The Evil Hours: A Biography of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – A Literary Memoir on Trauma, Memory, and Understanding

“Conveys the mysteries of trauma in a way that is unsurpassed in the literature . . . This is the most important book on the subject to come out in this century.” —Times Literary Supplement

“Compulsively readable.” —Los Angeles Times

Post-traumatic stress disorder haunts America today, its reach extending far beyond the armed forces to touch the lives of millions of us. In The Evil Hours, David J. Morris shares stories of people living with PTSD—including himself—and investigates the rich scientific, literary, and cultural history of the condition. The result is a humane, unforgettable book that has been hailed as a literary triumph, and an indispensable account of an illness.

“[The Evil Hours] reminded me why I wanted to be a writer in the first place . . . Communicate[s] the reality of PTSD, both to those who live with it and those who never have.” —David Brooks, New York Times

“Engaging . . . Timely . . . A fascinating and well-researched narrative.” —Chicago Tribune

“This is the book we’ve always needed . . . A work that empowers and connects people like never before. Anyone who has been touched by PTSD would benefit greatly from this book.” —Foreign Policy

DAVID J. MORRIS is a former Marine infantry officer and war correspondent. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, Slate, Daily Beast, and Best American Nonrequired Reading. In 2008, he was awarded a creative writing fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.