hcbloomfield19's review against another edition
2.0
It would probably be better read in smaller sittings, as felt quite repetitive and like a bit of a ranty political blog.
scottishvix's review against another edition
3.0
Another on of those "memoirs" of someone in a specific job where, using short vignettes, they want to try and show the public what their job is really like. This one, written by an A&E doctor, was interesting, insightful and funny. Even when ranting (something he calls his hobby), Dr. Edwards doesn't come across as an angry shouty man, but someone who cares about his patients and the way management and the NHS make his job harder.
But please, someone, get this man a proofreader, stat! Mistakes such as a patient saying he had "overdosed on heroine" should not happen in a book that isn't self-published. Especially when this edition is a reissue of a book from 4 years ago where they've gone to the trouble of adding extra stories at the back.
But please, someone, get this man a proofreader, stat! Mistakes such as a patient saying he had "overdosed on heroine" should not happen in a book that isn't self-published. Especially when this edition is a reissue of a book from 4 years ago where they've gone to the trouble of adding extra stories at the back.
amysreading_nook's review against another edition
2.0
As much as I enjoy a good biography/true life book I don't think everyone needs to write one... and this is one that I honestly didn't enjoy.
I did honestly considering DNF'ing this at times because it was quite slow and boring. It felt very repetitive to me and it was clear that Dr Edwards had an axe to grind; which I completely understand, because working for the NHS must be completely shit at times but there was so much focus on the negative that it was bordering on painful to read. Some of the paragraphs are so long that I just had to skim read them because it was too much.
Don't get me wrong, there were definitely some interesting bits and I found some of the bits that focused on his patients really emotive and enjoyable, but there wasn't enough of this to offset the negative. I think if you read this as a series of blog posts over a few weeks it would bearable, but reading them all in one go just makes him seem like such a whiny person.
Also, he didn't seem that likeable to me. There are quite a lot of "italic" comments which are things that he writes in the book that didn't actually happen, which seem to solely centre around his inner desire to flirt with a bunch of nurses, wish that a nurse would pull him into a cupboard, and just general sexist and inappropriate comments about women, all whilst having a wife. It felt uncomfortable to read at times.
This isn't a book I could recommend and I honestly don't think it finds the balance between informative and humour at all in the book and just ends up being very whiny.
I did honestly considering DNF'ing this at times because it was quite slow and boring. It felt very repetitive to me and it was clear that Dr Edwards had an axe to grind; which I completely understand, because working for the NHS must be completely shit at times but there was so much focus on the negative that it was bordering on painful to read. Some of the paragraphs are so long that I just had to skim read them because it was too much.
Don't get me wrong, there were definitely some interesting bits and I found some of the bits that focused on his patients really emotive and enjoyable, but there wasn't enough of this to offset the negative. I think if you read this as a series of blog posts over a few weeks it would bearable, but reading them all in one go just makes him seem like such a whiny person.
Also, he didn't seem that likeable to me. There are quite a lot of "italic" comments which are things that he writes in the book that didn't actually happen, which seem to solely centre around his inner desire to flirt with a bunch of nurses, wish that a nurse would pull him into a cupboard, and just general sexist and inappropriate comments about women, all whilst having a wife. It felt uncomfortable to read at times.
This isn't a book I could recommend and I honestly don't think it finds the balance between informative and humour at all in the book and just ends up being very whiny.
maccymacd's review against another edition
4.0
An amusing dip in and dip out book about a doctor's time on an A&E ward. I found I could only read chunks of it at the time, but overall it was a good read, and the author obviously knows his stuff and is clued up on various up and coming policies.
truestorydesu's review against another edition
4.0
I started reading these books about what the NHS is like in Britain...and I can't stop. God help me I'll be reading these all Summer.