DENIAL : A MEMOIR OF TERROR

IN THIS SKILLFULLY WROUGHT, POWERFUL STUDY, A TERRORISM EXPERT, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER (THE ULTIMATE TERRORISTS), AND LECTURER AT HARVARD, RETURNS TO A DEFINITIVE EPISODE OF TERROR IN HER OWN EARLY LIFE AND TRACES ITS GRIM, DAMAGING RAMIFICATIONS. HAVING GROWN UP IN CONCORD, MASS., IN 1973, STERN, THEN 15, AND HER SISTER, A YEAR YOUNGER, WERE FORCIBLY RAPED AT GUNPOINT BY AN UNKNOWN INTRUDER; WHEN THE POLICE REOPENED THE CASE IN 2006, STERN WAS COMPELLED TO CONFRONT THE DEVASTATING EXPERIENCE. THE POLICE INITIALLY TIED THE CASE TO A LOCAL SERIAL RAPIST, WHO SERVED 18 YEARS IN PRISON BEFORE HANGING HIMSELF. STERN`S PAINFUL JOURNEY TAKES HER BACK TO THE TRAUMATIC AFTERSHOCKS OF THE RAPE, WHEN SHE BEGAN TO AFFECT A STERN, HARD VENEER NOT UNLIKE THE STIFF-UPPER-LIP APPROACH TO SURVIVAL HER OWN GERMAN-BORN JEWISH FATHER HAD ASSUMED AFTER HIS CHILDHOOD YEARS LIVING THROUGH NAZI PERSECUTION. COVERING UP HER DEEP-SEATED SENSE OF SHAME WITH ENTRENCHED SILENCE, STERN HAD A CLASSIC POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER—WHICH SHE WAS ONLY ABLE TO RECOGNIZE AFTER HER OWN WORK INTERVIEWING TERRORISTS. STERN`S WORK IS A STRONG, CLEAR-EYED, ELUCIDATING STUDY OF THE PROFOUND REVERBERATIONS OF TRAUMA.