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The Things They Cannot Say (2013)

by Kevin Sites(Favorite Author)

3.9 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1470841622 (ISBN13: 9781470841621)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Blackstone Audiobooks

review 1: 7/31/13. A must read for anyone who cares about veterans. Kevin Sites has done a good job of looking at the hidden costs of war on the young men our country sends to fight our wars. This book does a wonderful job of explicating the psychological and spiritual wounds combat inflicts on those who fight as well as those who observe. As a 2013 book, I wish Sites had included a woman's experience/perspective but hopefully he will do this in his next work. As a trauma psychologist, I was very pleased to see EMDR mentioned. An important addition to the growing body of work (read Marlantes, Shay, etc) that looks at the effects of war on the inner lives of soldiers.
review 2: This was a powerful, painful, and utterly haunting book. Not to mention the added intensity... more of internet links which provided actual video footage of uncensored battles, injuries, and everyday life in Iraq and Afghanistan that supplement the book itself. (And, of course, I had to watch each and every one of these bloody and disturbing videos because I’m me and totally twisted like that.)In this wonderfully written book, stories are gathered from those who have served not only in the American military, but in service of other countries as well. Nationality or “patriotism" was less a focus than was dissecting the essential experience of war and highlighting the existential angst that almost inevitably follows our soldiers home- and, unfortunately, drives many of them to suicide. This was real, uncensored, undiluted, de-politicized reality of combat, killing, war… and the psychological aftermath of those that survived. Underlying the stories that Sites chose to include in this book (he apparently conducted many other interviews but chose only the segments that were most profound and honest), seemed to be a crucial message to society: THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, TOO. As Americans, we live privileged lives in comparison to many other homelands. We are shielded from the devastating and soul-warping effects of the blood, guts, and gore that permeate the lives of our soldiers. But just because we don’t see it happen in our own backyards doesn’t mean that we are absolved of our responsibilities to the men and women who have voluntarily chosen to do our dirty work. We make choices as a society. We do this together (technically, at least) and we do it willingly because we believe in this thing called democracy. But we often forget that the flip side of authority is responsibility. If we send our fellow countrymen and women to war, we have a responsibility to those brave and selfless individuals to provide for their care and share their burdens in whatever ways we can before, during, and after their time in battle.We have a responsibility to help them heal. less

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