2022/07/11

Jason Kander - Wikipedia Invisible Storm: A Soldier’s Memoir of Politics and PTSD

Jason Kander - Wikipedia

Jason Kander

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Jason Kander
Jason Kander (cropped).jpg
Kander in 2016
39th Secretary of State of Missouri
In office
January 14, 2013 – January 9, 2017
GovernorJay Nixon
Preceded byRobin Carnahan
Succeeded byJay Ashcroft
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives
from the 44th district
In office
January 12, 2009 – January 14, 2013
Preceded byJenee Lowe
Succeeded byCaleb Rowden
Personal details
Born
Jason David Kander

May 4, 1981 (age 41)
Overland Park, Kansas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
Diana Kagan
 
​
(m. 2003)​
Children2
RelativesJohn Kander (grand-uncle)
EducationAmerican University (BA)
Georgetown University (JD)
WebsiteCampaign website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service2003–2011
RankUS-O3 insignia.svg Captain
UnitMissouri National Guard
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan

Jason David Kander (born May 4, 1981)[1] is an American attorney, author, veteran, and politician. A Democrat, he served as the 39th Secretary of State of Missouri, from 2013 to 2017. He had previously served as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives from 2009 to 2013. Before entering politics, he was an intelligence officer in the Army National Guard, achieving the rank of captain.

He was the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate for Missouri in 2016, narrowly losing the election to Republican incumbent Roy Blunt.[2] After the Senate election, Kander founded an organization called Let America Vote, a campaign dedicated to ending voter suppression.[3] He declared himself a candidate in the 2019 Kansas City mayoral election, but dropped out on October 2, 2018, after revealing that he suffered from PTSD and depression.[4] He currently serves as president of national expansion at VCP (Veterans Community Project), a non-profit organization serving homeless and at-risk veterans with tiny homes, wrap-around support services and emergency assistance.[5]

Early life and education[edit]

Kander was born on May 4, 1981 in Overland Park, Kansas,[6] the son of Janet (née Secor), a juvenile probation officer, and Steve Kander, a police officer who later ran a small business.[7][8] His father is Jewish, and Kander himself was brought up in a Jewish household which he describes as "Reform but not very observant."[9][10] He was raised in Shawnee, Kansas with his younger brother, Jeff, and several troubled children that his parents fostered.[11][12]

He graduated from Bishop Miege High School in 1999, where he had been a member of the debate team.[13][14] He then attended American University, where he studied political science.[11] After the September 11 attacks, he enlisted in the Army National Guard. While earning his JD degree at Georgetown University Law Center, he earned his commission as a second lieutenant through the University's ROTC battalion.[15] After completing law school in 2005,[16] he volunteered for a tour in Afghanistan, where he served as an intelligence officer.[17] While serving, his main responsibilities included investigating groups and individuals suspected of corruption, espionage, drug trafficking, and facilitating Al Qaeda and the Taliban.[18]

When he returned home, Kander took a position as an instructor at the Missouri Army National Guard's Officer Candidate School at Fort Leonard Wood, where he taught hundreds of soldiers leadership skills in combat.[19][20] He also worked as an adjunct instructor in political science at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, and as an attorney at local law firms.[21] In 2010, he was named one of ten finalists for the Army Reserve Association's Major General Strom Thurmond Outstanding Junior Officer of the Year Award.[22] He was honorably discharged at the rank of captain in 2011.[23]

Political career[edit]

See also: Electoral history of Jason Kander

Heartland Democrats of America[edit]

Heartland Democrats of America (HDA) was a political action committee founded in 2005 in Kansas City, Missouri by Kander and his wife, Diana.[11][24] He served as the treasurer until 2007.[25][26] HDA raised over one hundred thousand dollars from special interest groups and individuals in support of Democratic candidates and causes.[27] Notable supporters included current and former state and city elected officials, along with national figures, such as Terry McAuliffe, the former Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairman and former Virginia governor; George Lakoff, an author and professor at the University of California, Berkeley; John Halpin, a senior fellow at the liberal Center for American Progress; and Mark Talisman, an author, Democratic activist, and president of the Project Judaica Foundation.[28]

HDA's mission was to "recognize the need for Democrats to engage in, expand, and ultimately win the 'values debate.' HDA members understand that progress cannot wait for the next campaign season, because Democrats need to start changing minds now. HDA champions strong Democratic values in Missouri and throughout America's Heartland. The era of the apologetic Democrat in middle America is being laid to rest forever – replaced by a unifying values message worthy of the hard-working people of middle America."[29] HDA was officially terminated in 2008.[30]

Missouri House of Representatives[edit]

Kander with former Kansas City Mayor Richard L. Berkley in July 2011

Kander was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2008, representing the 44th district. He easily defeated two other Democrats in the primary election, but was unchallenged in the general election.[31]

Serving on the Budget Committee, he fought against no-bid contracts and worked to pass balanced budgets without raising taxes. He helped pass legislation strengthening Missouri's human trafficking laws, as well as a law that enabled authorities to prevent kidnappings during custody battles. In addition to his legislative duties, he was appointed in 2009 to serve on the Missouri Veterans Commission, which oversees all services for the state's veterans.[18] In 2010, Kander worked with Republican State Representative Tim Flook to pass the first major ethics reform bill in Missouri since 1991.[32] Later that year, he ran for re-election to his State Representative seat and won 69.6% of the vote to defeat Republican Sally Miller.[33]

During his time in the Missouri House, Kander was the chief sponsor of 28 bills, none of which became law.[34]

Missouri Secretary of State[edit]

Further information: 2012 Missouri Secretary of State election
Kander visiting Fort Leonard Wood in November 2013

Kander announced his candidacy for the Missouri Secretary of State after Robin Carnahan announced she would not seek reelection.[35] He defeated MD Rabbi Alam in the primary election, winning the Democratic nomination.[36]

In the general election, Kander faced the Speaker Pro Tempore of the Missouri House, State Representative Shane Schoeller. Schoeller ran on a platform of implementing stricter voter identification rules. By contrast, Kander opposed harsher voter identification rules, instead focusing on reforming the state's campaign finance laws.[37]

On November 6, 2012, Kander narrowly defeated Schoeller and was elected Missouri Secretary of State.[38] At 32 years old, he was the youngest statewide elected official in the nation at the time, as well as the first millennial.[39][20]

