Silent Scream

by Josh Cannon

From the outside, Josh's life looks perfect: he has a loving wife, a beautiful son, money in the bank and a career he is passionate about. But on the inside, he is screaming. Josh has come to the end of the line. For him, suicide seems like the only way out. Raped repeatedly from the age of three by his father and later by his trusted teacher, Josh's childhood was hell. As he grew up, he fought off memories and the shame of his past with a hard-core drug addiction, alcoholism, and an obsession with self-mutilation and self-destruction.With shocking honesty, Silent Scream describes how he struggled to come to terms with the abuse he suffered as a child and the appalling legacy of that abuse. The extraordinary support of his closest friends, extensive treatment in various psychiatric hospitals and the love of his wife and son have pulled Josh through. Against all the odds, he is now able to look forward to a future for the first time. This is a raw and disturbing account of one man's battle to overcome his demons; it is also a powerful testimony to the magic and endurance of love.

213 pages

First published March 6, 2008

Reviews

[David Gleeson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is difficult to imagine the suffering that must have gone into the making of this book, and it's certainly no bedtime read. But don't let that put you off.
Silent Scream is a remarkable achievement on many levels. First and foremost as a survivor's story - a fact evidenced in the book itself, with its humble beginnings as a suicide note.
Having failed in several bids to end his own life, the narrator gradually entertains the possibility of hope. But in order to do so, he must first overcome the snares that were set for him in childhood; and to achieve that, he has to accept help from others. Given that suicide is the most deeply resolved rejection of everything, then accepting help is no mean feat. Yet Josh does this, reluctantly and churlishly to start with, but with a passion that grows symphonically. His prose remains clear-eyed and unsparing throughout, never stooping to self-pity, regardless of the horrors endured.

So be warned: this book brings hope! And not only to those who may have had the misfortune to suffer in similar ways, but also to the general reader. Read on.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book very much despite the graphic portrayal of events that triggered me badly.

[Yamina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book although its really raw and graphic..

[Loz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so raw and blunt about real life experiences that the author has been through. It has such a harsh ‘I don’t care what you think’ tone to it which I admired. It isn’t for the faint hearted and can be triggering with themes of sexual abuse, self harm, suicide, rape, child abuse and so on.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be truthful, the writing was 3.5/5 but I gave it 4/5 because it was so engaging. It's the real life story of A Little Life with a positive ending.

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book left me wanting to know more and hoping for a sequel! It's difficult to read of such a life but all that Josh survived and the positive outlook he developed made the book a riveting read!

[Priscilla Moscatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gut wrenching and heart breaking. Is it a first draft of James Rhodes memoir, Instrumental?

[Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book at 14 and found my copy buried at the bottom of a box of novels some 13 years later. Morbid, heartbreaking, hopeful, and full of incisive wit and self reflection. 5/5

[Renae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, raw and important memoir. Thank you Josh.

[Gavin Shiers]

What a truly emotional, gripping book to read. I was unable to put it down. It was a truly wonderful read , not necessarily about the subject but the way it was written and the story and coming through all the trauma that occurred . At one point I found myself to be crying whilst reading it. Well done Josh for putting pen to paper.

[Stephanie (Stepping Out Of The Page) · Rating 2 out of 5]

A honest and very open memoir. This book was very frank and I liked the brutally honest way that Cannon portrayed his journal. This was a page turner, though it wasn't quite as compelling as others I have read. It isn't as particularly memorable as other memoirs and didn't have a huge impact upon me. The writing was clear and raw - Cannon held nothing back and graphically detailed his many issues and experience. I found the details of his treatments particularly interesting. I thought that the writing format was interesting and I liked the way that he lead us through his life timeline. An interesting read but not very remarkable.

[Rebecca Haslam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been an avid reader of real life stories for some years now, and I came across this book a while ago, and being at work over Christmas gave me a chance to get into it. Needless to say, this book was finished within a day. Josh must be given a lot of credit for his unflinching detail and honesty that he produces through each page - his story is long and hard, not just for him but particularly for his own family, but it is encouraging, as his story continues, that he realises just how special and amazing what he has is and that it and his own personal life are worth fighting for.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are images in this book I think I'll have in my head forever - and they're pretty horrific, but I can see why it was necessary for Josh Cannon to wrte it - and if anyone has suffered a fraction of the total insanity he's encountered, reading this could give you hope.

[Ashley Oldford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book! It's so sad and heartwrenching and it really provokes my feelings. I enjoyed it.

[Jes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful book that shows the strength of the human mind.