by Jason Kander
First published 2022
Jason Kander stands at the pinnacle of political success in 2017. President Obama names him as someone who gives hope for America's future. Observers expect a presidential run. Instead, Kander announces his bid for Kansas City mayor and heads toward certain victory. But eleven years of undiagnosed PTSD from his Afghanistan service finally overwhelm him. Depression and suicidal thoughts force an impossible choice. He withdraws from the race and disappears from public life. His family supports him through grueling treatment as he confronts the mental wounds he carried from war. Kander writes with unflinching honesty about his darkest moments, showing how seeking help became his path forward. This memoir captures the brutal reality of PTSD and the courage required to heal.
Genres: mental-health, military-fiction, non-fiction, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: mental-illness, personal-journey
Setting: Afghanistan, Kansas City
Period: 2017
224 pages · Hardcover · Mariner Books
Content warnings: depression, mental-illness, suicidal-ideation