Review of You, This Is Me...OVER?!
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Rose Nakhanu
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Review of You, This Is Me...OVER?!
[Following is a volunteer review of "You, This Is Me...OVER?!" by Clinton Beaudel Dooley.]
A Review on You, This is Me.....Over? By Clinton Beaudel Dooley
The book is based on the life of Clinton Bead Dooley before serving in the military, while in service, with a great focus however, to his life after leaving the military. The author aims to highlight the psychological predicaments of veteran soldiers or those still in service emphasizing on their detachment from emotions but still arguing that they are not just dangerous vessels but fundamentally human. He uses poetry to describe negative feelings such as despair that almost leads to drug addiction and positive emotions such as the love and support he received from his colleagues and most especially, his wife.
The author states the 'day of reckoning' as January 16th 2021 where he woke up in discomfort and confusion and found himself in a company of six colleagues all having troubled expressions. His first thought was that he had killed somebody but he was informed that his wife had found him in a dark corner of their house pointing a gun to his head and had called for help. This marks his tipping point, because thereafter he is admitted into Emerald Coast Hospital under 24-hour suicide watch. Here, to his surprise he gets immense support from the staff, other patients and his colleagues who come to check on him. This marks his journey to recovery.
Clinton Beaduel Dooley then writes about his strained relationship with his father but, who in a turn of events, walks him through the recruitment process and later dies of cancer at 54 years. He joins the military for active duty and meets his wife on July 4th 2004. He emphasizes how pain, grief and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) accounts for the high suicide rate among veteran soldiers. He gives an example of how his wife found him bawling on the toilet seat one night. He then figures out that it's his father's death anniversary and he had never properly mourned his death. The author explains the need for these veteran soldiers to have company and support, especially from each other, usually as a sign of comfort and unspoken trust. Alcohol, referred to as the last mask by the author was also a big challenge for him to overcome but he managed to achieve sobriety. He names his wife as his biggest supporter and treasure especially in overcoming his deteriorating mental health and addiction.
You, This is Me...Over? has several positive aspects. It is professionally edited because it lacks basic errors. There is creative use of poetry to describe several aspects in the book. There are few pictures within the book for readers that like a bit of color in their books. The author also relates his pain and experience to readers with similar struggles or those related to them. Therefore, this book gives veteran soldiers and/or their families a safe space of understanding and comfort.
However, the book may not be suitable for people who have little or no interest in poetry, especially as a tool of expressing their feelings. It also may discourage those wanting to join the military because of the highlighted negative effects of training and combat, coupled with the bare minimum effort put into giving veteran soldiers an opportunity to better their mental health.
I rate the book 3 out of 4 stars because the author's style of writing may not be favourable for many readers. The events described may also be a trigger for some surviving veterans due to the slight mention of war occurrences. The book is suitable for veteran soldiers and their families, those planning to join the military or those passionate about good mental health of soldiers.
******
You, This Is Me...OVER?!
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
A Review on You, This is Me.....Over? By Clinton Beaudel Dooley
The book is based on the life of Clinton Bead Dooley before serving in the military, while in service, with a great focus however, to his life after leaving the military. The author aims to highlight the psychological predicaments of veteran soldiers or those still in service emphasizing on their detachment from emotions but still arguing that they are not just dangerous vessels but fundamentally human. He uses poetry to describe negative feelings such as despair that almost leads to drug addiction and positive emotions such as the love and support he received from his colleagues and most especially, his wife.
The author states the 'day of reckoning' as January 16th 2021 where he woke up in discomfort and confusion and found himself in a company of six colleagues all having troubled expressions. His first thought was that he had killed somebody but he was informed that his wife had found him in a dark corner of their house pointing a gun to his head and had called for help. This marks his tipping point, because thereafter he is admitted into Emerald Coast Hospital under 24-hour suicide watch. Here, to his surprise he gets immense support from the staff, other patients and his colleagues who come to check on him. This marks his journey to recovery.
Clinton Beaduel Dooley then writes about his strained relationship with his father but, who in a turn of events, walks him through the recruitment process and later dies of cancer at 54 years. He joins the military for active duty and meets his wife on July 4th 2004. He emphasizes how pain, grief and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) accounts for the high suicide rate among veteran soldiers. He gives an example of how his wife found him bawling on the toilet seat one night. He then figures out that it's his father's death anniversary and he had never properly mourned his death. The author explains the need for these veteran soldiers to have company and support, especially from each other, usually as a sign of comfort and unspoken trust. Alcohol, referred to as the last mask by the author was also a big challenge for him to overcome but he managed to achieve sobriety. He names his wife as his biggest supporter and treasure especially in overcoming his deteriorating mental health and addiction.
You, This is Me...Over? has several positive aspects. It is professionally edited because it lacks basic errors. There is creative use of poetry to describe several aspects in the book. There are few pictures within the book for readers that like a bit of color in their books. The author also relates his pain and experience to readers with similar struggles or those related to them. Therefore, this book gives veteran soldiers and/or their families a safe space of understanding and comfort.
However, the book may not be suitable for people who have little or no interest in poetry, especially as a tool of expressing their feelings. It also may discourage those wanting to join the military because of the highlighted negative effects of training and combat, coupled with the bare minimum effort put into giving veteran soldiers an opportunity to better their mental health.
I rate the book 3 out of 4 stars because the author's style of writing may not be favourable for many readers. The events described may also be a trigger for some surviving veterans due to the slight mention of war occurrences. The book is suitable for veteran soldiers and their families, those planning to join the military or those passionate about good mental health of soldiers.
******
You, This Is Me...OVER?!
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: A Dream For Peace by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah
