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    Against the Odds: Surviving the World’s Worst Tsunami and Overcoming Trauma
    Against the Odds: Surviving the World’s Worst Tsunami and Overcoming Trauma
    Against the Odds: Surviving the World’s Worst Tsunami and Overcoming Trauma
    Ebook263 pages4 hours

    Against the Odds: Surviving the World’s Worst Tsunami and Overcoming Trauma

    By John Maddocks

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    About this ebook

    ‘Powerful and profound. Against the Odds reads like a thriller.’
    - Glenn A. Baker

    When the world’s deadliest tsunami hit the southern coastal town of Tangalle in Sri Lanka on the morning of December 26, 2004, travel journalist John Maddocks was in a remote beachside cabana. He awoke from a deep tropical sleep to the roar of a 10-metre high wall of water that smashed him around the room and left him fighting for life near the ceiling. Buildings were destroyed around him and the occupants washed inland or out to sea. Thousands died in nearby towns and villages in what was later revealed as the most devastated part of the island.

    Few journalists witnessed, let alone experienced, this cataclysmic event. But the effects of the tsunami that killed over 230,000 people did not end when John returned to Australia. The impact of such a sudden, violent catastrophe caused acute traumatic stress. John became haunted by apocalyptic dreams and terrifying memories of nuclear-level death and destruction. A chance consultation with the trauma psychologist who treated Thredbo landslide survivor Stuart Diver became the first step in dealing with the extreme effects of the disaster.

    John’s race to avoid PTSD, using approaches at the cutting edge of neuropsychology, became a challenging mental and spiritual adventure as he struggled with the swirling chaos of severe trauma. Against the Odds is a rare first-hand account of surviving a momentous natural disaster and then suffering an extreme form of traumatic stress. It is an inspirational story of resilience and transformation that offers hope to the millions of people who face trauma every year.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTellwell Talent
    Release dateMay 9, 2018
    ISBN9781925739954
    Against the Odds: Surviving the World’s Worst Tsunami and Overcoming Trauma
    Author

    John Maddocks

    John Maddocks' latest book 'Against the Odds' is an inspirational true story of survival, resilience and transformation. Smashed by the world's worst tsunami, John had to overcome the swirling chaos of traumatic stress in order to avoid falling victim to PTSD. His quest turned into a gripping and challenging mental and spiritual adventure. 'Against the Odds' has been described by critics as 'powerful and profound' and reading 'like a thriller'.John's young adult fiction 'Streetwise' (University of Queensland Press) is widely used in Australian secondary schools.As well as being a fiction and non-fiction author, John is an award-winning travel writer and photographer, with hundreds of articles and images published in major national and international newspapers and magazines since 1990. His work also appears on numerous websites and social media outlets.John is a member of the Australian Society of Travel Writers, the country's most highly respected travel media body. John's articles range across budget, adventure, luxury and family travel as well as traditional and expedition cruising. He has travelled to both polar regions and over 60 countries in between, sharing tips and insights with readers in Australia and overseas.During his life John has worked as a taxi driver, rock band promoter, academic, teacher, writer and editor. He has edited 37 books on a variety of topics.Although he believes that travel is the best education, John also gained a Master of Arts with first class honours and a PhD in English from the University of Sydney along the way.

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      Book preview

      Against the Odds - John Maddocks

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