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Blood, Sweat and Tea: Real Life Adventures in an Inner-city Ambulance [Paperback]

Tom Reynolds
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (363 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
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Book Description

28 May 2009

A beautifully written insight into the stresses, strains and successes of working for the London Ambulance service.

Is there anyone who hasn't wondered about the state of the occupant of an ambulance, screaming along with its sirens on and blue lights flashing? Have you? And have you wondered about the other people inside the ambulance, maybe fighting to save the patient's life? Or have you considered that the ambulance may be another 'maternataxi' ordered by a woman who can't be bothered to book a real cab and who then complains she can't smoke on the way to hospital? And that the medical technician inside might just be desperate to get back home from a busy shift, to have a cup of tea and catch up with his blog?

Meet Tom Reynolds. Tom is an Emergency Medical Technician who works for the London Ambulance Service in East London. He has kept a blog of his daily working life since 2003 and his award-winning writing is, by turn, moving, cynical, funny, heart-rending and compassionate. It is never less than compelling.

From the tragic to the hilarious, from the heartwarming to the terrifying, the stories Tom tells give a fascinating - and at times alarming - picture of life in inner-city Britain, and the people who are paid to mop up after it.


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Blood, Sweat and Tea: Real Life Adventures in an Inner-city Ambulance + More Blood, More Sweat and Another Cup of Tea + In Stitches: The Highs and Lows of Life as an A&E Doctor
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Product details

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: The Friday Project (28 May 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1905548230
  • ISBN-13: 978-1905548231
  • Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 19.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (363 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 58,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Review

One of the most gripping blogs around - The Guardian

About the Author

Tom Reynolds began work for the NHS when he was 23 and specialised as an A&E nurse. He moved to the London Ambulance Service when he discovered that 'he wanted to 'torture the patients in A&E'. In his own words, this is 'not healthy'. He has kept his critically-acclaimed blog since 2003 and is frequently quoted in the national press. This is his first book.


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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 49 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars A collection of blog entries 26 Jan 2007
Format:Paperback
Blood, Sweat & Tea is a collection of 'Tom Reynolds' favourite posts from his blog, random acts of reality, annotated to give updates and comment on how he now feels about what he had then written. The book is funny, tragic and intriguing all at once, and certainly dispells any misconceptions you may have had about the job of paramedics and what they can really do to save people. Whether or not you had read the blog previously(I hadn't), this book will certainly keep you entertained, and possibly even inspire you to change career. A good read, whatever your medium.
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26 of 28 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Very, very well written. 16 Feb 2007
By Elliot
Format:Paperback
Blood, sweat and tea is a printed version of parts of an online blog written by Tom Reynolds. It very easy to read and engulfs you into the sometimes bizzare world of the London Ambulance service.

His entries vary from drunks who have fallen over to tradgic cardiac arrests.

This is a fantasic read which is sometimes very funny, sometimes very sad and most of the time very cynical.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By I Read, Therefore I Blog TOP 1000 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
I discovered Tom Reynolds's blog, 'Random Acts of Reality' 3 months ago after seeing references to it on the blogs of friends and friends of friends and I've been lurking there ever since. This book is a compendium of highlights from that blog - not that there's anything wrong with that in the slightest and I very much hope that it gets more people to go and read it.

There are some v. tragic stories (particularly those where children die suddenly), some v. funny stories (the one with the toxic poo did - to my shame - have me rolling on the floor in laughter) and some stories that will make you go WTF?! (particularly the nurses who fail to open access doors to hospital despite being notified and the 'carers' who don't think that caring is in their job description).

With the exception of the 7/7 attacks, none of the entries are dated and I think that would be my only complaint about it as it's difficult to get a timeline from the entries themselves unless you're a long-time reader of the blog itself. Apart from that, it's a v. interesting read and definitely worth a look.
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38 of 43 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Well done Tom 20 Aug 2006
By bwts
Format:Paperback
What a great read, a must for dossing on the beach or even on the train to work.

Tom has hit the nail right on the head with this book.

Ambulance staff in the UK are sick and tired of being portrayed like Josh and Comfort from Casualty and Holby City.

This book tells it like it is.

The waste of time calls we have to go to.

