Like many young idealists, Eric Greitens wanted to make a difference, so he traveled to the world's trouble spots to work in refugee camps and serve the sick and the poor. Yet when innocent civilians were threatened with harm, there was nothing he could do but step in afterward and try to ease the suffering. In studying humanitarianism, he realized a fundamental truth: when an army invades, the weak need protection. So he joined the Navy SEALs and became one of the world's elite warriors. Greitens led his men through the unforgettable soul-testing of SEAL training and went on to deployments in Kenya, Afghanistan, and Iraq, where he faced harrowing encounters and brutal attacks. Yet even in the deadliest combat situations, the lessons of his humanitarian work bore fruit. At the heart of this powerful story lies a paradox: sometimes you have to be strong to do good, but you also have to do good to be strong. The heart and the fist together are more powerful than either one alone. AUTHOR: Eric Greitens is a senior fellow at the University of Missouri and the founder and director of The Mission Continues, a charity that helps wounded veterans find work back at home. A former Rhodes scholar and White House fellow, Greitens served as a Navy SEAL until he was wounded in Iraq. REVIEWS: "If you're restless or itching for some calling you can't name, read this book. Give it to your son and daughter. The Heart and the Fist epitomizes - as does Mr. Greitens's life, present and future - all that is best in this country, and what we need desperately right now." - Steven Pressfield, author of Gates of Fire "Vivid and compelling . . . a great read." - Washington Times