I Finished A Very Moving Book (The Evil Hours by David J. Morris)
I finished a book today. The Evil Hours: A Biography of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder by David J. Morris. It’s a completely different kind of book for me—nonfiction. It peaked my interest when it was released back in February for several reasons (personally and professionally.) It’s a book about trauma and PTSD—a book at times I had to walk away from because the words felt like they came from my own heart and at other times the sheer emotion radiating from the book was strangling. It left me many times saying a prayer for the men and women mentioned in the book as well as anyone touched by trauma.
There’s a lot of honest, realistic discussions about the science/psychology of trauma, diagnosis, treatment, spiritual elements, and government/industry interests, but the personal stories recounted are the most moving. Morris intertwines these personal accounts of veterans, sexual assault survivors, and other survivors of trauma with psychological studies as well as his personal accounts. (FYI I refuse to use the word victim in relation to those affected by trauma—it carries a connotation of weakness and in my eyes these people are certainly not weak ones!)
This book moved me way more than I ever intended it to which is why I’m sharing it with you. 
If you get the chance pick it up you should. You may not understand or agree with everything the author says and at times the situations may frustrate you (as they did me) but it’s truly a moving personal account of a man’s journey to understanding his own struggles with PTSD through research, writing this book, and other survivors’ personal accounts.
Chapter 12 was my favorite of all the chapters because it spoke of optimism and discussed a term called “post traumatic growth.” It was one of the most moving chapters in the book for me. There was so much hope and perseverance in that chapter and those are two things I admire and cling to every day.
Here’s the Amazon link and synopsis if you’re interested. I’m sure you can find it elsewhere as well.
Just as polio loomed over the 1950s, and AIDS stalked the 1980s and ’90s, posttraumatic stress disorder haunts us in the early years of the twenty-first century. Over a decade into the United States’ “global war on terror,” PTSD afflicts as many as 30 percent of the conflict’s veterans. But the disorder’s reach extends far beyond the armed forces. In total, some twenty-seven million Americans are believed to be PTSD survivors. Yet to many of us, the disorder remains shrouded in mystery, secrecy, and shame.
Now, David J. Morris — a war correspondent, former Marine, and PTSD sufferer himself — has written the essential account of this illness. Through interviews with individuals living with PTSD, forays into the scientific, literary, and cultural history of the illness, and memoir, Morris crafts a moving work that will speak not only to those with the condition and to their loved ones, but also to all of us struggling to make sense of an anxious and uncertain time.
Sending love, hugs, and sunshine! Hope you have a fabulous Tuesday!
