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The Prison Doctor #1
Kalėjimo gydytoja
Laikas, kurį daktarė Amanda Brown praleido žinomuose Didžiosios Britanijos kalėjimuose. Tai tikra, autentiška, labai nuoširdi istorija ir perkamiausia The Sunday Times autobiografija.
Šie siaubą keliantys, širdį veriantys ir stebinantys pasakojimai, pacientai ir negalavimų atvejai atspindi jos darbą kalėjime.
Smurtas. Narkotikai. Savižudybės. Sveiki atvykę į „Kalėjimo gydytojos" pasaulį.
Šie siaubą keliantys, širdį veriantys ir stebinantys pasakojimai, pacientai ir negalavimų atvejai atspindi jos darbą kalėjime.
Smurtas. Narkotikai. Savižudybės. Sveiki atvykę į „Kalėjimo gydytojos" pasaulį.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 13, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,825 reviews
July 13, 2019
Sucked in by the hype, I bought the book. The writing is pedestrian, the stories mundane. Despite the advance publicity there is nothing eye-opening or extraordinary about the stories related - attempted suicides, getting into trouble for having chewing gum in her purse, young boys pretending they have VD so they can show her their willies.
The last quarter of the book where she a prison doctor in Bronzefield, a women's prison, is much better. The author feels that the men did not relate or open up to her in the same way the women do. That may be so, but the men's crimes were often true crimes, related to anger or greed, whether or not they had an abusive background which is the usual 'reason' although the overwhelming majority of people who grew up that way, me included, don't turn to crime.
The women, or at least the stories of those she relates, were almost all to do with drugs and the drugs were to still ever-present pain from extreme physical abuse, such as a three-day rape and beating resulting in having part of the skull removed and having to learn to walk and talk again, or being homeless because of previous prison visits and needing to "join" the crack community in order to find a place to sleep. The crimes of selling drugs and stealing to get drugs are not in the same order as violence, rape, murder, and burglary. Note: in the US a lot of women are in prison for prostitution. It isn't illegal in the UK).
One story really struck home. It was a young woman, a primary school teacher raised in a well-off home who had married a Mafia man and been convicted of handling firearms and supplying drugs. She had got the best part of two decades as a sentence. Why it struck home was that I used to have a friend who was a school librarian and raised in a very wealthy family in Boston. She took up with a man, a drug dealer, who created mayhem in many islands of the Caribbean, she has a child by him, and stored his guns, shotguns and semi-automatics under their bed in the house she had built. He went on the run and was on America's Most Wanted list until they caught him.
What happened to her? Everyone knew what she had done, she blabbed about it to just about anyone who would listen. Nothing. What did she do next? Had two children by a violent, abusive, semi-illiterate man who rented out deckchairs on the beach and lived off her money. Eventually she went home to her parents' private estate in Boston. But it could have been different for her, or for the teacher.
Apart from the last quarter, I would have rated the book at 2 stars, a slightly less than average read. Not demanding, neither badly nor well written, nothing interesting, nothing to learn and an author who described herself as having two great sons, a supportive husband and a nice home life, nothing there of interest either.
I believe this is because the author probably had a very interesting life and was urged by all her friends and family to write a book. She's a clever woman, she could write one but without a natural talent or an editor with more than average ability, it wasn't elevated into a really good read. Because of the chapters on women in prison it gets an extra star, so 3 stars.
Notes on reading
What does it say about the nature of men's and women's criminal natures when the biggest male prison in the UK holds over 1800 men but the biggest female prison in the whole of Europe holds only 597 women? The total number of prison inmates in 2018 in the UK was 79,749 men and 3,869 women, which is 0.13% of the population. In the US, with a total number of inmates for the same year of 2.2 million, the rate is 0.67%, the highest in the world.
The saddest of all statistics is that in both the UK and US, 5 times as many Black people are in prison as Whites. If you are a racist suffering from confirmation bias, then you will add that statistic to your 'proof' of the superiority of the White race. If you are not a racist and know that character and personality are independent of skin colour, you might wonder why our Governments and justice systems are so racist and why we aren't looking more carefully at how the police are obviously targetting their arrests for similar crimes by race (whatever they protest) and how judges are sentencing races differently for the same crimes and why they can all get away with it? And why when it comes to elections, even when Black men are involved, no one brings this up as an absolutely major issue to be dealt with and then does so?
The last quarter of the book where she a prison doctor in Bronzefield, a women's prison, is much better. The author feels that the men did not relate or open up to her in the same way the women do. That may be so, but the men's crimes were often true crimes, related to anger or greed, whether or not they had an abusive background which is the usual 'reason' although the overwhelming majority of people who grew up that way, me included, don't turn to crime.
The women, or at least the stories of those she relates, were almost all to do with drugs and the drugs were to still ever-present pain from extreme physical abuse, such as a three-day rape and beating resulting in having part of the skull removed and having to learn to walk and talk again, or being homeless because of previous prison visits and needing to "join" the crack community in order to find a place to sleep. The crimes of selling drugs and stealing to get drugs are not in the same order as violence, rape, murder, and burglary. Note: in the US a lot of women are in prison for prostitution. It isn't illegal in the UK).
One story really struck home. It was a young woman, a primary school teacher raised in a well-off home who had married a Mafia man and been convicted of handling firearms and supplying drugs. She had got the best part of two decades as a sentence. Why it struck home was that I used to have a friend who was a school librarian and raised in a very wealthy family in Boston. She took up with a man, a drug dealer, who created mayhem in many islands of the Caribbean, she has a child by him, and stored his guns, shotguns and semi-automatics under their bed in the house she had built. He went on the run and was on America's Most Wanted list until they caught him.
