Reading Junger's War (Book One)

I have recently begun reading Sebastian Junger's documentary novel titled War, and have just finished Book One: Fear (which will be followed by Book Two: Killing and Book Three: Love). So, what do I think thus far?

Well, for one, great book to read for boys. It has a lot of gun and war terminology, definitely some good jokes about the natural instincts and behaviors of the male species. However, as one who is anything but interested in war and its politics, I am not impressed.

Yes, Junger did some amazing research. Yes, he captured war life in a way that felt both natural and surprising. But did he capture a wide audience, outside of war enthusiasts and documentarians? Not so much.

So far, Book One has been about getting to know the soldiers Junger has met during his time in the Korengal Valley. We see how they live their day-to-day lives while deployed in Afghanistan. They clean their weapons, sleep, eat, work out, go on patrol, build new outposts, and defend themselves against the enemy. That's about it. It is a constant repeat of just surviving until you can go home, either in a plane seat or below in a wooden box. Either way, going home is the only thing to look forward too.

The way that Junger easily navigates through narrative, description, internal thought/comment, and reflection allows for a piece that does come together nicely. He shows us that documentary can be personal and not just factual. By being able to describe the situation from his own point of view, as well as including the viewpoints from the American soldiers, he was able to craft a documentary with a very established human element.

I still don't really find this particular book and subject that interesting, but I guess it's not really about that. What am I learning from Junger about multimedia storytelling? Well, I'm learning that shocking is interesting, repetition is boring, and too much detail can be confusing. Keep it simple and let your audience draw their own conclusions. After all,  it's their emotions you want to insight anyway, not your own.