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  • Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging

  • By: Sebastian Junger
  • Narrated by: Nick Landrum
  • Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (509 ratings)

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Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging cover art

Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging

By: Sebastian Junger
Narrated by: Nick Landrum
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Publisher's Summary

From the author of The Perfect Storm and War comes a book about why men miss war, why Londoners missed the Blitz, and what we can all learn from American Indian captives who refused to go home.

Tribe is a look at post-traumatic stress disorder and the challenges veterans face in returning to society. Using his background in anthropology, Sebastian Junger argues that the problem lies not with vets or with the trauma they've suffered but with the society to which they are trying to return.

One of the most puzzling things about veterans who experience PTSD is that the majority never even saw combat - yet they feel deeply alienated and out of place back home. The reason may lie in our natural inclination, as a species, to live in groups of 30 to 50 people who are entirely reliant on one another for safety, comfort and a sense of meaning: in short, the life of a soldier.

It is one of the ironies of the modern age that as affluence rises in a society, so do rates of suicide, depression and, of course, PTSD. In a wealthy society, people don't need to cooperate with one another, so they often lead much lonelier lives that lead to psychological distress.

There is a way for modern society to reverse this trend, however, and studying how veterans react to coming home may provide a clue to how to do it. But it won't be easy.

©2016 Sebastian Junger (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic Reviews

"An incredible work of frontline journalism." ( Independent, Books of the Year)
"In his acute observations of soldiers both in battle and at rest, Junger paints a vivid and realistic portrait of the fighting in Afghanistan, often bitterly funny and desperately sad." (Patrick Hennessey, Literary Review)
"The bloodiest and most compelling book you are ever likely to read on the enduring carnage in Afghanistan." ( The Times)
"One of the best books about war you will ever read. Beautifully written in unshowy prose and thoughtful, honest and profound. A masterpiece of the genre." ( Mail on Sunday)
"An intense account.... Junger uses his documentary skills to ask his comrades tough questions about killing, dying, loyalty and friendship. The result is a book not just about war, but about the limits of courage and, yes, love under pressure." ( Guardian)
"Absorbing and original.... Junger has found a novel and interesting lens through which to view the conflict in Afghanistan, and he captures many things a lesser writer might miss." ( New York Times)
"It takes a very good book to carry off a title as portentous as War, and Sebastian Junger has written one.... An outstanding war report: a precise and gripping account of some of the fiercest battles involving American soldiers in recent times." ( The Economist)

What listeners say about Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging

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Fascinating

So much to learn from tribal cultures. This is a fascinating look at human responses to belonging.

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Great!

loved it...so much made sense!
I'll be listening again to reinforce the ideas. thank you

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Dabble

Excellent dabble into the field. Easy listening.
Somewhat North American heavy content, but otherwise interesting, thought provoking, & conversation starting.

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Very interesting, surprisingly compelling.

Good info and the author seems to be heartfelt in his approach to dealing with some touchy issues.

A short listen but thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless.

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Insightful

I would have liked to hear more detail on this subject, but in terms of providing a broad-brush outline of the challenges of living in a modern society, Junger had nailed it.

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great book with a great message

This book speaks my thoughts which I cannot put into words. If only the book was longer!

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    5 out of 5 stars

It's a must read for the modern age!

A brilliant book that delivers a timeless perspective on the human condition. A must read for anyone.

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Fantastic

Ideas presented in this book resonated with me on a deep level, shame it was so short.

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Brilliant

This was such an interesting book ....
I loved it .
Our culture seems to reward the destroyers of tribe these days .
Government now is best described as foxes in the hen house.... no thought for the future the well-being if it’s citizens or the planet .

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  • vh
  • 06-08-2019

Very well put

Interesting account of life in comparison to what it once was. The struggles of living with the missing ingredient

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.