Tribe

A brilliant little book driven by a powerful idea and series of reflections I would give this gem of an essay to anyone embarking on the understanding of human society and governance Evening Standard An eloquent and thought-provoking book it could help us to think more deeply about how to help men and woman battered by war to find new purpose in peace The Times Fascinating, insightful and built on real and difficult experiences as well as a background in anthropology Sunday Times An electrifying tapestry of history, anthropology, psychology and memoir that punctures the stereotype of the veteran as a war-damaged victim in need of salvation. Rather than asking how we can save our returning servicemen and women, Junger challenges us to take a hard look in the mirror and ask whether we can save ourselves Tribe is a stirring clarion call for a return to solidarity. In advocating a public, shared confrontation with the psychic scars of war, Junger aims to stop trauma burning a hole through individual veterans. Such a collective catharsis might also be our best hope of healing the wounds modern society has inflicted on itself Guardian Junger is particularly insightful when he is discussing combat soldiers and the difficulties they experience when returning from war zones Junger is correct to draw attention to the major faultlines in affluent societies, including the dismantling of a sense of community. A growing proportion of people are suffering from clinical depression, anxiety and chronic loneliness. He rightly observes that wealth is not the route to happiness. Being loved and giving love are fundamental to human happiness and health Observer A small, but convincingly argued, book a good starting point for rethinking the way we live our troubled modern lives Daily Mail Lucid and engaging TLS

SEBASTIAN JUNGER is the New York Timesbestselling author of The Perfect Storm, A Death in Belmont, Fire, and War. He is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and has been awarded a National Magazine Award and an SAIS-Novartis Prize for journalism. He lives in New York City.