Freedom

By: Sebastian Junger

Narrated by: Sebastian Junger

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.

Critic reviews

"Like Hemingway, Orwell, or Churchill himself, Sebastian Junger is intoxicated by life's perilous extremities. He's chased the front in Bosnia, Serbia, and - most famously - Afghanistan. His voice is like a fingerprint, a baritone played on vocal cords pulled almost to the breaking point. Now the writer meditates on independence and interdependence as he, three friends, and a dog hike and camp rough along 400 miles of track right here in the relative safety of the U.S. of A. The vagrants march through rain, cook over open fires. Trains so heavy and fast 'they seem to set the whole world in motion' explode the solitude. The hike stitches the narrative together, but all is window dressing for Junger's two great loves: courage and a naked heart. You'll hear it in his voice." (AudioFile Magazine)

Great read

This book was too short. I'll have to read more by the author. I really enjoyed his insights as well as his story telling. 10/10

Thank you Sebastian Junger

A powerful and thoughtful treatment of an important topic, with a hard-won wisdom underpinning the historical narratives.

Short but powerful

History, geography and sociology mixed in a great way. Great listen that I finished in 1 go.

delightful listening in the car

love it! this anecdotal way of telling history is just delightful. you get a sense of who we are as a species.

Enthralling!

Junger produced another amazing book. One of the best writers of our time. He's not interested in societal trends, but deeper substantive material that everyone should read/hear.

Great story

Watched the documentary too but this was a great listen. Junger is a great storyteller.

Great

Cool story and awesome historical references. I like how it was all tied together. I definitely recommend giving this a listen.

A Classic to Add to your “Reread Annually” Shelf

Just finished my fourth time reading this book. Probably matches “Tribe” as far as how gripping and intriguing. Will read again many a times.

meditative, beautifully written but...

press me hard on what this book was about, and i suppose it's "freedom" but it is more meditative than scholarly, inconsistent rather than persuasively argued. i enjoyed this sort time but wanted.... more.

Are you truly free?

Junger provokes deep intellectual thought about the definition of freedom. All while documenting his trek to feel free. Amazing work.