Brass & Unity: One Woman's Journey Through the Hell of Afghanistan and Back

by Kelsi Sheren

This is the story of a woman who witnessed the worst in the War in Afghanistan, was confronted by demons of post-traumatic stress, and fought for her life to become stronger than ever.

As seen
· JOCKO Podcast Episode #381
· The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show “Post Traumatic Growth and Resiliency"
· Lex Fridman Podcast Episode #230

Fresh out of high school, Kelsi Sheren, a diminutive nineteen-year-old woman, sought to join the military to help liberate those oppressed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. While she was often the smallest person in basic training, she proved she had the biggest heart and often the most energy. She made it to Afghanistan and joined a British military unit for house-to-house insurgent patrol. What she saw there was unimaginable death and destruction—including the killing of a brother-in-arms. Devastated, Kelsi was sent home to get her head straight, but even therapy and medication couldn’t clear her mind—or let her sleep. When two others who served with her later took their own lives, she feared that was the only way out. Clinging to life and the love of her husband and child, she knew she wasn’t ready to give in. Finding respite in a jewelry business that utilized spent shell casings, and with the help of innovative grief therapy, Kelsi not only survived but continues to thrive—and works tirelessly to spread the word and help others.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography

304 pages, Hardcover

Published July 11, 2023

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

We meet Kelsi Sheren, who joins the military at just 19 and has every intention of getting to Afghanistan (from Canada asap after training) to help rid the Country of the Taliban and restore some peace for the majority there
We follow her early life and how she was bullied for her size and then her struggles and wins as she trained and literally did as she intended and arrives in Afghanistan
We then experience the full on horrific nature of war as seen through her eyes and how what she saw and was a part of shaped her current life, it is detailed, at times gruesome, very real and continually stirs emotion in the reader
All the way through the book we are let in to how ‘PTSD’ is ‘hanging around’ and waiting to appear (via a narrative)and cause Kelsi more trauma than she already has suffered, it’s very poignant and you grow to despise it as you do a nasty character in a fiction book, however there is no love to hate with this character, it is determined to use everything in it’s takeover of the authors mind spirit and soul……BUT and there is a but the book is called ‘Brass & Unity’ for a reason, one I wont tell you but it is worth waiting for!
There is a wealth of accolades at the beginning of the book, normally I wouldn’t read these but I started the first and they are from real people with real things to say, 100% worthy of a read, also I loved the section on various PTSD therapies and what they do and how they work, the author notes and acknowledgements really form part of the whole experience of the book too
Impossible to not be moved and not to respect this lady and I so hope her being able to write all of this down and share ultimately helps her and others she is reaching out too.

[Auđur · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,8*

[Gina Aucello · Rating 5 out of 5]

i absolutely loved this book and i devoured it. i could not put it down. this is such a raw and unfiltered telling of kelsi’s story that aligns with the experiences of so many others. this is in my top three memoirs i’ve ever read i’m very very glad i finally read it after it’s been on my TBR for over a year.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this book. I’m very unfamiliar with the military and don’t have any members in my own family. This was so eye opening to the horror of war. I don’t think I could handle the things our veterans experience. I highly recommend this book if you want to grow your appreciation for what soldiers all over the world go through.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way Kelsi portrayed the evil voice of the PTS she suffered made the thoughts feel tangible and real, the actual physical manifestation of the injury, and that was very impactful. It was a great way to make people really understand what is happening to someone suffering from PTSD.

[Nathalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks for sharing your experiences Kelsi.

[Chuckdee]

Pulled from my to read

[Mel Padden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blunt, gritty, appalling, inspiring, and amazing

If you've ever idly wondered what people mean when they talk about PTSD, or blithely dismissed it, or perhaps used the term "trauma" to describe an embarrassing situation, personal disappointments or uncomfortable public transport experience without any irony, you need this book. As uplifting as it is horrifying, Kelsi's story is a warrior's tale like no other. I'm glad she decided to tell it, so we can grasp the long-term effects of the war on terror on the men and women who fought it.

[Gr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first heard about Kelsi Sheren when she did a podcast with Jordan Peterson. I was very impressed with her and I purchased her audiobook. This journey is one worth listening to.

[Axel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Courageous, genuine eyewitness account of her tour in Afghanistan. She's honest in her account. I first saw her in a video interview and was struck by her strength and clarity in beliefs. In the book I was surprised by how her family rallied around her to support her just in time to help her heal seemingly without knowing how intense was her suffering.

[A. Reiter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honest, vulnerable personal recount of an aspirational soldier who leaves their tour early with PTSD and a decade of slow healing. A triumph against terrible statistics, and a brave contribution to a chronic problem. Art is therapy! Well done.

[Nathalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very personal account. Thanks for sharing.