavering support enable him to return to combat duty." --COL Carl A. Singer, PhD, US Army (ret.), and former national commander, Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America "This story of an American Jew who lost an arm fighting for Israel is a Jewish story, an American story, and a human story about young people in battle. A fascinating account." --Benjamin Ginsberg, author of The Worth of War "A detailed personal account of a young soldier's journey through life, with gripping, gritty details of soldiering and firsthand combat experience--including being wounded in action and the hideous aftermath and struggle of recovery--all of it packed with witty writing that makes it entertaining to read. Ultimately, Izzy Ezagui has shown the world that despite being a one-armed man, or a person with any other disability, for that matter, you can still be a deadly soldier for your country." --Keith R. Nolan, deaf former US Army ROTC cadet