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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
Listened to him on a podcast, watched Restrepo, and now am listening to his book. I listened as I walked today and couldn't help but put my hand over my heart, shake me head, and make other gestures while listening. It's very powerful so far.
Update: It took me two days to listen to. And I keep replaying parts of it. I'm not sure why I'm so obsessed by it. I guess I keep asking myself how I would react in the situations these men faced. And about the differences between young men and older men and between men and women.
Update: It took me two days to listen to. And I keep replaying parts of it. I'm not sure why I'm so obsessed by it. I guess I keep asking myself how I would react in the situations these men faced. And about the differences between young men and older men and between men and women.
This book is a candid look at a unit of US soldiers serving in Afghanistan. After reading it, I highly recommend watching the documentary film, "Restrepo," produced by Sebastian Junger. The film is about the same group of soldiers. You have to experience it.
Gripping
Junger writes in a way that takes you into the war with vivid physical, emotional, and psychological descriptions of the actual events. Written with honor and respect for the soldiers who endure these brutal physical, emotional, and psychological stressors.
Junger writes in a way that takes you into the war with vivid physical, emotional, and psychological descriptions of the actual events. Written with honor and respect for the soldiers who endure these brutal physical, emotional, and psychological stressors.
Excellent book. A mustg read for all who will deploy to Afghanistan anytime soon.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Brilliantly and honestly written first-person account of the intense combat in the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan as the author embedded with Battle Company over the course of their fifteen month deployment. The sheer amount of firepower and resources used by these 150 men as they try to hold a tiny strip of land hemmed in by mountains on the border with Pakistan is stunning - that they make it through firefight after firefight shooting thousands of rounds, sometimes melting the barrels of the guns they use - it seems impossible that the casualties on both sides remain so low. Those casualties, however, both physical and mental, are rendered in this account with tragic clarity.
The depiction is reminiscent of Ernie Pyle's accounts of World War II Allied combatants from "Brave Men" (as is his involvement and dedication the fighters themselves), Junger also leans on decades of research (much of it begun during World War II) about the psychology of battle. While fascinating to compare of the two depictions of men and their situations - one on a very grand scale with a highly organized standard military enemy and a clear goal, the other confined to a narrow 6-mile long valley against a guerrilla force in a seemingly endless push-pull for control, this account stands on its own as a wonderfully told, heart-breaking account of the effects of war on the men who fight on the front lines. The men grapple with the awareness of how the war is affecting not only their bodies but their minds, yet unable to prevent the inevitable psychological result. A wonderful read.
The depiction is reminiscent of Ernie Pyle's accounts of World War II Allied combatants from "Brave Men" (as is his involvement and dedication the fighters themselves), Junger also leans on decades of research (much of it begun during World War II) about the psychology of battle. While fascinating to compare of the two depictions of men and their situations - one on a very grand scale with a highly organized standard military enemy and a clear goal, the other confined to a narrow 6-mile long valley against a guerrilla force in a seemingly endless push-pull for control, this account stands on its own as a wonderfully told, heart-breaking account of the effects of war on the men who fight on the front lines. The men grapple with the awareness of how the war is affecting not only their bodies but their minds, yet unable to prevent the inevitable psychological result. A wonderful read.
Jaysus, this book is fucking amazing.
I love S. Junger’s approach to reporting. He is a true storyteller. All the facts are there, but he masterfully brings a story to life through historical facts, contextual information, astute observations of human involved in the circumstances, and details. He can spend ten pages writing about how a wave is formed, or the physics of a bomb detonating, and I’m riveted. He rarely editorializes— he lets the people and situations speak for themselves and the reader to conclude what they will — but he does offer a lot of information that allows the reader to come to conclusions. I’ve long thought his book *The Perfect Storm* may be one of the best bits of long-form reporting ever written.
And then I listened to WAR. I honestly felt my brain chemistry changing. Junger, in his gravelly, no-no sense voice— simply, effectively, and honestly tells the story of a platoon of soldiers deep in the most dangerous region of Afghanistan. But WAR is so much more— an exploration of the psychology of brotherhood and courage; a deep look into the history of America’s longest war; a commentary on prospects for humankind to ever create peace; an empathetic look at violence and the effects of combat; a character study of a very specific group of men; and an honest recounting of his own experiences in the Korangal as a reporter are all tied together to reveal depths of nuance beyond what could possibly be told in a history book. It is definitive. I cannot recommend it more highly.
I love S. Junger’s approach to reporting. He is a true storyteller. All the facts are there, but he masterfully brings a story to life through historical facts, contextual information, astute observations of human involved in the circumstances, and details. He can spend ten pages writing about how a wave is formed, or the physics of a bomb detonating, and I’m riveted. He rarely editorializes— he lets the people and situations speak for themselves and the reader to conclude what they will — but he does offer a lot of information that allows the reader to come to conclusions. I’ve long thought his book *The Perfect Storm* may be one of the best bits of long-form reporting ever written.
And then I listened to WAR. I honestly felt my brain chemistry changing. Junger, in his gravelly, no-no sense voice— simply, effectively, and honestly tells the story of a platoon of soldiers deep in the most dangerous region of Afghanistan. But WAR is so much more— an exploration of the psychology of brotherhood and courage; a deep look into the history of America’s longest war; a commentary on prospects for humankind to ever create peace; an empathetic look at violence and the effects of combat; a character study of a very specific group of men; and an honest recounting of his own experiences in the Korangal as a reporter are all tied together to reveal depths of nuance beyond what could possibly be told in a history book. It is definitive. I cannot recommend it more highly.
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
For those of us who will never likely see a battlefield in conflict, this book does a great job of helping to understand it from the perspective of a platoon. The right bonds that form between soldiers in conflict are a little bit better understood by me.
(audiobook review) after watching the documentary 'restrepo' and being underwhelmed (i liked it, but felt i was missing something), and i realized for me this book was far more effective as a way to have a better understanding of our military presence in the korngal valley. i feel the audiobook gave much more context and depth to much of what wasn't obvious in the documentary (at least to me) and after watching it again i highly suggest to read the book first because after listening to the audiobook watching many of the scenes unfold gave me a much deeper understanding of how quick, random, and senseless actual combat is.
Great descriptions of the daily life of a soldier in hell.