
Amazon Prime Free Trial
FREE Delivery is available to Prime members. To join, select "Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with FREE Delivery" below the Add to Cart button and confirm your Prime free trial.
Amazon Prime members enjoy:- Cardmembers earn 5% Back at Amazon.com with a Prime Credit Card.
- Unlimited FREE Prime delivery
- Streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows with limited ads on Prime Video.
- A Kindle book to borrow for free each month - with no due dates
- Listen to over 2 million songs and hundreds of playlists
Important: Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, your membership will automatically upgrade to a monthly membership.
Buy new:
-45% $12.04$12.04
Ships from: Amazon.com Sold by: Amazon.com
Save with Used - Good
$6.99$6.99
Ships from: Amazon Sold by: Bay State Book Company
Learn more
0.27 mi | MANASSAS 20110
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Image Unavailable
Color:
-
-
-
- To view this video download Flash Player
-
-
-
3 VIDEOS -
Follow the author
OK
Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging Hardcover – May 24, 2016
Explore your book, then jump right back to where you left off with Page Flip.
View high quality images that let you zoom in to take a closer look.
Enjoy features only possible in digital – start reading right away, carry your library with you, adjust the font, create shareable notes and highlights, and more.
Discover additional details about the events, people, and places in your book, with Wikipedia integration.
Purchase options and add-ons
Decades before the American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin lamented that English settlers were constantly fleeing over to the Indians-but Indians almost never did the same. Tribal society has been exerting an almost gravitational pull on Westerners for hundreds of years, and the reason lies deep in our evolutionary past as a communal species. The most recent example of that attraction is combat veterans who come home to find themselves missing the incredibly intimate bonds of platoon life. The loss of closeness that comes at the end of deployment may explain the high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder suffered by military veterans today.
Combining history, psychology, and anthropology, Tribe explores what we can learn from tribal societies about loyalty, belonging, and the eternal human quest for meaning. It explains the irony that-for many veterans as well as civilians-war feels better than peace, adversity can turn out to be a blessing, and disasters are sometimes remembered more fondly than weddings or tropical vacations. Tribe explains why we are stronger when we come together, and how that can be achieved even in today's divided world.
- Print length192 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherTwelve
- Publication dateMay 24, 2016
- Dimensions5.25 x 0.75 x 7.75 inches
- ISBN-109781455566389
- ISBN-13978-1455566389
Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed
In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an AfterlifeHardcoverFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Thursday, Jan 30
FreedomPaperbackFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Thursday, Jan 30
Adrift: Seventy-six Days Lost at SeaPaperbackFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Friday, Jan 31
FirePaperbackFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Thursday, Jan 30Only 15 left in stock (more on the way).
A Death in Belmont (P.S.)PaperbackFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Thursday, Jan 30
self-determination theory, which holds that human beings need three basic things in order to be content: they need to feel competent at what they do; they need to feel authentic in their lives; and they need to feel connected to others.Highlighted by 11,276 Kindle readers
Humans don’t mind hardship, in fact they thrive on it; what they mind is not feeling necessary. Modern society has perfected the art of making people not feel necessary.Highlighted by 6,825 Kindle readers
The beauty and the tragedy of the modern world is that it eliminates many situations that require people to demonstrate a commitment to the collective good.Highlighted by 5,142 Kindle readers
They can be surrounded by others and yet feel deeply, dangerously alone.Highlighted by 5,136 Kindle readers
As modern society reduced the role of community, it simultaneously elevated the role of authority.Highlighted by 3,951 Kindle readers
Editorial Reviews
Review
