Invisible Storm: A Soldier's Memoir of Politics and PTSD
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- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Jason Kander
- ISBN：B09722SCKL
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Reviews
Jessica
，
Jason Kander’s memoir， Invisible Storm， has been like a salve to my soul this past month。 I was diagnosed with PTSD earlier this year as a result of gun violence against multiple members of my family （on multiple occasions） over the past 14 years。 I lost a cousin to a home invasion in 2009 and， more recently， my husband was shot outside our home when someone attempted to steal his vehicle （he survived）。 As I am not a veteran， nor a “direct” victim of either of those events， I have struggled with Jason Kander’s memoir， Invisible Storm， has been like a salve to my soul this past month。 I was diagnosed with PTSD earlier this year as a result of gun violence against multiple members of my family （on multiple occasions） over the past 14 years。 I lost a cousin to a home invasion in 2009 and， more recently， my husband was shot outside our home when someone attempted to steal his vehicle （he survived）。 As I am not a veteran， nor a “direct” victim of either of those events， I have struggled with being deemed “worthy” of the label。 Jason’s frank discussion of his struggle with “worthiness” of the PTSD title， alongside Diana’s struggles with her own trauma enable all of us to consider trauma through a broader lens。 This book is a must read for anyone suffering from PTSD - soldiers and civilians alike - and for anyone who knows anyone suffering from trauma。 Be kind to one another。 You never know another’s story unless they choose to share it。 Jason and Diana， thank you for giving us an inside seat to your story！ Your courage will undoubtedly help many give voice to their own （myself included）。 。。。more
Allison Norberg
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 I very much enjoyed this book。 Invisible Storm follows Jason Kander， an army veteran who was deployed in Afghanistan and also ran for a couple political offices in Missouri。 The book also includes thoughts from his wife Diana， which gave two perspectives on different situations。 The book highlights many real hardships of relationships and normalizes those hardships。 Diana and Jason went through many difficult times together （Jason’s deployment， depression， and running for political office） and t I very much enjoyed this book。 Invisible Storm follows Jason Kander， an army veteran who was deployed in Afghanistan and also ran for a couple political offices in Missouri。 The book also includes thoughts from his wife Diana， which gave two perspectives on different situations。 The book highlights many real hardships of relationships and normalizes those hardships。 Diana and Jason went through many difficult times together （Jason’s deployment， depression， and running for political office） and they’re still together， and you can tell they have so much love for each other and are very strong。 It really shows a lot of strength to support your partner and love them unconditionally through tough times。 Jason struggled a lot while running for political office due to PTSD。 Throughout his time running for office， he wrote that he constantly had to keep working so he wouldn’t have thoughts of his time in Afghanistan。 However， he longed to be deployed again so he could have war experiences on par with other soldiers。 A quote that really sticks with me is “I fixated on that comparison， constantly downplaying both my trauma and what it did to me…PTSD is an injury。 That’s all it is。” Jason also states that “the army wires every soldier to think what I did was no big deal。 It’s an absolutely necessary form of brainwashing that helps keep you going。” If I didn’t already have the utmost respect for people who serve in the military， I certainly do now。 I love quote from the book “I’d become the guy who won by losing。” Jason realized that holding political office probably wasn’t for him， but since being exposed to US politics， he ended up getting more involved in activism and creating Let America Vote and Veterans Community Project， and meeting other progressive politicians eager to make positive changes in the US。 The openness of both Jason and Diana captured in Invisible Storm show how strong being vulnerable is。 The fact that Jason told the truth about his PTSD when he announced he was taking a break from politics is something we need more of。 Being honest about mental health is so so important。 I highly recommend this book to everyone。 。。。more
Erin Slattery
，
It feels strange to say that I enjoyed this devastating and raw exploration of the effects of PTSD on a family。 Luckily for the reader， Jason and Diana balanced the heartbreaking truths about their journey with levity from candid behind-the-scenes stories from Jason's political career。 Ever wondered what it's like to be told by a president YOU should run for president？ Now you know！ Jason's voice comes through so well you'll feel like you're sitting down with him as he recounts these experiences It feels strange to say that I enjoyed this devastating and raw exploration of the effects of PTSD on a family。 Luckily for the reader， Jason and Diana balanced the heartbreaking truths about their journey with levity from candid behind-the-scenes stories from Jason's political career。 Ever wondered what it's like to be told by a president YOU should run for president？ Now you know！ Jason's voice comes through so well you'll feel like you're sitting down with him as he recounts these experiences to you personally。 Diana shares her perspective， bringing welcome insights and laughs。 Beyond enjoying a well told story， I found myself inspired to look at my life with raw honesty – if Jason could walk away from a presidential race， I can say no to the things in my life that aren’t working for me and my family。 。。。more
