WAR

By: Sebastian Junger

Narrated by: Sebastian Junger

Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

In his breakout best seller, The Perfect Storm, Sebastian Junger created "a wild ride that brilliantly captures the awesome power of the raging sea and the often futile attempts of humans to withstand it" (Los Angeles Times Book Review). Now, Junger turns his brilliant and empathetic eye to the reality of combat - the fear, the honor, and the trust among men in an extreme situation whose survival depends on their absolute commitment to one another.

His on-the-ground account follows a single platoon through a 15-month tour of duty in the most dangerous outpost in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. Through the experiences of these young men at war, he shows what it means to fight, to serve, and to face down mortal danger on a daily basis.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2010 Sebastian Junger (P)2010 Hachette

Critic reviews

"Junger mixes visceral combat scenes-raptly aware of his own fear and exhaustion-with quieter reportage and insightful discussions of the physiology, social psychology, and even genetics of soldiering. The result is an unforgettable portrait of men under fire." ( Publishers Weekly)

Long live Restrepo

Junger is captivating, mesmerizing. Watched the movie 8-9 years ago I believe, was fascinated. Finally got around to his book. I’d read anything he writes. Highly recommend. Rest In Peace to the fallen soldiers and Tim Hetherington.

Human vs human, not country vs country

This was a book that gripped me and left me reevaluating the minor things in my day to day life that can cause frustration, fright, or anxiety. I can't give Sebastian enough props for embedding himself in with the troops in an area as dangerous as the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan. His firsthand account of how the troops lived shows human nature and combat in a raw form.

Sebastian's raspy and austere voice is a perfect match for the audio. I can not imagine having someone else read his experience. His tonality and emotion make the book seem all the more real. His writing style is not one to drag on and give the reader all the answers or fill in all the gaps. He left me hanging several times wanting further explanations. Although, the further detail may not be necessary or add anything to the story, and it has me, the reader, hanging on the edge, captivated and continuing on through the book with an eagerness to hear more.

Sebastian captured all the real moments of the men in battle and on base. He included the humor that soldiers use. The moments of boredom they find themselves in when there is no combat. The lives of the soldiers before battle. The crossroads soldiers find themselves at when faced with going home or remaining enlisted - and the decision is not an easy one. Sebastian's ability to be embedded with the troops gave me more insight into man vs man combat and not country vs country.

I usually take notes while listening to Audible books. Not this one. I listened and visualized his words and the scenarios and situations he discussed. I visualized myself as a soldier who dies. I visualized myself as a soldier who lives. Or how I would react in the situations Sebastian was in. Sebastian did an incredible job being objective and allowing my mind to enter into the situations they all found themselves in there. A good practice for me to receive more insight into myself as a human.

Cannot describe without hyperbole

There is a difference between war and combat; a distinction made on the most personal of terms in this volume. It is one of the few audiobooks on which I have hit the rewind button in order to hear something a second or a third time. I found Junger's observations about how and why people willingly become "heroes" to be among the most revealing and profound I have ever experienced. The only equivalent experience for me was watching the movie Apocalypse Now for the first time. This story is gritty, bloody, profane, and ultimately, beautiful. One curious note that haunted me throughout this story was drawing parallels to my own father, a WWII and Korean War vet who stayed in the Army continuously from 1939 to 1964. Why on Earth would someone stay in the Army when everyone else was headed for home? In a very large way, this tale explains what had formerly been completely inexplicable...what is the psychic attraction? Why do people fight? And what does it mean when we call someone "a veteran"?

Eye Opening

Sebastian Junger captures the war in a way that is nothing short of amazing. His ability to connect real time events with scientific research data adds a tremendous dimension to this story. Great Read!

The story behind the film 'Restrepo'

For over a year (2007-2008), author/narrator Sebastian Junger and British photographer Tim Herrington embedded with the U.S. 173rd Airborne brigade in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. War is based on their experience with that unit and provides the story behind the film, Restrepo. Having already seen Restrepo (which is an excellent film), I was hesitant to listen to War thinking it would feel redundant. However, while Restrepo focused more on the men of the 173rd Airborne brigade and their experiences as soldiers, War offers Junger an opportunity to share his own perspective as a journalist. I found War to be a very compelling listen. Junger's narration makes the events he describes feel immediate and one can sense the emotional attachment he formed to the brigade during the time he spent in a very dangerous area of Afghanistan, where some members of the brigade unfortunately lost their lives. I found his description of the brigade's interactions with Korengal Valley locals to be especially interesting, and how the U.S. soldiers attempted to bridge the cultural divide via translators and offering humanitarian aid. This is a fascinating audiobook and I recommend it to anyone interested in U.S. foreign affairs and Afghanistan.

Junger knocks one out of the park again.

You will learn a lot about our soldiers and how the war in Afghanistan is fought in this book. Really enjoyed it.

A Perspective Not Seen Often enough

I hope many read this. I would be curious to know what the troops written about thought. Their comments should be included in an afterword.

astounding

If you want to understand modern combat and the people now coming away from it, this is the book.

Required reading

I have read or listened to many first person accounts of those at war. I am not a combat veteran and as I am no, I struggle with what it is we as a people ask of the young men and women in the service. This book helps me understand what we ask of them and why we must take the making of that ask so seriously. Thank mr Junger and Mr Heatherington.

Another fantastic book by Sebastian Junger

Deeply moving and thoughtful writing about a complex topic. His descriptions and narration complement each other perfectly. I've already recommended this book to several friends and family members.