Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – once referred to in the military as “shell shock” or war neurosis – is an anxiety disorder that can occur after experiencing a traumatic event.
Reports of battle-related stress appear as early as the 6th century BC, and in 490 BC the Greek historian Herodotus described an Athenian soldier who, although not himself physically wounded, was rendered blind after witnessing the death of a fellow soldier.
The modern understanding of this psychological trauma dates from the 1970s, largely as a result of the problems experienced by Vietnam veterans, which is when the term post-traumatic stress disorder was coined.
The term “shell shock” was first used during the First World War. Symptoms varied widely in intensity, and often took the form of panic attacks – which sometimes caused men to flee the battlefield, which was invariably regarded as rank cowardice, resulting in court martial for desertion and often ending in execution.
Many shell shock victims recovered quickly, whereas many others continued to feel its effects for years afterwards.
Next Sunday, October 19th, at 2, the Usual Suspects Mystery Reading Group will discuss the first of Charles Todd’s Ian Rutledge mysteries, A Test of Wills.
Set in 1919, Rutledge has returned from France with a medal of honor and a serious case of shell shock, which often manifests itself in the form of a nagging specter – Hamish MacLeod, a corporal whose only return from the war has been inside Rutledge's head.
Rutledge returns to his pre-war job at Scotland Yard and, despite his tenuous condition, is assigned a case involving the murder of a decorated war hero.
He travels to Upper Streetham, a town where, Kirkus says, “The 20th century hasn't happened ... which seems to have been cast out of Rebecca,” adding that Todd's prose is “a feast for the like-minded” fans of du Maurier.
Last month we discussed Maisie Dobbs, who was a World War I battlefield nurse. The stories are set much later in time, but we experience the horrors that Maisie witnessed through her recurring flashbacks and nightmares.
Likewise, Suzanne Arruda’s Jade del Cameron has moved on with her life by becoming an adventurer in colonial East Africa after her traumatic experiences as an ambulance driver in the same conflict.
If you want your action set during the war years, try the espionage mysteries featuring Anne Perry’s Matthew Reavley or Manning Coles’ Tommy Hambledon.
The Manning Coles books were originally published from the early 40s through the early 60s in England but recently were made available again by Rue Morgue Press.
Manning Coles is the pseudonym of two British writers, Adelaide Frances Oke Manning and Cyril Henry Coles.
Many of Hambledon’s exploits were based on the real-life experiences of Coles, who lied about his age and enlisted under an assumed name during World War I while still a teenager, eventually becoming the youngest officer in British intelligence, often working behind German lines because of his extraordinary ability to master languages.
Charles Todd, by the way, is the joint pseudonym for the mother/son writing team of Charles and Caroline Todd, whose actual names are David Todd Watjen and Carolyn L.T. Watjen.
Hope you can join us on Sunday. New faces are always welcome. To reserve a copy of the book, call 291-4821.