"There are three excellent reasons to read Sebastian Junger's new book: the clarity of his thought, the elegance of his prose, and the provocativeness of his chosen subject. Within a compact space, the sheer range of his inquiry is astounding."―S. C. Gwynne, New York Times bestselling author of Rebel Yell and Empire of the Summer Moon
"Sebastian Junger has turned the multifaceted problem of returning veterans on its head. It's not so much about what's wrong with the veterans, but what's wrong with us. If we made the changes suggested in TRIBE, not only our returning veterans, but all of us, would be happier and healthier. Please read this book."―Karl Marlantes, New York Times bestselling author of Matterhorn and What It Is Like to Go to War
"Junger uses every word in this slim volume to make a passionate, compelling case for a more egalitarian society."―Booklist
"The author resists the temptation to glorify war as the solution to a nation's mental ills and warns against the tendency "to romanticize Indian life," but he does succeed in showing "the complicated blessings of 'civilization,' " while issuing warnings about divisiveness and selfishness that should resonate in an election year. The themes implicit in the author's bestsellers are explicit in this slim yet illuminating volume."―Kirkus Reviews
"Thought-provoking...a gem."―The Washington Post
"TRIBE is an important wake-up call. Let's hope we don't sleep through the alarm."―Minneapolis Star Tribune
"Compelling...Junger...offers a starting point for mending some of the toxic divisiveness rampant in our current political and cultural climate."―The Boston Globe
"Junger argues with candor and grace for the everlasting remedies of community and connectedness."―O Magazine
"TRIBE is a fascinating, eloquent and thought-provoking book..packed with ideas...It could help us to think more deeply about how to help men and women battered by war to find a new purpose in peace."―The Times of London
"This is a brilliant little book driven by a powerful idea and series of reflections by the bestselling author of the bestselling books The Perfect Storm and War, and the film documentary Restrepo, about fighting in Afghanistan...The strongest experience of companionship and community often comes with the extremes of war. Junger is particularly good on the stress and exhilaration experienced by reporters, aid workers, and soldiers in combat - and the difficulties they face on return...I would give this gem of an essay to anyone embarking on the understanding of human society and governance."―Evening Standard
"An electrifying tapestry of history, anthropology, psychology and memoir that punctures the stereotype of the veteran as a war-damaged victim in need of salvation. Rather than asking how we can save our returning servicemen and women, Junger challenges us to take a hard look in the mirror and ask whether we can save ourselves."―The Guardian
"Junger has identified one of the last cohesive tribes in America and, through an examination of its culture of self-subjugation grasps for a remedy that might reunite a fragmented civilian society."―Elliot Ackerman, Times Literary Supplement
TRIBE is an extended reflection on the need for inclusion and belonging...written by an impassioned war correspondent less concerned with the scars of battle than the psychological dislocation experienced by those returning home, who have experienced tribal inclusion, but now face a future without it.―Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
TRIBE is a fascinating look into why inspires ancient human virtues of honor, courage and commitment on the battlefield, and the difficulty that can arise when a combat tour is over. While the book may easily fit in a soldier's small cargo pocket, it packs immensely valuable insight that is sure to bring understanding to military and civilian readers alike.―San Antonio Express-News
I first read about this history several months ago in Sebastian Junger's excellent book, TRIBE. It has haunted me since. It raises the possibility that our culture is built on some fundamental error about what makes people happy and fulfilled.―David Brooks, The New York Times
About the Author
Product details
- ASIN : 1455566381
- Publisher : Twelve; 1st edition (May 24, 2016)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 192 pages
- ISBN-10 : 9781455566389
- ISBN-13 : 978-1455566389
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.25 x 0.75 x 7.75 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #6,222 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #5 in Afghan War Military History
- #12 in Native American History (Books)
- #25 in Post-Traumatic Stress
- Customer Reviews:
Videos
Videos for this product

