BookTube reviewer “Book Roast,” reviews the award-winning memoir: Civilianized: A Young Veteran’s Memoir.
“An intense memoir.” -Kirkus
“A must read.” -Colby Buzzell
“Anthony delivers a dose of reality that can awaken the mind…” Bookreporter
Order your copy of Civilianized: A Young Veteran’s Memoir .
BookTuber “BookaFlixTaylor” – Reviews Civilianized: A Young Veteran’s Memoir.
“An intense memoir.” -Kirkus
“A must read.” -Colby Buzzell
“Anthony delivers a dose of reality that can awaken the mind…” Bookreporter
Order your copy of Civilianized: A Young Veteran’s Memoir .
In this video YouTube MGTOW Vlogger Jerry Liu discusses Michael Anthony’s memoir Civilianized: A Young Veteran’s Memoir.
[Jerry’s bio from YouTube: I studied philosophy, politics, and economics in college at University of Pennsylvania. I’ve always been intellectually curious. This channel explores the immigrant experience, sex/gender issues, evolutionary biology/psychology, relationships, parenting, politics, culture and history. Basically, I’m here to explore society and learn from people.
As a Chinese-American who attended 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade in Chinese public school, I’ve had some hilarious and some not-so-hilarious experiences. I also had some interesting friends in college and post-college, causing me to access many unconventional ideas about relationships and life. I stumbled on MGTOW by accident when an aspiring PUA acquaintance told me about it. As an artist, I have always prioritized personal growth, so I was living like a MGTOW without even knowing it. MGTOW has its merits, and I want to be a channel that lives happily as a MGTOW.]
“An intense memoir.” -Kirkus
“A must read.” -Colby Buzzell
“Anthony delivers a dose of reality that can awaken the mind…” Bookreporter
Order your copy of Civilianized: A Young Veteran’s Memoir .
Army veteran Michael Anthony explains the reward culture in the U.S. Military, and the struggle veteran soldiers have after returning home.
“An intense memoir.” -Kirkus
“A must read.” -Colby Buzzell
“Anthony delivers a dose of reality that can awaken the mind…” Bookreporter
Order your copy of Civilianized: A Young Veteran’s Memoir .
A recent review from the School Library Journal regarding Civilianized:
“Teens who have grown up witnessing America’s involvement in wars and who may know veterans who experienced warfare firsthand will be drawn to this raw, unsentimental memoir. Upon returning home, Anthony-who spent the previous year in Iraq assisting doctors during surgery in a combat support hospital-realizes that he misses the adrenaline rushes, sense of purpose, and camaraderie. Thinking about misguided politics invokes a rage in the 21-year-old that is channeled by putting himself in dangerous situations. But far worse is the feeling of numbness. Alcohol and drug abuse lead to suicidal thoughts and the resolution that if he doesn’t recover in three months, he will kill himself. Believing that he has nothing to lose, Anthony signs up for a course on learning how to attract women. The narration has moments of levity as the instructor, whom Anthony describes as an “ape with ADD,” guides a group of misfits in ridiculous exercises. Anthony has ups and downs as he copes with post-traumatic stress disorder and addictions during the allotted three months. Ultimately, his salvation comes through writing about the truths of his deployment as well as through sobriety and a romantic relationship. The author’s message (that it’s not necessarily the horrors of war that break a soldier- it’s coming home) will resonate with audiences of all ages. VERDICT This fast, immersive work will especially appeal to reluctant readers for its grittiness and humor.”
-Sherry Mills, Hazelwood East High School, St. Louis
Cool News. My newest book Civilianized: A Young Veteran’s Memoir, won the 2017 Massachusetts Bay One Book Award.
Comes with a few speaking engagements, and a little money, but the coolest part is that all freshman at Mass Bay College in Fall 2017 / Spring 2018 will have to read Civilianized. They also buy copies for all faculty and staff to read and do it in conjunction with the Wellesley Free Library and get the whole town reading/enjoying it. “One Book, One Community,” type of thing.
If you’ve read the book, you’ll know that it’s dark, and a little humorous, and will definitely lead to some interesting conversations around campus and in the Wellesley community.
If you haven’t checked Civilianized out yet, definitely give it a read: Civilianized: A Young Veteran’s Memoir.
Are you or do you know of anyone suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? Another name for this condition is combat stress or shell shock, which is often the consequence of a life-threatening event or severe trauma. Shock is a natural reaction of the body and mind when subjected to extreme pressure; however, PTSD happens when your nervous system remains or is stuck in that state of shock.
When do you know when you or your loved one has PTSD? Sometimes it may take different periods of time before obvious symptoms may surface. The following are the most common signs of PTSD.
There is hope for PTSD victims and there is indeed help to overcome PTSD. Here are seven suggestions to recover from this ailment. Many of these suggestions can be done at home and by the concerned individual and his immediate family.
1. Get Physical. Release your energy by exercising or doing physical activities such as sports. When you focus your attention on your body, you begin to forget about negative thoughts and feelings.
2. Be Sociable. Being alone is detrimental to PTSD individuals. Being alone gives way to introspection which may lead to negative thinking. Spend time with a trusted friend who will listen and who is sympathetic to your condition. Being with a friend or loved one who understands you is a big step to recovery.
3. Remain Calm. When memories and feelings of the traumatic event is rekindled through things associated with it — such as sounds, smell, sight and other sensory input — take control of yourself. Refocus your mind on positive memories and thoughts that will calm you down. Relax your nerves by taking a whiff of your favorite soothing scent, listening to music that brightens your mood, or looking at photos of good times.
4. Stay Healthy. Healthy thoughts are produced by a healthy body. Take care of yourself by eating a balanced diet, getting enough rest and sleep, staying away from stressful activities, and exercising.
