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Life, Death and Biscuits
- Author
- Anthea Allen
- Narrator
- Anthea Allen
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 17 February 2022
- Run Time
- 8 hours 48 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
- Genre
- Intensive care nursing, True stories of heroism, endurance & survival, Autobiography: science, technology & medicine, Coping with / advice about death and bereavement, Social impact of disasters / accidents (natural or man-made), History: plagues, diseases, famines, Nursing sociology, Nurse/patient relationship, Nursing research & theory, Nursing fundamentals & skills, Human coronaviruses, Memoirs
What to expect
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
‘A heart-breaking story of courage and compassion from the front line of the toughest battle our nurses have had to fight. Anthea Allen’s writing is raw, honest and full of love for those she cares for.’ Susanna Reid
An extraordinarily powerful memoir based on the diaries of intensive care nurse Anthea Allen, who worked on the front line of one of the largest hospitals in Europe during the Covid crisis.
A nurse for 25 years, Anthea thought she had seen it all. But with Covid came the greatest trial, personally and professionally, of her life. Thrust into hourly challenges – many a matter of life and death – while on the Critical Care units of St George’s in south London, Anthea processed her shocking experiences through writing. It started with an email to request biscuits. But her appeal to help boost the morale of her fellow nurses soon turned into a series of astonishingly moving stories detailing the realities of being a front line worker.
It wasn’t long before Anthea’s accounts were circulating far and wide, capturing the attention of the nation and being feted by the likes of Richard Branson and Good Morning Britain’s Susanna Reid.
In Life, Death and Biscuits, Anthea reveals the human story behind Covid, sharing tales of hope, fear and laughter from both her ‘family’ of nurses and the patients she encountered. Forged in a crisis, this deeply affecting memoir offers a unique and inspiring perspective on the pandemic that simultaneously tore the world apart and brought us together. Both heart-wrenching and uplifting, it serves as a testimony to love, resilience and the human spirit.
Critics Review
-
‘[These] words will live on as an important history of Covid for generations to come’ – Sir Richard Branson
‘Vivid, loving, raw, opinionated. There have been several very good books written by doctors during the pandemic, but nothing as visceral as this.’ – The Times
‘A moving and awe-inspiring account’ –
Daily Mail
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Anthea Allen
- Narrator
- Anthea Allen
- Duration
- 8 hours 48 minutes
- Release Date
- 17 February 2022
- ISBN
- 9780008506476
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Intensive care nursing, True stories of heroism, endurance & survival, Autobiography: science, technology & medicine, Coping with / advice about death and bereavement, Social impact of disasters / accidents (natural or man-made), History: plagues, diseases, famines, Nursing sociology, Nurse/patient relationship, Nursing research & theory, Nursing fundamentals & skills, Human coronaviruses, Memoirs
Synopsis
‘A heart-breaking story of courage and compassion from the front line of the toughest battle our nurses have had to fight. Anthea Allen’s writing is raw, honest and full of love for those she cares for.’ Susanna Reid An extraordinarily powerful memoir based on the diaries of intensive care nurse Anthea Allen, who worked on the front line of one of the largest hospitals in Europe – St. George’s in South London – during the peak of the Covid crisis.Her gripping and incredibly moving recollections have been feted by a great range of people, from Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain to Richard Branson and the Queen’s apothecary, as well as being excerpted in the Daily Mail. What started as a weekend email to friends and family to process the reality of life during Covid quickly won her a growing army of support. Anthea has a rare gift of communicating the unique camaraderie of the NHS, the private tragedies of families, and the struggles which she has faced holding her personal and professional life together. Beyond politics, charts and statistics, Anthea – a natural and truly eloquent diarist – tells the stories of real people, real lives and real hopes and fears in an extraordinary time none of us will ever forget.
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