Aftermath: Violence and the Remaking of a Self

With a remarkable blend of intensity and logic, Aftermath: Violence and the Remaking of a Self speaks directly to the heart of anyone involved in the recovery of life after trauma. Author Susan Brison, professor of philosophy, shares her survival of rape and attempted murder with depth and passion; you'll witness a personal struggle to survive coupled with the broader issue of coping with sudden violence as an unavoidable fact of life. This book was 10 years in the making, and Brison wisely left her earlier, angrier writings as they originally appeared, followed by calmer, more logical (yet still deeply felt) musings. The change in tone is one survivors will be familiar with.

In her search, Brison discusses public reaction to trauma, and the prescription to forget and move on that is so widely recommended. She covers rape, certainly, but also touches on many other types of violence--the acts of war, murder, and abuse that follow us in the headlines. Philosophers from Wittgenstein to Locke are referenced, up to her final comments: "Recovery no longer seems like picking up the pieces of a shattered self. It's facing the fact that there was never a coherent self there to begin with." --Jill Lightner