The Blue Cascade: A Memoir of Life After War (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781455503483)

In this searing and beautifully written memoir, Marine Lieutenant and CNN Op-Ed contributor Mike Scotti charts a course from the front lines of Iraq back home to New York, showing how sometimes the hardest battle is the one after the war.

Sometimes the hardest battle is the one after the war. As one of the soldiers on the front line of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Lieutenant Scotti was taught that weakness is what gets you killed: no hesitation, focus your energies on your objective, and complete the mission. Upon returning from war, Scotti approached his new life the same way. He ignored the creeping depression and numbness he called "The Blue Cascade" and charged ahead toward his goal to get an MBA, secure a high-paying finance job, and retire young and rich.

But he was being eaten away inside, and scenes of drunken emotion and raging violence were becoming more and more frequent. Years after returning from active combat, he eventually found himself contemplating suicide. Through a series of powerful events, Scotti was ultimately able to find a path to healing and begin his journey back to life, finally emerging with the following wisdom for fellow sufferers of post-traumatic stress: It's ok if you are not ok.

Author: Mike Scotti
ISBN-10: 1455503487
ISBN-13: 9781455503483
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Language: English
Published: 05/15/2012
Pages: 320
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.20w x 1.10d

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 12/01/2011 pg. 96
Kirkus Reviews 05/15/2012