thrililng

I was asked to review by lovereading.

The story is set in the early 50s. People are still getting over the second World War.

Frank a casual worker with a confusing war record, who is always on guard and when trouble brews he moves on.

He turns up in a pub in London, he is keen on the landlords wife but when the landlord is murdered - the police think it is Frank and the association with the wife ( who was in an unhappy marriage - readers can see where this is going for Frank)

The book was slow paced but well written and believable characters- of course the reader will want to know what happened. The ending is so well written.

I read this whilst on holiday what a good read and can thoroughly recommend this book and the author.

beautifully Written

I was asked to review this by lovereading

This is a story of searching for the truth, brings up more questions and answers and leaves the reader doing the same. It is a complex novel - I read whilst on holiday.

It is the story of Tres who is reborn as a boy called Aaron- he has a gift by the way of recalling people who lived before. It was an unusual book which needs time to read not for the skimmer. The writing is well written and it is so worth reading to the end to discover. A book of friendship.

This is written by an author I am not familiar with and will seek him out now.

not out of but in Africa

I was asked to review this by Lovereading.co.uk.

Such a great read oh my goodness this authors first trip and to climb Kilimanjaro was certainly not for the faint hearted most of us would have packed up and gone home but not this determined author and all in the name of charity.

Then years later the author and this time with his wife walking with lions, in search of Rhinos, beautiful scenery and the dreaded mountain to climb! and will they climb this?

It is a interesting read, fascinating accounts of Africa ( never been but just loved the descriptions, the wildlife and culture) I take my hat off to him not sure if I would follow in his footsteps but has given me a great read on my holiday. This author writes a good story and keeps the reader on their toes.

This author has written a number of books of his adventures and I will certainly be following him and catching up on what I have been missing.

beautifully written

I was asked to review by the author and Lovereading.co.uk

This took me back to the 70s to two sisters who lived together in Edinburgh - as I was quite young I asked the question why did you never have husbands and the reply was " we were surplus so many men of our age never came back from the great war and there were not enough men to go round" reading this book brought back the thoughts I had of this time albeit they were much older.

The book is set in the 30s and so many men never came back from the front. This had a knock on affect during the coming years with a lot of spinsters who had either loved and lost or never had the chance but each family was affected. Violet is in her late 30s losing fiancé and brother to the great war. She moves and joins a group of ladies embroidering cushions for a church, Thus brings these women together

it is slow paced but beautifully written and historical facts well researched. This is about a group of women who in different circumstances may have made different choices. Beautiful descriptions of Winchester Cathedral and bell ringing which has given me greater insight into this ecclesiastical world.

Well written, historically accurate and well recommended when it will be published in September 2019.

Fascinating social history

I was asked to review this by the Nursing Times Journal
What was it like?
The author tells of the dreadful working conditions which made a group of 20 nurses and midwives to gather in South Anne St, Dublin, in 1919, where they agreed to formally establish the Irish Nurses' Union. Nurses at the time were earning a pittance compared with men working in industry. Shockingly we learn they were getting meagre food allowances as par payment of their poor salaries. A year earlier women could vote in the UK but women had a long way to go. This book tells the story of the history of the INMO. It gives the reader a fascinating look at just how this union has grown (1925 there were under 800 members through to the present day of approximately 40,000)


What were the highlights?
The fact that this is not just a history book but has in-depth account from real INMO's members and leaders. The author describes the nurse’s protests in the late 70s and who marched on the Dáil (Irish Parliament) and were admitted to the gallery where they put their case to the TDs while the INO's leaders negotiated over tea and cake with the Minister for Health!

The author refers to the treatment of critically ill Mary Madden, the wife of PJ Madden, former INO general secretary, during the nurses' strike of 1999, when then INO president Anne Cody tended to Mary during the strike in between picket line duties, as Mrs Madden had been refused home hospice care. That was extremely poignant. Striking when you have patients is extremely controversial but in some ways the reader will ask how could they have moved forward?

There is humour in this book too as the author writes accounts of men seeing the trade union as somewhere to obtain a wife- a farmer stipulated as long as they could milk a cow that was the only credential required! Again, life and the union have moved on.


Strengths & weaknesses:

There were no weaknesses in this book.