What happened to her? Everyone knew what she had done, she blabbed about it to just about anyone who would listen. Nothing. What did she do next? Had two children by a violent, abusive, semi-illiterate man who rented out deckchairs on the beach and lived off her money. Eventually she went home to her parents' private estate in Boston. But it could have been different for her, or for the teacher.
Apart from the last quarter, I would have rated the book at 2 stars, a slightly less than average read. Not demanding, neither badly nor well written, nothing interesting, nothing to learn and an author who described herself as having two great sons, a supportive husband and a nice home life, nothing there of interest either.
I believe this is because the author probably had a very interesting life and was urged by all her friends and family to write a book. She's a clever woman, she could write one but without a natural talent or an editor with more than average ability, it wasn't elevated into a really good read. Because of the chapters on women in prison it gets an extra star, so 3 stars.
Notes on reading
What does it say about the nature of men's and women's criminal natures when the biggest male prison in the UK holds over 1800 men but the biggest female prison in the whole of Europe holds only 597 women? The total number of prison inmates in 2018 in the UK was 79,749 men and 3,869 women, which is 0.13% of the population. In the US, with a total number of inmates for the same year of 2.2 million, the rate is 0.67%, the highest in the world.
The saddest of all statistics is that in both the UK and US, 5 times as many Black people are in prison as Whites. If you are a racist suffering from confirmation bias, then you will add that statistic to your 'proof' of the superiority of the White race. If you are not a racist and know that character and personality are independent of skin colour, you might wonder why our Governments and justice systems are so racist and why we aren't looking more carefully at how the police are obviously targetting their arrests for similar crimes by race (whatever they protest) and how judges are sentencing races differently for the same crimes and why they can all get away with it? And why when it comes to elections, even when Black men are involved, no one brings this up as an absolutely major issue to be dealt with and then does so?
March 10, 2023
Summary
This book depicts the patients lives that Dr. Amanda Brown had to encounter inside the walls of Bronzefield, the UK’s biggest women’s prison.
Some important topics discussed in this book
Homelessness and drug abuse
Almost without fail, the prisoners tell the same story that if they are homeless on release, they will be back doing drugs again to enable them to cope and block the horror of their reality. Sometimes they say they try and get a shelter in the crack house. But, entry to the crack house requires drugs. Continued drug use usually leads to chaotic lives, often a further crime, with the risk of repeated imprisonments and can also have devastating effects on their physical and mental health. Injecting drugs can result in deep painful skin ulcerations, gangrenes, amputations, sepsis, DVT, Pulmonary embolism, HIV, Hepatitis B, and C, which, if untreated, leads to cirrhosis and liver failure. Many women also suffer from heart diseases due to drug use. Many are malnourished, underweight, and have no teeth left.
She also had described many relevant topics like Narcississtic controlling relationships, bullying, kleptomania, crime and family life, future of children of prison inmates, mental trauma that prison inmates have to face, and many other important topics pertaining to the life of other prisoners.
Most heart touching lines from this book
“As a young teen, she started bunking off school, drinking, and taking drugs with some of the kids. Then she met a bloke who was fifteen years older than her, and he got her into Heroin. Looking back, that was the beginning of the end of her life.” All the teenagers must definitely read these prisoners life experiences, especially due to drug abuse discussed in this book. It will be almost impossible to start taking recreational drugs if the above memoir is ingrained in their brain, especially when they are young.
Verdict
4/5 This is a touching memoir that can decrease the amount of crime and drug abuse and positively alter the lives of many people in our society.
This book depicts the patients lives that Dr. Amanda Brown had to encounter inside the walls of Bronzefield, the UK’s biggest women’s prison.
Some important topics discussed in this book
Homelessness and drug abuse
Almost without fail, the prisoners tell the same story that if they are homeless on release, they will be back doing drugs again to enable them to cope and block the horror of their reality. Sometimes they say they try and get a shelter in the crack house. But, entry to the crack house requires drugs. Continued drug use usually leads to chaotic lives, often a further crime, with the risk of repeated imprisonments and can also have devastating effects on their physical and mental health. Injecting drugs can result in deep painful skin ulcerations, gangrenes, amputations, sepsis, DVT, Pulmonary embolism, HIV, Hepatitis B, and C, which, if untreated, leads to cirrhosis and liver failure. Many women also suffer from heart diseases due to drug use. Many are malnourished, underweight, and have no teeth left.
She also had described many relevant topics like Narcississtic controlling relationships, bullying, kleptomania, crime and family life, future of children of prison inmates, mental trauma that prison inmates have to face, and many other important topics pertaining to the life of other prisoners.
Most heart touching lines from this book
“As a young teen, she started bunking off school, drinking, and taking drugs with some of the kids. Then she met a bloke who was fifteen years older than her, and he got her into Heroin. Looking back, that was the beginning of the end of her life.” All the teenagers must definitely read these prisoners life experiences, especially due to drug abuse discussed in this book. It will be almost impossible to start taking recreational drugs if the above memoir is ingrained in their brain, especially when they are young.
Verdict
4/5 This is a touching memoir that can decrease the amount of crime and drug abuse and positively alter the lives of many people in our society.
January 16, 2023
March 2022 is Debbie's Memoirs & Biographies Month!
