Author: Sebastian Junger

Publisher: Harper Collins

RRP: $26.99

Junger, author of the hugely successful Perfect Storm, spent 15 months on and off living with a platoon of American soldiers in an outpost in the Korengel Valley in Afghanistan, considered by many soldiers to be one of the most dangerous postings in the Middle East conflict. His book, War, recounts his time there, from hitting an improvised explosive device to tales of fire-fights and snipers. It’s an unflinching, honest narrative, although at times a little jingoistic. Junger tries, somewhat unsatisfactorily, to get to the very essence of armed conflict; to explain the nature of war, why men fight and the emotions and sensations of combat. It’s obviously hard for a non-combatant to do, so the book turns a little Hollywood in places, but is nonetheless very interesting, well written and well worth a read.