Blood, Sweat, and Tea: Real-Life Adventures in an Inner-City Ambulance (Paperback)

by Tom Reynolds (Author)
Key Phrases: resus room, lance crew, maternity department, Tom Reynolds, Occupational Health, Royal London (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
"An alluring mix of humor, bravery, cynicism, and compassion." --London Daily Telegraph

It's the stuff of Grey's Anatomy, House, and ER--only these events aren't unfolding on a Hollywood soundstage.

Have you ever wondered what's going on inside the ambulance screaming past you during your rush-hour commute? Since 2003, Tom Reynolds (writing under an alias so as not to get sacked from his job), has kept a blog where he chronicles the day-in, day-out realities of his life on the job as an EMT with the London Ambulance Service.

By turns both poignant and profound, Reynolds's writing captures the very essence of life and death. From the mundane to the surreal, from the heartwarming to the cynical, from the calm to the frenetic, more than 300 entries from his popular blog at randomreality.blogware.com are included in the book.

Dear Mr. Alcoholic:

Would you mind awfully not swearing at me, taking a swing at me, or exposing yourself to me? I have quite enough abuse from the nondrunks out there. . . . Still, at least your fists are easy to dodge, and if I stop holding you up, you fall over.

The author's hugely popular blog, Random Acts of Reality, has been named Medgadget Best Medical Blog and Best Literary Medical Blog.

About the Author
On July 22, 2003, an emergency medical technician living in London began writing a blog under the pseudonym Tom Reynolds. One mention by a writer for the Guardian and that blog has changed his life--with more people coming to know him as Tom Reynolds than as Brian Kellett.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0740771191
• ISBN-13: 978-0740771194
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #723,364 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!, August 8, 2008

By	L. Tidwell (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I found this book while stocking up on reading material for an international business trip - I selected it for the title and the format (diary-like entries make it easy to pick up & put down). I was delighted to find it such a great read, well written and completely engrossing (turns out, I couldn't put it down!).

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and hilarious at the same time, July 1, 2008

By	Lizzie "Lizzie" (Kansas) - See all my reviews

I've always believed people in this profession are true heroes, like others in the medical industry, but this firsthand account proves them to be absolute saints. This man is the British Energizer bunny of saving lives and dealing with death. It's an absolutely fascinating read and truly funny at the same time.