While in office, Kander made ethics reform one of his top priorities. He admitted this could be "an uphill battle' given that Missouri has had some of the weakest ethics laws in the country and Republicans had supermajorities in both chambers of the state legislature. "I am realistic about the fact that it is not easy to get any legislative body to police itself. There is no interest group in Jefferson City called Big Ethics. I just remind legislators of both parties that this is something that the public expects of all of us," he said in 2014.[39]

2016 U.S. Senate election[edit]

Further information: 2016 United States Senate election in Missouri

On February 19, 2015, Kander entered the race to represent Missouri in the United States Senate against Roy Blunt, the Republican incumbent.[40] He won the Democratic primary against three other candidates on August 2, 2016. During the campaign, he positioned himself as a Washington, D.C. outsider and touted his experience as an Army Intelligence officer.[41] He accused Blunt of being well connected to DC lobbyists (Blunt's wife and three children are in fact lobbyists). Blunt in turn accused Kander of being too liberal.[42]

In September, Kander's campaign received national attention when it released an advertisement explaining his support for gun control measures. Titled "Background Checks", it showed him assembling an AR-15 rifle while blindfolded and then challenging Blunt to attempt the same thing. The advertisement quickly went viral, and as of November 2016, the original YouTube video had earned more than 1.3 million views.[43][44] Initially, Kander was well behind in the race, but polls started to show a tightening in the fall.[45] In response to this, Blunt campaign began attacking Kander for being a national co-chair for presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.[41]

During the campaign, Kander received endorsements from Americans for Responsible Solutions,[46] Daily Kos,[47] the League of Conservation Voters,[48] Planned Parenthood Action Fund,[49] and the Sierra Club.[50]

Kander was defeated by Blunt in the general election, receiving 46.4% of the vote to Blunt's 49.2%. In spite of the loss, Kander received the most votes of any Democrat running statewide in Missouri that year, outperforming Clinton, gubernatorial candidate Chris Koster, and other Democrats.[2]

2019 mayoral election[edit]

Mayoral campaign logo
Further information: 2019 Kansas City mayoral election

On June 25, 2018, Kander announced that he was running for mayor of Kansas City in 2019 to replace term-limited incumbent Sly James.[51][52]

Prior to his announcement, Kander had been repeatedly mentioned as a possible contender for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.[53][54][55][14][56] Speculation about his presidential ambitions had been fueled by his frequent visits to the early primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire,[57] and Kander himself had suggested he would consider exploring a bid after the 2018 midterm elections were finished.[58] His campaign for mayor effectively put that speculation to rest.[59] In January 2021, Kander confirmed that he had indeed been intending to run for president via Twitter.[60][61]

Kander dropped out of the race on October 2, 2018, citing symptoms of PTSD and depression.[4] He also announced that he would be stepping away temporarily from his work with Let America Vote as he receives treatment.

Cabinet speculation[edit]

In November 2020, Kander was named as a potential candidate for Secretary of Veterans Affairs in the Biden administration.[62] Later in December, Denis McDonough was announced as the nominee.[63]

Other work[edit]

In 2017, Kander became a CNN contributor.[64] He hosts the Wonder Media Network podcast Majority 54 with Jason Kander & Ravi Gupta, where he and his guests explore how Democrats can talk about divisive issues with people who voted for Donald Trump.[65] In 2018, he authored his first memoir Outside the Wire: 10 Lessons I've Learned in Everyday Courage, reflecting on his time in the military, to launching his first political campaign, to where the Democratic Party should go following the 2016 U.S. presidential election.[66]

Kander has also lent his support to other Democrats running for office, such as Jon Ossoff,[67] Phil Murphy,[68] Conor Lamb,[69] Stacey Abrams,[70] and Kyrsten Sinema.[71]

Let America Vote[edit]

Main article: Let America Vote

Let America Vote is a political action organization founded by Kander in 2017. Its mission is to end voter suppression and gerrymandering across the country.[3] The group raised approximately $2.4 million in its first year.[72][73][74] Notable members of its advisory board include human rights activist Martin Luther King III, actor Bradley Whitford, and former White House officials Josh Earnest, Jon Favreau, and Dan Pfeiffer.[75] In his capacity as president of Let America Vote, Kander also serves as chairman of the DNC's Commission on Protecting American Democracy from the Trump Administration. Congresswoman Terri Sewell serves as vice chair.[76]

Political positions[edit]

Campaign finance[edit]

He considers overturning Citizens United v. FEC a political priority.[34] In addition to helping pass ethics reform while a state representative, he forbade his office employees from taking gifts from lobbyists while Secretary of State.[77]

Education[edit]

Kander supports the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, which replaced the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.[77]

For higher education, he supports capping interest rates on federal student loans and expanding Pell Grants to provide more aid to low-income students. He believes students who have graduated need to be able to refinance their loans at lower rates.[78]

Fiscal policy[edit]

Kander supports tax breaks for the middle class and closing tax loopholes for corporations.[79] He is in favor of increasing the federal minimum wage, and for ensuring equal pay for equal work. He is supportive of adding a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution.[77]

Ahead of the August 7, 2018 referendum on Proposition A to adopt right-to-work laws in Missouri, Kander campaigned in opposition to the proposition.[80][81][82]

Foreign relations[edit]

Kander is skeptical of the Iran nuclear deal.[77] He is pro-Israel and has called on Congress to stop the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.[83]

Gun control[edit]

In 2009, Kander voted against a bill that would have extended to renters the Castle Doctrine (a doctrine that allows a homeowner to use deadly force against a perceived intruder). The bill would have also lowered the age requirement for a concealed carry permit and would have removed a ban on carrying a gun on a college campus. The National Rifle Association gives Kander an "F" rating and spent nearly $1 million against him in 2016 (the most money against any candidate that year outside of Ohio).[84][85][86]

Healthcare[edit]

Kander supports improving the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. He has proposed changing the 30-hour workweek used to define full-time employees, allowing cheaper plans for people who do not require medical care, and repealing the long-delayed Cadillac tax. He is in favor of a public health insurance option, but also supports single-payer healthcare.[87][88] He believes states should take advantage of the Medicaid expansion the law provided.[79]

