What We Are Reading Today: Aftermath; Violence and the Remaking of a Self

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Updated 14 January 2023
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What We Are Reading Today: Aftermath; Violence and the Remaking of a Self

Author: Susan J. Brison

On July 4, 1990, while on a morning walk in southern France, Susan Brison was attacked from behind, severely beaten, sexually assaulted, strangled to unconsciousness, and left for dead. 

She survived, but her world was destroyed. Her training as a philosopher could not help her make sense of things, and many of her fundamental assumptions about the nature of the self and the world it inhabits were shattered. 

At once a personal narrative of recovery and a philosophical exploration of trauma, this bravely and beautifully written book examines the undoing and remaking of a self in the aftermath of violence.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Voices of Nature’ by Nicolas Mathevon

Updated 20 January 2026
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Voices of Nature’ by Nicolas Mathevon

What is the meaning of a bird’s song, a baboon’s bark, an owl’s hoot, or a dolphin’s clicks? In “The Voices of Nature,” Nicolas Mathevon explores the mysteries of animal sound.

Putting readers in the middle of animal soundscapes that range from the steamy heat of the Amazon jungle to the icy terrain of the Arctic, Mathevon reveals the amazing variety of animal vocalizations.

He describes how animals use sound to express emotion, to choose a mate, to trick others, to mark their territory, to call for help, and much more.