Reviews

Blood, Sweat, and Tea: Real-Life Adventures in an Inner-City Ambulance by Tom Reynolds

eljay1980's review against another edition

5.0

I came across this book in the Kindle bookstore having never heard of Tom Reynolds blog but I thought I'd download it and see what it was like. As an avid blog follower/reader I found his writing style easy to follow. This book is an accurate, personal account of a London Ambulance Service paramedic and the daily situations he's faced with. All situations are told in a frank and honest way, which leaves the reader knowing why things were done how they were, and where possible the patient outcome has been added. I would definitely recommend reading this book as it gives an insight to what our emergency services have to deal with on a daily basis. Can't wait to read the next book by Tom Reynolds!!

steg's review against another edition

emotional informative lighthearted fast-paced

3.5

kittenesque's review against another edition

4.0

Read this in pretty much a day, while in hospital. Seemed an apt read. It was depressing, moving, uplifting and educational in pretty much equal parts.

Helped my day go quicker, for which I am grateful.

lizchan's review against another edition

3.0

More like 3.5 stars. Enjoyable and sometimes sad stories from an ambulance worker. I now appreciate them much more.

queertrovert's review against another edition

1.0

Not readable. Author comes across as full of himself and at times just outright hateful.

coops456's review against another edition

4.0

Tom Reynolds is the pseudonym of a London paramedic who blogs about his job. Blood, Sweat & Tea is a lightly edited collection of blog entries and is a very interesting and often entertaining read. This volume includes entries around the time of the 7 July 2005 bombings although the author wasn't involved onsite.

Being a blog collection, it's a quick and very easy read of short chunks, and provides a genuine insight into the role of a frontline emergency worker. It will probably reinforce your belief in human nature for better or worse!

As a bonus, the book is free to download on Kindle and this loss leader approach has worked on me - I bought the second volume [b:More Blood More Sweat and Another Cup of Tea|7009069|More Blood, More Sweat and Another Cup of Tea|Tom Reynolds|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1276121878s/7009069.jpg|7253983].

dajna's review against another edition

2.0

This is Mr Reynolds blog edited into a book. I'm not sure about it, I felt like it was a little repetive at the end. If one reads few entries a week could probably enjoy some repetion, but when I reached 75% of the ebook I was really fed up with drunken people engaging ambulances.

Mr Reynolds drives ambulances through London to save lives. Sometimes he manages, sometimes he doesn't. A good part of the book involves human stupidity (kids placing prank calls to the ambulance service, drunk people, apprehensive or abusive parents, more drunk people). Tales from the multiethnic area he's working/living in are a funny little intermissions.

It's a good book to learn about this side of UK NHS

amyma's review against another edition

3.0

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. After a while, it started to get boring, so maybe it was just a bit too long.

mrsarielmoore's review against another edition

4.0

I read this years ago and just remembered it today. My husband asked “why are ambulances at fire stations” and I was like “oh actually!” and then regaled him with all this information I forgot I knew from this book

bayres's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

5.0