Kander is pro-choice but is in favor of retaining the Hyde Amendment.[77]

Judiciary[edit]

Kander was critical of Republican senators who refused to meet with Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, citing it as an example of Washington dysfunction. He believes senators should meet with all Supreme Court nominees.[77]

LGBT rights[edit]

Kander supports the 2015 United States Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges that deemed the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional.[89] While a state legislator, he co-sponsored the Missouri Non-discrimination Act (MONA); the bill never became law. Regardless, as Secretary of State, he implemented a non-discrimination policy for the office's hiring practices that would have conformed to MONA had it become law. He supports passing the federal Equality Act into law.[90]

National security[edit]

On immigration policy, Kander is supportive of the bipartisan immigration bill of 2013 that passed the Senate but was never considered by the House.[77] He is opposed to closing the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay but also voted against a measure to prevent Missouri from housing, transporting, or providing medical care to any prisoners suspected of terrorism.[91]

Trade[edit]

Kander opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership, believing it hurts working-class families and encourages sending jobs overseas.[77] He is, however, in favor of modernizing the Cuban embargo to allow American farmers and ranchers to sell their goods into Cuba.[92]

Welfare[edit]

Kander is against privatizing Social Security. On Medicare, he believes the government should be using its marketplace clout to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. He also believes both programs can be strengthened by eliminating wasteful government spending in other sectors.[93]

Awards[edit]

On April 19, 2018, Kander was honored for his commitment to integrity in government with the James C. Kirkpatrick Excellence in Governance Award by the student government association at the University of Central Missouri. At the ceremony, he encouraged the audience to remain confident in the promise of America and to serve wherever they find the opportunity.[94]

Personal life and family[edit]

Kander married his high school sweetheart, entrepreneur and author Diana Kander (née Kagan) in 2003.[95][16][14] Diana and her family emigrated from the Soviet Union in 1989. The couple has one son named True, who was born in September 2013, and one daughter named Bella, who was born in September 2020.[16]

Kander is the grand-nephew of musical composer John Kander, whose best-known works include Cabaret and Chicago.[96] He is a distant relative of Lizzie Black Kander, author of The Settlement Cookbook.[97] He is an avid fan of the Kansas City Royals.[56][34]

Bibliography[edit]

  • Kander, Jason (2018). Outside the Wire: 10 Lessons I've Learned in Everyday Courage. Twelve Books. ISBN 978-1538747599.
  • Kander, Jason (2022). Invisible Storm: A Soldier's Memoir of Politics and PTSD. Mariner Books. ISBN 978-0358658962.

References[edit]

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  60. ^ @JasonKander (January 5, 2021). "I very nearly did this exact thing" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  61. ^ @JasonKander (January 5, 2021). "I thought it was pretty obvious" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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  63. ^ @Transition46 (December 10, 2020). "Working families, veterans, farmers and producers, and those fighting for their place in the middle class will have partners in government once again. This experienced group will help us make it through this pandemic and thrive once the crisis is over" (Tweet). Retrieved December 10, 2020 – via Twitter.
  64. ^ "Politician Jason Kander Puts Down 'Alt-Right' Leader Richard Spencer Over 'Cabaret' Tweet". Variety. March 20, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
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  67. ^ "Jason Kander and Jon Ossoff Launch Voter Registration Drive – Jon Ossoff for Congress". May 4, 2017.
  68. ^ @JasonKander (November 2, 2017). "New Jersey friends: @PhilMurphyNJ will make an outstanding governor. Commit to vote for him on Tuesday" (Tweet). Retrieved November 8, 2017 – via Twitter.
  69. ^ "PA-18: Jason Kander (D. MO) Helps A Fellow Veteran Pull Off A Big Upset Victory In A Trump District". Daily Kos. March 9, 2018.
  70. ^ @JasonKander (June 5, 2017). "My friend @staceyabrams is one of the smartest people I've ever met and I'm so excited to support her bid to be Georgia's next Governor" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  71. ^ "AZ-Sen: Jason Kander (D. MO) Helps Kyrsten Sinema (D) Prevent Sheriff Joe From Becoming Senator Joe". Daily Kos. March 28, 2018.
  72. ^ Raasch, Chuck. "Kander raises $2.4 million for his voter-rights group so far", St. Louis Post Dispatch, November 30, 2017.
  73. ^ Nitcher, Emily. Not giving up on voter ID push, State Sen. Murante plans to introduce new legislation, Omaha World Herald, December 20, 2017.
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  76. ^ "DNC Launches Commission on Protecting American Democracy from the Trump Administration". Democratic National Committee. May 25, 2017. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  77. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h Raasch, Chuck (September 4, 2016). "Blunt, Kander have traditional differences on the issues, and a few notable agreements". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  78. ^ Keller, Rudi (April 26, 2016). "Kander uses Senate campaign to bring discussion of student debt to University of Missouri campus". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  79. ^ Jump up to:a b Ventimiglia, Jack (July 29, 2016). "Kander looks ahead to general election, takes shots at leading Republican, Blunt". The Daily Star-Journal. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  80. ^ @JasonKander (August 4, 2018). "Working families in #KC deserve to see their wages go up, not down..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  81. ^ @JasonKander (August 5, 2018). "Trevor, explain to your friend that the yes campaign is backed by big corporations and the no campaign is backed by workers" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  82. ^ @JasonKander (August 6, 2018). "Frustrating yes. So remind everyone to just vote @NoOnPropA" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  83. ^ Kander, Jason (April 5, 2016). "Op-Ed: Congress must act to stop the BDS movement". JasonKander.com. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  84. ^ Cagle, Ellen (October 6, 2016). "Kander supported Second Amendment while in office". PolitiFact. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  85. ^ "Jason Kander's Ratings and Endorsements - The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. August 2, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  86. ^ Spies, Mike (September 16, 2016). "The NRA Is Spending Big on Senate Races in Florida and Missouri". The Trace. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  87. ^ @JasonKander (July 27, 2017). "I've been for a public option since 2009" (Tweet). Retrieved May 25, 2018 – via Twitter.
  88. ^ Raasch, Chuck (August 16, 2016). "Clinton emails include one noting McCaskill, others, wary of Obamacare costs". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  89. ^ Gounley, Thomas (June 26, 2015). "Area politicians react to gay marriage ruling". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  90. ^ Murphy, Colin (October 7, 2016). "U.S. Senate Hopeful Jason Kander Talks LGBT Equality". Boom Media. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  91. ^ McDermott, Kevin (February 23, 2016). "Missouri Senate candidate Kander breaks with Obama over Guantanamo Bay closure". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  92. ^ Feldman, Anne (July 19, 2016). "Jason Kander Talks Food Labeling, Cuba Policy in Springfield". The Missouri Times. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  93. ^ Greenblatt, Alan (October 1, 2016). "Social Security Looms Over Senate Race". AARP Bulletin. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  94. ^ "UCM SGA presents Kander with Kirkpatrick Excellence in Governance Award". The Daily Star-Journal. April 26, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  95. ^ "Biography of the Missouri Secretary of State". Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  96. ^ Newmark, Judith (June 24, 2012). "John Kander brings his memories to Muny's 'Chicago'". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
  97. ^ @JasonKander (December 16, 2017). "Ever seen this famous old cookbook?" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

