Every once in a while, a decade, a century, an undetermined time period up pops an extra-ordinary talent

One such gifted writer is Sebastian Junger who interviewed Ahmad Shah Massoud the "Lion of Panjshir." and said about the great man

"He had tremendous magnetism,"
"You didn't even need to speak his language to fall under his sway. That's the only time I've ever really felt that from another person."

CNN Clip on Massoud

Massoud made his name as a brilliant guerrilla leader. He was born in Afghanistan's Panjshir Valley, the son of an Afghan army officer. He attended college as an engineering student where he became involved in student politics.
Massoud became Afghanistan's most famous resistance leader after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Widely read, he studied the works of famous guerrilla leaders. His army fought back nine major offensives by the Soviet army in the Panjshir Valley.
After the Soviet army retreated, Massoud then waged war against the Taliban, objecting to their rigid interpretation of Islam and treatment of women.
While battling the Taliban, Massoud became a bitter foe of the group's chief ally, al Qaeda's Osama bin Laden.
Back on subject Sebastian Junger one of the great writers of modern times and also co-owner of the New York bar ‘The Half-King’

Some of the great books written by Junger are :-
• The Perfect Storm
• A Death in Belmont
• Fire

Sebastian when on location with the troops in Afghanistan or on another theme subject elsewhere will always brave the dangers to secure the story

When not in his bar, or on location, you may well find him contributing in the National Geographic Magazine, Outside or Vanity Fair et al

Or indeed picking up an award in recognition of his work around the globe as befits one of his latest awards

His thoughts include his likes and dislikes :-

Likes :- 'extreme situations and people at the edges of things,'
When traveling around the world on location striving to uncork that otherwise unknown of event or breaking news story

Likes :- “What a perfect place to go into while all my compatriots rush overseas to cover the events. Why don’t I go home and report on the quietest town on the planet?”
When writing the book Death in Belmont, Junger returns to the quiet Boston suburb of his youth to examine a 40-year-old crime and an odd and personal connection to the infamous Boston Strangler case.

The critics have even quoted Hemingway comparisons when referring to this very accomplished author!