Among the Walking Wounded

Author Col. John Conrad is an expert and experienced author whose book What the Thunder Said sold over 2,220 copies in Canada The subject is exceedingly topical/relevant and will remain so for many years as more Canadian veterans of Afghanistan try to come to grips with PTSD. The narrative informs on two challenges that need resolution: care for serving soldiers inside the Defence Department and ongoing medical support and benefits for those who have left the service and must rely on the Department of Veterans Affairs for support. The author is a highly credible soldier (a serving brigade commander responsible for some 1,500 soldiers in Alberta) who has written two military-themed books and numerous articles, as well as conducted public readings and presentations across the country. The book will be punctuated with ten black-and-white photos that give additional context. An established readership: the book amplifies and explores many of the themes and incidents from the bestselling What the Thunder Said (Dundurn 2009). In this sense, the book has an established readership both inside the army (where the book is used at a number of military training establishments) and among civilians. A unique perspective by a highly respected soldier. The book tackles the stigma of PTSD head-on through a visceral, searing, and honest first-person narrative. The book offers hands-on insight (along with painstakingly researched and accurate context) into a unique period of combat in Canadian military history – the war in Southern Afghanistan.