Why I chose to read this book:
I clicked WTR when I saw it on Goodreads a couple of years ago, and I was fortunate to find it at my local hospital's secondhand bookshop.
Positives:
1. Dr. Brown shares some interesting anecdotes about various prisoners in her care;
2. I was awed by some of the emergencies that occur in prison; and,
3. I learned that most female prisoners are actually victims of physical and/or sexual abuse, which in turn can lead them to a life of crime involving theft and substance abuse. The remembrances about these women were especially heartbreaking.
Niggles:
1. although some "characters" are given nicknames, Dr. Brown refers to several colleagues and inmates by name, but are they the actual names or pseudonyms? No mention is made re: confidentiality;
2. some minor spelling and punctuation errors occur; and,
3. the premise of this book sounds inviting; however, the overall writing style is simplistic and underwhelming. Perhaps it would have been more fascinating if this author studied the craft of writing in greater detail.
Some messages that I took away from this book:
"All that really matters is feeling loved and secure" and
"Never take freedom for granted."
Why I chose to read this book:
I clicked WTR when I saw it on Goodreads a couple of years ago, and I was fortunate to find it at my local hospital's secondhand bookshop.
Positives:
1. Dr. Brown shares some interesting anecdotes about various prisoners in her care;
2. I was awed by some of the emergencies that occur in prison; and,
3. I learned that most female prisoners are actually victims of physical and/or sexual abuse, which in turn can lead them to a life of crime involving theft and substance abuse. The remembrances about these women were especially heartbreaking.
Niggles:
1. although some "characters" are given nicknames, Dr. Brown refers to several colleagues and inmates by name, but are they the actual names or pseudonyms? No mention is made re: confidentiality;
2. some minor spelling and punctuation errors occur; and,
3. the premise of this book sounds inviting; however, the overall writing style is simplistic and underwhelming. Perhaps it would have been more fascinating if this author studied the craft of writing in greater detail.
Some messages that I took away from this book:
"All that really matters is feeling loved and secure" and
"Never take freedom for granted."
July 7, 2019
The writer is extremely irritating throughout the whole book. She loves to shout about how much she cares for her patients and how they all "entirely depend on her to survive". It's very poorly written and so full of cliches. Not worth the money at all
August 3, 2019
The whole book felt like it was blowing smoke up her own butt; it felt like she was constantly telling us how all these prisoners love me. The story about her confronting the prisoner who shouted mean comments at her when leaving the prison which lead to the prisoner saying "oh. I'm sorry doc, i didn't realise it was you. I just do it to pass the time" felt like her telling us yet again how the prisoners loved her and would never knowingly disrespect her like that. Especially since she had just told us, other people had things thrown at them from windows when leaving, but never me.
Also i didn't like how she looked down on others like the Drs that still worked as GPs were shallow and their jobs weren't as important as hers. I would have like more detail on the political aspects of the prison system (how overcrowding, lack of funding, understaffing and the stigma of incarceration and how that affect her job) it was all a bit superficial in that aspect.
She came across as arrogant and self centred but also a bit lick ass-y when talking about some people.
Not for me which is a shame because i love books like these. I'd recommend "The Language of Kindness" which also provides historical context and the pressures modern nurses are facing today. Or "This is going to Hurt" which is a funny and yet true account of a Drs journey through training.
Also i didn't like how she looked down on others like the Drs that still worked as GPs were shallow and their jobs weren't as important as hers. I would have like more detail on the political aspects of the prison system (how overcrowding, lack of funding, understaffing and the stigma of incarceration and how that affect her job) it was all a bit superficial in that aspect.
She came across as arrogant and self centred but also a bit lick ass-y when talking about some people.
Not for me which is a shame because i love books like these. I'd recommend "The Language of Kindness" which also provides historical context and the pressures modern nurses are facing today. Or "This is going to Hurt" which is a funny and yet true account of a Drs journey through training.
September 4, 2019
One middle-class do-gooder steps outside of her usual orbit and ego trips for 200 pages as a result. Will never understand the 5-star reviews.
July 21, 2019
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve never really thought about healthcare in prisons. For someone like myself, with a pretty privileged background, I’ve never really needed to think about it. The Prison Doctor has opened my eyes to some of the tasks medical professionals undertake in such an environment, and some of the struggles they encounter in order to try and help their patients.
One of the main feelings I got while reading this was the large amount of compassion Dr Amanda Brown has for her patients, and the sometimes truly awful situations that have led to them being in prison. We follow Brown as she leaves her job as a community GP to working in a young offender’s institute, then a men’s prison and finally a women’s prison. Every job is varied, fast paced and harrowing, but it’s her time within the women’s prison that stands out the most. These women she treats are often so institutionalised that they feel safer within the prison walls, constantly reoffending to remain inside because it’s better than a life spent on the streets, wrapped up in prostitution or domestic abuse. There’s one particular woman who’s so ashamed of an ulcer on her leg because of the smell that she wraps it in sanitary towels rather than go to the doctor for help. She’s become so use to thinking that she’s worthless that she doesn’t see herself as worthy of help. That made me so sad to think that really, a lot of these women just need someone to talk to. And that’s what Dr Brown does. She listens, never judges, as her eyes are opened to this new world.
