Written by: Bessel Van der Kolk, M.D.
First line: One does not have to be a combat soldier, or visit a refugee camp in Syria or the Congo to encounter trauma.
Why you should read this book: Written for a lay audience, this is the summation of thirty years of research, experimentation, theory, and work on the subject of trauma: what it is, what it does, and what we, as vulnerable humans can do to counteract its pernicious effects. Van der Kolk describes his introduction to working with traumatized Viet Nam veterans and how his experience led him to dig more deeply into the neurology of trauma and its potential treatments, as well as the important discussion of childhood trauma, and how it impacts untreated adults. Almost half of the book, however, details the various types of treatment that the author and his colleagues have found most effective, with impressive data demonstrating how appropriate treatment can turn around the life of an individual who has always suffered from the pain of the past, returning to them the possibility of a fulfilling life.
Why you shouldn't read this book: You yourself have never experienced anything unpleasant in life, and neither has anyone you've ever met.
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