David Brown's memoir And Goliath chronicles his journey from childhood to a distinguished career in the Navy SEALs and beyond. He begins with his formative years, including standing up to bullies and embracing his family's military values. Brown talks about his early passion for wrestling, issues of self-doubt, and eventual victory, fueling his belief in the power of mindset. Brown enlisted in the Navy, overcoming medical and weight hurdles to pursue SEAL training. After passing intense physical tests, he faced further trials during BUD/S, including injuries, mental demands, and rigorous drills, ultimately earning his Trident pin. Following his SEAL career, Brown transitioned to federal law enforcement, solving high-profile homicide, fraud, and environmental crimes, and advancing to Special Agent in Charge in Sacramento, overseeing criminal investigations across multiple regions before retirement.

Memoirs are often tricky when they are about people you don't know or know of, so I had set the bar low going into David Brown's And Goliath: The Littlest Navy SEAL's Inspirational Story About Living Your Biggest Life. Trust me when I say, it not only exceeded my expectations but is one of the standout memoirs I have read in a long time. Brown's resilience shines through the pages, especially during his descriptions of Hell Week, where camaraderie and mental fortitude proved crucial to his success. Brown is refreshingly honest about the toll his drive took on his relationships and the razor-thin balance he had to find between military objectives and his personal life. His journey from SEAL training to his later career in federal law enforcement is a testament to his skill across the board, and he walks the walk when it comes to teamwork and leadership. Through it all, Brown shows us how overcoming adversity is not just about physical endurance, but also about transforming one's mindset and remaining laser-focused on what you want to achieve. Very highly recommended.

And Goliath by David Brown is a memoir of courage, determination, and sheer grittiness to see the task completed. David takes readers back to his childhood in the small coalmining town of Wilke-Barre, Pennsylvania. Even back then, David was the runt of whatever class he was in at Grant Street Elementary School. Shortness ran in the family and David had inherited his parents' lack of height. His stature made him an obvious target for bullying and he suffered his fair share but it was here on the playgrounds and sports grounds of the school that his determination to succeed and to never give up was born. With no money to attend college, the military seemed a good option for David but the ordinary life of a seaman was not for him. David dreamed of joining the elite Navy BUD/S teams - a Navy SEAL. At 5’ 3” tall and around 100 pounds, David was far from the typical SEAL recruit. What follows is an incredible journey of determination and living the biggest life possible. 

And Goliath is one of those rare memoirs that will make you not only marvel at the sheer courage and determination of the author but will also allow you to realize that no matter how amazing someone’s life may appear on the outside, everyone has their own demons and challenges to overcome. David Brown was no different in that respect. What I appreciated was his openness and willingness to expose his vulnerability and weakness to his readers. David did an amazing job of conveying the sheer hell that was “Hell Week” in the Navy SEAL training. A large part of the narrative covers David’s training and readers will ride along with him feeling the pain, the fear, and the hopelessness of many of the situations. What I enjoyed was David’s strategies for coping, making it to the next evolution, and never giving up. More than just a memoir about David’s navy life and then beyond in various governmental agencies, he also used the narrative to research and present scientific information about nature vs nurture, as well as psychological and physiological responses to pain, fear, and despair. This is a wonderful read that I’ll be ruminating on for days to come. I highly recommend this memoir.