'War' by Sebastian Junger - Book Review

Sebastian Junger writes clearly, penetrating the souls of men. No fluff, no presumptions, just thorough journalism with a touch of beautiful transparency and precise prose. Combine Junger’s writing style with his keen reporting on the physical grit of men, and often their psychological breakdown in modern combat, and you have a jarring, yet fascinating read. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Storm and Fire comes War, a unique take on the battle in Afghanistan through the eyes of a journalist who lived among the young soldiers fighting in the Korengal Valley.

War is disorienting and authentic and not in the least bit entertaining. It’s hard to critique a piece of writing the author nearly died to put together. Thank God Sebastian Junger is a great journalist. Junger lived among the soldiers observed in War for five months. He ate and slept in their sun-blistered camps, ducked from the fire of deadly weaponry and was fueled by the adrenaline that helped so many survive and continue fighting. And he captures the horror and brotherhood of these moments with integrity.

No politics here. Junger readily admits his writing cannot be distantly objective when these men saved his life on numerous occasions. However, the reader does get to see through the unfiltered eye of Junger what it costs to fight against a country whose terrain and people are hardened with a fierce determination to destroy any sense of victory. He also reveals the self-destruction of those who cannot adapt to civilian life after the drug of war, those Hurt Locker personified.

It will be hard for many readers to relate to these soldiers, revealing the distance so many Americans feel with the war in Afghanistan. They are young men with varying personalities. They don’t all love to fight. Some fulfill the adrenaline junky molds, others are seemingly stereotypes of varying U.S. regions, while others still are leaders who demand respect in light of their resolve and determination to save the life of the soldier next to them. Some personify all of the above.

War is an honest lens through a shaky telescope of what it means to wage battle in the Korengal. Peak through at your own discretion. You’ll find a volley of fierce and agonized souls striving to survive.