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St. Louis Native Mark Bowden On The Killing Of Osama Bin Laden

Ariana Tobin / St. Louis Public Radio

One of the most dramatic military stories of this young century is about the Navy Seal raid that killed Osama bin Laden, in May 2011.

Host Don Marsh talks with St. Louis native and journalist Mark Bowden, the author of the new book, “The Finish: The Killing of Osama Bin Laden.”

Bowden is best known for his 1999 best-selling book, “Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War,” which was later made into a film of the same title, directed by Ridley Scott.

Bowden’s new book about the raid of bin Laden’s compound is drawing praise.

The Wall Street Journal writes, “[A] dramatic narrative . . . the actual champion of the bin Laden hunt is a collective of mostly nameless hands within the intelligence bureaucracy. . . The Finish is at its best when Mr. Bowden goes deep into mission planning, gameboarding the choice of means of attack—air strike? sniper drone? ground-force raid?”

Related Event

Maryville Talks Books Presents Mark Bowden
Monday, November 12, 2012
7:00 p.m.
Maryville University Auditorium

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Alex is the executive producer of "St. Louis on the Air" at St. Louis Public Radio.
Mary Edwards is a producer for St. Louis Public Radio's broadcast program, "St. Louis Symphony."
Don Marsh served as host of St. Louis Public Radio’s “St. Louis on the Air" from 2005 to 2019, bringing discussions of significant topics to listeners' ears at noon Monday through Friday. Don has been an active journalist for 58 years in print, radio and television. He has won 12 Regional Emmy Awards for writing, reporting, and producing. He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, was inducted into the St. Louis Media Hall of Fame in 2013, and named “Media Person of the Year” by the St. Louis Press Club in 2015. He has published three books: his most recent, “Coming of Age, Liver Spots and All: A Humorous Look at the Wonders of Getting Old,” “Flash Frames: Journey of a Journeyman Journalist” and “How to be Rude (Politely).” He holds an honorary Doctor of Arts and Letters degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.