TRIBE On Homecoming and Belonging

The forcefulness of the author's convictions and his experiences as a combat journalist and filmmaker give authenticity to his narration of his latest book. Ruminating on the highly individualistic nature of contemporary Western culture, Junger analyzes how warfare can create a more communal or tribal experience for those who experience it and suggests that troops keenly feel the loss of that connection when reintegrating into society. PTSD, he theorizes, arises when veterans return and find themselves feeling alienated from our disjointed society. As narrator, Junger's tone ranges from critical to supportive, from outraged to sorrowful. Never nuanced in his speaking or timid with his opinions, Junger dismisses the empty platitudes we offer troops and calls for a better understanding of and more appropriate support for veterans. M.L.R. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2016]