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PR Isfeld

Reading: What My Bones Know
Reading: What My Bones Know

“Life is very interesting… in the end, some of your greatest pains become your greatest strengths.”

 —Drew Barrymore

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In What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing From Complex Trauma, journalist and radio producer Stephanie Foo uses her investigative skills to tackle the most difficult subject of her career: her own body and mind. After years of functioning as a highly successful professional while secretly battling self-loathing and dread, Foo was diagnosed with Complex PTSD at age 30. Rather than hiding from the diagnosis and its implications, she approaches her childhood, which involved severe physical and emotional abuse by both her parents, with the rigour and candour she used at. her work for This American Life.

As a writer, I was struck by the way Foo structures her inquiries. She decides to “fact-checks” her past by returning to her hometown of San Jose to interview former teachers and classmates. Her investigations lead her to examine the dark side of the “model minority” myth within her Malaysian immigrant community. Rather than simply chronicling her own pain, she  actively dissects the mechanics of trauma itself. She interviews neuroscientists and psychologists to understand the destructive loop of stimulus and response, outlining her understanding of the complex science. Although some of those professionals might take issue with her summarizations, they effectively bridge the gap between personal story and scientific information. (For those who are interested in digging deeper, Foo has a list of resources on her website.)

A large part of the narrative centres around Foo’s exploration of the ways trauma takes up residence in the physical body. She recognizes that her emotional scars have manifested physically, perhaps in the form of her endometriosis. She decides to take a break from her stressful career to try somatic practices like yin yoga, breathwork, and EMDR therapy.At the same time, she works to build a chosen family and learn to accept the love of her devoted partner Joey.

Tl; dr: this is a well-crafted memoir that bridges personal exploration and investigation. It’s worth your time.

 

 

Captives
A psychological mystery that explores the aftermath of a brutal abduction and the secrets that haunt the survivors.

Three years ago, Samantha Gilchrist and her friends Amanda, Kaylee and Maria forged an unbreakable bond when they survived a brutal kidnapping in Kandahar. Sam wrote a best-selling memoir about their ordeal and moved on to a great new career as a journalist and a happy relationship with Dave, a handsome intelligence officer she met in Afghanistan. Still, she can’t help wondering about the reasons behind their capture.

On their way to Maria’s remote Gatineau cottage to commemorate the anniversary of their escape and rescue, Sam and Kaylee hear news reports about a missing Afghan diplomat. Then, they think they see Ali, their former interpreter and the mastermind behind the hostage-taking, who was supposed to have died during their rescue. When Amanda’s lifeless body is found the next morning, the friends’ suspicions lead them down a dangerous path that uncovers dark secrets and hidden motives.

The narrative alternates between the present day and the version of events presented in Sam’s memoir, as she and her friends struggle with their grief over the loss of Amanda and lingering trauma and jealousy over their differing fortunes in the aftermath of the kidnapping. As tensions rise and secrets are revealed, Sam starts to question everything she thought she knew about her friends, her lover, and herself, not just in the past, but in the here and now. 

Full of suspense, complex characters, and unexpected twists, Captives will cause fans of mystery and psychological thrillers to make irresponsible decisions about their sleep. 

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