====

Invisible Storm: A Soldier’s Memoir of Politics and PTSD
by Jason Kander
 4.88  ·   Rating details ·  145 ratings  ·  94 reviews
From political wunderkind and former army intelligence officer Jason Kander comes a haunting, powerful memoir about impossible choices—and how sometimes walking away from the chance of a lifetime can be the greatest decision of all.

In 2017, President Obama, in his final Oval Office interview, was asked who gave him hope for the future of the country, and Jason Kander was the first name he mentioned. Suddenly, Jason was a national figure. As observers assumed he was preparing a run for the presidency, Jason announced a bid for mayor of Kansas City instead and was headed for a landslide victory. But after eleven years battling PTSD from his service in Afghanistan, Jason was seized by depression and suicidal thoughts. He dropped out of the mayor’s race and out of public life. And finally, he sought help.

In this brutally honest second memoir, following his New York Times best-selling debut Outside the Wire, Jason Kander has written the book he himself needed in the most painful moments of his PTSD. In candid, in-the-moment detail, we see him struggle with undiagnosed illness during a presidential bid; witness his family buoy him through challenging treatment; and, giving hope to so many of us, see him heal. (less)
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Published July 5th 2022 by Mariner Books
ISBN0358658969  (ISBN13: 9780358658962)
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Kimberly 
Jun 19, 2022Kimberly rated it it was amazing
Shelves: goodreads-giveaway
I would like to thank HarperCollins Publishers and the author, Jason Kander, for this galley proof of Invisible Storm. This book is RIVETING. Suffering from PTSD, the author put the brakes on his promising political career and took a step back to find a way to heal himself and his family. Mr. Kander is a very gifted man and I hope we will see him on the national political stage again. Then there's the issue of PTSD in our service people and what we do, or don't do, to help those suffering from its effects. Important in many ways. (less)
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Sahitya
Jul 07, 2022Sahitya rated it it was amazing
Shelves: 2022-read, 5-star, politics-feminism-religion, favorites, non-fiction
I’ve known about Jason since before I had even decided to learn about American politics because Missouri was the first state I lived in the US, but I don’t recollect how I actually got introduced to him. So it’s been many years of watching his interviews, following his journey on social media, donating to Let America Vote, cheering him both during a prospective national campaign and the run for Kansas City mayor, and later wishing him all the best in his healing process from ptsd. I had also loved his previous book Outside the Wire, so there was no question that I was gonna read this one. I was very excited when I got the advance copy but waiting till I could buy the audiobook because I definitely wanted to hear it all in his own voice. And I’m glad I waited.

This is not an easy book to get through because the struggles both Jason and Diana go through are brutal but Jason keeps it honest and funny. I can never understand the kind of life he has lived or the kind of drive he has had to do something better for the world, but there are still tiny parts of his issues that resonated with me because I’ve had those days myself and it’s validating to know that I’m not alone in this. And which is why I think this is a very important book because there are too many people these days with mental health issues and while many know that it’s okay to seek help, it’s not easy to do it and there’s always something that’s stopping us, and listening to someone prolific like Jason share his process of healing from his trauma is very eye opening and helpful and I hope it’ll help not just veterans who are suffering from ptsd, but anyone who has issues. I also really appreciated getting Diana’s perspective because I didn’t know anything about secondary ptsd and I think it’s something that everyone should know more about, especially if you have family members who are struggling.

The book also raises rightful concerns about the conditions of service members after they return from combat and how nothing is done to make them get out of the intense survival mode and acclimate to civilian life. I’m deeply appreciative of Jason’s work with VCP and I hope his dream of working towards zero veteran homelessness comes true. And whether he runs for office again or not, I’m excited to follow all the work that he is doing with his nonprofit, podcast and as a party leader at 40. Hopefully he’ll also write more books because he is an inspiring progressive leader and his voice is much needed in an ever depressing world. (less)
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Jason Starr
May 30, 2022Jason Starr rated it it was amazing
Brilliant, brave, and consistently gripping memoir on Jason Kander’s service in Afghanistan, experience with PTSD, and presidential bid. Don’t miss this one!
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Marshall
Jun 17, 2022Marshall rated it it was amazing
Shelves: 2022
“Anger never travels alone. It’s like a bouncer, protecting the fears and vulnerabilities we’re afraid to voice.” (Diana Kander)
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Stephanie 
Mar 21, 2022Stephanie rated it really liked it
Several years ago, I became a big fan of Jason Kander, mostly as a result of hearing him interviewed and later by listening to his podcast Majority54. I was not his only fan: in President Obama’s last interview as President, Jason’s was the first name he gave when asked who gave him hope for the future of our country,

His story is incredible and inspirational…also tragic in some ways. In his first book, ​​Outside the Wire: Ten Lessons I’ve Learned In Everyday Courage, he recalled his career as an Army intelligence officer, including some harrowing tales from his time in Afghanistan.

He won a seat in the Missouri Legislature at age twenty-seven. In a famous campaign ad in 2016, when he was running for Senate, he rejected conventional political wisdom and stood up to the NRA campaign ad in which he argued for gun reform while assembling a rifle blindfolded.