The writing is good too. It’s a quick read, structured and emotional without getting too bogged down in facts or opinions. Dr Brown lets the stories and the people speak for themselves, and I think it’s this simplicity that makes it work so well. It’s certainly brought to my attention a forgotten route in healthcare, and might make me think twice about all those missed appointments we get at work from prisoners who fail to turn up for their MRI scans in the future. The level of responsibility is seriously high too - often Dr Brown has to fight to get her patients admitted to hospital when the prison guards are severely understaffed, or is often the first on scene to a suicide attempt, up to her elbows in blood. It’s high risk, high adrenaline stuff.
Fascinating read, that’s made me think above and beyond my own career.
I’ve never really thought about healthcare in prisons. For someone like myself, with a pretty privileged background, I’ve never really needed to think about it. The Prison Doctor has opened my eyes to some of the tasks medical professionals undertake in such an environment, and some of the struggles they encounter in order to try and help their patients.
One of the main feelings I got while reading this was the large amount of compassion Dr Amanda Brown has for her patients, and the sometimes truly awful situations that have led to them being in prison. We follow Brown as she leaves her job as a community GP to working in a young offender’s institute, then a men’s prison and finally a women’s prison. Every job is varied, fast paced and harrowing, but it’s her time within the women’s prison that stands out the most. These women she treats are often so institutionalised that they feel safer within the prison walls, constantly reoffending to remain inside because it’s better than a life spent on the streets, wrapped up in prostitution or domestic abuse. There’s one particular woman who’s so ashamed of an ulcer on her leg because of the smell that she wraps it in sanitary towels rather than go to the doctor for help. She’s become so use to thinking that she’s worthless that she doesn’t see herself as worthy of help. That made me so sad to think that really, a lot of these women just need someone to talk to. And that’s what Dr Brown does. She listens, never judges, as her eyes are opened to this new world.
The writing is good too. It’s a quick read, structured and emotional without getting too bogged down in facts or opinions. Dr Brown lets the stories and the people speak for themselves, and I think it’s this simplicity that makes it work so well. It’s certainly brought to my attention a forgotten route in healthcare, and might make me think twice about all those missed appointments we get at work from prisoners who fail to turn up for their MRI scans in the future. The level of responsibility is seriously high too - often Dr Brown has to fight to get her patients admitted to hospital when the prison guards are severely understaffed, or is often the first on scene to a suicide attempt, up to her elbows in blood. It’s high risk, high adrenaline stuff.
Fascinating read, that’s made me think above and beyond my own career.
January 30, 2020
This book was such a valuable insight from start to finish. I wish I hadn't left it sitting on my shelf so long, as this book was just what the doctor ordered. Doctor Amanda Brown trained to be a doctor, and she worked in her own GP surgery, that she helped develop over the years she was there. When the Government announced that there was going to be some major changes made, instead of accepting that, she took a giant leap of faith, and left to join the prison service, where over the years, she worked at four or five different prisons, coming into close contact with many inmates, from different walks of life.
I didn't expect to love this as much as I did, but I've always had an interest in prisons, which began I'd left school. I had a strong desire to become a social worker, and would be based working in a prison, enabling me to work with the other prison staff, and the prisoners themselves. This never happened because life happened and things change, but I always ponder about the what if?
Dr Amanda Brown is an amazing, compassionate person, and to see and deal with devastating events that often occur on a daily basis, you have to have a strong will, mainly so you can sleep at night. This is a well written memoir, and I was rather disappointed once I'd finished it.
I didn't expect to love this as much as I did, but I've always had an interest in prisons, which began I'd left school. I had a strong desire to become a social worker, and would be based working in a prison, enabling me to work with the other prison staff, and the prisoners themselves. This never happened because life happened and things change, but I always ponder about the what if?
Dr Amanda Brown is an amazing, compassionate person, and to see and deal with devastating events that often occur on a daily basis, you have to have a strong will, mainly so you can sleep at night. This is a well written memoir, and I was rather disappointed once I'd finished it.
August 9, 2019
I thought this book was painful to read. It seemed so amateur. The writer described every single thing and it was so draining. For example 'I took a hot cup of tea and sat down at our chunky wooden table'. Almost every other word was unnecessary and just so child like. The more I think about it the more I disliked the book. I can't even begin to comment on the stories in there because they were surrounded by and contained so much fluff
January 6, 2020
I thought this book was really good and very interesting in how doctors in the prison system work. It was a very easy read and I flew through the pages. It was very enjoyable and I hope Amanda writes another book because I really want to know more. It was a great read.
July 26, 2020
2.5
I really, really thought that I was going to love this book but the majority of this book really, really irritated me. The classism, prejudice, and not-so-great approach to mental health appalled me. I am extremely grateful for health workers and they deserve to feel proud of their work - but not at the expense of their vulnerable patients.
The author continuously pats herself on the back for not completely ignoring her patients' mental health issues, repeatedly reminding the reader that there is a psychiatrist at the hospital - as if this is not also a part of her job, as if she doesn't have a duty of care to the patients, as if mental illnesses aren't as damaging as physical illnesses and as deserving of her care.
At one point she sees that someone is dressed neatly and has a tidy cell and immediately decides that they have OCD - 'I would refer him to the Mental Health Team to help manage his OCD' - not even referring him to be assessed, just making assumption based on very little - in my opinion this, combined with many other instances, is stigma dressed up as advocacy/sympathy. She also says that she understood because she likes to keep her hands clean due to her job - if she truly believed that he had OCD then this makes it worse because she clearly does not understand what OCD is and the extent of the disorder. I am not saying that everything she said about mental health was wrong - at least she was sympathetic, but compassion is not enough when you are in a position of care.
