Very hard book to read, graphic trigger warnings, but an absolutely incredible true story.

To be honest it was a very hard book to read. very confusing with all the troops characters. I thought it was a bit weird that the troops were writing this story. I liked Sybil much better but there were parts of this book that were really good. What a sad story.

TW: Book contains heavy depictions of CSA, incest, beastiality, mental illness, and physical/emotional abuse.

This is a hard read. Emotionally and sometimes literally. It follows the therapeutic journey of a woman who believed she was just struggling with anxiety and depression with her intense job. It is uncovered by her therapist, reference in the book for the majority as 'Stanley,' that this woman was actually suffering with Multiple Personality Disorder, known more commonly now as Dissociative Identity Disorder. There are a few factors that make this book rather incredible and difficult. For one, the recounting of terrible acts experienced by the personalities at the hands of Mother and Stepfather. These are graphic, frequent retellings of deranged abuse coming from the perspective of various 'selves.' The second aspect is that this story is not linear in the sense that we get an understanding of events that occurred in chronological order, but rather as the memories resurfaced or were given to the 'host' by different personalities. It can be challenging to follow the coming and going of presences and their ways of retelling the abuse (many would not outright say what occurred or did not have the language to do so). The innerworkings of the Troops, how they are organized, who sits behind who, and who is a mirror of who, is hard to understand.

This is an intense, harrowing account of an individual who experienced trauma that was so severe, she splintered into over 90 pieces. If you can stomach the reality of the abuse, this is a very fascinating and riveting journey of a woman (and her Troops) and a therapist trying to put fragments together. There are some themes of paranormal/otherworldy experiences throughout the journey that do make this feel less real. However, I tried to be mindful that this book and all the therapy came about during a time we didn't have as much information about multiple personalities and many scientific discoveries regarding psychology have come after publishing.

Not only did I leave this book with a feeling of empathy and care for Truddi and Troops, but a sad understanding that the trauma she faced occurs to other children who, like her, were not saved or helped until adulthood, if at all. We never know what a person is facing behind closed doors, this book is a perfect example of that.

Synop: A nonfiction memoir by the 92 personalities (the Troops) living inside Truddi Chase, who was the victim of repeated familial sexual abuse from the age of two through her teens. The book is a mix of her memories, the investigations of her therapist, their therapy, and the convention of voices that interact inside her mind. The Troops and Ms. Chase were regular guests of Oprah back when she was a radio host and on through her television work. It was poorly received in critical communities but was well received in the then-fledgeling field of childhood sexual abuse and brought some national attention to the issue.

I quit by page: 150 (of 400).

I started reading this because its author is the basis for one of my favorite DC Comics characters, Crazy Jane, who figures prominently in Grant Morrison and Rachel Pollack's run of Doom Patrol. I also have past experience as a counselor dealing with sexual assault and domestic abuse, so I tend to gravitate to books about trauma because it is one of my favorite subjects to learn about. I enjoy this kind of writing, though I don't have any past experience with clients who have dissociative identity disorder (that I am aware of).

I'm going to have to drop this book for awhile, though it does have a lot of value and I'll cover that first. It's valuable because, as the introduction pointed out, back in the late 1980's (and the sum total of human history beforehand) there was very little attention being given to the issue of childhood sexual abuse. So you can see in the writing how they grapple with exploring these issues, and how often people, professionals or lay, are adverse to delving too deep into Ms. Chase for fear of seeing or hearing something they can't unsee or unhear. The book is important as a historical artifact. Nowadays American attitude towards perpetrators of child sexual abuse is "Pedophile? Drown them in lava, drop them in a pit of vipers, or just drop a very heavy thing on them until pulp." That kind of blind rage didn't exist until very recently, because we didn't want to know these things happen. We still don't, that's why our response is filled with such blinding rage. We just want them gone, we still don't want to think about it. And that's not how an issue is resolved. As this book proves, since Ms. Chase spends time talking to perpetrators to better understand them and to help both parties change their behaviors. Heal. It's not always possible, but you can't hang every racist and declare victory over racism. It's like scratching your scabs off instead of applying ointment, you'll only get scars. You'll lose something along the way.

The book is also useful because it helped me turn a mirror on some of the complex aspects of the way my brain works. I felt some kinship in Ms. Chase's description of how the Troops operate and interact. The different responsibilities each has mimic the way the human brain switches into different modes depending on who we're talking to, what we're doing, how we subdivide ourselves to manage the demands of the outside world. It's a difficult topic to explain, but it goes on for so much of it, these worlds that exist in our head. And the book addresses that by asking the audience: "Is it healthier for you to streamline the way you think, or is it healthier to leave yourself in many pieces?" Ms. Chase picks the latter, resisting integration, but maybe you need to integrate your anxieties and your smarts, your suffering and your hope. The book helped me realize that was a question worth asking myself, and that is valuable.

