Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas by Adam Kay
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir
Pages: 144
Published By: Picador on 17th October, 2019
Format: Hardcover
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Book Synopsis:
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat … but 1.4 million NHS staff are heading off to work. In this perfect present for anyone who has ever set foot in a hospital, Adam Kay delves back into his diaries for a hilarious, horrifying and sometimes heartbreaking peek behind the blue curtain at Christmastime.
This is a love letter to all those who spend their festive season on the front line, removing babies and baubles from the various places they get stuck, at the most wonderful time of the year.
Book Review
Having read This Is Going To Hurt back in 2021 and absolutely loving it, I was very much excited to read this little festive book in the run-up to Christmas.
He perfectly combines his sense of humour with his compassionate side as he recounts the different Christmasses he has spent working in hospitals. I really like the balance in his entries… some were incredibly sad whereas others had a much lighten tone and had me giggling.
I really appreciated that Kay had footnotes throughout to help further understand some of the medical terms he was using. If the book didn’t have this I would’ve been constantly googling which would take away from the immersive reading. There’s also cute little hospital-themed festive illustrations dotted throughout, which I loved and added a nice touch to the vibes of the book.
My only complaint is that it’s SO short. I completely get that he may not have had many Christmas-related stories to tell but this book left me wanting more! It was such a quick book to read, it only took me just over a couple of hours I think. The shortness of the book is what dropped the rating for me…
This would be a great stocking filler for those who work within healthcare – or just anyone who wants to have a laugh! I think this was a great festive, informative read that highlights the importance of the NHS, not just at Christmas but all-year round.
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