Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging

By: Sebastian Junger

Narrated by: Nick Landrum

Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's Summary

From the author of The Perfect Storm and War comes a book about why men miss war, why Londoners missed the Blitz, and what we can all learn from American Indian captives who refused to go home.

Tribe is a look at post-traumatic stress disorder and the challenges veterans face in returning to society. Using his background in anthropology, Sebastian Junger argues that the problem lies not with vets or with the trauma they've suffered but with the society to which they are trying to return.

One of the most puzzling things about veterans who experience PTSD is that the majority never even saw combat - yet they feel deeply alienated and out of place back home. The reason may lie in our natural inclination, as a species, to live in groups of 30 to 50 people who are entirely reliant on one another for safety, comfort and a sense of meaning: in short, the life of a soldier.

It is one of the ironies of the modern age that as affluence rises in a society, so do rates of suicide, depression and, of course, PTSD. In a wealthy society, people don't need to cooperate with one another, so they often lead much lonelier lives that lead to psychological distress.

There is a way for modern society to reverse this trend, however, and studying how veterans react to coming home may provide a clue to how to do it. But it won't be easy.

©2016 Sebastian Junger (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic Reviews

"An incredible work of frontline journalism." ( Independent, Books of the Year)
"In his acute observations of soldiers both in battle and at rest, Junger paints a vivid and realistic portrait of the fighting in Afghanistan, often bitterly funny and desperately sad." (Patrick Hennessey, Literary Review)
"The bloodiest and most compelling book you are ever likely to read on the enduring carnage in Afghanistan." ( The Times)
"One of the best books about war you will ever read. Beautifully written in unshowy prose and thoughtful, honest and profound. A masterpiece of the genre." ( Mail on Sunday)
"An intense account.... Junger uses his documentary skills to ask his comrades tough questions about killing, dying, loyalty and friendship. The result is a book not just about war, but about the limits of courage and, yes, love under pressure." ( Guardian)
"Absorbing and original.... Junger has found a novel and interesting lens through which to view the conflict in Afghanistan, and he captures many things a lesser writer might miss." ( New York Times)
"It takes a very good book to carry off a title as portentous as War, and Sebastian Junger has written one.... An outstanding war report: a precise and gripping account of some of the fiercest battles involving American soldiers in recent times." ( The Economist)

Time to turn the world around!

Loved it! struggled a bit but got there. The narrator was good. Time to change!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Phenomenal!

As one who was not in the military but moved my family of seven overseas in a remote desert region, experienced hard things and a shame/honor/communal society, then moved to a boarding home to raise 25+ teens with a staff of five, only to return to the west after 5 years, I saw for myself much of that this book identifies. It helped me appreciate the lives of our military friends and more clearly understand our own challenges when reentering American culture and the isolation we felt - as well as the strange longing to return to our former lives, our tribes.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

A guide for lost Young men

Sometimes you listen someone put wods on something that was already known. Tribe was that for me.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

deeply satisfying insights into tribal societies

The most satisfying parts were those about tribal native American societies and the mining stories.
Overall, plenty of insights to love and think about, also to apply in the real world.
I am happy with the purchase.

Good short read

The book speaks well to how difficult it is to be human in a culture that insists on pretending that everything is okay even amid horrible suffering and calamity.

my the most favourite book on audible

i already heard it for the fourth time and it becomes my the most facoirite book i bought on audible

Gooe historical background and personalexperience

Easy light read. Author poses the problem and highligts points with relevant personal experience. Good theoretical background.

Very interesting

Loved the great personal and historical stories of solidarity and tribalism.

The only very slight criticism would maybe be the structure. Everything melted together a bit.

Create a community, change your life!

If you could sum up Tribe in a few words, what would they be?
Great journalism.

Would you listen to Tribe again? Why?
Yes, I think so.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?
How many of our psychological issues in the West is directly linked to individualism.

What could the authors have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?
I don't know. Maybe a little short.

What about Nick Landrum's performance did you like?
Pretty straightforward.

Any additional comments?
Watch his documentaries "Restrepo" and "Hell On Earth".

great

well written, well read. important topic that is very relevant to the chaotic state of the world we see today. 5 bags of popcorn .

A must read for anyone with an interest society

This is a very interesting study of relationships in society and why so many people felt happier during times of war than during peace times

Another one on how bad life is today.

I like the book and the idea of it, but I'm not overly fond on people keep hammering on how we're supposed to live and the pitfalls of modern society. I say what humanity has created today in the Western World (since this is my part) is pretty damn good. Of course there are bad parts, but the general direction is not negative in my opinion. High five humanity. I particularly disliked the initial comparisons between a tribe and a modern country. In my opinion such comparison is absolutely rediculous. Can we take things from the past and apply them in the present? Absolutely. And we have and are still doing so all the time. But a tribe is nothing like a 100+ million people country. Let along a whole world. Communism works perfectly in tribe. Not so great in big communities. Just saying...

Recommend

This audiobook was enjoyable, engaging and it carried some important knowledge for understanding why so many of us might be suffering mentally. Even though we are living in such ‘good’ times.

Tribe

Gobsmacked! The info in this book sheds so much light on our current 'civilisation'. Read it (or listen) and this explains the quotation marks. Should be taken up in the curriculum of every single university for application in society. This should b basic education.

interesting but anecdotal

Bought this following on from Joe Rogan, very anecdotal but interesting theory. Junger pulls from very specific events, units or historical tribes as evidence for what he sees as the human condition but without any interventive studies this seems to be more opinion than anything substantive.

Intriguing analysis of our need for our tribes

I was caught out by how short the book is but I found the content very thought-provoking. It's obvious that we are a tribal species to some extent but Junger breaks this down into some convincing factors that I would like to explore further.

Profound and mind opening

Amazing analysis from mr. Junger about the lost values and roots of our suffering and violence.
Highly recommended for everyone

Perfection

We all have our favourite books, and this is mine. I'm just sitting down to listen for the fourth of fifth time, and I'm as excited as I was the first time I heard it. It's the book I gift more than any other, and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in human beings and why we tend to band together. Just sensational.

Meh.

I had been expecting more from this after speaking to people who read the book.
It had some insightful thoughts into culture and community but felt like it was ranting at times.

Excellent. Concise, thought-provoking, heartfelt look inside our society

I have a brief military background and warm to Junger’s writing. This is not long, nor is it shouty (“this will change your life!! Buy six - now!!!”), and it follows our current trend for statistically & scientifically grounded research, making connections we might otherwise miss. Similar to Harari, Zuboff, Rosling and others it invites us to question where we are going, and whether we are consciously moving to a desired future or unwittingly drifting to a potentially harmful cliff edge. It is well narrated, although having heard Junger on Ted Talks I would like to hear him narrate this himself. Thoroughly recommended.