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)

Excellant

Author didn't push views that i could tell. Only told story of our brave soldiers from t he field point of view

Great emersive story

I've listened to this book as well as tribe and I must say; Junger is my favorite journalist /auther. He just gets it. He captures what the life of a soldier is perfectly. A must read for all.

The Bonds of Brotherhood

Last year I read "The Final Mission of Extortion 17 -  Special Ops, Helicopter Support, Seal Team Six, and the Deadliest Day of the US War in Afghanistan" by Ed Darack (which I recommend). I just finished “War,” an account written by a reporter embedded with US soldiers in the same valley, the Korengal Valley, a strategically important area for Afghanistan and the main point of entry for supplies and fighters from Pakistan. Nearly 70% of the bombs dropped by the US military in Afghanistan were dropped in or around this valley. 

The book is mistitled and Sebastian Junger himself indirectly admits that. He says, “War is a big and sprawling word that brings a lot of human suffering into the conversation, but combat is a different matter. Combat is the smaller game that young men fall in love with, and any solution to the human problem of war will have to take into account the psyches of these young men.” And that is the sum of the book. 

I only read a blurb before I bought this and thought it would be telling the story of the men of Battle Company at The Korengal Outpost from 2007-2008. It was certainly that. It recounts many battles, as would be expected. He gives many details of life in the camp, from writing his blood type on his boots, helmet, and combat vest to the boredom between the fighting. It focuses on a few of the soldiers, their actions, their thoughts, their heroism, and sometimes, their deaths. 

But, it really is about combat. There is the thrill and adrenaline rush of combat that makes the down time between clashes boring and makes the soldiers wish for action. There is a lot of talk about love, not at all in a sexual sense, but a commitment between “brothers” that makes courage and bravery almost irrelevant and certainly secondary to a desire to take care of your brothers and never let them down--the love that causes a man to lay down his life for his friends. It is about soldiers working as a cohesive unit so dependent on each other that it overcomes the instinct for self protection. It’s also about what makes it so hard to fit back into society afterward, and what makes soldiers who have already endured more than could be expected of any many sign up for another deployment. The difficulty is not so much about dealing with the trauma of past combat, but of the desire to be back there where life had more meaning, where you knew that you had a mission and that it counted. And, he notes, the mission, after arriving there, was less about patriotism and more about the brotherhood where your life depended on others and their life depended on you. Life back in American society quickly felt trivial. 

Junger notes that there are fundamental differences between Afghanistan and Vietnam that shows in how the troops perform. Vietnam was an unpopular war in the minds of the general public and most (certainly not all) of the soldiers were there because they had been drafted or had joined because they were about to be drafted and wanted to at least have a choice in which branch of service they wanted to be a part of. In Afghanistan, the soldiers were volunteers who respected authority and were greatly respected for the most part, when they came home. He recounts the story of one soldier who left the battlefield with the dirt of Afghanistan still on his boots and clothes and got on a commercial flight to the US. As he was passing through the first class section, a man stood up, handed him his boarding pass, and told him they were swapping seats (he didn’t say what the passenger sitting next to him on the flight felt). 

This book is partly an answer to the question of what would cause a young guy who would normally be thinking of getting an education or good job and getting married to instead go to a harsh landscape, a foreign land where he doesn’t feel welcome, suffer through incredible hardship, heat, and cold, never knowing when the next attack might begin or when he would be called out on a mission against the enemy who knows the land, culture, and landscape better than they did. It is more than just patriotism. It is complicated and the men themselves feel the struggle. He ends the book with a quotation from Sgt O’Byrne after he had left and begun to adjust to life back in New York, "Maybe the ultimate wound is the one that makes you miss the war you got it in." 

The book is more than an account of war. It’s an exploration into the motivations, the bonds, the paradoxes of combat. Junger brings a better understanding of combat. His book is not really about war and is neither for nor against the war in Afghanistan. But, he is an advocate for the soldier and at a time when America is so divided, it is especially good to remind us that strength comes in unity, co-dependence, sacrifice, and commitment to each other.

first rate work

This is one of the best novels I have ever read regarding the experience of men, particularly young men, in war. The perspective of the journalists as an observer rather than a combatant - despite living so closely with combatants and being in constant danger and under fire - gives a refreshingly frank and unabashed look into their world. This is highly recommended material and should be mandatory reading for any troops facing time in a war theater.

Gripping

This book was a great read in tandem with watching Restrepo, his documentary. The documentary brings to life the very detailed & gripping stories of Battle Company. If you like war books and Afghanistan in particular, this is a must read

A modern work for the history buffs

Basically, if you like to hear about heroic struggles from WWII on the history channel, this book will make you realize that the intrepid spirit of overcoming adversity and overwhelming odds is still alive and well. This book takes the reader behind the propaganda and into the very real world of modern combat. WAR gives the perspective of the modern American soldier Without being too political by way of striking a perfect balance between being interesting and relevant. A MUST READ!!!

Could not stop audible listening

The real understanding of young men that fought in Aganastan. Not for glory, but to stay alive. These young men are truly owed our gratitude. Closing ones eyes you can actually visualize and hear the terror of their experiences. Now understand why so many have post truamatic psychological problems.

Great Book

One of the best military books which discusses war from a soldiers perspective. The only book I ever recommended to my family to understand a soldiers experience - good, bad and ridiculous. I think Sebastian Junger truly bonded with the soldiers of B Co and became one of them. He was then able to speak deeply and personally about the experience. He gives a heartened perspective while at the same time not promoting combat like so many other narratives have. In summary, it is a fantastic book.

Very well done

I've become somewhat tired of books about this recent war and so I started this listen with some skepticism. But The author/narrator soon won me over and I began caring about what he had to say. I liked the way he made his position clear as a journalist and not a combatant. Many keen observations about the nature of combat and what it felt to be there.

This audio book was ell worth the time and cost.

Powerful & Heartbreaking

This book was raw, authentic, and gut-wrenching. Difficult to digest at times, but always consuming and compelling.