At one point she made it clear that she preferred an inmate because he could write (note, she didn't know any of their crimes so it isn't the case of preferring him to a more violent etc. criminal). This is just wrong and elitist and I hate it so much.
I also feel like she really threw her colleagues under the bus by making it seem as if she was the only one who cared about the inmates and that she was the only member of staff that the inmates appreciated. A lot of the dialogue was poorly written as well, not resembling real speech at all, which makes me think that a lot of the praise given to her by the inmates was exaggerated, although this is obviously just speculation.
Thankfully, the last book improved with the final 80 pages (when she moved to the women's prison) and if the entire book had been like that (a lot less problematic), I would have given this a much higher rating.
The fact that she wrote a book which so clearly demonstrated her biases regarding mental illnesses just shows how unaware she is of her lack of understanding. I just hope that doctors are making progress with understanding and treating mental illnesses.
I really, really thought that I was going to love this book but the majority of this book really, really irritated me. The classism, prejudice, and not-so-great approach to mental health appalled me. I am extremely grateful for health workers and they deserve to feel proud of their work - but not at the expense of their vulnerable patients.
The author continuously pats herself on the back for not completely ignoring her patients' mental health issues, repeatedly reminding the reader that there is a psychiatrist at the hospital - as if this is not also a part of her job, as if she doesn't have a duty of care to the patients, as if mental illnesses aren't as damaging as physical illnesses and as deserving of her care.
At one point she sees that someone is dressed neatly and has a tidy cell and immediately decides that they have OCD - 'I would refer him to the Mental Health Team to help manage his OCD' - not even referring him to be assessed, just making assumption based on very little - in my opinion this, combined with many other instances, is stigma dressed up as advocacy/sympathy. She also says that she understood because she likes to keep her hands clean due to her job - if she truly believed that he had OCD then this makes it worse because she clearly does not understand what OCD is and the extent of the disorder. I am not saying that everything she said about mental health was wrong - at least she was sympathetic, but compassion is not enough when you are in a position of care.
At one point she made it clear that she preferred an inmate because he could write (note, she didn't know any of their crimes so it isn't the case of preferring him to a more violent etc. criminal). This is just wrong and elitist and I hate it so much.
I also feel like she really threw her colleagues under the bus by making it seem as if she was the only one who cared about the inmates and that she was the only member of staff that the inmates appreciated. A lot of the dialogue was poorly written as well, not resembling real speech at all, which makes me think that a lot of the praise given to her by the inmates was exaggerated, although this is obviously just speculation.
Thankfully, the last book improved with the final 80 pages (when she moved to the women's prison) and if the entire book had been like that (a lot less problematic), I would have given this a much higher rating.
The fact that she wrote a book which so clearly demonstrated her biases regarding mental illnesses just shows how unaware she is of her lack of understanding. I just hope that doctors are making progress with understanding and treating mental illnesses.
August 2, 2019
This medical memoir was eye-opening, gripping and at times, very hard-hitting to read. Following Amanda's experiences of working as a doctor first in a GP Surgery, then a Male Youth Offenders Unit, a male prison and finally a women's prison over many years, she sees first-hand incidents that occur within the prison walls and learns more about most of their backgrounds. There are triggers in this for self-harm, suicide and blood. However, I can't recommend this book highly enough. The stories of the inmates were a mixture of joy and sadness, real sadness that made me feel a little teary towards the end.
January 20, 2020
Often dull and has an overwhelming feeling of fabrication throughout, this is a forgettable memoir of unremarkable stories.
August 23, 2019
My paperback review is on my website. www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
An horrifying, heartbreaking and eye-opening stories of patients and the cases.
Dr Amanda Brown had worked in HMP Bronzefield, that was the largest female prison in Europe. Home to seventeen out of the twenty most dangerous women in the UK. Some of the high profile murderers have been locked up there. Serial killer Joanna Dennehy, Becky Watt’s killer Shauna Hoare, Mairead Philpott, who helped start a fire that killed six of her children and Rosemary West. Dr Amanda Brown was called to a cell with a woman having a baby. She also has worked at HMP Huntercombe where juveniles at the age 15-18 year-old are behind bars. From 2009 -2016 Dr Amanda Brown worked at the scrubs. A Code Blue was called the most serious and often life-threatening emergencies, that Dr Amanda Brown talks about. I have great admiration for Dr Amanda Brown at 64 she doesn’t pla to stop working , she plans only to stop working when she stops enjoying it.
An horrifying, heartbreaking and eye-opening stories of patients and the cases.
Dr Amanda Brown had worked in HMP Bronzefield, that was the largest female prison in Europe. Home to seventeen out of the twenty most dangerous women in the UK. Some of the high profile murderers have been locked up there. Serial killer Joanna Dennehy, Becky Watt’s killer Shauna Hoare, Mairead Philpott, who helped start a fire that killed six of her children and Rosemary West. Dr Amanda Brown was called to a cell with a woman having a baby. She also has worked at HMP Huntercombe where juveniles at the age 15-18 year-old are behind bars. From 2009 -2016 Dr Amanda Brown worked at the scrubs. A Code Blue was called the most serious and often life-threatening emergencies, that Dr Amanda Brown talks about. I have great admiration for Dr Amanda Brown at 64 she doesn’t pla to stop working , she plans only to stop working when she stops enjoying it.
August 29, 2019
This is a quick read and only took me a couple of hours to get through. It is an interesting and eye-opening look at prisons and the chapters from the Women’s prison were heartbreaking. However, I found the book focused a lot on how amazing Dr Brown is.