But wow, look at all this worthwhile stuff up there? Why stop reading? Because WRH is a mess, uncomfortably close to Finnegans Wake on the book spectrum. It is unapologetically all over the place. I don't mean just because it is written in the differing style of 92 distinct personalities, though that is a major factor and does not lend the book a penny of readability. No it's a mess precisely because it was written at a time where there was no guide book on how to write a book about any of these topics. WRH was out there on the frontier by its lonesome, and stylistically it is at a lost as to how communicate its messages. Take for example the sequences with "Stanley," Ms. Chase's name for her therapist, Robert Phillips. They read like the crime or suspense novels that were really popular at the time, a mix of the goofy, the clinical and the melodramatic. Only their subject is always boring. Stanley stresses about whether or not he'll figure Ms. Chase out, he feels like her gets a clue, he's not sure what the clue means, he tests his theory on Ms. Chase, she reacts X way, and he goes "ah-ha" or "oh no." Lather, rinse, repeat.

Then we have Ms. Chase in her day-to-day life. Surrealist dream imagery, tonal changes, a memory, shifts suddenly from one troop to another, and...and nothing. There's so little to make of it because each troop influences the tone in a wildly different direction than the last, and by the end of a chapter it's hard to say anything has happened at all or that anything was learned. It's like trying to tell the story of Humpty Dumpty with only the pieces. I'm not saying the personalities should have reintegrated, and the unique endeavor that this book represents is almost entirely unique in the memoirs of the English language. However it's pursuit for honesty in Ms. Chase's experience makes the book a painful jumble that you can neither enjoy for the quality of the poetic language (which is only so-so at best), the educational revelations into the human psyche it offers (which are only in the occasional big picture idea, never in the pieces themselves) or the story itself (which amounts to perplexing conversations and a lot of Ms. Chase just being in one place not doing anything while these conversations are occurring).

The book meets the criteria for interesting, but not for enjoyable, or even worthwhile. Most of what I have learned from this book I gathered fairly early on, and the rest becomes largely repetitive, painful and dull. Only the most patient reader need apply. Or possibly someone who has already read many other books on childhood sexual abuse and wants to try a very different flavor of narrative.

Lastly, a lot of reviews of this book question whether or not it is "true" or if the book is all some clever hoax to...to accomplish what I'm not sure. Money? Fame? No one seems to follow that thought too far down the rabbit hole. But here's the thing, it's an irrelevant question. The only way that could ever be proven is if you found a lost diary or recording of her and/or Dr. Phillips looking into a camera and saying "Yes I did it, I fooled you all, it was all a hoax, mwa-ha-ha." And that doesn't exist, and even if it did you would have to decide that was *more* truthful than the hundreds upon hundreds of hours of Ms. Chase talking about her experiences. It's not an observation that we can do anything with. Even if you do or have had DID, and most of the reviewers don't seem to have, you can't say with meaningful certainty it can never present the way it does in Ms. Chase. You assume it doesn't because Sybil and Eve and the United States of Tara were all just a handful of personalities, so you assume based on the few examples you've ever heard of that anyone who has more than them must not be real. And if you are in the psych field and don't buy it, you are assuming that you have already seen every permutation of the human personality and that there is nothing left that can surprise you, which isn't allowing you to grow and be curious in this field in the way that you probably should. It's like the conversation about whether or not video games are art, or the older one about whether or not photography was art or if it was good for "copying" other people's art. It's a stupid debate. Talk about the thing itself, instead of just talking about talking about the thing. This book deserves attention, even though I can't stand it having anymore of mine. It goes into issues that are important today that most people disregard, and it deserves points for going about it in such a singular way.

tl;dr interesting coverage of topics of multiple personalities and childhood sexual abuse, but will test your patience as a reader at every turn

P.S. So hard to keep track of which personality does what. I really could have used a glossary or a chart or anything explaining briefly the differences between, say, the Interpreter, Ean, Nails, Mean Joe, etc.

I've read this book at least 3 times and will likely read it again this year. I am deeply moved by Ms. Chase's story. I have always been fascinated by the stories of people with multiple personality disorder--the lengths to which the human mind will go to protect itself as well as all that is implied about human potential.

This is a nonfictional exploration on just how unlimited the mind is. It is strange how deeply minds are similar, between separate individuals. I was constantly put into recall of old memories I hadn't thought of for years by the onslaught within these pages. This book is disturbing, educational, mind-bending, suspenseful, and has crisp and color-filled imagery. Actually written by the woman with 92 personalities, it is surprising how well it is written.

