What do you think?
Rate this book
Chasing the Surge: Life as a Travel Nurse in a Global Pandemic
"This memoir of the pandemic takes readers on a heartwarming, sometimes heart-wrenching journey from January 8, 2020 when news about the pandemic started making waves. Then the book takes readers on a spellbinding journey through hotspots in the country... It is the best thing I have read about the pandemic; a story that should be shared."—Readers' Favorite Grover Nicodemus Street is a travel nurse who felt it necessary to help others in these turbulent times. He has gone to COVID hotspots in the US since the beginning of the pandemic to do so and also to help keep his wife, who is a cancer survivor safe from this deadly virus. He also encountered many unbelievable events, like being suddenly stuck in the middle of a Black Lives Matter protest in New York, the storms of Florida last summer, and the gigafire of California. Grover’s wife, Dr. Sandra de Abreu Guidry-Street stayed at home and researched the virus while he was working on the front lines. Even though he tried as hard as he could to keep COVID-19 away from his wife, it was not possible. Grover felt compelled to write about his travels to share his experiences and shed light on the actual reality of the patients and healthcare workers who are behind the closed doors of hospitals. He did not know how to start. Ja-ne de Abreu, his sister-in-law just finished writing Sassy Food, about her polar opposite pandemic experience of quarantining while caregiving and growing food. As they discussed it, Ja-ne immediately was inspired as to how to construct his wild year. Chasing the Surge is a compelling story about this global pandemic but also to dispel misbeliefs about this virus and the vaccine. Being a Black American, Grover is dedicating a portion of the proceeds towards educating minority communities about coronavirus and the safety of the vaccine. Paperback version Find more info at jmfdeapress.com
- GenresMemoir
276 pages, Paperback
Published May 7, 2021
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 16, 2021
Wow! Just Wow! I’m on disability and don’t work. I’ve never worked in a medial facility and I’ve never worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. I have no idea what it is really like being a doctor or nurse during a pandemic. This book does the shocking job of making it all real. You will feel like you are standing in the middle of the Emergency Room (ER) or Intensive Care Unit (ICU) during the start of the pandemic.
This book was written in May 2021 but covers January 2020-January 2021. The beginning of the pandemic was worse than how they are doing now. They have learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t. Throughout the book the author shares the # of cases and # of deaths globally and in the US. You will quickly see that there were more deaths in the beginning.
Reading this book now will be different than anyone reading this book years from now when it’s (I hope!) over. The next generations will get to see what it was like in the trenches in 2020. I actually had tears in my eyes in parts. Anyone who thinks this is not a real pandemic needs to read this book. It might just change your mind. I’m so thankful I read this book. I understand a little what our front-line workers are going through now.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
This book was written in May 2021 but covers January 2020-January 2021. The beginning of the pandemic was worse than how they are doing now. They have learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t. Throughout the book the author shares the # of cases and # of deaths globally and in the US. You will quickly see that there were more deaths in the beginning.
Reading this book now will be different than anyone reading this book years from now when it’s (I hope!) over. The next generations will get to see what it was like in the trenches in 2020. I actually had tears in my eyes in parts. Anyone who thinks this is not a real pandemic needs to read this book. It might just change your mind. I’m so thankful I read this book. I understand a little what our front-line workers are going through now.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
April 28, 2022
Kirkus reviews rated Chasing the Surge a thumbs up- "A sublime, personal account about the frightening Covid-19 surge."
I'm a co-author of award winning (2021) Chasing the Surge. It also is on the 2022 Eric Hoffer grand prize short list and in the running for the finalist position of the 2021 Nellie Bly Book Awards for Journalistic Non-Fiction. It was a special family project to turn my brother-in-law's story into a book. It covers his journey as a travel nurse going to the COVID hotspots in the beginning of the pandemic (March 2020 until the end of January 2021). So many monumental things happened during those months that affected every single person on this entire planet. Grover Nicodemus Street lived through amazing experiences and we can all learn more about humanity and the pandemic and vaccines in this exciting book.
I'm a co-author of award winning (2021) Chasing the Surge. It also is on the 2022 Eric Hoffer grand prize short list and in the running for the finalist position of the 2021 Nellie Bly Book Awards for Journalistic Non-Fiction. It was a special family project to turn my brother-in-law's story into a book. It covers his journey as a travel nurse going to the COVID hotspots in the beginning of the pandemic (March 2020 until the end of January 2021). So many monumental things happened during those months that affected every single person on this entire planet. Grover Nicodemus Street lived through amazing experiences and we can all learn more about humanity and the pandemic and vaccines in this exciting book.
June 5, 2021
Great story, easy read
This writer told his story of being a nurse during the covid pandemic. He mentions currents events but leaves political bias out of the book. Great book for healthcare workers, but written in way that everyone can enjoy reading.
This writer told his story of being a nurse during the covid pandemic. He mentions currents events but leaves political bias out of the book. Great book for healthcare workers, but written in way that everyone can enjoy reading.
August 27, 2021
A fascinating look into Street's work as a travel nurse during the pandemic.
