Reviews

I really enjoyed the read but on reflection there's not much depth to it. The book deals with one subject, diagnosis and treatment of the author's PTSD, and I was hoping for a broader autobiography. You don't learn much about the man, discussion of relationships (family, friends, children) are all kept at arms length and the same with the recovery process. The book gives hope to those that have similar issues though without trying to give unqualified advice.

tobynicks's review

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4.0

A very open and honest account of the effects on mental health of being in the army, with anecdotes from his time serving and personal life. I'd give it 5 stars but it was a little repetitive in places, but I suppose for those who haven't experienced the slow and ever-present drag of mental health issues may not appreciate how pervasive and all consuming it is without it.

emsbooks92's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

4.0

jakluke's review

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2.0

Bit depressing … last couple of chapters are good. His later book is better.

tombon3's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

vikingwolf's review

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3.0

I first came across Foxy in the hit TV Show SAS Who Dares Wins, where ex-SAS men train members of the public to see if any would be tough enough to pass the brutal selection process. I love the series and rushed out to buy the books by Ant and Foxy when I saw them. It starts with Foxy in a foreign warzone having a mental meltdown that puts him in real danger. His descriptions of the battle area, the confusion and shooting, the conditions and the fear he was feeling show exactly what our brave armed forces put up with on deployment and I really admire him. Foxy talks about his gradual disengagement from the job he loves after he gets home, the feelings of fear for his next mission, breakdown of personal relationships and how he was able to finally confess the mental health issues that followed. He then dealt with being ejected from the military, avoiding his colleagues through shame and struggling to find treatment that worked for him as he faced an uncertain civilian life.

The book was really interesting but be advised that the main focus of the book is the mental health side of it and the treatments that Foxy tried. There are small bits of the deployments that he went on and the training provided for him but don't go into it expecting a military memoir. I think Foxy is brave to speak out on something that the military like to sweep under the carpet and there must be better treatment and support for soldiers like him in the future.

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