Media Reviews

A Head Full of Blue – A Memoirby Nick Johnstone.Bloomsbury Publishing, London, 2002,210 pages, £9Æ99, ISBN 0 747 55736 5.

Despite its disturbing contents, thisautobiographical account of a youngman’s battle with alcoholism, depres-sion and self-injury, is extremely easyto read. Short paragraphs and basicterminology lead the reader through a10-year period in the author’s life,which is punctuated with descriptionsof life made hazy with vodka andgrapefruit juice, double vodka pernodsand bottles of brandy.

The book opens with Johnstone as a14-year-old experiencing drunkennessfor the first time, and leads through hislife at university with descriptions ofchaotic broken relationships and frigh-tening physical ailments. Johnstone des-cribes vividly his compulsion to drink inorder to feel ‘normal’, in addition to hishorrific withdrawal symptoms, depres-sion and self-harm. Johnstone followsthe Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step pro-gramme in his search for sobriety, andhints at his belief in the addictivepersonality theory. However, the bookdoes not give the reader much back-ground to the AA model or relatedaddictions theories.

Whilst far from being an academicbook, this book is compelling andthought-provoking whilst providing auseful insight into the vicious circle ofalcoholism and depression.

Claire MarshallHull and East Riding CommunityHealth NHS Trust, UK

On Death, Dying and Not Dyingby Peter Houghton.Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London,176 pages, £9Æ95, ISBN 1 843 10020 7.

This book addresses the experience ofthe author whilst ill, and expecting todie in the near future. He was given adiagnosis of cardiomyopathy, and apoor prognosis, in terms of the periodof survival. The various concepts of

death are discussed and the author’sexperience as a counsellor is addressed.This has been related to his work withthose who were ill and comparisons aremade between the feelings of his clientsand his own feelings at different stagesof illness. This is followed by a discus-sion regarding the meaning of life, andthe relevance of God and religion to lifeand death. The deterioration of theauthor’s body is discussed, a descrip-tion of the symptoms associated withthe illness is given and the authordescribes his emotional state and whathelped him in relation to facing immin-ent death. For example, he highlightsthe importance of apologizing to thosehe thought he had offended. He alsostresses the importance of thankingothers. This, he suggests, helps one ‘letgo’ of life.

Unexpectedly, the author is offered‘new’ cardiac surgery. This involves theimplantation of a pump, which takes overthe function of the left ventricle of theheart. This gives him a sense of hope,although the surgery is new, and there islittle evidence regarding the outcome; heappreciates he is a ‘guinea pig’. Hedescribes feelings of depersonalizationwhilst hospitalized, and today, still refersto the hospital as ‘Colditz’. Being an‘exhibit’, initially, made the author feeluseful. As time moved on, the authorresented the intrusion on his privacy. Theheart pump, did, however, prove to besuccessful. Oedema was dramaticallyreduced and the author lost 25 kilos inweight as a result of the excretion ofexcess body fluids. The differencesbetween curative and palliative care areexplained and euthanasia is briefly dis-cussed. The text provides insight into theneeds of those who are ill and those whoare dying. It also provides insight into theneeds of informal carers. In conclusion,this book provides invaluable informa-tion for those in contact with the ill ordying.

Breige DevlinMarie Curie Centre, Belfast, UK

Communicating with Dying People andtheir Relativesby Jean Lugton.Radcliffe Medical Press, Oxford, 2002,184 pages, £19Æ95, ISBN 1 857 75584 7.

‘Our Dad’s dying. What do we do?’ Aquestion asked me the very day I startedthis review! Simply saying: ‘Read thisbook!’ (clear and highly readable as it is)is not the answer, but its contents wouldbe extremely helpful to them and theirdad, as they are to me.

Lugton’s latest book examines theemotional challenges encountered bydying people, their relatives, friendsand professional carers. Combining sen-sible practical advice with sound theor-etical principles, it is rooted in extensiveresearch and personal experience, and itoffers valuable ways to improve com-munication skills essential to meetingthese challenges. Fostering good rela-tionships between all the personsinvolved allows realistic hope to flour-ish, not least for the dying person.

A strength of the book is that it recog-nizes that the ‘professionals’ need supporttoo.Thequestionsat theendofeachchap-ter are part of this support, so, even if dis-turbing, they should not be passed over.

Whilst the two pages dedicated tocommunicating spiritual needs are com-mendable, I would have appreciated alittle more on the role of clergy. Anotherlack is that although ways to supportchildren facing bereavement areexplored, almost nothing is said aboutcaring for dying children.

This is certainlyavaluablebookfor thosewho work in palliative care, and indeed forall health professionals. However, there isscope for even deeper reflection on thequestion at the heart of communicatingwith dying people and their relatives: whatis the meaning of death?

Reverend John O’LearyParish Priest, Holy Ghost andSt Stephen’s Parish, Shepherd’s Bush,London, UK and Lecturer inPhilosophy, Allen Hall Seminary,Chelsea, London, UK

416 � 2003 Blackwell Publishing Ltd