1:52
Click to play video

Here is why I would recommend this book to you
Keana Woods

Videos for this product

1:04
Click to play video

HONEST Review of Tribe On Homecoming and Belonging
My Top Picks

Videos for this product

0:41
Click to play video

Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging
Amazon Videos
About the author

Sebastian Junger is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of War, The Perfect Storm, Fire, and A Death in Belmont. Together with Tim Hetherington, he directed the Academy Award-nominated film Restrepo, which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. He is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and has been awarded a National Magazine Award and an SAIS Novartis Prize for journalism. He lives in New York City.
Related products with free delivery on eligible orders
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book insightful and thought-provoking. They describe the writing as clear, easy to read, and literate. The book instills compassion for veterans' struggles and provides a unique perspective on social bonds. Readers appreciate the interesting stories and weaving of events presented in an engaging manner. Overall, the presentation is well-thought-out and informative.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book engaging and informative. They describe it as an important read for anyone interested in thinking. The book is well-researched, easy to read, and powerful.
"...If you’re short on time, I’d recommend the audiobook first – it’s a great listen and really engages you in the topic...." Read more
"Big fan of Junger - not his best work, but interesting material. Well worth the read" Read more
"...He explains why PTSD is rampant among veterans; why there is less mental illness in times of shared danger than in times of prosperity...." Read more
"...Junger opens with a brilliant narrative—footnote free and wonderfully informative—of how primitive tribes, societies and communes through history..." Read more
Customers find the book insightful, thought-provoking, and informative. They say it's a good indictment of modern society and provides an eye-opening letter to the American public. The book provides opportunities to help others and provides a clearer look at the behavior of groups and individuals in conflict.
"...Sebastian Junger dives into the importance of community, belonging, and how modern society often disconnects us from the sense of tribe that’s..." Read more
"What an incredibly insightful book and realization of the way we live in today’s culture and society vs. those before us...." Read more
"Junger is the penultimate journalist who researches thoroughly and draws appropriate conclusions. His writing is impeccable...." Read more
"...I did find the tribal premise and selected illustrations to be informative and helpful as I prepare to make a presentation before a local military..." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and well-researched. They appreciate the author's storytelling, good prose, and clear explanations of concepts. The purpose of the book is logical and thought-provoking, with an argument that is not airtight.
"...the penultimate journalist who researches thoroughly and draws appropriate conclusions. His writing is impeccable...." Read more
"I couldn't put this book down after the first few pages. It is very well written, and I saw and felt what the author wrote...." Read more
"...It is written within the context of war, and studding the elements of how humans bond. There are some deep insights in this reality...." Read more
"...Shared grief/trauma is easier to handle as a group or community or tribe...." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's focus on community. They find it compassionate and insightful, providing a unique perspective on social bonds and belonging. The book helps readers better understand the need for accountability and comradery for mankind.
"...Sebastian Junger dives into the importance of community, belonging, and how modern society often disconnects us from the sense of tribe that’s..." Read more
"...It is very well written, and I saw and felt what the author wrote. I calmly, and surprisingly, learned a lot I never knew and began to understand!..." Read more
"...Nevertheless, there is hope and healing in Christ and there are ways to restructure our own lives so that we can enjoy our fellowship even in this..." Read more
"...It’s about the loss of belonging, caring for our fellow man as we do about the ones closest to us...." Read more
Customers find the book has interesting stories and observations. They appreciate the good storytelling, intelligent writing, and weaving together anthropology, history, and adventure. The book provides historical context for phenomena we see today and instills compassion in readers. It draws from examples in history to prove its points, though some references can be disturbing at times.
"Big fan of Junger - not his best work, but interesting material. Well worth the read" Read more
"...It is us. Junger opens with a brilliant narrative—footnote free and wonderfully informative—of how primitive tribes, societies and..." Read more
"First of all, Junger is not a novelist. He is a researcher and a chronicler of events...." Read more
