Freedom

A profound rumination on the concept of freedom from the bestselling author of The Perfect Storm''Sebastian Junger bears witness to a hard-won and an uncertain new world, framed in vital and brilliant prose: a true and honest accounting of everything that underlies the frantic performance of life¿ Philip Hoare, author of Albert and the WhaleThroughout 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 this 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 o