Although many people encouraged him to run for national office, he ran for mayor of Kansas City instead. It seemed he was headed for a certain victory, but due to his ongoing battle with PTSD, he became depressed and suicidal and dropped out of the race. . But after eleven years battling PTSD from his service in Afghanistan, Jason was seized by depression and suicidal thoughts. He dropped out and sought much-needed help.

Invisible Storm is the book he needed when he was at his lowest, and I am sure many people will benefit from his brutally honest writing about his undiagnosed illness, his struggle with treatment, and his emergence from despair. It is tragic to read and be reminded of the effects the war continues to have on our veterans, but the way he has bravely healed from the years of struggle is heartening. Four stars. (less)
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Katey
May 01, 2022Katey rated it it was amazing
This book illustrates the toll combat can take on service members and their families. Jason Kander writes about his process of recovery and learning to live with PTSD. I appreciated him detailing his experience in trauma therapy and hope it can help reduce stigma around mental health. This book is brutally honest, and I think it can inspire hope in others who are struggling. I couldn't put it down, read it in less than a day. (less)
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Lisa Jakub
Jul 05, 2022Lisa Jakub rated it it was amazing
I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of Invisible Storm. Jason Kander has managed to write a book that bridges the military/civilian divide. With skilled storytelling and deep vulnerability, he shares his experience in a way that is both entertaining and informative. Without a doubt, this book will save lives.
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Nick Reinartz
Jun 21, 2022Nick Reinartz rated it it was amazing
It’ll be hard to effectively put into words what this book meant to me. While he lived a significantly higher profile life, the peeks behind the curtain at his personal life could just as easily been about me.

PTSD is a hell of a monster, and in this book Jason shared many of the darkest parts of living with it that he and many other veterans (myself included) and survivors of other traumas live with. In particular the focus on all the reasons we can’t possibly have PTSD, because someone else had it worse.

Additionally I absolutely loved Diana adding her own thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Her story about secondary PTSD has helped my family tremendously, even before the release of this book. Having her views and thoughts about the moments Jason was dealing with, and how they impacted her mental health, is incredibly eye opening.

Thank you both so much for writing this book, and for helping to provide hope for me and my family.

I was provided an advance copy of the book after pre-ordering. (less)
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Alicia Ott
Jun 18, 2022Alicia Ott rated it it was amazing
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I read Jason Kander’s first book, Outside the Wire, and thought, “Those situations in Afghanistan were traumatic stress.” When I read Invisible Storm, I was not shocked to see Kander writing about his plethora of symptoms. Ironically, as he writes in this book, he wasn’t able to recognize what was happening. I am grateful he is sharing the mindset, the mental and physical symptoms, and the supports necessary for recovery from posttraumatic stress (to achieve posttraumatic growth).

Kander does a fantastic job of conveying the trauma mindset and the negative, intrusive thinking patterns. The ideas of not being “deserving” and the “should” statements combine to leave survivors feeling inadequate and searching for external validation, meaning, value, and self-worth. As an author, Jason Kander captured this with his narratives on political aspirations and his drive for success. “Emotions can’t hit a moving target.” Jason Kander was definitely on the move (in an upward political trajectory).

With incredible detail, Jason Kander described his mental and physical symptoms of PTSD. Just like so many other survivors, he did not associate current pain with past stress. The mind and body are not separate, which led to chronic back pain for him.

Kander was able to treat his PTSD symptoms with cognitive therapy at the VA. (He also added nutrition and exercise.) Something to really emphasize is Kander’s support network of family, friends, colleagues, etc. As he mentions in the book, traumatic events lead veterans to believe they are isolated. In discussing his fellow vets’ struggles, Kander proves isolation can be a death sentence for veterans. Changes to mental health access within the VA system, since Kander’s first attempts at seeking treatment, are encouraging.

I particularly appreciated the input of Jason’s wife, Diana Kander, throughout the book. This provides even more depth to the discussion on trauma. Survivors need not experience the traumatic stress first-hand. Secondary trauma is real and debilitating. The Kanders expressed the difficulty so many others face in acknowledging the sensations, feelings, and experiences are indeed PTSD. Both wrote about believing they had not earned such a diagnosis. Invisible Storm helps to rip the bandage off our expectations of how people develop PTSD, who it affects, and what it looks like.

I am a trauma therapist. I would recommend Invisible Storm to anyone and everyone. I believe it has special relevance and value for healthcare workers, veterans, emergency services personnel, and their spouses. It’s an excellent depiction of high-functioning trauma with very real, vivid articulation of the mental and physical responses to traumatic stress. (less)
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Katie / Thebookwormteacher
Jun 21, 2022Katie / Thebookwormteacher rated it it was amazing
Thank you for the advanced readers copy!
When I approach NetGalley, I simply skim through my typical genres and, if something stands out to me, I will request it. I often don’t go in there intentionally looking for a specific ARC. I used this same approach when I requested Invisible Storm. The title grabbed my attention because I’m a military spouse (not something I often talk about on this platform), and I thought “wow, I’m super curious about his perspective/experiences.” To be honest, I had no idea who Jason Kander was/is. Staying up-to-date on politics has not always been something I’ve done, although I’ve gotten better over the past years thanks to my husband and @sharonsaysso.
I finished this memoir in three days. That’s pretty good for me right now while living with a toddler and being pregnant. I felt Jason was honest with his experiences, and transparent when it came to the “ monster” that is PTSD. My favorite sections were probably his interactions with his therapist (who sounds like an amazing guy). I also loved the snippets that his wife brought in. People often forget how impactful another person’s trauma can be on those close to them.
We have had four, possibly five if I’m miscounting, suicides in our brigade this past year alone. One specifically that was very shaking to me, and was a clear indicator of how we have continued to fail taking care of those who experience a high level of stress on a day-to-day basis.
Jason was very honest about how he played the comparison game with his trauma. Saying how since he didn’t do XYZ like so-and-so, he has no reason to feel the way that he’s feeling. Your feelings are valid. Your experiences are valid. It’s time we treat instead of comparing.
This is a longer review than I have typically been doing lately, but for some reason this memoir just hit me a little harder than others. Probably because I just spent the beginning of the week at a division change of command ceremony where I was sitting amongst 50+ soldiers, and the only thing I could think about was who here is experiencing this “monster” and no one knows about it.
4.5 rounded up to 5 (less)
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Jennifer
Jun 25, 2022Jennifer rated it it was amazing
“The doctor sat back in his chair. ‘Barack Obama told you that you could run for President?’ He tapped his notebook a couple of times with his pen, then pursed his lips, ‘So how often would you say you hear voices?’”