"I liked the facts and storytelling in this book. The author doesn't overstay his welcome. The argument is clear but not airtight...." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's presentation. They find it insightful and well-written, providing an illustrative look into modern society. The writing conveys both the terror and beauty of the human condition in a relatively short book. Readers also mention that the book provides an amazing look at community.
"...His writing is impeccable. I have shared this book many times because I believe it is so important...." Read more
"...The lived in a beautiful wilderness, and they shared the beauty with each other...." Read more
"...this book with great interest, not for the talk of PTSD but as a fascinating look at what most veterans talk about missing about the military no..." Read more
"...However, this book was well researched , well-thought out, and well-written with not only supporting statistics and scholarly statements but..." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find it an engaging read with a direct and lively prose. The exploration of experiences from many walks is described as eye-opening. Readers praise the author as a talented storyteller and consider him an exceptional journalist, though some feel his political commentary lacks depth.
"...It’s a moving book that inspires me to try and change my community and society for the better rather than be complicit with all the divisiveness I..." Read more
"Junger as correspondent is exceptional! Junger as political commentator - not so much...." Read more
"Junger is very macho and presents his adventures well. Problem: we are not going to adopt an Iriquois tribal system ...not here and now...." Read more
"...It's easy to read and very moving! Highly recommended." Read more
Customers have different views on the book's value for money. Some find it good quality for the price, while others say it's small and not worth the price.
"...Well worth the short investment in time for what you will walk away with." Read more
"...Prompted me to order all of his books. He makes me think. His books are smaller In The number of pages" Read more
"...The one-page Postscript alone is worth the price of admission." Read more
"...This may be a NYT Bestseller, but it is the most overpriced book, word-for word that I have ever had the misfortune to buy...." Read more
Reviews with images
BUY THIS: To all my ex-military friends, first responders, nurses!!!!
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2025I picked up Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging after hearing Joe Rogan recommend it, and I’m really glad I did! It’s a short book, but it packs a punch. Sebastian Junger dives into the importance of community, belonging, and how modern society often disconnects us from the sense of tribe that’s essential for well-being. It’s thought-provoking and really makes you reconsider how we live today.
If you’re short on time, I’d recommend the audiobook first – it’s a great listen and really engages you in the topic. Highly recommend this book if you're looking for something insightful and impactful, even though it's a quick read!
- Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2024What an incredibly insightful book and realization of the way we live in today’s culture and society vs. those before us. Highly recommend this read for anyone on where we are as a society, what it means to have and build community and its importance and what we should look for or do moving forward!
- Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2024Big fan of Junger - not his best work, but interesting material. Well worth the read
- Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2024Junger is the penultimate journalist who researches thoroughly and draws appropriate conclusions. His writing is impeccable. I have shared this book many times because I believe it is so important. In Tribe, he clearly explains what we have given up for capitalism. He explains why PTSD is rampant among veterans; why there is less mental illness in times of shared danger than in times of prosperity. Most importantly, he explains why both liberal and conservative ideologies are correct--and begs us to meld them into a more productive ideology, Read this book!!!
- Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2024I couldn't put this book down after the first few pages. It is very well written, and I saw and felt what the author wrote. I calmly, and surprisingly, learned a lot I never knew and began to understand! I will read it again ... and I recommend it to everybody.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2016I fully concur with the previous 3&4 star reviews. I want to add that I think some of his conclusions about the 2008 financial collapse, the strident partisan division in our country, and disparate chasm of wealth distribution are too simplistic and lack academic rigor. Given his age, I can only attribute his perspective, as portrayed in this book, as coming from one who does not have the perspective of those of us who have lived long enough to see the bigger picture. Further, with all due respect to his journalist courage in sojourning to hostile areas, it's not the same as making a conscious sacrificial commitment to military service which results in combat experience. No doubt he has experienced PTS to a certain degree but in some ways it's similar to being an expatriate on a three year corporate sponsored assignment in a foreign country and then repatriating to the USA. Shooting at and being shot at in anger as a military service member is distinctly unique. Additionally, on page 110, he comments that returning soldiers for the past decade and a half have been experiencing the gap between their wartime tribe and stateside lack of sacrifice. As a two combat tour Vietnam veteran, I know for a fact this cognitive dissidence go back at least 50 years, and perhaps even to the Korean War era.
