The Cupertino Courier
News
Pat Tillman's mother to release book this month
By Stephen Baxter
Almaden Valley resident Mary Tillman, whose son Pat Tillman left a pro football career to join the Army after 9-11, has written a book chronicling Pat's life and the cover-up surrounding his death in Afghanistan.
The 368-page book, titled Boots on the Ground by Dusk: My Tribute to Pat Tillman, has been published by Modern Times and is expected to be released April 29. The book was co-authored by Narda Zacchino, a former deputy editor at the San Francisco Chronicle.
The story traces Pat Tillman's upbringing in the Almaden Valley, and several residents who are mentioned in the book have received passages from it to verify its accuracy.
"If your name is in it, [Mary Tillman] is doing you the honor of letting you read it," said Peggy Melbourne, whose name appears in a draft.
Several book reviewers have seen early copies of the book.
"Alongside fond memories and recollections of Pat's charismatic bluntness and self-sacrificing nature, Mary details her family's exhaustive search for the truth with the help of allies ranging from U.S. Sen. John McCain
to retired Gen. Wesley Clark
to numerous investigative reporters," said a Kirkus Reviews report.
Publishers Weekly called it a "disturbing story" that may raise more questions than it answers.
"Tillman recounts her story bravely, but her obsession with fixing blame and her recourse to conspiracy theories compromises her credibility. The result is a troubling, uneven account that raises serious questions, but offers little in the way of insights or answers," the review stated.
After the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Pat Tillman left a multimillion-dollar pro football contract to join the U.S. Army. On April 21, 2004, he was in Afghanistan getting out of a vehicle when one of his comrades accidentally shot him in the head.
Army spokesmen initially told the Tillman family that he was killed in an enemy firefight, but weeks later they were told the truth. Several investigations were launched into the incident and its cover-up, but some questions remain.
Pat Tillman's life has been celebrated in San Jose.
A monument in New Almaden featuring a 2,000-pound hunk of granite was unveiled to commemorate Pat on Sept. 8, 2007. Leland High School's football field also was named in his memory, and the Pat Tillman Foundation formed in 2004 to support students and promote leadership.
In 2006, New York-based Hyperion Books announced a book deal with Mary Tillman, but it was cancelled in 2007, a Hyperion spokeswoman said.
Boots on the Ground by Dusk: The Life and Death of Pat Tillman may be pre-ordered through Amazon.com and Powells.com for a list price of $25.95.
Mary Tillman also is expected to appear in an interview on CBS' 60 Minutes on May 4, but a call to 60 Minutes was not returned.
Pat's Run, which benefits the Pat Tillman Foundation, is scheduled for May 3 at 8 a.m. at Leland High School, 6677 Camden Ave. in San Jose. Registration information is at www.PatTillmanFoundation.org.