I don't know how to rate this book........
It confused me, it scared me, it intrigued me and it saddened me. It is an unbelievable non fiction account that literally makes me questions a time or two if it can really be true. It portrays the incredible strength of the human mind in the face of adversity and even the weaknesses of it.
The reader walks along with 'the woman' and her doctor getting a first hand telling of moment to moment life with multiple personalities and attempting to extract knowledge from each hidden persona. Unlike Sybil, When Rabbit Howls is not written clinically, but emotionally. I could not bring myself to read large portions at a time as the horrible abuse that The Troops recount got under my skin and made me sick to envision.
It is an amazing story, and almost feels like a fanasty. Even having read it, I still fee like I could have no idea what someone like this could possibly be going through, it's horrific and frightening and one hundred percent engrossing.
At the very least, I should hope all readers take away from this book a sense of hope and maybe even a sense of guilt for ever having felt like their life was tough. I am amazed this woman is still alive, though the book indicates that the true, 'first born' self is dead due to horrors she could not cope with and never returned from. It is shocking and completely enthralling to watch as personality after personality unfolds, some are born and some die and more selves are created less from the original, but from each sepereate self.
I hope this book encourages people to think about how magnificent and mysterious the human mind and spirit are, and the help people to realize what abuse and violence can truly do to a child.
I hate to be a jerk, however, and accuse anyone who, if she did go through all of this, of being less than truthful, but while I may believe in the extreme abilities of the human mind to protect itself, I cannot go as far as to say I am convinced that the narrartor's light bulbs burnt out and her car didn't work as a result of 'too much energy ' in her body. That is a little too scince fiction for me, and, honestly, not really a necessary touch. The story is already so over the top shocking that I doubt the reader needed more to seal the deal and buy into what is happening.
When Rabbit Howls is extremly interesting. Fascinating, even if some of it is rather speculative. Even if you do not believe in the extent of the 'woman's disorder, the fact that she survived at all is worth applauding. Shocking and alarming and encouraging in some ways. Very sad, not for the reader who internalizes things. You may not bounce back so quickly from this one.

I agree with the review Alyson posted on November 15, 2007: "I really don't know if I can believe it or not....If it's true, then it's definitely one of the most harrowing and disturbing stories I have ever read, and if it's not, it's some damned convincing writing."

I am fascinated by the concept of multiples in one body, each with its own personality, fears, opinions, taste in clothes, and memories. As a biology major, I struggle to explain how one personality can need glasses, or smokes, or has allergies, but when another multiple appears, no glasses needed, and/or never smokes, or the allergy has mysteriously gone away. Is each person a separate soul, a separate user/source of energy? Truddi has issues with all kinds of electrical equipment going awry or just breaking. Is this the energy Reiki taps into? I don't know.

There were passages of the story that seemed contradictory, that I would research possibly if I were a psychology student and had the time to be more invested. As it is, all I can say is that I believe the human body and mind are both capable of truly amazing miracles to help it survive life.

FYI: This is a hard story to read due to the sexual and mental and physical abuse Truddi experienced. You've been warned.

I feel an obligation to clarify my five star rating for this extraordinary document. There probably isn't another life story quite like this one. Truddi Chase was not one person. They were many individuals sharing one physical body. The original person, the "first born", essentially did not survive a childhood riven by extreme trauma and suffering. Instead, "The Troops" (the collective name for the more than 90 individuals contained in Chase's body) came into being over the course of the body's life. The Troops ensured each others' survival. They escaped "their" family, and built lives for themselves. They even risked their continuing existence by trusting a psychiatrist with the secret of their extraordinary existence.

PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS BOOK IF YOU HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, especially sexual abuse and physical violence, unless you are very confident in the supports within and around you. The contents of this book should not be approached lightly. The Troops document horrific child sexual abuse and multiple instances of torture which were perpetrated on them from age 2 by the original child's step-father, out of sight of her mother who, nonetheless, knew what was happening and who responded by blaming the child for her own suffering and frequently beating her. The abuse went on for many years, until "Truddi" was about 16. It is well known that survivors of CSA rarely lie about what happened to them, and when they do, they almost always minimise, rather than exaggerate, what they suffered. For this reason, I believe what The Troops recounted.

What was most fascinating to me was the insight The Troops gave into multiplicity. For instance, it had never occurred to me that there might be individuals who are unaware of other individuals contained within the multiple they inhabit. When "the woman" (the identity whose job it was to be The Troops' facade) initially sought therapy, she had no idea that "she" wasn't the original, core, first-born person inhabiting that body. It was many months before her psychiatrist felt it was safe to disclose that he had diagnosed her with Multiple Personality Disorder (which is now called Dissociative Identity Disorder). And just because "the woman" was internalising this new knowledge about herself, it didn't automatically mean that all the other individuals were doing the same. Some individuals always knew how many others there were, and many more knew there were some others, but many were completely unaware that they weren't alone.