Bhavin
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By far the most authentic memoir， I’ve ever read！！ MUST READ
Jennifer
，
“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 “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。 。。。more
Becky Blades
，
I put off starting this book because I didn’t want to feel like a memoir about politics and mental health would surely make one feel。 I should have expected more from this amazing family。 Invisible Storm: A Soldier’s Memoir of Politics and PTSD by Jason Kander with his wife， Diana， is more than a soldier’s story; it’s more than a mental health journey; it’s more than a political memoir。 It’s a riveting tale of humanness。 The Kanders take us within the wound of PTSD and allow us to move through t I put off starting this book because I didn’t want to feel like a memoir about politics and mental health would surely make one feel。 I should have expected more from this amazing family。 Invisible Storm: A Soldier’s Memoir of Politics and PTSD by Jason Kander with his wife， Diana， is more than a soldier’s story; it’s more than a mental health journey; it’s more than a political memoir。 It’s a riveting tale of humanness。 The Kanders take us within the wound of PTSD and allow us to move through their trauma to the aching triumph of acceptance and healing。 A must-read for all who love memoirs。 。。。more
Conner
，
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。I 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。 。。。more
Nick Reinartz
，
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 ha 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。 。。。more
Katie / Thebookwormteacher
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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 n 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 。。。more
Melissa
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This review is based on an advance reader copy I got through a Goodreads giveaway。I have to admit that I had never heard of Jason Kander before。 Watching/listening to political discussion is like getting teeth pulled for me。 I also dislike politicians。 I don't care which party。 I have yet to find a good one。 Kander seems like a good guy。。。for a politician。 And let's be clear here。 No matter what else he is， Kander is first and foremost a politician。 The first half of the book to me just highligh This review is based on an advance reader copy I got through a Goodreads giveaway。I have to admit that I had never heard of Jason Kander before。 Watching/listening to political discussion is like getting teeth pulled for me。 I also dislike politicians。 I don't care which party。 I have yet to find a good one。 Kander seems like a good guy。。。for a politician。 And let's be clear here。 No matter what else he is， Kander is first and foremost a politician。 The first half of the book to me just highlighted what is wrong with politics and politicians in this country。 Despite thinking he is better than the rest of them， Kander proved he really isn't。 BUT this is a very candid memoir and he goes on to discuss in depth his PTSD and how it made him feel。 He discusses how he drove himself too hard in the political arena due to trying to run away from his PTSD。 I truly applaud Kander for this and think that the descriptions of what he was （and still is） going through are of vital importance。 He didn't think he had （or deserved to have） PTSD， so his self-realization was eye opening。 Kander makes a very marked turn-around and documents his journey in this book the whole way。 BRAVO SIR！ 。。。more
Missy
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Invisible Storm by Jason Kander was like having a long weekend with Jason and Diana with no topic off limits。 I laughed， I cried， I was comforted， I was angry - sometimes all of these at the same time。 Jason writes with candor。 Diana adds to the experience with her own honesty。 I have had the opportunity to meet Jason in person。 He was in town on a campaign stop for a local， wonderful， State Senator。 Jason made time to stop by the hospital to meet with my husband， who was going through chemother Invisible Storm by Jason Kander was like having a long weekend with Jason and Diana with no topic off limits。 I laughed， I cried， I was comforted， I was angry - sometimes all of these at the same time。 Jason writes with candor。 Diana adds to the experience with her own honesty。 I have had the opportunity to meet Jason in person。 He was in town on a campaign stop for a local， wonderful， State Senator。 Jason made time to stop by the hospital to meet with my husband， who was going through chemotherapy for bukitt lymphoma， a rare and aggressive lymphoma。 In reading Invisible Storm， I am pretty confident， that Jason was deep within his own problems。 He was ever so kind and caring。 His work with the Veterans Community Project， as well as the Afghan Rescue Project， and so many other organizations， is inspiring。 His honesty shows that everyone has their own story， and we all must be open to help support all。 It was also reassuring to know that Talia has learned to suffer a few snuggles， as we also have a “Talia” 。。。more