5. Control Your Mind. The mind is the seat of all action. Before any action could be done, it has first been contemplated on. When too many negative thoughts are entertained in the mind for a long time, they will be realized eventually. Aggressive behavior and suicidal acts have all been thought of before they even happen.
6. Fight Guilt. There is a tendency to feel guilty when you have survived a traumatic incident while others did not make it. This feeling can lead to self-condemnation which may result in self-destruction.
7. Get Professional Help. No one can help you better than an expert. You need counseling and some medication to get over the traumatic experience. You can also learn more about your condition that will expedite your healing.
Healing is on its way for persons who follow the aforementioned suggestions. The first step is to acknowledge that you need help which may, at first, be very difficult to do; but once you have overcome that fear of admitting that you have PTSD and therefore need help, you will surely be able to leave your post-traumatic stress disorder behind and live a happy and normal life once again.
A few months ago I had an interview appear on C-Span BookTV . In the interview I talked about my newest book Civilianized: A Young Veteran’s Memoir, (“[D]ark humored…” Kirkus, “A must read.” – Colby Buzzell) a memoir about my return home from the Iraq war.
In this clip I discuss soldiers who chase after awards and also that pesky question “how do I thank a veteran for their service?”
[Note: With the publication of my newest book, Civilianized, which includes stories of veterans with PTSD, and Pick-up Artists, I thought the following post might be appropriate.]
Pick-Up Artists AND Veterans?
What’s the deal?
The chaotic and disturbing ordeal that US military veterans went through during the recent wars has left a sizeable portion of them in a harrowing state of trauma and shock. Although some of them manage to live a better life after their experiences, about fifteen percent of veterans are still trapped in another war zone — a continuous struggle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, leaving them stuck in the ugly past and pessimistic of the promising future.
There are many organizations and volunteers who are determined to help US veterans move on from the horrors of War — from counsellors, to writers, and even performance artists. Among these groups, several people believe that the Pick-Up Artist Community, also known as Seduction Community, might be the breakthrough approach that can truly relieve US veterans. How can the modern and liberated nature of this relatively new concept, along with the numerous criticisms and objections thrown at it, aid in the veterans’ battle against PTSD?
By definition, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is a mental condition that a person may develop after he is exposed to one or more traumatic events. However, not everyone who is exposed to a traumatizing situation will develop PTSD as doctors and psychologists have a set of symptoms or “guidelines” that a person must display first before he can be considered as a PTSD case. Generally, PTSD is divided into four classifications — unwanted memories, escapism, hyperarousal symptoms, and pessimism and apathy.
It was after the Vietnam War when the term “post-traumatic stress disorder” was coined. US Military veterans showed different signs of negative behavior, all of which were triggered by the daunting situations they had to face during the war. Up until now, many years after the war, US veterans are still haunted by their horrendous past and they are still greatly affected with PTSD.
Although this mental condition is somewhat difficult to identify and quantify, one thing that’s certain about PTSD is that it changes a person’s overall personality and behavior — the exact situation that US veterans are dealing with right now. Most of them still get distressed and anxious even with the slightest recall of the tragic war; thus they opt to completely avoid anything that would remind them of it. They are consumed by their fear of talking about the past so they tend to be antisocial, aloof, and nonchalant. Aside from expressing their suppressed emotions, a simple and plain conversation and communication becomes a huge challenge for veterans.
The Pick-Up Artist (PUA) Community is a modern male movement dedicated to learning the complex art and science of seducing women, known in the group as The Game (the term also comes from the popular PUA book: The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists
Followers of this concept believe that the innate global gender culture where men chase women is something that is hard to change. The increasing equality and empowerment of the modern woman, however, makes it more difficult for men to fulfill their gender roles. In order to keep up with the times, the Community develops techniques and strategies, collectively called as “studied charisma,” that men can use when attempting to strike a conversation with a woman. Members of the Community learn and practice these techniques by attending forums, sessions, and small group talks.
Although traces of this liberated concept date back to the 70s, it was only in the mid-2000s when the PUA Community reached mainstream awareness. Despite numerous critics claiming that The Game is offensive, misogynistic, and sexist, the Community was still able to establish a solid, although discreet, follower base. Today the Community exists in various channels such as the Internet, blogs, secret groups, and hundreds of underground local clubs (called in PUA slang as lairs).
Establishing a decent conversation and maintaining an open line of communication are two of the greatest challenges of veterans with PTSD, and this is considerably the biggest barrier between veterans and the support groups and volunteers. This is where the concepts and applications of The Game can definitely come into play. By teaching veterans different fool-proof ways of initiating a conversation with another person (not necessarily a woman, and not necessarily for hook-up purposes) without feeling scared, worried, or threatened, the PUA Community can help the veterans regain their self-confidence and make them comfortable with talking to others again. Once this is achieved, it will be a lot easier for support groups and volunteers to introduce other psychotherapy procedures, ensuring continuous improvement on the condition of the veterans and, hopefully, completely eliminating PTSD.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among US veterans is a serious matter, and everyone must cooperate in finding effective and efficient ways to solve this concern. By applying a few tweaks but still sticking to its core idea, the Pick-Up Artist Community could be the key towards winning this tedious battle against PTSD.
If you’re interesting in a book about an Iraq veteran who tries to cure his PTSD by becoming a PUA then pick up a copy of my newest book: Civilianized: A Young Veteran’s Memoir. Available at your local bookseller and all your online book retailers.
This is a partial clip from my C-Span BookTV interview. The talk took place at Porter Square books in Cambridge, and it was a talk about my newest book Civilianized: A Young Veteran’s Memoir, a book about my return home from the Iraq War.
In this clip I discuss soldiers who chase after awards and also that pesky question “how do I thank a veteran for their service?”