This book was definitely used to aid her ego. I also felt that a lot of it was your typical rich person thinks they're better than everyone once they spend time/help someone who doesn’t have any money. I wanted to read more about the prisoners/patients and the interesting cases. The medicine was talked about so quickly that it seemed to be more about Amanda as a person than the work she does. The last few chapters were definitely the best and I just wished the whole book was like that.
I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This book was definitely used to aid her ego. I also felt that a lot of it was your typical rich person thinks they're better than everyone once they spend time/help someone who doesn’t have any money. I wanted to read more about the prisoners/patients and the interesting cases. The medicine was talked about so quickly that it seemed to be more about Amanda as a person than the work she does. The last few chapters were definitely the best and I just wished the whole book was like that.
I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
December 17, 2020
Knygos, susijusios su medicina yra mano silpnybė. Nes tai mano gyvenimas, kasdienybė. Taigi ši knyga buvo tikras desertas ir atgaiva.
Amanda yra bendrosios praktikos gydytoja, kuri po daugiau nei dvidešimties metų praktikos perėjo dirbti į paauglių kalėjimą. Tai jos atsiminimai apie jos darbą trijuose Anglijos kalėjimuose: paauglių, vyrų ir moterų. Prisiminimuose atsispindėjo gydytojos asmenybės augimas, jos požiūris į darbą ir darbo kalėjimuose specifika. Ji pasakojo kalinių istorijas, kurios tiesiog pribloškia.
Mane tiesiog sužavėjo ne gydytojos medicininės žinios, o žmogiškumas. Pasakodama visas istorijas ji niekad nesmerkė, gerbė kalinius kaip asmenybes, nepaisant kokius nusikaltimus jie padarė. Man pačiai tai labai artimos vertybės - gydyti ne tik kūną, bet ir atsižvelgti į paciento jausmus.
Nežinau, ar kaltas kalėdinis laikotarpis, bet iš šios knygos gavau tiek pozityvo. Mano pacientai taip pat nėra lengvi.Gydytoja Amanda įkvėpė nepamiršti, kad pacientas ne vien tik diagnozių sąrašas. Tai jautrus, pažeidžiamas žmogus, nors jo išorė sako ir ką kita.
Rekomenduoju visiems, kam nesvetimos medicininės temos. Ne, čia nebus to šiuolaikinio sarkazmo, bet bus pašaukimo, noro padėti jausmas.
Amanda yra bendrosios praktikos gydytoja, kuri po daugiau nei dvidešimties metų praktikos perėjo dirbti į paauglių kalėjimą. Tai jos atsiminimai apie jos darbą trijuose Anglijos kalėjimuose: paauglių, vyrų ir moterų. Prisiminimuose atsispindėjo gydytojos asmenybės augimas, jos požiūris į darbą ir darbo kalėjimuose specifika. Ji pasakojo kalinių istorijas, kurios tiesiog pribloškia.
Mane tiesiog sužavėjo ne gydytojos medicininės žinios, o žmogiškumas. Pasakodama visas istorijas ji niekad nesmerkė, gerbė kalinius kaip asmenybes, nepaisant kokius nusikaltimus jie padarė. Man pačiai tai labai artimos vertybės - gydyti ne tik kūną, bet ir atsižvelgti į paciento jausmus.
Nežinau, ar kaltas kalėdinis laikotarpis, bet iš šios knygos gavau tiek pozityvo. Mano pacientai taip pat nėra lengvi.Gydytoja Amanda įkvėpė nepamiršti, kad pacientas ne vien tik diagnozių sąrašas. Tai jautrus, pažeidžiamas žmogus, nors jo išorė sako ir ką kita.
Rekomenduoju visiems, kam nesvetimos medicininės temos. Ne, čia nebus to šiuolaikinio sarkazmo, bet bus pašaukimo, noro padėti jausmas.
August 7, 2019
This is a terrible account of prison life. The Dr spends the whole book talking about how amazing she is. The stories are sensationalised for readers and do not give an accurate representation of prison life at all. The fact that she justifies how her behaviour and attitudes towards prisoners was exemplary is shocking. She was highly unprofessional on several occasions. No mention of the difficulties staff face, or even prisoners unless it presented a way to big herself up. All prisoners were portrayed as unfortunate victims, that's obviously not the case. You might as well watch episodes of Bad Girls and Prisoner Cell Block H, avoid this book.
November 6, 2019
Informative, honest, harrowing and heart warming - well worth a read for fans of many genres.
September 27, 2019
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed... I picked this book up expecting to hear stories about what went on in the prison.. yes it has that here and there, but it is more so about the doctor’s feelings etc. I just felt as though the author was talking highly about herself too much and I lost interest.
August 23, 2024
Content warning: contains graphic references to self harm, suicide, and sexual, physical, and emotional abuse.
Many tragic stories told by an extremely compassionate doctor. A very difficult listen.
Many tragic stories told by an extremely compassionate doctor. A very difficult listen.
February 11, 2022
This book sheds light on so many issues that surround the prison system. These stories of women in prison are at times uplifting, sometimes harrowing. It’s inspiring to see the efforts of many people working for prisons, doing their utmost to help a large number of clearly vulnerable people whose difficult experiences have led them to commit crimes, and the issues they face trying to restart their lives following release. It’s good to know that some people has compassion and not judging the prisoners. What an insightful book.
