Great tool for addressing concerns with veterans

This book takes a look at lessons learned from centries ago to vietnam era veterans. This is a must for an survivor.

Scholarly genius. A rock-solid read overlapping the Iliad with the Vietnam War and how, throughout history, combat soldiers have been dealt the burden of PTSD as a byproduct of war, beginning with his analysis of Homer's Achilles to which, Shay says, his loss of character after the death of Patroclus, is the ultimate tragedy of this most classic work. Although I would disagree on some points, the main emphases are sound, fascinating, and profoundly well done. Kudos to Shay for this great book.

Two and a half stars. It's a fascinating topic and Shay's approach seems both original and useful - I say 'seems' because I'm in no way an authority on this. What lets it down is his writing - turgid and hard to read.

Great book illustrating how moral injuries intersect with PTSD - from the author who coined the term moral injury. While this was written in the '90's, it is incredibly relevant today for clinicians treating trauma (and I might argue any clinician treats trauma - but not here).

This book had some really interesting observations in it. You just have to wade through all of the dry psychology text and read very carefully with purpose to understand its message. A great analysis of the trauma of war though and the way in which Jonathan Shay can relate it back to the work of Homer in The Iliad is absolutely phenomenal. Overall this was a kind of boring book to read, definately not a book to read when you're trying to relax, but the information within it is incredibly thought out and interesting.

Incredibly compassionate and moving.

Traumatic

There are many reasons one should read this book, as I am coming from the Homer side of things I will start off by saying if you think you know the Iliad or Achilles you NEED to read this. it should be taught in any course dealing with the Iliad. From the other side of things it really opened my eyes to what soldiers go through and why we the public should be supportive of them, even if we are against the war in question.

All this said, one small point I feel I should mention is that I do disagree with Dr. Shay's take on Briseis wanting to marry Achilles. I don't believe she was merely happy with a better, stronger man. A marriage to Achilles provided status and security, her best chance of survival. (I recommend reading Pat Barker's Silence of the Girls for more on that).

Achilles in Vietnam
5/5 Essential reading.

Even almost two decades later, still so meaningful and relevant.

Shay is as insightful as his patients' accounts are devastating. His analysis of the soldier's experience of Vietnam, compared and contrasted with the warfare portrayed in the Iliad is instructive both in understanding the way we fail veterans today and the way we've written about violence for millennia.

This is a moving, evocative and important book. Shay is a psychiatrist at the Boston VA where he has worked with Vietnam Vets for years. Using the Iliad as a metaphor for war, Shay passionately yet clinically portrays the ongoing impact of Vietnam on the soldiers we sent there.

Dr. Shay, a practicing psychologist who works with Vietnam vets compares the mental wounds of war as recorded in Homer's Iliad with his patients. The diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder has gone by many names, but it is as old as humans going to war as revealed in the twenty-seven centuries epic poem. Understanding veterans' experiences and pain bring new insights to the much studied Iliad.

Why I started this book: Beginning of the month means new Audible credits!

Why I finished it: Compelling insights. I love when academic silos collaborate, bring interdisciplinary insights to both. By reading Homer's epic poems with a psychologist's perspective, Dr. Shay highlights the texts' recounting of PTSD, aka "moral injury." Trauma unfortunately is not new to the human experience, and we owe our survivors all the help that we can give them.