Recommended Books

[backman]

 I recently acquired this book which I can recommend as a very interesting overview of some of Londons hospitals and history.I look forward to better weather to do some of the seven different 1 1/2--2 1/2 hour walks around central London. Would be a nice idea to do one of these and then meet up for a Badge swap/information exchange with sufficient advance warning in the summer?
  Walking Londons Medical History-Nick Black      Royal Society of Medicine Press   www.rsmpress.co.uk

[nursesue]

hi - I got another great old book today. Centenary of the Walsall Hospital Services 1863-1963. Has great photos of the old Walsall hospitals as well as photos of the Matrons and Officials. Published in 1963 by the West Midlands Press as "an account of the hospital services in Walsall during the hundred years since the Cottage hospital was opened on October 12 1863" Feartures a great chapter on Walsall's famous and favorate sister - Sister Dora.  An excellant read and a great little book - well worth obtaining if you can.
sue

[wilfb]

Hello all,

I am almost salivating - I just love old books and some of the 'photos they contain are real windows on the past, often bringing a book alive for me.

I would certainly be willing to try to attend a badge meet preceded by such a walk as is suggested by Peter - given enough warning of course.

Just going back to that 'Window on the past' - I was watching the Greek Independence Day parades across Syntagma Square, Athens, this morning - superb - but what caught my attention most was a group of war veterans to the side of the President's dias. It was fronted by six wheelchair veterans - the wheelchairs driven by six nurses whose uniform (caps and cloaks anyway) reminded me strongly of that worn by WWI QA's. So stunningly smart!

The president shook the hand of every nurse at the end of the parades. Still valued here it seems.... Magical... Apologies - back to the books!

[djthomas]

hi - I got another great old book today. Centenary of the Walsall Hospital Services 1863-1963. Has great photos of the old Walsall hospitals as well as photos of the Matrons and Officials. Published in 1963 by the West Midlands Press as "an account of the hospital services in Walsall during the hundred years since the Cottage hospital was opened on October 12 1863" Feartures a great chapter on Walsall's famous and favorate sister - Sister Dora.  An excellant read and a great little book - well worth obtaining if you can.
sue

glad you enjoyed the book especially the chapter on Sister Dora.   I trained at The Sister Dora School Of Nursing (1978-1980) and still have my hospital badge, a couple of first day stamp covers and old prints/pictures of the hospitals and Sister Dora.

[nursesue]

Are you still in the Walsall area?? I originally came from Great Barr and loved the Walsall market that lead up the hill to the church whose name I have forgotten. I'm talking early 70s to 1980s before the alterations. There used to be a statue to Sr Dora nearby. I trained  at Good Hope Sutton Coldfield 1980-83.
sue

[backman]

I have decided to relaunch this thread as summer is almost here and I'm sure many of us may have the chance to actually read something other than a text book. It may be a book relating to Nursing or History or it may be the latest Mills and Boon romance but what are you reading and what can you recommend?

I'll start off and admit that my reading habits may not always be that highbrow,but enjoy crime thrillers particularly if historically based and action adventures in the military vein.
I have just finished the latest novel by Colin Cotterill-The Curse of the Pogo Stick which features the reluctant Laotian National Coroner,Dr Siri Paiboun and his friends.Very much in the tradition of Alexander McCall Smiths Ladies Detective Agency novels.Very funny and off the wall; http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/colin-cotterill/
Recent reading included Child 44 and The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith,both much darker crime novels set in the Communist Russia of the 1950s.;http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/tom-rob-smith/

I can't decide next on something non fictional,deep and meaningful or all action.I might try the latest book by Carlos Ruiz Zafon as I really enjoyed his"Shadow of the Wind".

[backman]

 A weeks holiday and a bit of sunshine have meant that I could get through a few books,although nothing too highbrow. The House of Special Purpose by John Boyne ,who wrote the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas was a good read.Coward at the Bridge is the second of a "Flashman" type series set at Arnhem,and King of Kings by Harry Sidebottom is a military adventure set in the 3rd century Roman Empire. My hospital library is having a 30p sale of old books and I picked up a couple on the history of Midwifery(not a subject that I am strong on!) and one which looks interesting from the Kings Fund Historical Series-The effects of the NHS on the Nursing profession 1948-1961,will let you know how I get on!

[nursesue]

how i envy you Pete the luxuary of a decent novel My current reading material is Practical Diabetes by David Levy Chapter 5 insulin therapy in type 1 diabetes is highly riveting and like wading trough treacle!! My 2 for £7 book deal from Tesco got me TheOther Queen by Philippa Gregory - love historical type books and a Jackie Collins book Married lovers for my hols!!! A bit of wild escapism
Other members of this site might be interested in 2 recent articles:

page 8 History Lessons issue 229 RCN bulletin 1/7/09

issue 29 aug 2009 NMC news Scrubs anyone?- all about uniforms and times gone by and a great photo of what we wearing 30 years ago...................!
suex

[backman]

....... "all about uniforms and times gone by and a great photo of what we wearing 30 years ago...................!"

What Sue,Flared trousers,platform shoes and jackets with big lapels!!!  LOL !

[barrysutton]

Hello,
I'm currently reading 'Blood' by Douglas Starr, its a history of medicine and commerce, its a very good read and I'm enjoying it, there have been some real dirty tricks played on the public at large by drug companies involved in this trade.

[Asylum-seeker]

I picked up Asylum, Hospital, Haven, about Horton Hospital in Epsom. It's a very interesting read with some brilliant archive photos.

[backman]

Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol-very much in the vein of his other blockbusters,lots of twists and turns.
Currently engrossed in The Girl who Kicked the Hornets Nest,the third in the Dragon Tattoo series.Historical Military fiction from the Warrior of Rome Series & Bernard Cornwall amongst others.