So begins Jason Kander’s “Invisible Storm A Soldier’s Memoir of Politics and PTSD”.

Jason Kander is a bit of an enigma. He attended and did well in both a prestigious college and law school but felt more at home training with his cohorts in the National Guard on his time off. He is a progressive Democrat and a combat veteran who served a tour in Afghanistan. These attributes, combined with his earnest “desire to serve” catapulted him into the Democratic party’s stratosphere. After his tour, he became a Missouri Congressman. He then became the Missouri’s Secretary of State and just narrowly lost a Senate race in 2016. He was the future of the Democratic party, so it was a bit surprising when, in 2018, he announced that he was running for the mayoral race in Kansas City. It was downright sobering when he announced, weeks before the election, that he was dropping out of the race to focus on healing from PTSD.

This memoir candidly details the havoc PTSD wrought on Kander and his family, even as it looked from the outside that everything was perfect. Kander’s wife, Diana, shares her perspective throughout the book too. It is eye opening. I appreciate Kander’s honesty as he describes the anger, shame, guilt, and comparison he dealt with. It also shines a light on how difficult it is for our veterans to get the mental health help they need. He sought and received help from the VA but it was a difficult process.

This book is riveting. I was so intrigued as I read about his ascension in both the military and then the political world. The stories Kander includes about his tour overseas or his campaign across America are well written and captivating. Most enjoyable, though, were the snippets of his time healing with his family and friends. It’s beautiful and I wish every PTSD sufferer can have that too.

Even if you’re not a combat veteran or into politics, you can glean so much from Kander’s story. We’ve all been through a collective trauma these past two plus years with the pandemic and it’s important to deal with that. Kander was able to get the help he needed and is doing well now. It’s incredibly hopeful to think that if he was able to get better, then we can too.

I’m grateful to Net Galley for the early copy of the book. (less)
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April
Jun 13, 2022April rated it it was amazing
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Invisible Storm

I have been listening to Jason Kander on his podcast Majority54 for a while now and I even voted for him during his run for Senate here in Missouri. It’s interesting to me that someone can seem so normal and on the very cusp of a huge undertaking like running for US president but be in such turmoil on the inside. Truly, some of us can hide what is really going on inside our heads so well; but as Jason said in the book you can’t outrun the Monster. I think that so many people, especially men, find it difficult to admit they have a problem. Reading the stories of what he did during his deployment and how that bled into his actions once he was home and how it deeply affected his wife really makes you stop and evaluate your own actions and how what you do has such a ripple effect. I enjoyed the parts that Diana offered from her perspective, it also had me evaluating how I’ve reacted to similar situations in my past. I think it took a lot of courage to write about something so personal and from reading I feel that Jason will have a hard time accepting the praise that will surely come from those that read this book (that’s just the Monster Jason, don’t let it trick you!). I would absolutely recommend this book to everyone, we all know someone that is suffering (whether they’ve displayed it outwardly or keep it all inside) and I think that reading this may help plant the seeds for them to seek help or give their loved ones a way to reach out and suggest they seek help. My favorite line in the book was “Nobody builds avocado cellars”; and I think that whole paragraph really sums up how we should be treating trauma and mental health. On the podcast they always end with “Everyone has a platform, remember to use yours today” and I feel like this book is an excellent example of just that. Way to use your platform Jason, and thank you. (less)
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Teddy Sims
Jul 05, 2022Teddy Sims rated it it was amazing
I highly recommend Invisible Storm: A Soldier’s Memoir of Politics and PTSD. Jason Kander’s book resonated with me and told a story of a recovery and love. Kander describes his experience in Afghanistan and its lasting effects. Unbeknownst to Kander, he spent the next decade suffering from PTSD. Fortunately, Kander sought help and transformed his life, relationships, and marriage. Kander details these experiences with honesty and transparency. After reading this book, I have a better understanding of PTSD, and I know there’s no reason to try and compare or qualify trauma. Invisible Storm changed the way I think about service, sacrifice, recovery and love. I hope it changes the way you see the world too.
(less)
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Katherine Gates
Jun 25, 2022Katherine Gates rated it it was amazing
Jason Kander was the Democratic Party's rising star until he suddenly stopped and fell out of the limelight. This is not a story of failure though, this is a story of how asking for help saved his life.

I first "discovered" Jason Kander like many others through the Majority 54 podcast. His soothing voice and confidence felt very much like a young Obama and he very clearly cared for people in this nation and helping others. I was riveted by every Podcast episode and often prompted family and friends to listen. But then, after season 1, he was gone. This book is the story of his mental health battle and how he dealt with it which included dropping out of the limelight to take time to heal for himself.

As a military spouse, I was already piqued with interest at this book but knowing that the author himself decided to contribute all of his royalties to combat veteran suicide and homelessness, I was 100% onboard and decided to preorder. Through Jason's amazing team, I was able to receive an advanced reader copy and let me tell you. This book. did.not.disappoint. I laughed; I cried ugly tears; I walked away with hope for soldiers and for America. This book is really fascinating to hear the interworking's of a political campaign, war stories from soldiers, and how mental health touches so many and affects so many differently. I especially loved hearing Diana Kander's side (the author's wife) and how PTSD affected her as well. As JK states "Mental health is physical health and physical health is mental health."

10/10 recommend this book! (less)
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Jay Craven
Jul 05, 2022Jay Craven rated it it was amazing
"A long overdue conversation for our veterans—and everyone else. This work shines a bright light on mental health issues and hopefully normalizes seeking—and accepting—help. I know this account of struggle and healing will help and encourage many who combat trauma and the effects of trauma—no matter its source.