The total abuse the public put on the 999 service.

They smoke cannabis and call 999 because they "feel funny".

They get drunk then call us for a lift home.

They call us when having babies even though they have 3 cars outside, no contractions and the hospital is 200 yards away.

We get called to tramps and the great unwashed and the caller demanding we do something.

These are the rubbish calls we get sent to while 1 mile away someone is dying and we can't go because we are tied up with rubbish.

We get verbally and physically assualted (last count it was two crews every single 24 hours in Capital City alone).

BUY THIS BOOK TODAY and see what being an ambulance person is really like.

Well done Tom!
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21 of 24 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining but ... 13 Nov 2008
By SAH
Format:Paperback
Although I enjoyed around half of the entries and found them entertaining and often very touching, this book should come with a warning.... for all NHS staff who work outside of the ambulance service! While the author acknowledges that his comments are not meant to tar all NHS employees with the same brush, and definitely the shortages of staff put pressure on all, there are several occasions where doctors, nurses and midwives are made out to be rude and uncaring and often this book descends into ranting about these professional groups. While dipping in and out of a blog the odd rant is ok, I found that in a book form these frequent angry entries got in the way of the flow of an otherwise enjoyble book.
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful 6 Nov 2006
By Bookish
Format:Paperback
This book contains selected diary entries from Tom Reynolds blog, resulting in an easy, thoughtful and insightful read. I couldnt put it down - no really - I read it whilst making a cup of tea, as I put a wash on and even whilst I brushed my teeth. It's that good. As a result I finished it in two days, and that's where the book becomes outstandingly good value - as I then added the blog to my favourites and so still get to read Tom's sound, down to earth writing.

The book drives you through several emotions - anger, sadness, hilarity, sympathy and frustration to name a few.

I have even more respect and admiration for the Ambulance Service than I already had before I read this book. Nice one, Tom.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars Poor Attitude. 17 Mar 2013
By Vroomer
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I work for the NHS and think this guy's attitude is terrible. What a miserable guy. Too much of the focus is on his rants. Please don't put all of us NHS staff in the same category as this guy!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars Less a book more a blog 12 Mar 2013
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a moan from the start. It seems every patient is usually at fault. We all know that there are ungrateful patients and stupid people, but not all on one route. Little humour to sweeten the way.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars boring
didn't enjoy or finish this book. As a healthcare professional myself I thought this would be light hearted fun but just found it quite boring.
Published 7 hours ago by Debbie Cox
5.0 out of 5 stars Quality
Brilliant can't wait to start book 2. So funny in parts and quite sad in others credit to you all
Published 1 day ago by stuart mcvean
4.0 out of 5 stars good read
really enjoyed reading about the London ambulance service and some of the things that happens to them very good read
Published 2 days ago by susan birmingham
4.0 out of 5 stars an interesting read.
Good insight to the daily life of an ambulance driver. Makes you realise what they go through and how hard it can be.
Published 2 days ago by Mrs L Doyle
4.0 out of 5 stars A Damon good read.
I normally don't enjoy reading regular blogs, but this is an exception. A cracking read that is both funny and thought provoking. Read more
Published 3 days ago by Chris Davison
5.0 out of 5 stars holiday read
i was caught up the daily life of an ambulance driver from the first page,and i was gripped by all the different events attended,the author was also very tongue in cheek... Read more
Published 4 days ago by karen a
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow
What an amazing insight into the trials of the Ambulance service, This proves why people who waste the time of our emergency services should be refused or charged for doing... Read more
Published 4 days ago by Kaz
5.0 out of 5 stars A great intro to the ambulance service
I really feel for this guy, his trials and tribulations on a london ambulance.
His sense of humour is great, just this side of naughty. Read more
Published 4 days ago by DragonSandy
4.0 out of 5 stars Blood, sweat and tea
The book was very well written, very funny and sad at some points. You get to feel the highs and lows and the frustration of the ambulance crews. Read more
Published 4 days ago by Tania Thomas
5.0 out of 5 stars Easy interesting read
A great insight into the London ambulance service with a real personal view from Tom! Would recommend to like minded readers.
Published 5 days ago by MRS.K
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