Achilles in Vietnam
by Jonathan Shay · first published 1994
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The number of books on the Vietnam War is, by now, vast and varied. Until recently, however, there has been very little for the public to read about the psychological effect of that conflict on the men who fought in it. Gradually, it has come to be known that the combat veterans of Vietnam suffer, in appalling numbers, from what is known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Indeed, of the three quarters of a million surviving combat veterans, one quarter of a million suffer from this disorder and the personal costs it imposes. (For a full discussion of PTSD and its symptoms, see the Intr
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As a counterpoint, I'll recommend the excellent book Achilles in Vietnam. It explores Achilles' story in The Illiad and how it illustrates the stages he goes through while processing what he has experienced as a soldier.
on “Was there PTSD in the ancient or medieval world?” ↗"Achilles in Vietnam" by Jonathan Shay. I agree it's quite good. IIRC, the author was a doctor in a VA clinic for Vietnam vets suffering from PTSD, and he was struck by the similarities between their condition and descriptions…
on “The Shield of Achilles (1952)” ↗One book that explores this topic from a clinical perspective, supported by faithful translations from The Iliad, is "Achilles in Vietnam" [1] by Dr. Jonathan Shay [2]. [1] https://muse.jhu.edu/article/26751 [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Shay
on “Was there PTSD in the ancient or medieval world?” ↗FWIW, Jonathan Shay's /Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character/ [1] touches on this. It's a good book. IDK if Shay's book qualifies as "professional literature", but he was certainly a professional (VA psychiatrist), and…
on “George Carlin's "Soft Language"” ↗