War: Through the eyes of the 173rd Airborne in Afghanistan
"Brotherhood has nothing to do with feelings; it has to do with how you define your relationship to others. It has to do with the rather profound decision to put the welfare of the group above your personal welfare. In such a system, feelings are meaningless. In such a system, who you are entirely depends on your willingness to surrender who you are."
War is an absolute need-to-read title for paratroopers anywhere, the modern classic War by Sebastian Junger reports on the insanely accurate and powerful movements of war.
Following a single platoon while going through their 15-month journey through Afghanistan‘s Korengal Valley, War describes their moment-by-moment lives in combat in extreme situations. However, not only does Junger describe the gore of it all, but also the daily mundane of uneventful lulls. He opens the reader‘s eyes to not only the physical toll of war but the psychological battles of a soldier on the frontline.
As a journalist on the ground, Junger writes War in order to offer a unique perspective that isn‘t talked about in headline accounts or on daily news. As the reader follows the story of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, his writing provides authentic daily experiences within the pages of this book.
Taking the reader through accounts of brutal trauma through the eyes and minds of those who fight and serve, War offers a combat narrative of nearly one year and a half of the in-your-shoes experience of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Getting up close and personal with those who fight our wars, this is a must-read for any paratrooper who is looking for insights into the on-the-ground daily lives of those who serve—in extreme detail. War shows us what goes on—from their unkempt uniforms to their administered friendly beatings of new arrivals.
Between roadside bombings to ambushes, from tedious weeks with nothing to do to the stress and grief of the death of a fellow soldier, Junger covers it all in detailed reportage of the fighters on the ground.
Who is the author? Sebastian Junger visited eastern Afghanistan from June 2007 to 2008 to report on the war there. This best-selling book recounts the story of Staff Sergent Sal Giunta, a receiver of the Medal of Honor.
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