Beautiful Trauma

A compelling account of surviving a freak accident, and a fascinating exploration of the science of trauma and recovery.


Late one night, alone in her apartment, Rebecca Fogg's hand was partially amputated in an explosion. Quick thinking saved her life, but the journey to recovery would be a slow one. As the doctors rebuilt her hand, Rebecca (who had also survived 9/11) began rebuilding her sense of self by studying the physical and psychological process of recovery.

Interspersing the personal with the medical, Rebecca charts her year of rehabilitation, touching on the marvellously adaptable anatomy of the hand; how the brain's fight or flight mechanism enables us to react instantly to danger; and why trauma causes some people to develop PTSD, while giving others a whole new lease on life.

Told with emotional and intellectual clarity, Beautiful Trauma is a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit and the power we all hold in our hands.