A very personal and introspective journey that takes the reader from confusion, misunderstanding, and even naivety to confronting a very real and present problem that impacts more of us—and those we love—than we dare admit." (less)
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Katie
Jun 11, 2022Katie rated it it was amazing
It's interesting to read this book after following Jason's career for so long. I was one of the people he describes in this book, one who saw him as a natural and a rising star in the Democratic party. He details his difficulty in coping with his return from a tour in Afghanistan and how he tried to outrun his symptoms by throwing himself into politics. I've read a lot of Soldier memoirs and a lot of books about PTSD. Invisible Storm is unique in that Jason gets into the nitty gritty of his treatment, acknowledging the hard work involved in recovery from PTSD. Diana also offers insight into the challenges of being partnered with someone experiencing a trauma response. Finally, Jason offers hope that treatment can be effective and that posttraumatic growth is possible. As a military psychologist, I consider this a must read for veterans and clinicians. (less)
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Mari Manoogian
Jun 12, 2022Mari Manoogian rated it really liked it
Jason Kander’s latest book is a refreshingly authentic memoir, a rarity in politics. As a young legislator, I really appreciate just how vulnerable his writing is. While it goes without saying that sharing his struggles with PTSD, and his feelings of guilt surrounding his military service, is a kind of bravery that all too often isn’t seen in public life, I also found his commentary about the experiences he had in the statehouse and while running for office more broadly to be incredibly honest. Most books about politics don’t share just how hard it is to balance taking care of yourself, including spending time with family, and maintaining friendships and a semblance of a normal life. It takes strength to share the hard things, and I hope that this book, and the way Jason’s strength is reflected in his writing, impacts others in the same way that it has impacted me. (less)
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Tremaine Dion McKinley
Jun 12, 2022Tremaine Dion McKinley rated it it was amazing
It's hard to express how important a book like this is, no matter what your connection to PTSD is or where you are in your mental health journey. If my book review or recommendation serves any purpose; let it first be a challenge to you to continue to learn yourself inside and out. Second, let it be a "thank you" to Team Kander, a family and group of activists that already had my utmost respect as role models and public figures. Jason and Diana walk us through what it really looks like to look "The Monster" in the eye and face it head-on. I couldn't have picked this book up at a better time for myself, but honestly, the best time for anyone to read "Invisible Storm" is ASAP. (less)
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Elizabeth Pierce
Jun 01, 2022Elizabeth Pierce rated it it was amazing
Reading Invisible Storm by Jason Kander was a fascinating journey to try and understand how PTSD can affect everyone around the person that has experienced the trauma and not just the person with PTSD.  I really appreciated Diana Kander's additions to the book in helping understand how a spouse or partner can also be affected and in just how that plays out in day to day life.

Reading through this book the explanations on how Jason came to the military and exactly what he did while he was in Afghanistan.  The military position that he held has proven to be just as important as any other position in the army, even though he was not on the 'front line' so to speak, he was still doing his part to help those that were on the front line.  The way he used his military experience to assist him with his political campaigning was interesting to read as well.  He definitely has a relentlessness to him that helped him to be a good politician, but those attributes as he writes in the book also helped him to hide his PTSD.  Reading the book kept me wondering on how he was functioning in the day to day with so little sleep . . .

His writing about how he approached therapy and how he was finally able to get through to the VA and get treatment was powerful and I sincerely hope that other people will seek help in the same way.  This first person account of mental health is desperately needed to help normalize the stigma of mental issues and that it is ok to seek treatment/help for your mental health just as you would for any other sort of health issue.

As I said before Diana's words really helped to understand how she was affected by his mental health/PTSD.  You can tell through both of their writings that they have a strong marriage and that they truly love & respect each other.  Which is super important when you are going through the sort of issues they went through for the last 3 years.

After reading this book, I spent a few days with a retired Army Chaplain who returned from Iraq a year ago and you could tell that he had some serious mental health issues and that he was hiding. Having read this book before meeting him, helped me to have more understanding and compassion for more of what he is not saying, than what he is saying.  

Thank you for writing this book.  It is important work and the words matter a great deal to others out there that don't even realize what they are dealing with. Hopefully someone in their life will help them recognize their suffering and urge them to seek help.  Invisible Storm just might be the catalyst that someone in their world has read and will convince them to read as well. (less)
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Joe
Jun 08, 2022Joe rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition
I feel lucky to have received an advance copy of this book. Jason Kander has written an important book on a very serious subject matter. Written with equal parts seriousness, sincerity, and humor, I was captivated from beginning to end. Highly recommended!
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Sharron
Jun 04, 2022Sharron rated it it was amazing
*Received an advance copy.

I've been a fan for many years and gave his other book five stars too (bought his book with True for my great niece & nephew, but never got to read it). This lived up to expectations! It is amazing and inspirational.

However, it's a can't put down book, because I had to read it quickly as possible to get past the gut wrenching story. Feel horrible that they lived it for a decade!

Diana's parts are just as horrifying, sad, and powerful. (less)
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Trina Rataiczak
Jun 04, 2022Trina Rataiczak rated it it was amazing
Absolutely gripping! A rollercoaster of emotions. Moving, tearful, honest and raw. Jason’s account of his time serving is so detailed and well written. The emphasis on how important it is to seek help as well as how we carry the guilt of “not doing enough” is an important message. I’m sure this will be a life changing book to many people suffering with PTSD, especially our amazing veterans.
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Allie Gordon
Jun 12, 2022Allie Gordon rated it it was amazing
This book made me hugely emotional. I cried several times throughout, but overall it made me feel inspired, hopeful, and grateful that Jason Kander shared his story of post-traumatic growth. You don't have to be in/around the military to benefit from reading, and I can't recommend it enough! (less)
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Jennifer Cassell
May 28, 2022Jennifer Cassell rated it it was amazing
I’ve been a fan of Jason Kander since his Senate run. His descriptions of PTSD are right on, and I admire his ability to explain how The Monster works. Fantastic writing.
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Alan Eyre
May 19, 2022Alan Eyre rated it it was amazing
Excellent story of a lucky brave man who realizes he has mental health issues and commits to facing them.
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Mark G
Jul 05, 2022Mark G rated it it was amazing
Honesty and perspective. Invisible Storm by Jason (and Diana) Kander exudes honesty and renders perspective. From the Prologue to the Epilogue, Jason is holding nothing back in telling his struggle and continuing journey with PTSD as well as the mental and physical symptoms that coincide with it. Such honesty is refreshing to hear in any setting, but is crucial in any discussion surrounding mental illness. For those that have not experienced trauma or mental illness, Invisible Storm provides a perspective into how such a condition develops, and often, envelops an individual as well as those around them.

