kieransilika's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.0

It was crazy to see how the writers pain was masked under the words of a light heart. He talked about things that would be scary, challenging, emotional and overwhelming like it was normal. Kay managed to give a great insight into a life in the NHS - balancing a non-medic point of view with an informative counter part. It makes me angry and annoyed.
the writer works on a labour ward where he is stressed and overworked, and on the other side of that: black women are 4 times more likely to die during labour than white woman. This really highlights the awful dynamic between stressed workers and inadequate healthcare - a clear change needs to be made for employee and patient benefit.
overall the book was informative and intriguing and definitely a great read.

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smupple's review against another edition

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funny reflective medium-paced

4.0


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bookbird's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

Jan 2023: This must be my third or fourth reread of this incredibly special book. Kay is a master storyteller, and it's his finely balanced combination of light and dark that make this book so impactful. A must-read for anyone who has ever had even the briefest experience of the NHS.

Jan 2024: I don't think I'll ever be able to properly express how highly I recommend this book.

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westeggspinster's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

5 stars for a memoir. It was definitely entertaining, funny and horribly sad at times. 

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rosalie362819's review against another edition

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challenging funny informative sad fast-paced

3.0

Favourite quotes:
“It now seemed extreme and unreasonable in terms of what was expected of me, but at the time, I’d just accepted it as part of the job. The extra mile was the normal distance.”
“The depth of the lows is the price you pay for the height of the highs.”
“She bursts into tears, and out come all the will nevers, the crushing realization that forever is just a word on the front of Valentine’s cards.”
“The other thing I realize is that none of her many, many concerns are about herself; it’s all about the kids, her husband, her sister, her friends. Maybe that’s the definition of a good person.”
“He must realize we have the same chat every time, but it clearly doesn’t matter—he just wants to know there’s someone out there who cares. And actually, that’s a very large part of what being a doctor is.”
“I dress him again, look up to a God I don’t believe in, and say, ‘Look after him.’”
“You don’t cure depression, the same way you don’t cure asthma; you manage it. I’m the inhaler he’s decided to go with and I should be pleased he’s gone this long without an attack.”
“Medicine is the host who manages to keep you at the party hours after you first think about leaving.”
“It’s funny—you don’t think of doctors getting ill.”
“Think about the toll the job takes on every medical professional, at home and at work. Remember that all of them do an absolutely impossible job to the very best of their abilities. Your time in the hospital may well hurt them a lot more than it hurts you.”

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jeslis's review against another edition

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funny reflective sad fast-paced
Notes:
- No star rating — memoir.
- More depressing than I thought it was going to be ngl but still very enjoyable and interesting.

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dizzyizzy's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective fast-paced

4.5


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alexiia's review against another edition

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emotional funny informative medium-paced

5.0

This was by far the best book I’ve read this year ; a real insight to working in the NHS. A mix of funny anecdotes as well as showing the harsh reality of working in a hospital. I will absolutely read this again!

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carina_dreamer's review against another edition

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funny informative lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

3.0

• Mais um emprestado pela bestie em Novembro e só o terminei em Dezembro. Quis lê-lo porque os exemplos que ela me contava pareciam hilariantes.

• Este livro é um memoir que decorre ao longo de 7 anos (se não me engano) enquanto Adam sobe na carreira de médico e também os motivos que o levaram a abandonar.

• Atualmente Adam é comediante e escreve guiões para a televisão e cinema. Com essa informação conseguem imaginar a sátira ao sistema de saúde britânico que aqui vai? Até quem não pertence à medicina e é um simples utente consegue perceber as semelhanças entre o sistema de saúde deles e o nosso. Por entre as piadas deu para ter empatia pelo que os médicos sofrem no seu trabalho.

• Cada capítulo aborda uma breve explicação de cada patamar na carreira, as responsabilidades e deveres, assim como os casos insólitos no trabalho e na sua vida pessoal.
Rondam à volta de 20 páginas cada, o que devia ser fácil de ler, mas conseguia ser um pouco monótono, sempre o mesmo registo, por isso demorei um pouco a terminá-lo.

• Ri-me sim com as situações, mas também me assustei um pouco com os casos de ginecologia que por ali passavam (ter bebés é assustador).

• Aconselho a quem não tem muito interesse em livros de não-ficção porque é bom para limpar o palato entre géneros literários. Pode também ser uma leitura em que façam intervalos entre os anos, quase como ler contos.

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eleyasolyn's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny informative sad fast-paced

4.0


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