The Life and Times of a Death Dodger: Featuring the 8½ Lives of Nicholas Evans

by Nick Evans

How many times can one man cheat death before it finally catches up with him?

In The Life and Times of a Death Dodger, Nick Evans reckons the tally stands at eight and a half - and counting.

With wit, warmth and a gloriously self-deprecating eye, Nick recounts a life punctuated by near-fatal illnesses, reckless adventures, catastrophic decisions, medical miracles and sheer, dumb luck. From childhood tuberculosis to disastrous DIY, from youthful bravado and dangerous escapades to brushes with mental collapse, natural disaster and lurking killers within his own body, Death has stalked him closely - and repeatedly missed.

This is not a tale of grim survival, but a joyfully human memoir packed with sharp observations, dark humour, vivid period detail and affectionate portraits of family, friends, doctors, teachers and long-suffering partners. Along the way, Nick reflects on post-war Britain, education, marriage, risk-taking, “blagging,” the NHS, and the strange business of growing older when you were never entirely sure you’d live this long.

By turns laugh-out-loud funny, shocking, poignant and unexpectedly life-affirming, The Life and Times of a Death Dodger is a celebration of resilience, survival and the absurdity of being alive - written by a man who really shouldn’t be here to tell the tale, but very much is.

Eight and a half lives lived. One voice worth listening to.

241 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 17, 2026

About the author

I'm Nick Evans - but you knew that already. I write mostly technical or business focussed books, but I recently wrote a memoir entitled "A Glass Darkly" about my childhood, loss and being left alone.

I first ventured into the world of fiction with my first Teen/Young Adult novel called Xalata Orbit and Melody Fret - The Hammer of Asttar.

That was great fun to write and I've recently published the next one which is called Xalata Orbit and Melody Fret - The Simulant Swarm

I live in Poole in the UK, which is a great place to be. I'm married to Gabrielle Hadley, with whom I part own a marketing company, called Extramile Digital Ltd.

I have two children of my own ... children? They're in their forties! And they have their own kids too.

Thanks for reading. You can find my author page on Amazon right here: http://www.amazon.com/author/nick_evans

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

From childhood illness, through adolescence and adulthood, there has been one constant in Nick's life. The spectre of Death, waiting to claim his soul. Some of this is down to sheer bad luck, other times, not so much. This is a humorous and well-written account of the author's life, loves and the aforementioned scythe holder. A totally entertaining and not at all ghoulish tale of the author's life. Definitely recommended.

[Tammy Horvath · Rating 5 out of 5]

My passion for cycling takes me across various terrains, from serene woodland paths and forest trails to the exhilarating challenge of road cycling with traffic, and the fastest I’ve ever reached is in the low twenties. I was utterly engrossed the moment Nick Evans began recounting a cycling experience, but I won’t spoil the story. His many brushes with death in these stories were incredible, leading me to speculate that he possessed the nine lives of a cat. This book truly captivated me, and I relished reading it because Nick possesses a remarkable talent for vividly recounting his adventures.

[Ronald Mackay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick Evans tells how, from his earliest years, he defied the natural wisdom that most “staid” people follow so as to live safe and successful, if mundane, lives -- by obeying parents, using our common sense, taking responsibility, working hard, and pursuing traditional goals. Instead, from childhood, Nick shrewdly cut corners, took risks – but, amazingly, survived!

So, if it’s true that we each have a guardian angel, “The Life and Times of a Death Dodger: Featuring the 8½ Lives of Nicholas Evans” is a testament to how Nick’s personal guardian angel has kept him bright, breathing, and alive but sometimes breathless, through some of the most risky encounters, adventures and imprudent undertakings you can imagine – and some most “staid” folks like us don’t even dare to imagine for ourselves.