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Bestselling Memoir

Perseverance Through Severe Dysfunction

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Kirkus Review of Perseverance Through Severe Dysfunction by Reggie D. Ford

Kirkus Reviews

“In this poignant, enthralling telling of his early life story, he recounts the traumas and barriers, both personal and systemic, he overcame. In doing so, the memoir doubles as a self-help book that emphasizes ‘healing,’ as the author urges readers ‘to break the curses that have plagued you and your family for centuries.’”

Readers' Favorite Review of Perseverance Through Severe Dysfunction by Reggie D. Ford

Readers' Favorite Reviews

A powerful, unforgettable memoir that shines a light in the darkest places of racism and trials of young Black men….Ford’s story and experiences can be helpful to all people, but the legacy of mental illness, racism, and poverty in the Black population can’t be ignored… If you are searching for more understanding and inspiration when it comes to Black America, you will find it in Perseverance Through Severe Dysfunction.

Foreword Review of Perseverance Through Severe Dysfunction by Reggie D. Ford

Foreword Reviews

“Ford discusses racial disparities in America… his perspectives are strengthened by statistical nods. And his text is open and moving, with candid descriptions of intimate moments.”

Blueink Review of Perseverance Through Severe Dysfunction by Reggie D. Ford

Blueink Review

“Ford is skillful at articulating the problem of intergenerational dysfunction. …His writing is clear, from the heart and has impact. …Ford’s audience goes beyond black America. White readers will also come away with a better understanding of a timely national issue.”

Dedication

To those who suffer in silence with hidden scars that the world may never see.

Know that you are not alone.

Always remember that you are loved.

Reggie D. Ford

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The people have spoken

Description

In Reggie Ford’s bold reassessment of the Black experience in America, he demonstrates that a new understanding of PTSD is required. PTSD, Perseverance Through Severe Dysfunction, as Ford defines it, underlines the darkness of mental health illnesses and behaviors that impact young Black men and have plagued Black Americans for generations.

But his reassessment is not doom and gloom. Instead, Ford implores that we turn pain into peace. His uplifting message shows that by realizing, accepting, and treating mental health with grace, kindness, and appreciation of the backgrounds of those needing support, we can reduce the significant impact of PTSD and other mental conditions on not just Black, but all people.

Ford uses his own traumatic experiences to inform his call to action. He takes his impoverished and scarred childhood and turns it into a life of promise and abundance. His memoir shines a light on the intergenerational impact of unaddressed mental health issues, showing how the power of a familial network can help or severely harm an individual’s battle with mental health illnesses. He writes searingly of the overwhelming odds and systemic racism that must be overcome by Black Americans in order to reach the heights he has scaled. Ford’s own heartbreaking story is yet an optimistic one, intended to show that mental health has a real and demonstrable effect on Black Americans, but that it can be overcome.

PTSD places one man’s experiences in the realm of the broad sociopolitical issues that affect so many Americans. Ford emphasizes that the trauma of society creates situations of mental health issues and behaviors that hold back so many. But he also believes there is room for hope, that his own experiences of overcoming so many hardships and difficulties offer a path for others to follow. Immense suffering, Ford believes, can lead to improbable success.

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From the professionals

The Reviews are in

“Reggie Ford has written a brilliant account of his personal journey from pain to peace. But more than just the fascinating story of one young man’s battles with the generational traumas associated with racism and poverty in America, PTSD is a primer on just how deeply embedded those traumas are in our society and the factors that perpetuate them. Reggie writes with equal honesty and introspection when recounting his family’s encounters with addiction, abuse, teen pregnancy, gun violence and homelessness as he does when exposing prejudice, tokenism, and white privilege. At one level, this is an important book about persevering through dysfunction. At another, it is a well-sourced call to understand and solve the larger mental health, criminal justice, educational, and wealth inequalities facing the country.”

Andrew Maraniss

New York Times bestselling author of STRONG INSIDE

“Timely and timeless, this awe-inspiring book is a must-read as we grapple with race and trauma in America. I am in admiration of Reggie’s vulnerable portrait of his battles and his empathetic storytelling. PTSD will be a permanent fixture on reading lists for those concerned with the vitality of vulnerable communities.”

Caylin Lewis Moore

Author of A Dream Too Big: The Story of an Improbable Journey from Compton to Oxford

“Reggie Ford redefines the definition of PTSD, reminding readers that the life journey of a black man in America remains a challenge, no matter the levels of success achieved. In this autobiography, Reggie bares his soul about growing up disadvantaged and disenfranchised, sustaining psychological blow after psychological blow, yet never letting go of the love and hope that continue to fill his heart. His journey takes us through the mind, spirit, and life of a young black man coming of age in America. The lessons he shares are frank and unfiltered; and will serve as valuable guideposts for others who may experience a similar life adventure and are seeking true inspiration.”