We have to thank the author – if it were not for his PHD this story would have been fragmented and needs to reach out to future generations of nurses and midwives so they too can learn from this too and know their backgrounds of nurses at that time will be long gone and their stories being forgotten. He was working shifts in ITU and writing this in between his shifts.  was asked to review this by the Nursing Times Journal
What was it like?
The author tells of the dreadful working conditions which made a group of 20 nurses and midwives to gather in South Anne St, Dublin, in 1919, where they agreed to formally establish the Irish Nurses' Union. Nurses at the time were earning a pittance compared with men working in industry. Shockingly we learn they were getting meagre food allowances as par payment of their poor salaries. A year earlier women could vote in the UK but women had a long way to go. This book tells the story of the history of the INMO. It gives the reader a fascinating look at just how this union has grown (1925 there were under 800 members through to the present day of approximately 40,000)


What were the highlights?
The fact that this is not just a history book but has in-depth account from real INMO's members and leaders. The author describes the nurse’s protests in the late 70s and who marched on the Dáil (Irish Parliament) and were admitted to the gallery where they put their case to the TDs while the INO's leaders negotiated over tea and cake with the Minister for Health!

The author refers to the treatment of critically ill Mary Madden, the wife of PJ Madden, former INO general secretary, during the nurses' strike of 1999, when then INO president Anne Cody tended to Mary during the strike in between picket line duties, as Mrs Madden had been refused home hospice care. That was extremely poignant. Striking when you have patients is extremely controversial but in some ways the reader will ask how could they have moved forward?

There is humour in this book too as the author writes accounts of men seeing the trade union as somewhere to obtain a wife- a farmer stipulated as long as they could milk a cow that was the only credential required! Again, life and the union have moved on.


Strengths & weaknesses:

There were no weaknesses in this book.

We have to thank the author – if it were not for his PHD this story would have been fragmented and needs to reach out to future generations of nurses and midwives so they too can learn from this too and know their backgrounds of nurses at that time will be long gone and their stories being forgotten. He was working shifts in ITU and writing this in between his shifts.

The amount of research that went into this author writing is a credit to him.

The photographs within the book make this real to the reader.

A recommended interesting social history of a nurse’s union

Who should read it?

This book must be on all student nurses and midwives reading list nurses today must be told of this and realise what our forebears did this is social history which needs to be told and not be forgotten

amusing and so practical

What was it like?



If I had been reviewing this book a few months ago I would not have been so interested as I was a retreat last week consisting of yoga Pilates and relaxation. New learning for me also. Pilates definition - aims to strengthen the body in an even way, with particular emphasis on core strength to improve general fitness and wellbeing. So, this is so apt for patients and healthcare workers a like. The book is not intended to replace the instructor but to go hand in hand.

What were the highlights? 



This book is packed with humour and the comic illustrations bring a new dimension to this and makes the book a lovely and easy book to read and to follow.  It reminds me of the Jackie comic in the 80s.It also has a feel of the author and illustrator Raymond Briggs. As the author states people do respond better to drawings as visually we do take in more than just reading words. It is important in a time of stress and strain that we are fit, and we look after our bodies and wellbeing and this positivity is then transferred to our patients.

The author obviously loves what she does, and this comes through loud and clear to the reader.

Strengths & weaknesses:



There were no weaknesses – this is a really good companion and supports the reader. If ever a manual was required this is the one- it is easy, funny and has an important side to this fitness and well being are paramount to us in this in our very stressful and busy lives.

Who should read it?



Anyone who is interested in Pilates or a newcomer not sure if this is for them, and who wants to be fit from the inside out and in particular clinical staff who need to keep fit and have the wellbeing to work in challenging situations. This is something we can all do.

fascinating

I was asked to review this textbook by the Nursing Times Journal


What was it like?



The cover intrigued me, I always felt it was black when a migraine came on or maybe it was a darkened room. I found this a topic that is talked about a lot, many people suffer from this, but I had not come across such a comprehensive and concise book written about this. The artwork on page 87 sums it up perfectly. This book explores so many theories from Wolff  in the late 40s describing this as an inability to adapt to situations in life  which I would say was stress and emotions, today, to the 1880s where people who were cultured suffered from neurasthenia yet the poorer classes suffered from epilepsy? But that was how people thought and thank fully we in society have moved on.



I found the various sections fascinating and how theorists and culture have changed and moved on- it is a book to pick up and read certain sections at a time.

The highlights:



It is a well set out book which although some readers may find a large read like this daunting the author writes well and it is easy to read. I encourage readers to read this in sections it is fascinating.



I particularly like the artwork within the book as I could identify with this as now an occasional migraine sufferer.

Strengths & weaknesses:



The author explores this subject in depth and as predicted gender very much comes into the history as does culture through the ages and the fact until neurology came into being a lot of this was just theory because it was such a difficult subject to unravel and as the author(social and medical historian) states we have come a long way and research and treatment can be bettered.

The notes from each chapter are useful for reference and further reading and this has been well researched with pages of references showing just how much this author researched this subject.

Who should read it?



This should be on the student nurse and doctor reading list and any clinician caring for patients as this is important to understand migraines and the journey along the way – we are still learning.