March 5, 2020
This is Dr Amanda Brown’s story of her time working as a prison doctor. She’s seen it all from violent attacks from other prisoners to prisoners harming themselves. This book tells her story and the cases that have really had an impact.
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I’m a big fan of doctor memoirs. Which is funny because I’m a sook who hates needles and the sight of blood 🥴
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Though this one focuses more on the emotional side of things and the connections made in such a hostile environment, rather than actual medical procedures, which I loved. Doctors are the most amazing people on this planet and books like this are an eye opener into all that they do.
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This books is written so well too, it was such an easy, enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend to those wanting to add something a little different to their TBR👩🏽⚕️
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I’m a big fan of doctor memoirs. Which is funny because I’m a sook who hates needles and the sight of blood 🥴
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Though this one focuses more on the emotional side of things and the connections made in such a hostile environment, rather than actual medical procedures, which I loved. Doctors are the most amazing people on this planet and books like this are an eye opener into all that they do.
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This books is written so well too, it was such an easy, enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend to those wanting to add something a little different to their TBR👩🏽⚕️
January 26, 2022
4.75 ⭐
Doktor Amanda Brown w wieku pięćdziesięciu lat porzuca dobrze prosperującą pracę lekarza rodzinnego w klinice, którą sama postawiła i na skutek zawirowań losu (i wyrzucania złości w środku nocy) dostaje pracę w zakładzie dla nieletnich. Staje się lekarką więzienną.
Ostatnimi czasy z tego typu książkami mam ogromny problem, bo w pewnym momencie stają się nużące, a autorzy aż za bardzo próbują nam przemycić wiedze medyczną, przez co często się czuję, jakbym czytała podręcznik do medycyny, a nie faktycznie wspomnienia. Dlatego tym bardziej cieszę się, że Brown mi tego oszczędziła i w fascynujący sposób wspomina czasy pracy w więzieniach.
Robi w to sposób ujmujący, bo od samego początku, kiedy ona sama czuje się zagubiona i przerażona, że w tak dojrzałym wieku zaczyna wszystko od nowa, kiedy próbuje się odnaleźć w tym nowym świecie, aż do ostatniej części, kiedy już jako doświadczona pracownica zakładu... wszystko robi z emocjami. Czuć każdą, nie tylko jej, ale też osób, których losy splotły się z jej własnym. Mimo tak ciężkiego środowiska, kobieta pozostaje wierna sobie i swoim przekonaniu i przede wszystkim stara się pomóc - gestem, słowem, a nie tylko przepisuje leki i przeskakuje z jednego badanego do następnego. Przede wszystkim w więźniach wciąż widzi ludzi i jest ciekawa, kto kryje się za maskami, które nakładają każdego dnia.
Z czystym sumieniem stwierdzam, że to jedna z ciekawszych książek w temacie, z którymi miałam do czynienia w ostatnim czasie i cieszę się, że nasze drogi się skrzyżowały. Przy okazji dostajemy ciekawe spojrzenie na trzy zupełnie różne więzienia - dla młodych chłopców, dla mężczyzn i - według całego świata najgorsze - więzienie dla kobiet. W każdym z nich Brown zyskuje sobie przychylność zarówno współpracowników, jak i więźniów, dając im coś dużo ważniejszego, niż poradę lekarką. Jak sama mówi, czasami najlepsze, co możesz zrobić dla drugiej osoby, to pokazać, że istnieje ktoś, komu na tobie zależy
Doktor Amanda Brown w wieku pięćdziesięciu lat porzuca dobrze prosperującą pracę lekarza rodzinnego w klinice, którą sama postawiła i na skutek zawirowań losu (i wyrzucania złości w środku nocy) dostaje pracę w zakładzie dla nieletnich. Staje się lekarką więzienną.
Ostatnimi czasy z tego typu książkami mam ogromny problem, bo w pewnym momencie stają się nużące, a autorzy aż za bardzo próbują nam przemycić wiedze medyczną, przez co często się czuję, jakbym czytała podręcznik do medycyny, a nie faktycznie wspomnienia. Dlatego tym bardziej cieszę się, że Brown mi tego oszczędziła i w fascynujący sposób wspomina czasy pracy w więzieniach.
Robi w to sposób ujmujący, bo od samego początku, kiedy ona sama czuje się zagubiona i przerażona, że w tak dojrzałym wieku zaczyna wszystko od nowa, kiedy próbuje się odnaleźć w tym nowym świecie, aż do ostatniej części, kiedy już jako doświadczona pracownica zakładu... wszystko robi z emocjami. Czuć każdą, nie tylko jej, ale też osób, których losy splotły się z jej własnym. Mimo tak ciężkiego środowiska, kobieta pozostaje wierna sobie i swoim przekonaniu i przede wszystkim stara się pomóc - gestem, słowem, a nie tylko przepisuje leki i przeskakuje z jednego badanego do następnego. Przede wszystkim w więźniach wciąż widzi ludzi i jest ciekawa, kto kryje się za maskami, które nakładają każdego dnia.
