Down Among the Dead Men
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Product Description
Product Description
Michelle Williams is young and attractive, she has close family ties as well as a busy social life - but she is far from usual. She is a mortuary technician and her job involves dealing with those things in life that many people do not wish to experience directly. Yet life in the mortuary is neither gruesome nor sad. Told with good humour and common sense, we are introduced to a host of characters - the pathologists, many of them eccentric, some downright mad; the undertakers, the hospital porters and the man from the coroner's office who sings to Michelle every morning. The incidents too ensure that no two days are ever the same. From the tragic to the hilarious they include: The fitness fanatic who was run over as he did pressups in the road on a dark night; The decapitated motorcyclist; The guide dog who led his owner on to the railway tracks - and left him there; and, The forty stone man for whom an entire refrigerated lorry had to be hired because he wouldn't fit in the mortuary cooler. Over the course of her first year, Michelle has to deal with situations and emotions that few of us will ever experience, and does so while retaining a sense of humour and a sense of perspective.
About the Author
Michelle Williams started working for the NHS over 15 years ago where she worked as a senior health care assistant. She has since worked as an anatomical pathology technician and is now a mortuary manager. She lives in Cheltenham.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Through my work I have actually done a couple of operations on stiffs which was not pleasant really. However I saw this and thought 'that'll be an interesting read' but for me it's just getting to 3 stars, 2.5 really. It certainly is not a five star book.
I am not sure what I thought it would be, to be honest, and it is, on reflection, entirely predictable and I suspect completely made up. I don't doubt that the instances reported in the book happened, or do happen, but my cynical view is that Michelle Williams, thought it would be a good idea for a book and dreamt up or canvassed morticians and pathologists' opinions to concoct a load of short sketches in the life of a mortuary technician. You could almost predict the examples - the head in the crash helmet, the baby, the old bloke left alone etc etc. And of course if it was totally true then patient confidentiality would have gone out the window and MW would be in deep trouble. I can't see any reference to 'names have been changed' (which she should do if reprinted) although with a name like Professor Ranulph Twigworth I suspect she might have called JK Rowling for some help with the names - which got worse as the book progressed.
We also have an insight into MW's alcohol and ciggies fuelled private life which isn't particularly interesting other than occasional forays into her superiority complex.
I notice several of the reviewers offering 5*s are first time reviewers, that's always suspicious!
Having said all that I am quite glad I read it - I've read worse and I've read better. Still some credit to MW for getting a book published with, generally, excellent views, sorry it didn't do it for me
I am not sure what I thought it would be, to be honest, and it is, on reflection, entirely predictable and I suspect completely made up. I don't doubt that the instances reported in the book happened, or do happen, but my cynical view is that Michelle Williams, thought it would be a good idea for a book and dreamt up or canvassed morticians and pathologists' opinions to concoct a load of short sketches in the life of a mortuary technician. You could almost predict the examples - the head in the crash helmet, the baby, the old bloke left alone etc etc. And of course if it was totally true then patient confidentiality would have gone out the window and MW would be in deep trouble. I can't see any reference to 'names have been changed' (which she should do if reprinted) although with a name like Professor Ranulph Twigworth I suspect she might have called JK Rowling for some help with the names - which got worse as the book progressed.
We also have an insight into MW's alcohol and ciggies fuelled private life which isn't particularly interesting other than occasional forays into her superiority complex.
I notice several of the reviewers offering 5*s are first time reviewers, that's always suspicious!
Having said all that I am quite glad I read it - I've read worse and I've read better. Still some credit to MW for getting a book published with, generally, excellent views, sorry it didn't do it for me
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having finished the book, on the whole, I feel a little let down. While the sleeve promises a new insight into life within a mortuary, I think the book depicts exactly what most people would expect, even those who have no prior knowledge of the subject.
I felt that the plot outside the mortuary felt forced, unneccesary and very difficult to believe in parts - also the authors personal opinions of others , if true, should definitely have been omitted as they don't paint her in a particularly favourable light!
The book is enjoyable enough as light reading but is definitely carried by the subject matter rather than the authors writing style which is stilted and, in parts, almost juvenile.
I felt that the plot outside the mortuary felt forced, unneccesary and very difficult to believe in parts - also the authors personal opinions of others , if true, should definitely have been omitted as they don't paint her in a particularly favourable light!
The book is enjoyable enough as light reading but is definitely carried by the subject matter rather than the authors writing style which is stilted and, in parts, almost juvenile.
31 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Fascinating and amusing book, and until you have read it you have no idea how a mortuary operates. The respect which is shown to the dead by the mortuary staff came through this book on every page. Well written and a great read, especially when I found that this was a first book for the author. I never realised what the job of a mortuary technician actually consisted of, now I know and the humanity, humour and concern came alive. The 'end of life' is normally hidden from the reading public and this book will certainly open your eyes. In short, a great read and a book that you will remember for a long time.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fascinating book,
Hope Michelle writes more, this book was great. Nice to see it from a lady begining out as a motuary technician. Nice to see how her life was around the unusual job she has. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Hollyg
interesting & funny
I thought this book was interesting, funny and would defiantly recommend it!!
Once I had read the first couple of chapters I really got stuck in, I couldn't put it down and... Read more
Once I had read the first couple of chapters I really got stuck in, I couldn't put it down and... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Sammy
Enjoyable read.
Fascinating read! Made me think about a subject which I'd never really thought about before. A few people who I told about it were also fascinated and wanted to read it... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Helspence
Great Read
I normally go for fantasy novels but this one took my eye and i must admit it has been a very enjoyable read. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Claire
AN ENDEARING READ
As I have worked on acute healthcare for the last 20 years I can see exactly where the author is coming from. Read more
Published 2 months ago by googie mamma
Not as bad a some people have made out....
I have been reading the reviews of this book as I am nearing the end of reading it currently. Many people have complained that it is poorly written and has too much "private life"... Read more
Published 2 months ago by SUEDEDOG
Promised more than it delivered
This looked fascinating but the author watered down the interesting case historys so much with tales of her dogs and alcohol consumption, I found myself flicking past pages to... Read more
Published 2 months ago by mrs esta j griffiths
Down Among the Dead Men.
I was a almost reluctant to buy this book, despite it being only 99p. I thought that it was probably going to be deliberately sensationalist and gory. How wrong I was! Read more
Published 2 months ago by Hobbyist
Awful!
I have no doubt that the life of a mortuary technician is an interesting and varied one, albeit one that most of us would find distasteful. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Lisa
A pleasant surprise
Nowhere near as macabre as the title suggests, it is almost a "Feel Good" story. The attention to detail and the depth of the characters is similar to the standard shown in Ian... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Alex
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