Having said all the above, I did find the tribal premise and selected illustrations to be informative and helpful as I prepare to make a presentation before a local military support organization in my town for the purpose of me providing career assessment and coaching of veterans and their families. My premise comports with Junger's 'tribe' idea in that I am committed to assisting our vets in crisis find a new 'Mission' in life that will also generate income streams. It's not 'the' solution but a facet of the multilayered holistic solution.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2016“We have met the enemy and he is us.”
—Pogo, by Walt Kelly (1912-1973)
Sebastian Junger’s central theme is the epidemic of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) suffered by returning American war fighters that is exponentially higher than any previous conflict in world history.
The root cause, according to Sebastian Junger, is not war, violence, death and destruction overseas. It is not the VA back home. It is us.
Junger opens with a brilliant narrative—footnote free and wonderfully informative—of how primitive tribes, societies and communes through history waged wars and successfully dealt with the aftermath.
Then he cuts to the chase. A quick sampling:
“The vast majority of traumatized vets are not faking their symptoms, however. They return from wars that are safer than those their fathers and grandfathers fought, and yet far greater numbers of them wind up alienated and depressed. This is true even for people who didn’t experience combat. In other words, the problem doesn’t seem to be the trauma on the battlefield so much as reentry into society.”
“Todays veterans often come home to find that although they’re willing to die for their country, they’re not sure how to live for it. It’s hard to know how to live for a country that regularly tears itself apart along every possible ethnic and demographic boundary. The income gap between rich and poor continues to widen, many people live in racially segregated communities, the elderly are mostly sequestered from public life, and rampage shootings happen so regularly that they only remain in the news cycle for a day or two. To make matters worse, politicians occasionally accuse rivals of deliberately trying to harm their own country—a charge so destructive to group unity that most past societies would probably have just punished it as a form of treason. It’s complete madness, and the veterans know this.”
Before casting a vote November 8, 2016, I urge you to read TRIBE: On Homecoming and Belonging. And give it as a gift to everyone you care about.
Denny Hatch
dennyhatch@yahoo.com
Top reviews from other countries
Steph K.Reviewed in Canada on August 14, 20245.0 out of 5 stars Thought Provoking
I previously read "Freedom" by Sebastian Junger and I liked it alot. But I found Tribe hard to put down. It was a fluid, easy read that really had me thinking about society today and why we are struggling the way we are...it's our lack of community. This book has pushed me to seek out people in person more often as a small step to building more community in my life.
edgarReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 20, 20235.0 out of 5 stars A must read book
A very well written book with a ton of interesting comparative facts to substantiate the points.
A very well written book with a ton of interesting comparative facts to substantiate the points.5.0 out of 5 stars A must read book
edgar
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 20, 2023
Images in this review
Amazon CustomerReviewed in India on March 20, 20195.0 out of 5 stars A great book on what it means to live in a human society
I was intrigued by his take on what makes humans happy e.g. One can peacefully sleep in a group of 30 people in war zone vs a very disturbed sleep for a solo hiker in a serene forest. Loved this example and there are many point he made which are quite deep.
-
Philippe G.E. HAMONReviewed in France on August 15, 20175.0 out of 5 stars Livre exceptionnel
Livre très interressant que j'ai beaucoup apprécié. Livraison efficace. Explications très succintes des propos de cet auteur très connu dans son domaine.
-
LeistReviewed in Germany on September 27, 20175.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful analysis of how western society has organized everyday life and how it is affecting us
Why are suicide rates in western societies so high? Why do soldiers miss the war, even though it was a terrible experience? How are we organized, how do we take care of each other - and why do so many people in our society fall through the cracks?
This book raises these questions, analizes them and offers new views. What this book thankfully does not do: It does not offer an easy solution - because there probably isn't one.
After reading trough this book in a day and a half I understood more about my society, about my own behavior and about the human race as a whole. The book itself is - as usual with Sebastian Junger - very well written, very easy to digest while at the same time not being superficial. It is a must read for everyone who is interested in society, in the human kind, in conflict and in how one works.