As someone who's struggled with mental illness, I can't fully explain why, but reading this felt validating. It's not that my story was the same as Jason's, or that my symptoms always took on the same form. But when he spoke about how he felt, I knew instantly what he meant. I was reminded to ""feel the feelings."" I've sought help, and am doing very well now, but to hear Jason discuss with directness the thoughts and feelings he still struggles with reinforced for me the continued maintenance our mental health requires (like exercising to maintain one's physical health).

While Jason does not shy from telling the ugly truth when recalling his time in Afghanistan, back home, and on the road as a politician with The Monster (PTSD) that followed him along, we are also provided with the perspective of his ""teammate"" and ""soulmate,"" Diana. This multiple-perspective approach to telling Jason and Diana's struggle with PTSD provides insight into how the individual and the family are affected. Hearing both tell their recollection of a phone call home from Afghanistan or a time along the campaign trail brought a level of gravity to the storytelling that emphasized the impact mental illness can have on and around the individual.

Our treatment of mental illness has progressed lightyears beyond where it might've been a century or even decades ago. At the same time, we are still weighted down by stigmas, unknown warning signs, unshared resources, and an unwillingness to open up about what so many of us are experiencing. The honesty and perspective laid out in Invisible Storm sets an example and provides a guide on how to progress and grow with mental illness. That kind of example and guide is useful not only to those still suffering, but also to those they may inevitably interact with. (less)
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Shannon Wise
Jun 20, 2022Shannon Wise rated it it was amazing
Shelves: history-politics, won, middle-east, memoir, read-in-2022, military
I don't remember how i found Jason Kander on Twitter. But I do know that I felt he was the future of the Democratic party. He offered hope and direction to what I perceived to be a party that was fighting the very change it promoted. I wondered why he didn't run for President against Trump. Now I know. And what a harrowing story it is.

The thing that, for me, made this book so amazing, is that I identified with so much of what Mr. Kander was going through. The inability to feel happiness. The guilt and shame that you don't deserve the life you have. The anger, anxiety, and fear that accompanies you everywhere you are. I was not in the military. I never was in a war. But I have PTSD. And that is why I think this book is so important for everyone to read. Mr. Kander gives you an insider's view of what it is like to have PTSD and the havoc it creates in your mind.

Anyone who looks at my Goodreads shelf or knows me, knows that I read a lot of books about war. I've read a lot of books about coming home from war. I have never encountered a book so honest about what we don't do for our veterans. And what we should do for them. Mr. Kander's wife, Diana, also contributed parts to this book, which I really appreciated. Seeing PTSD from her point of view and the effect it had on her, made me understand how it affects the other people in your life.

I think this is an important book for everyone to read. The military and this country does a piss poor job of assimilating vets who return from combat. We expect them to pretend it never happened. And our disconnect from the war makes that even more difficult for those who come home. We don't want to acknowledge that men and women who come home from war and not the same people we sent to fight. This book forces that acknowledgement. From the outside, Mr. Kander seemed like the wunderkind that could save us. From the inside, it nearly killed him. What a brave person he is to bear his PTSD for all of us to see. Read this book. It's a lesson in compassion we all need.

I won a copy of this book from Goodreads. I received no compensation in exchange for my review. The opinions expresses herein are mine and mine alone. (less)
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Allison Norberg
Jun 28, 2022Allison Norberg rated it it was amazing
Shelves: non-fiction-history
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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Conner
Jun 22, 2022Conner rated it it was amazing
This memoir by Jason Kander is one of the most vulnerable pieces of writing I have ever read. I first started following his career in 2016 when I moved to Missouri, learning about him as a candidate for the Senate that year. Through his rise to national prominence, I have always found his perspective to be one sorely needed in this country - his understanding of the need to seek connection with all people, and to make an effort to go everywhere, is one that could serve anyone in politics today.

In "Invisible Storm," Kander pulls back the curtain on what was going on inside throughout that entire process. He first explores the beginnings of his connection to the Army in great detail, and how serving in that role helped to define him as a person. Through stories about his time serving in Afghanistan, we learn in much greater detail how the experiences of war began to affect him, both while serving abroad and especially after returning home. The interludes from his wife, Diana, provide an important perspective on how the changes that PTSD brought about had an impact on those around him. We see the inside of the process of treatment from day 1, with a transparency I was overwhelmed with at times. And, we find hope through witnessing his growth and transformation into the man he is today, with a renewed sense of purpose in his new roles. Above all, this memoir is a human story - a reminder for all of us that until we address the various traumas we experience in life, we cannot hope to be truly present for those we love. For someone who lives such a public life, Kander's decision to share the details of his experience is particularly powerful as an example of humility and vulnerability, and will hopefully inspire others to take the often difficult step of addressing their own traumas. (less)
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Mary Waite
Jul 05, 2022Mary Waite rated it it was amazing
Invisible Storm by Jason Kander, grabs your attention in the prologue and does not let up. I read the entire book in two sittings. I struggled to put it down and found the narrative absorbed my attention for days afterwards.
As a mental health professional, I was skeptical that this autobiography would be able to accurately describe Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Kander’s description of PTSD is remarkable in that he both vividly describes his experience in a way that is easy to understand while clinically accurate. This alone makes this book not only different than a typical memoir but also a game changer in the world of PTSD.
Also, I was concerned that the story of Kander’s political past would overshadow the importance of his high profile departure from public life to get life saving treatment. I can honestly say this concern was completely unnecessary. If you take everything in this book about politics out, it still remains a well written and important book. However, it is a party of Kander’s story and it makes it all the more remarkable.
The addition of Diane Kander’s writings alongside her husband’s recollections provides a valuable perspective. This book is as much about their marriage as it is about Kander’s journey with PTSD. No one experiences mental illness alone and their willingness to open their struggles to the reader is de-stigmatizing on its own.
Personally, this book resonated with me as a wife and daughter of service members who spent time serving during foreign wars. The epilogue is alone eye opening and will stay with me for a long time.
This book will save relationships but more importantly it will save lives. I highly recommend everyone take the time to read this book. Buy a copy and gift it to the veterans and their families in your life. (less)
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