Z czystym sumieniem stwierdzam, że to jedna z ciekawszych książek w temacie, z którymi miałam do czynienia w ostatnim czasie i cieszę się, że nasze drogi się skrzyżowały. Przy okazji dostajemy ciekawe spojrzenie na trzy zupełnie różne więzienia - dla młodych chłopców, dla mężczyzn i - według całego świata najgorsze - więzienie dla kobiet. W każdym z nich Brown zyskuje sobie przychylność zarówno współpracowników, jak i więźniów, dając im coś dużo ważniejszego, niż poradę lekarką. Jak sama mówi, czasami najlepsze, co możesz zrobić dla drugiej osoby, to pokazać, że istnieje ktoś, komu na tobie zależy
June 20, 2023
3 Stars
Trigger Warnings - Talk of crimes against children, Depression, Suicide, Illness, Mental Illness, Overdose, Drugs, Physical, Emotional and Sexual Abuse.
I was browsing BookBeat to find an audiobook to listen to while I was working and came across this. As a self proclaimed true crime girly I saw the concept of this and was just like *yes*.
I don't know why but I just think everything in this just felt like something that would happen and it wasn't really a shock whereas the main character seemed so naive in so many aspects and it just felt a bit like hmm. The fact that they didn't want to work in a womens prison for the longest period of time due to misconception but didn't want to judge the men she worked with in the prisons, like make it make sense?!
Some of the inmates we got to see and the interactions and issues were in fact very interesting and I felt a lot of empathy for them. Seeing that some people only went into prison so they'd have somewhere safe and warm to sleep and then the also effects of drugs and seeing the uprise of spice.
I think if you don't know a lot about jails/prisons this would be a super interesting read, however as it's something I like to think I know a lot about it just felt a bit repetitive in some parts. Like I said, some parts were very interesting and insightful but others felt a bit contradictory.
Trigger Warnings - Talk of crimes against children, Depression, Suicide, Illness, Mental Illness, Overdose, Drugs, Physical, Emotional and Sexual Abuse.
I was browsing BookBeat to find an audiobook to listen to while I was working and came across this. As a self proclaimed true crime girly I saw the concept of this and was just like *yes*.
I don't know why but I just think everything in this just felt like something that would happen and it wasn't really a shock whereas the main character seemed so naive in so many aspects and it just felt a bit like hmm. The fact that they didn't want to work in a womens prison for the longest period of time due to misconception but didn't want to judge the men she worked with in the prisons, like make it make sense?!
Some of the inmates we got to see and the interactions and issues were in fact very interesting and I felt a lot of empathy for them. Seeing that some people only went into prison so they'd have somewhere safe and warm to sleep and then the also effects of drugs and seeing the uprise of spice.
I think if you don't know a lot about jails/prisons this would be a super interesting read, however as it's something I like to think I know a lot about it just felt a bit repetitive in some parts. Like I said, some parts were very interesting and insightful but others felt a bit contradictory.
June 25, 2020
This was overall an interesting, if slightly bland read. The author has an easy writing style, but I felt that it really lacked in detail - she’s witnessed a lot of things in her time as a prison doctor, but I felt that she didn’t delve very deeply into the prisoners lives, crimes or even illnesses, instead filling the book with sometimes unrelated passages about her family and country walks. The third part of the book was the most interesting definitely, it had some of the detail missing that I was looking for in parts 1&2, but I struggled to immerse myself - most of the women had moving, horrific ordeals that had led to them being in prison, but the way that their stories were written didn’t give them a distinct voice from the author’s.
July 6, 2019
If it hadn’t been for book club, I think I would have stopped reading early on because the setting and descriptions felt contrived and superficial. Annoying editorial issues like apparent immediate publication of magazine article. I felt this book didn’t need the novelistic approach. The focus on interactions with prisoners in contrast felt honest and deep. So a mixed bag, enjoyed some very much and good accessible account of why prison does not work and often requires a public health rather than justice response. However not a patch on similar books in this genre like Adam Kay’s this is going to hurt. Undoubtedly an easy read, raced through it in a couple of hours.
October 20, 2019
A quick read in simple language but not a book I would give 5 stars!! Unfortunately it was more about the doctor and how wonderful she is, nothing about the politics of prisons in the UK. Interesting to see that so many re offend in Britain (over 80%) yet in Norway it's more like 14%. I don't live in Europe but the system looks broken in England. Many of the inmates seem to have addiction problems and are on a rolling door system. Should be more a medical problem than criminal in my mind. Have visited quite a few prisons and worked with prisons after being released in my county. The prisons the doctor describes sound horrendous to me
June 23, 2021
I don't really know what I expected from this, as part of me expected fun and excitement, but at the same time prison isn't fun and exciting, so I felt conflicted to start with. I felt like nothing overly exciting happened. That sounds awful to say, but I thought there would have been more drama. I mean I have seen more drama and shit happen in my jobs than Dr Brown, so I was a bit disappointed, again, this sounds awful, I just expected more blood and guts and gore, so to a point I'm glad there wasn't. I maybe waffling and fluffing this up now.
However, parts where interesting and parts weren't. I am just not sure how I feel about this read. Give it a go?
However, parts where interesting and parts weren't. I am just not sure how I feel about this read. Give it a go?
March 28, 2022
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
This was such an interesting read that was thankfully not too heavy, graphic nor depressing. I found it a quick read and I was really curious about Brown’s tales of being a doctor for offenders.
This was such an interesting read that was thankfully not too heavy, graphic nor depressing. I found it a quick read and I was really curious about Brown’s tales of being a doctor for offenders.
May 6, 2023
This book was as expected - shocking and heartbreaking in equal measure. Although most of the book is about a mens' prison, the end deals with a womens', and highlights some reforms which should be seriously considered, as the majority of the incarcerated women would be much better served - as would society - if targeted help was given, rather than locking them up for a few weeks at a time.
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