Freedom
Publisher's Summary A 2022 Audie Award Finalist A profound rumination on the concept of freedom from the New York Times bestselling author of Tribe. Throughout history, humans have been driven by the quest for two cherished ideals: community and freedom. The two don’t coexist easily. We value individuality and self-reliance, yet are utterly dependent on community for our most basic needs. In this intricately crafted and thought-provoking book, Sebastian Junger examines the tension that lies at the heart of what it means to be human. For much of a year, Junger and three friends—a conflict photographer and two Afghan War vets—walked the railroad lines of the East Coast. It was an experiment in personal autonomy, but also in interdependence. Dodging railroad cops, sleeping under bridges, cooking over fires, and drinking from creeks and rivers, the four men forged a unique reliance on one another. In Freedom, Junger weaves his account of this journey together with primatology and boxing strategy, the history of labor strikes and Apache raiders, the role of women in resistance movements, and the brutal reality of life on the Pennsylvania frontier. Written in exquisite, razor-sharp prose, the result is a powerful examination of the primary desire that defines us. ©2021 Sebastian Junger. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Comments
10 Comments
Love Sebastian’s books. The first I read was Tribe. In the US, there is always a fight for Freedom, for some that means less government and for others that means more government. We’ve seen many instances where government takeover affects century old civilizations negatively, such as Native Americans, moving them from their land. On the other hand, lack of government oversight on the textile and steel mills meant unsafe work conditions and deaths of immigrants, so Unions and collective bargaining was a positive takeover. I learned so much about how the railroad, survival, history and what freedom means to me.
It was “okay”, I suppose. Felt all over the place at times with seemingly unrelated stories or thoughts interspersed with the story about walking along the railroad tracks. It felt like two different articles thrown together and stretched into a very short book.
confusingly dodges back and forth between a personal story of walking across the country and historical accounts of native American tribes. it misses the opportunity to dive into numerous meaty subjects, including psychological or even philosophical ones.. but stops short every time frustratingly.it's shockingly short and it also ends so abruptly that saying it was unsatisfying would be an understatement.
Excellent performance from the author. Packed full of wisdom and history regarding freedom. My only issue was that it ended.
I enjoyed the story of the walk he did along the rails...these parts captivated me and was adventurous, but I didn't enjoy the way the story broke off talking about historical topics. I think it could have been better if he had interviewed the people along his walk like the waitress in the diner, and shared their stories.
After hearing the author in an interview about the meaning and political significance of freedom, I expected a similar explorationgiven in greater depth. The book turned out to be a detailed and very engaging tale of a long hike through the valleys and hills of Pennsylvania. Brought into the story were bits of history that were often too graphic for my taste, and as part of the larger tale, the ways that the whole experience related to the many definitions of freedom. The author was also the reader, and was equally brilliant at both tasks.