The Trauma Mantras: A Memoir in Prose Poems

The Trauma Mantras is a memoir by Adrie Kusserow that explores the Western approaches to the self, suffering, and healing and questions the American culture's psychologized individualism. It also explores the desperate fictions that "East" and "West" cling to about each other and the stories we tell about ourselves.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 09 January 2024
Publisher: Duke University Press

The Trauma Mantras is a captivating memoir penned by Adrie Kusserow, a medical anthropologist, educator, and writer with extensive experience working with refugees and humanitarian projects in Bhutan, Nepal, India, Uganda, South Sudan, and the United States. This memoir weaves together themes of witness, humility, and a profound critique of Western approaches to self, suffering, and healing. Through her relentless questioning of the Western notion of individualism, Kusserow seeks to break free from its narrow confines and explore the potential for expanding the American self. As she delves into the myriad social and political ills plaguing humanity, she remains self-reflexive, reflecting critically on her own position and commitments. Kusserow's poetic meditations take her on a global journey, unearthing the persistent myths and narratives that perpetuate the divide between "East" and "West." She explores the stories we tell about ourselves and the obsessive weaving of dominant cultural meanings that shape our lives. The Trauma Mantras is a thought-provoking and deeply personal exploration of the human experience, offering a fresh perspective on trauma, resilience, and the search for healing.

Weight: 280g
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478025573