The Things They Cannot Say

The Things They Cannot Say collects eleven firsthand accounts from combat veterans who served in conflicts from Vietnam to Afghanistan and Iraq. Through extensive interviews, war correspondent Kevin Sites documents their experiences of warfare and the psychological aftermath of their service. Sites intersperses the veterans' stories with reflections on his own time as a combat journalist, creating parallel narratives about trauma and moral injury. The book examines how soldiers process having to take lives, lose companions, and witness atrocities while following military orders. The text explores the difficulties veterans face in discussing their experiences with civilians and even family members once they return home. Sites focuses on how the inability to openly process combat experiences can compound PTSD and make reintegration into civilian life more challenging. This work contributes to the broader discussion of war's psychological impact and the gap between military and civilian understanding of combat trauma. By giving voice to veterans' unspoken burdens, the book advocates for more open dialogue about the true human costs of modern warfare.

Readers found this collection of veteran interviews to be raw and unflinching in its portrayal of war trauma and its lasting impact. The book resonated with both veterans and civilians, with many noting how it helped them understand PTSD and combat experiences. Likes: - Clear, straightforward writing style - Balance of multiple perspectives from different wars - Shows both emotional and psychological effects - Helps bridge civilian-military understanding gap Dislikes: - Some readers wanted more depth with fewer subjects - A few felt the author inserted himself too much - Structure can feel disjointed between stories Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (524 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (98 ratings) "This book finally helped me understand what my father went through in Vietnam" appears in multiple reviews. Several veteran readers commented that Sites captured the difficulty of discussing combat experiences with family members. Some readers noted the book prompted discussions with veteran relatives who had previously been reluctant to share their stories.

What It Is Like To Go To War by Karl Marlantes A Marine Vietnam veteran examines the psychological and spiritual impact of combat through personal experiences and historical context.

Thank You for Your Service by David Finkel This work follows soldiers returning from Iraq and their struggles with PTSD, reintegration, and the war's lasting effects on their families.

On Killing by Dave Grossman A psychological study explores how soldiers cope with the act of killing in combat and its long-term consequences.

Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger The book investigates why veterans miss war and struggle to reconnect with civilian society through anthropological and psychological perspectives.

Once a Warrior by Jake Wood A Marine veteran charts the path from combat service to founding Team Rubicon, revealing how veterans transform military skills into humanitarian work.

• Kevin Sites covered 12 conflict zones in a single year as Yahoo! News' first "backpack journalist," documenting his experiences in the book "In the Hot Zone" • The book features interviews with 11 combat veterans from different wars, spanning from World War II to Afghanistan, revealing deeply personal stories they had previously kept hidden • Author Kevin Sites was himself diagnosed with PTSD after his years as a war correspondent, which helped him connect with and understand the veterans he interviewed • The book addresses the psychological toll of killing in combat—a topic that remains taboo even among veterans—and explores how different soldiers cope with their experiences • One of the featured veterans, William Wold, had to write his story down because he couldn't speak about it directly; his written account appears in the book exactly as he wrote it