The Language of Kindness

If it’s taken a very long time to get a memoir written by a nurse, then it was certainly worth the wait. I have rarely read anything that has moved me as much or taken me by the hand so confidently into an unknown world, teeming with life and haunted by death… A remarkable book that I will be pressing on everyone I love – Allison Pearson * The Sunday Telegraph *A powerful insight into the life of nurses – Robbie Millen * The Times, Books of the Year *It made me cry. It made me think. It made me laugh. It encouraged me to appreciate this most underappreciated of professions more than ever … A gently remarkable book… it’s a privilege to have Christie as our guide – Adam Kay * Guardian *Wonderful – Sebastian FaulksA deeply compassionate book… It will leave you weeping as well as hopeful – Helen Davies * Sunday Times, Books of the Year *An amazing book – terrifying at times, but tender and truthful. Let’s be thankful for wonderful nurses – and writers – like Christie Watson – Jacqueline WilsonCompared with the recent rash of doctor memoirs, this is a far quieter and more thoughtful book – Kathryn Hughes * Guardian, Books of the Year *I challenge anyone to get through all 336 pages without shedding a tear for what those who work in “the most undervalued of all professions” have to witness … Expect her stories […] to linger with you many days after the final chapter – Jackie Annesley * The Sunday Times *A remarkable book about life and death and so brilliantly written it makes you hold your breath – Ruby WaxA poignant and powerful account of what it’s like to be a nurse. It’s a profession that touches all our lives delivering expert and compassionate care from the cradle to the grave. A must-read for nurses and those interested in understanding the true art and science of nursing – Professor Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer for England

Christie Watson is Professor of Medical Humanities at UEA and worked as an NHS nurse for over twenty years. She has written seven books, including her first novel Tiny Sunbirds Far Away, which won the Costa First Novel Award, and memoir, The Language of Kindness which was a number one Sunday Times bestseller. Christie is a contributor to The Times, Sunday Times, Guardian, and Daily Telegraph, and her work has been translated into 23 languages and adapted for theatre.