Book Review | This Is Going To Hurt – Adam Kay | Funny, depressing, or disgusting?
GO TO...
This is going to hurt is the diary of a junior doctor, full of funny anecdotes and awkward stories about what happened to him during his short career at the NHS.
First ventouse delivery. (…) My registrar, Lily, talks me through it gently, but I do it all myself and it feels fucking great.
‘Congratulations, you did amazingly well there’, says Lily.
‘Thank you!’ I reply, then realize she’s actually talking to the mum.
Adam Kay
WHY SHOULD YOU READ THIS IS GOING TO HURT?
- If you’re an adept of #funfact stories
- To immerse yourself in the A&E world as well as the NHS system
- For Adam Kay’s nonchalant humour
- To learn new medical vocabulary and show off
- To appreciate Adam Kay’s talent for commenting on everything
DON’T RECOMMEND IF…
- You’re eating, or have just eaten
- You’re pregnant and approaching the D-Day
- You cannot stand gross stories
- If you’re looking for a classic novel with characters and a steady narrative
THIS IS GOING TO HURT BOOK REVIEW IN SHORT
The awkwardness level of this book actually makes it funny -at least it did for me. Plus, you will definitely learn a lot about the NHS.
Thank you, Adam, for giving the doctor’s side of the story, this job is not for everybody, and definitely not for me. RESPECT.
I hope I will never have to set foot in a hospital ever again though.
Buy this book here
(If you buy these books using my links I could get a tiny commission)
HOW I PICKED THIS IS GOING TO HURT
A month ago, I found myself in the typical situation that made me decide to write film and book reviews in the first place. I was at Gatwick Airport, standing in front of hundreds of books and trying to figure out which one would be the best investment. Top charts, fiction best-sellers, non-fiction best-sellers… Naturally, I entered the shop perfectly aware that I would spend at least 30mn inside.
A month ago, I found myself in the typical situation that made me decide to write film and book reviews in the first place.
No book cover was really helping me to make my decision, and the rule of ‘don’t touch it if you don’t buy it’ didn’t make my life any easier. Anyway, I NEVER buy a book without looking at the reviews. Because once I’ve read the synopsis and seen 5 different book ratings on Amazon, I still have no guarantee that I’ll like any of them.
So here I go, reading the reviews of 30 different persons that don’t seem to have read the same book at all. The tricky part of reading these reviews is that no one has the same opinion about a book since no one really perceives things the same way. After learning that one of the books that I’ve selected was ‘atrocious’, as well as ‘the best book ever’, I decided to pick it. The review ‘We definitely don’t have the same definition of humour’ convinced me.
I don’t laugh easily when reading, This is going to hurt could be the exception! Or not.
A BOOK WITH NO WAFFLE
It turns out that this was an exception! Adam Kay and I must have the same definition of humour because I’ve never laughed that often while reading a book -probably out of embarrassment though. He is straight-forward and is not the kind of person to spare others the truth, no matter how disturbing, shocking, or awkward it is.
Adam Kay takes us through his career evolution at the NHS, from his decision to become a doctor to his resignation after 6 years of training and another 6 years on the wards. His stories always seem serious until…after saying to the man accompanying his female patient that he needs to wear a condom for a month, Adam Kay realises that it was her father.
I’ve never laughed that often while reading a book -probably out of embarrassment though.
Reading This is going to hurt felt like sitting at a dinner table, peacefully eating, while the one friend who could talk the hind leg off a donkey keeps starting awkward and touchy discussions with the one friend that doesn’t stand when he does it. But in this case, no matter how embarrassing it gets, you don’t leave the table because you want to know what will happen next. You certainly don’t want to miss a bite of it.
Trying to work out a seventy-year-old lady’s alcohol consumption to record in notes. I’ve established that wine is her poison.
Me: ‘And how much wine do you drink per day, would you say?’
Patient: ‘About three bottles on a good day.’
Me: ‘OK… And on a bad day?’
Patient: ‘On a bad day I only manage one.’
Adam Kay
WHAT YOU CAN LEARN
How crazy is it to realise how many situations could make you end up in A&E? Pretty scary actually. I never thought that I would enjoy reading a book with such crude, in the sense of disgusting let’s be honest, anecdotes. Besides medical professionals or psychopaths, people usually don’t spend their free time enjoying cesarean sections or myomectomy -if only you already know what is- stories, but Adam Kay took up the challenge.
This is going to hurt is simply the diary of a junior doctor, full of short anecdotes and small events that happened on a specific day. So, you might be thinking: why should I read daily life stories of a junior doctor? No idea, just do! Maybe the reason why This is going to hurt is so addictive is the same reason why we sometimes watch stupid reality shows, except that this time you’re learning technical medical vocabulary, and basically also why you should never give birth.
You’ll definitely get a better sense of how hospitals are functioning and what being a junior doctor means.
You can learn lots of pretty interesting -and disgusting- things thanks to this book. As a woman who will hopefully have children one day, I was not quite ready to be given so many details about pregnancy and labour. You’ll definitely get a better sense of how hospitals and the NHS are functioning and what being a junior doctor means. You can also learn things as specific as the four-hour target, explaining why it’s in the A&E staff interest to either admit or discharge you within four hours.
THIS IS GOING TO HURT IS NOT ALWAYS FUNNY THOUGH
On a more serious level, This is going to hurt is also pretty engaged. It must have, indeed, hurt a bit the persons in charge of the British health system -if only they’ve read it. Yes, this book has a serious-unserious style that makes it pleasant to read. But the more you turn the pages, the more you spot serious questionings about the mental side of the job, until it becomes pretty tragic and it ends up by a loud and open denunciation of the NHS and its rulers.
Photo by @gpiron
WHAT DID I GET OUT OF THIS BOOK?
- Try putting yourself in other people’s shoes, it’s not always only about you.
- No matter how prepared you are, it doesn’t always go as planned.
If you’ve read it, what did YOU get out of This is going to hurt? Did you enjoy reading this book review? Leave a comment below, or reach me on Instagram @just.another.good.story or by email at justanothergoodstory@gmail.com
BONUS
One sentence in French about This is going to hurt that you can learn by heart to show off: “Alliant humour, vérité et sensibilité, Adam Kay nous amène en douceur à nous rallier à son combat pour un meilleur système hospitalier“ Post an Instagram story of you saying this sentence with your best French accent and tag me! I’ll watch and repost every single one of them! Or simply leave me a comment telling meusing Google translatehow you would translate this sentence. As a French living in the UK with an Italian guy, I’m an expert at giving a completely different sense to what people say. Let me read what your brain made up!
I really hope that you enjoyed reading this book review!
If you’re interested in health matters and more specifically nutrition, you could enjoy watching Michal Siewierski’s film!
Come back soon
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YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Who is Adam Kay?
Adam Kay was born on June 12th of 1980. He is a British comedy writer, author, and comedian himself. He won multiple awards for his books, live performances… And, of course, he was a junior doctor before writing This is going to hurt.
Is This is going to hurt a true story?
Totally! This is going to hurt was written from Adam Kay’s diary as a junior doctor. Full of funny anecdotes and awkward stories, this book tells you everything about what happened to Adam Kay during his short career at the NHS. He also performs This is going to hurt live!
Is Adam Kay still a doctor?
No! After 6 years of training and another 6 years on the wards, Adam Kay left the medical industry. He is now comedy writer, author, and comedian himself.
What to read after This is going to hurt?
Check out my other book reviews & find the next best reading for you!
How many copies has This is going to hurt sold?
Adam Kay’s first book This is going to hurt has been sold more than 1 million times and remained top of the charts for a long time!