A Stroke of Luck-Or a Beginner’s Guide to Being Hospitalised and What You Can Reasonably Expect!

by Christopher Moore

The book I present to you has the working title of A Stroke of Luck or a Beginner’s Guide to Being Hospitalised as a More-Mature Person and What You Can Reasonably Expect. I believe that it represents a piece of innovative non-fiction, in that it is written with a positive, yet realistic, message about being a ‘hospital virgin’ at a more mature age. The project has been developed through my own experience of hospitalisation recently, for treatment on a stroke. The concept is conceived via passages of digressions, examples of humour coupled with sharp intakes of inter-active discussions based on the everyday activities of a hospital ward that the reader may not be aware of, let alone expect. It is in this respect that the book is unique: whilst acknowledging that such institutions are full of medics and other professionals by definition, there is also a whole spectrum of ‘bit-part’ players and ‘events’ too, which can have either a detrimental or positive impact on the patient’s recovery. Their role is examined through character development and astute observation of what actually occurs during a ‘confinement’: Victor Meldrew can and does ‘believe it’ he has too! The story itself is chronological: from pre-admission, admission, the period of the stay when time becomes meaningless and thoughts begin to wander to level of absurdity never truly thought possible, to discharge (which in itself seems a ‘nasty’ word to use along with ‘release’, terms which come in for a wry comment or two!) and after-care. Primarily, this book is written with the ‘over fifties’ market in mind specifically, but I would envisage it being an informative read to anyone who is new to the ‘hospital game’ or is simply filled with trepidation at the possibility of it.

240 pages, Paperback

Published September 30, 2019

Reviews

[Dom Yarnal jr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read

Not the authors best work , but definitely a good book. At times it wonders, and is hard to follow. But as always he comes back and gets going again with the story. Being hospitalized myself a few times. There is a little difference in the hospitals I've been in but it makes some interesting points.

[Greg Teal · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not the same Christopher Moore who wrote Lamb.
Also the whole book was centre justified which made it impossible to read.