There were some aspects of The Troops' existence of which I remain skeptical. There's some discussion of "paranormal" phenomena (not a lot) which, to me, is very much of the times in which the book was written i.e. the 1980s. True, there are several passages where the failure of electric or electronic devices and systems is linked to The Troops' "energy". The more Troop members who were"evidencing" at a particular time, and the more intense the emotions experienced by those Troop members, the more trouble they seemed to have with batteries, light bulbs, personal voice recorders and starter motors, not to mention poor Tony in the production booth trying to videotape and sound record Chase's therapy sessions with "Stanley", aka Dr Phillips. But I'm not sure about the idea of The Troops visiting Dr Phillips' own mind.

In summary: this is an extraordinary book, that documents an extraordinary existence. I was left hoping that The Troops felt they'd achieved their purpose by telling their story, and that they were able to go on and life the way they wanted, with a measure of peace.

I have many thoughts about this book.
But first, I would like to thank Truddi and the Troops for telling their story & being so open and honest. I can only imagine how much they helped the psychological research regarding DID with this book and the videos they took in their therapy sessions. (I write about Truddi as the body in the following & in plural for them all as a system)

I read a version of this book from 1992, found it in a book sharing shelf. I don’t know if they changed or explained some new researches in newer versions, because in the 35 years, between now and the publishing, a lot has changed regarding the development and for sure the Terminologie of DID.
Maybe I will get my hands on a new version in the future & find it out.
But also I thought it is very interesting to read a book, which is written in such a different time. Truddi is born in 1938 that’s even a few years before my grandmother & I can’t imagine how different the times have been back then.

I was so angry at Sharon and Norman for not believing them, but it was a different time I guess? It’s not an excuse, that’s not what I mean, but it explains it a little bit.

What on the other hand could not be explained, or maybe it can, but not excused in the slightest way is the stepfather and at the same time the mother. For real, I am speechless. I was so angry, I can’t put it into words. He made them all go through living hell & the mother knew it the whole damn time AND blamed her child ?? For real, I can’t put into words how I feel about both of them.

Would I recommend this book? I think it is very special showing the insights of the process from Truddi realising what happened in her childhood. I am pretty sure I didn’t understand everything & I have been confused a few times.

There were times, where I was speechless and sometimes I had to take a step away from the book, because it was so graphic & hurtful to read.

Psychology is my special interest and (I think) I know a lot about DID, but this gave me a new perspective in so many ways.

(I don’t exactly know how I feel about the „supernatural“ part with the energies, but will take a further research into this.)

I have to admit, it pains me a bit that I’m giving this book a 1 star. The Troops’ experience is not being rated here. They clearly went through some of the most horrific child abuse imaginable. Rather, I’m rating this as an artistic work. This book is WAY too long with extensive passages of confusing system interactions that don’t add to the reader’s understanding of The Troops. I also struggle to accept the veracity of this memoir when supernatural components (the human mind causing electricity to short-circuit, mind-reading) muddle the very real trauma this group suffered. I also question why this is portrayed as a manuscript written by The Troops when many scenes do not involve them. Are these scenes meant to be fictional, speculated, or added reports from others? None of this is made clear. I’d steer clear and search for more modern writing connected to DID.

All Over The Place

I feel a touch bad writing a negative review for a book like this with such sensitive content, but the structure and believability are all over the place.

Based on the description and reviews, I expected the narrative to be first person from the different troops, telling their own story of events regarding what actually happened. But that's far from what this is. The narrative jumps all over the place, with multiple personalities in each chapter shifting from past to present without warning and, somehow, knowledge of what the therapist is thinking and doing alongside the personalities at different timepoints. I tried but was forced to stop at page 130.

Aside from the structure and writing alone (which are very important for me in any novel), I simply didn't believe parts of it. Of course, multiple personality exists; however, the idea that all 92 voices talk to one another while someone functions in society seems far-fetched. Not to mention, the narrative is largely omniscient voice. How? It's supposed to be the troops writing this. How do they know everything that's going on, including everything about the therapist? To say this is non-fiction doesn't seem right. It feels "off."

I'm not sure what to call this book, but it's something else. Something strange that is far from say, "The Minds of Billy Milligan," which was a great account of DID. I felt like I was wading through the text as a chore. Not sure how such a crazy account of multiple personality can feel so mundane. If it is real, it's very difficult to believe, given how so much of the narrative doesn't add up and an omniscient voice is not possible for such a story.