Junger, Sebastian

Sebastian Junger is author of the New York Times bestseller Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, War, A Death in Belmont, Fire, and The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea, and co-director of the documentary film Restrepo, nominated for an Academy Award. He is also the winner of a Peabody Award and the National Magazine Award for reporting. Throughout history, humans have been driven by the quest for two cherished ideals: community and freedom, yet the two don’t easily coexist. We value individuality and self-reliance, but are utterly dependent on community for our most basic needs. In Freedom (Simon & Schuster), Junger examines the tension that lies at the heart of that conflict. For much of a year, he and three friends – a conflict photographer and two Afghan War vets – walked the railroad lines of the East Coast. It was an experiment in personal autonomy, but also in interdependence. Dodging railroad cops, sleeping under bridges, cooking over fires, and drinking from creeks and rivers, the four men forged a unique reliance on one another. Junger’s account of this journey offers a powerful examination of the primary desires that define us. The New York Post called it a “fascinating look at freedom and community.”