Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging - Hardcover

Junger, Sebastian

4.02

44,619 ratings by Goodreads

9781443449588: Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 144344958X ISBN 13: 9781443449588

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers, 2016

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Sebastian Junger, the bestselling author of War and The Perfect Storm, takes a critical look at post-traumatic stress disorder and the many challenges today’s returning veterans face in modern society.

There are ancient tribal human behaviors-loyalty, inter-reliance, cooperation-that flare up in communities during times of turmoil and suffering. These are the very same behaviors that typify good soldiering and foster a sense of belonging among troops, whether they’re fighting on the front lines or engaged in non-combat activities away from the action. Drawing from history, psychology, and anthropology, bestselling author Sebastian Junger shows us just how at odds the structure of modern society is with our tribal instincts, arguing that the difficulties many veterans face upon returning home from war do not stem entirely from the trauma they’ve suffered, but also from the individualist societies they must reintegrate into.

A 2011 study by the Canadian Forces and Statistics Canada reveals that 78 percent of military suicides from 1972 to the end of 2006 involved veterans. Though these numbers present an implicit call to action, the government is only just taking steps now to address the problems veterans face when they return home. But can the government ever truly eliminate the challenges faced by returning veterans? Or is the problem deeper, woven into the very fabric of our modern existence? Perhaps our circumstances are not so bleak, and simply understanding that beneath our modern guises we all belong to one tribe or another would help us face not just the problems of our nation but of our individual lives as well.

Well-researched and compellingly written, this timely look at how veterans react to coming home will reconceive our approach to veteran’s affairs and help us to repair our current social dynamic.

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Review:

‘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

About the Author:

SEBASTIAN JUNGER is the New York Times–bestselling 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.

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