Shannon Wise
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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 gu 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。 。。。more
Melissa Flanigan
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In Invisible Storm， Army veteran Jason Kander vividly describes his own personal battle with post-traumatic stress disorder （PTSD）。 Many people think that they understand PTSD， but Kander highlights many of the signs and symptoms that are not normally highlighted in popular culture。 As a mental health professional， this book could be both revelatory and excruciating to read as Kander describes his thought distortions， panic attacks， and paranoia after returning from Afghanistan。 This book is a m In Invisible Storm， Army veteran Jason Kander vividly describes his own personal battle with post-traumatic stress disorder （PTSD）。 Many people think that they understand PTSD， but Kander highlights many of the signs and symptoms that are not normally highlighted in popular culture。 As a mental health professional， this book could be both revelatory and excruciating to read as Kander describes his thought distortions， panic attacks， and paranoia after returning from Afghanistan。 This book is a must-read for anyone who knows， loves， and works with veterans。 Hopefully， Invisible Storm will inspire others to recognize their own traumatic stress responses and decrease the stigma around asking for help。 。。。more
Dylan
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Invisible Storm is an honest and revealing tale about Kander's service in Afghanistan haunting him for the following decade。 Kander is the first to admit that his deployment was not the typical military experience， but by sharing his story， he gives the reader a chance to better understand any veterans or nonveterans who are dealing with trauma。 The behind-the-scenes story of a rising political star is as well-written as it is compelling。 The story is interesting and contains lessons for anyone。 Invisible Storm is an honest and revealing tale about Kander's service in Afghanistan haunting him for the following decade。 Kander is the first to admit that his deployment was not the typical military experience， but by sharing his story， he gives the reader a chance to better understand any veterans or nonveterans who are dealing with trauma。 The behind-the-scenes story of a rising political star is as well-written as it is compelling。 The story is interesting and contains lessons for anyone。 I highly recommend。 。。。more
Kimberly
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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 i 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。 。。。more
Alicia Ott
，
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 f 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。 。。。more
Marshall
，
“Anger never travels alone。 It’s like a bouncer， protecting the fears and vulnerabilities we’re afraid to voice。” （Diana Kander）
April
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Invisible StormI 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， espe Invisible StormI 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。 。。。more
Tremaine Dion McKinley
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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 " 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。 。。。more
Mari Manoogian
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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。 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。 。。。more
Katie
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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 trea 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。 。。。more
Joe
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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！
Trina Rataiczak
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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。
Sharron
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*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。 *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。 。。。more
Jason Starr
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Brilliant， brave， and consistently gripping memoir on Jason Kander’s service in Afghanistan， experience with PTSD， and presidential bid。 Don’t miss this one！
Jennifer Cassell
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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。
Alan Eyre
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Excellent story of a lucky brave man who realizes he has mental health issues and commits to facing them。
Katey
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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。 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。 。。。more
Stephanie
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