BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK An Irish Times book of the year 2022 A powerful, probing book about PTSD. As a journalist Keane has covered conflict and brutality across the world for more than thirty years, from Rwanda, Sudan, South Africa, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine and many more. Driven by an irresistible compulsion to be where the night is darkest, he made a name for reporting with humanity and empathy from places where death and serious injury were not abstractions, and tragedy often just a moment's bad luck away. But all this time he struggled not to be overwhelmed by another story, his acute 'complex post-traumatic stress disorder', a condition arising from exposure to multiple instances of trauma experienced over a long period. This condition has caused him to suffer a number of mental breakdowns and hospitalisations. Despite this, and countless promises to do otherwise, he has gone back to the wars again and again. Why? In this powerful and intensely personal book, Keane interrogates what it is that draws him to the wars, what keeps him there and offers a reckoning of the damage done. PTSD affects people from all walks of life.

Trauma can be found in many places, not just war. Keane's book speaks to the struggle of all who are trying to recover from injury, addiction and mental breakdown. It is a survivor's story drawn from lived experience, told with honesty, courage and an open heart. Gold title * BESTSELLING AND ACCLAIMED AUTHOR. Fergal's most recent book WOUNDS was a Sunday Times bestseller, won the Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize and won the Non-Fiction Irish Book of the Year Award. * STRONG SALES RECORD. Letter to Daniel (30k TCM), Letters Home (25k TCM), Wounds (15k TCM). This does not include Ireland, where Fergal sells substantially; Wounds sold 11k in export.

* AN INTENSELY PERSONAL STORY FROM A VETERAN REPORTER. Fergal received tidal waves of support when he announced he was stepping back from reporting due to PTSD. This book will reflect on his intense career reporting on conflict, and on PTSD more widely. * PTSD is widespread and underdiscussed, with this book bringing the disorder in all its manifestations to the fore. In 2014 a large population sample of England found 3.7% of men and 5.1% of women screened positive for PTSD. There are many causes from the well-known, such as combat roles in the military, to the often-overlooked, such as childbirth.

Statistics can be surprising. 12.6% of women aged 16-24 screened positive for PTSD. Competition: The Body Keeps the Score;What Happened to You;When the Body Says No;It Didn't Start with You;In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts;The Face of War;The Fifth ACT. Bessel van der kolk;Oprah Winfrey;Gabor Mate;Mark Wolynn;Christina Lamb;Marie Colvin;Lindsey Hilsum;Martha Gellhorn;Elliot Ackerman.