Sebastian Junger
Sebastian Junger is a best-selling author and award-winning journalist, who has reported from some of the world’s most dangerous and volatile regions. His writing focuses on alienation, extremity and the aftermath of war, with a unique and critical perspective, originally featured in his 1997 book The Perfect Storm.
Junger was born in 1962 in Belmont, Massachusetts, to a French-Canadian mother and German-Jewish father. He was an honors student at the elite private school Phillips Academy in Andover and graduated from Wesleyan University with a degree in cultural anthropology.
After college, Junger worked a few odd jobs before landing a position in freelance journalism. He began his career by writing magazine articles, including pieces for The Boston Phoenix and Harper's. In 1994, Junger relocated to a Somali refugee camp in northern Kenya, where he wrote a book on the civil war in the country, entitled Fire. His 1997 book, The Perfect Storm, which tells the incredible story of a doomed fishing boat caught in a horrific storm, was an international best-seller and even inspired an eponymous movie.
Junger's key to success has been his ability to explore the intersections between anthropology, journalism and war reporting. He is an internationally-renowned war reporter and has written several books on different aspects of war, including the book War (2010) and the film Restrepo (2010), which won a Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.
In 2011, Junger published his book A World Made for Soldiers, which discusses issues surrounding veterans returning to their homes after war. The book presents an intense and comprehensive look at what it's like for troops to transition from the war zone to civilian life. It focuses on the interplay between the psychological impact and the physical ramifications of war, and how troops respond to the hardships of war. Junger's book has become a widely acclaimed work and continues to be used as a resource by veterans and their families to understand the process of transition.
Junger has served as the president of the PEN American Center since 2012, promoting freedom of speech and human rights around the world. This is a natural extension of his writing, which he once described as an act of public service. He is also a regular contributor to Vanity Fair and The Daily Beast, and he continues to write and lecture on war, globalization, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the ethical implications of extreme violence.
Sebastian Junger is an acclaimed writer, respected journalist and devoted public servant. His works center around the human experience of war, alienation and dislocation, offering a unique perspective through his powerful prose. Junger's impressive body of work has earned him several awards and accolades, making his work a must-read for anyone wanting to gain a more nuanced understanding of war and its aftermath.