Dustin S. Cline

Best-selling author, award-winning journalist, and Chief Content Officer of Smart Business

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Perseverance Through Severe Dysfunction PTSD Audiobook
“In this poignant, enthralling telling of his early life story, he recounts the traumas and barriers, both personal and systemic, he overcame. In doing so, the memoir doubles as a self-help book that emphasizes ‘healing,’ as the author urges readers ‘to break the curses that have plagued you and your family for centuries.'”

– Kirkus Reviews 

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what They’re Saying

Praise for PTSD

“Over the last several years I have read and learned about the Black tax (Kiese Laymon’s Heavy), mass incarceration (Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow), the stunted lifespans of Black Americans (Kenya Barris’s Blackish), and the exhaustion of being Black in white spaces (Austin Channing Brown’s I’m Still Here). What I had not read until now was a memoir which wove together the experience of living with the weight of all of these things.

Reggie Ford chronicles his own experiences with the dispassionate remove of someone who survived by normalizing dysfunction and numbing himself to all its associated agony. Later he builds toward his own reckoning with what this normalization has cost him in terms of the damage to his own mental health. Part of his recovery is reading about the historical experiences of being Black in America, and he both finds himself and comes to understand himself within the context of those stories.

He brings the same intensity and focus which fueled his academic and athletic success to the task of speaking directly to readers who have lived through the same dysfunction – and to those readers who might have previously denied that any such challenges still exist for Black people in America.”

Mary R.

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“Wow. There’s so much in this small package. Reggie Ford’s remarkable book is a gracefully written coming of age memoir, a timely commentary on life as a black man in America, and a heartfelt testimony about the the implosion and redefinition of family. But above all, it’s a compelling STORY that is both painfully authentic and beautifully redemptive. Kudos to Reggie for the courage, candor, and grace it took to put his pain and hope into words for the rest of us. If it’s true that “hurt people hurt people,” Reggie has demonstrated that it’s equally true that the cycle CAN be broken. I hope it is widely read!”
Heather W.
“In his unwavering and brave vulnerability, Reggie Ford gives us a raw look at his experiences as a child, teen and man in the different worlds that make up the United States and at his journey to grow through the trauma he faced navigating a difficult course. Reggie puts the realities of his being (financially) poor and black in America, specifically in the American South, on the table, highlighting generational blessings and dysfunction that were part of his life. For those of us who have been inexcusably sheltered from the realities of race in America, Reggie’s book is illuminating and thought-provoking. For all of us, Reggie’s words are encouraging, bringing hope and guidance to everyone who has ever struggled. A must-read.” 
Annie W.
“This book was phenomenal. Ford’s story gave me a deeper understanding of the challenges and injustices that take place every day in the city I’ve lived in for almost a decade. I am so glad he decided to share his story. It’s one of struggle, triumph and hope. He gives readers an up-close look at what it means to experience trauma—in many forms—and find the strength to persevere. This should be at the top of everyone’s reading list. I have the physical book but also really enjoyed the audio version because it brings the words to life in a whole new way. I truly can’t recommend this enough.”
Margaret S.
It takes a great deal of courage to share personal testimony when it involves suffering, anguish and painful lived experiences. This book is powerful do to Reggie’s willingness to be authentic in his storytelling. This is a book about perseverance and it is also a book about possibility and healing. It is in many ways a big exhale and a gentle push. I believe much good will come from reading this book for many of the people I love who will relate in many ways to the experiences shared. It also gives hope and wisdom carefully woven through the sharing of experiences. This book helped me to gain greater empathy, compassion and understanding for some of the experiences people I love go through in their every day lives. Thank you.
Courtney B.
“PTSD book is an amazing book. It’s a detailed account of the effects of severe dysfunction that is plaguing our communities, especially among African Americans. This book is not only a game-changer but a World Changer in the areas of Mental Health.”
Dr. Kimble, Clinical Licensed Therapist
“An amazing book! Reggie’s brave honesty will inspire any reader to step outside their normalized world and persevere into bold new futures. Futures with more compassion, understanding, and healing for us all.”
Jennifer S.
“I am changed by the journey and perspective shared by Mr. Ford. As an educator in k-12 America, I feel this book is a must-read. As a parent of twenty-somethings, I feel this book is a must-read. His words have challenged and inspired me.”
Teresa S.
PTSD by Reggie Ford is one of the most thought-provoking, sad and exhilarating, inspirational, and honest books I have read in a long time. Reggie tells the story of his life, starting with his early childhood in an inner city Nashville neighborhood, his troubled family, the poverty, and the love, and how he developed into the strong and loving young man he is today. But the book is so much more than a biography. It is in a sense a clarion call to action for all young people, especially black young people, to break the cycle of poverty and despair into which too many too easily fall. Reggie’s story is a powerful one which will make you cry at times, but which will also inspire you to believe in and hope for a better tomorrow and the possibility of a future not defined by a traumatic past. I’ve read PTSD twice now and have learned so much with each reading. This book will grab your attention from the first page, and Reggie’s story will stay with you long after you finish the last page.

Beatrice O.

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