January 9, 2022
3.5 stars, Metaphorosis Reviews
Summary
A just-the-facts journal of one traveling nurse's experience during the first year of covid-19.
Review
I felt the primary audience for the book was people who wanted to know what it was truly like in the hospital trenches as covid progressed during 2020. On that front, it’s an enlightening book, though oddly not marketed as covid-focused
The author’s style is simple and straightforward, which made for an easy, if not always engaging read. He mixes in a little of his family history and backstory, and while the additions are unfortunately fairly clumsy, they do give a fuller picture of how he got to where he is. The book overall could have done with more editing for consistency of tone, tense, and focus.
The author takes pains to avoid a partisan political position. He clearly has his own views and experience, but, with few exceptions, he avoids inserting them in the book, allowing the record of events to stand on its own, which it does nicely. If you want to know what it was really like to work the front lines as covid arrived, this will give you a peek.
The end incorporates the covid stories of others, which didn’t add as much, simply because we don’t know the narrators. However a pleasant personal surprise came from the inclusion of a narrative and two songs from singer-songwriter Darden Smith, one of my favorite musicians. Given Street’s background in the military, the songs presumably came about through Smith’s ‘Songwriting with Soldiers’ project, though it’s not mentioned.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Summary
A just-the-facts journal of one traveling nurse's experience during the first year of covid-19.
Review
I felt the primary audience for the book was people who wanted to know what it was truly like in the hospital trenches as covid progressed during 2020. On that front, it’s an enlightening book, though oddly not marketed as covid-focused
The author’s style is simple and straightforward, which made for an easy, if not always engaging read. He mixes in a little of his family history and backstory, and while the additions are unfortunately fairly clumsy, they do give a fuller picture of how he got to where he is. The book overall could have done with more editing for consistency of tone, tense, and focus.
The author takes pains to avoid a partisan political position. He clearly has his own views and experience, but, with few exceptions, he avoids inserting them in the book, allowing the record of events to stand on its own, which it does nicely. If you want to know what it was really like to work the front lines as covid arrived, this will give you a peek.
The end incorporates the covid stories of others, which didn’t add as much, simply because we don’t know the narrators. However a pleasant personal surprise came from the inclusion of a narrative and two songs from singer-songwriter Darden Smith, one of my favorite musicians. Given Street’s background in the military, the songs presumably came about through Smith’s ‘Songwriting with Soldiers’ project, though it’s not mentioned.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
April 28, 2022
Kirkus reviews rated Chasing the Surge a thumbs up- "A sublime, personal account about the frightening Covid-19 surge."
I'm a co-author of award winning (2021) Chasing the Surge. It also is on the 2022 Eric Hoffer grand prize short list and in the running for the finalist position of the 2021 Nellie Bly Book Awards for Journalistic Non-Fiction. It was a special family project to turn my brother-in-law's story into a book. It covers his journey as a travel nurse going to the COVID hotspots in the beginning of the pandemic (March 2020 until the end of January 2021). So many monumental things happened during those months that affected every single person on this entire planet. Grover Nicodemus Street lived through amazing experiences and we can all learn more about humanity and the pandemic and vaccines in this exciting book.
I'm a co-author of award winning (2021) Chasing the Surge. It also is on the 2022 Eric Hoffer grand prize short list and in the running for the finalist position of the 2021 Nellie Bly Book Awards for Journalistic Non-Fiction. It was a special family project to turn my brother-in-law's story into a book. It covers his journey as a travel nurse going to the COVID hotspots in the beginning of the pandemic (March 2020 until the end of January 2021). So many monumental things happened during those months that affected every single person on this entire planet. Grover Nicodemus Street lived through amazing experiences and we can all learn more about humanity and the pandemic and vaccines in this exciting book.
April 28, 2022
Kirkus reviews rated Chasing the Surge a thumbs up- "A sublime, personal account about the frightening Covid-19 surge."
I'm a co-author of award winning (2021) Chasing the Surge. It also is on the 2022 Eric Hoffer grand prize short list and in the running for the finalist position of the 2021 Nellie Bly Book Awards for Journalistic Non-Fiction. It was a special family project to turn my brother-in-law's story into a book. It covers his journey as a travel nurse going to the COVID hotspots in the beginning of the pandemic (March 2020 until the end of January 2021). So many monumental things happened during those months that affected every single person on this entire planet. Grover Nicodemus Street lived through amazing experiences and we can all learn more about humanity and the pandemic and vaccines in this exciting book.
I'm a co-author of award winning (2021) Chasing the Surge. It also is on the 2022 Eric Hoffer grand prize short list and in the running for the finalist position of the 2021 Nellie Bly Book Awards for Journalistic Non-Fiction. It was a special family project to turn my brother-in-law's story into a book. It covers his journey as a travel nurse going to the COVID hotspots in the beginning of the pandemic (March 2020 until the end of January 2021). So many monumental things happened during those months that affected every single person on this entire planet. Grover Nicodemus Street lived through amazing experiences and we can all learn more about humanity and the pandemic and vaccines in this exciting book.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews