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Review: CFS book by Nick Duerden

Discussion in 'General ME/CFS news' started by MeSci, Dec 2, 2018.

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  1. Guest 102

    Guest 102 Guest

    Hey, Trish, Just to say I found your long review of Nick’s book v informative, thanks for writing. Nick and I exchanged some emails a while back and swapped books, he really enjoyed The State of Me and wrote this review in an email which he was happy for me to tweet. https://twitter.com/user/status/999366870716338176


    Having read your review, I am wondering now if it is significant that Nick focused on my descriptions of anger and fear and confusion rather than the much more often described physical suffering/hell of ME in my novel?

    I only have the Amazon audiobook link, which he kindly sent me when we swapped and I have not yet listened, I think I had to register, which I have not yet got round to...

    I do wonder though from your review if Nick had a self-limiting postviral condition rather than actual ME, but I can/should make no judgement as I have not read/listened to book. I do hope he wasn’t taken in by Peter White’s schtick.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 7, 2018
    Guest 102, Dec 7, 2018
    #21
    Inara, MEMarge, MeSci and 6 others like this.
  2. ScottTriGuy

    ScottTriGuy Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    What a sad man.

    Trained to look for facts - he totally failed.

    He's only succeeded in perpetuating confusion and harm.
     
    ScottTriGuy, Dec 7, 2018
    #22
    MEMarge, MeSci, adambeyoncelowe and 2 others like this.
  3. Trish

    Trish Moderator Staff Member

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    Location:
    UK
    I don't really blame him for getting ME/CFS so wrong. He was completely misled by the supposed NHS experts, and abandoned by them with no advice or treatment, and seems to have been warned off patient organisations.

    It's not that surprising he got sucked in to trying alt therapies. A lot of us did, including me. So from the perspective of how he acted as a patient in the midst of all this, and writing about his personal journey, it's an honest account.

    My problem with it is that I think anyone writing a book about a little understood illness also has a responsibility to check his facts and take responsibility for not perpetuating misinformation that can harm others.

    Adding a chapter at the end with more up to date and accurate information would go a long way to remedying this.
     
    Trish, Dec 7, 2018
    #23
    lycaena, MEMarge, Deleted member 102 and 15 others like this.
  4. unicorn7

    unicorn7 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Thanks a lot for the review Trish!

    Now I know I don't have to read the book, it will only lead to a lot of frustration.
     
    unicorn7, Dec 7, 2018
    #24
    MEMarge, MeSci, adambeyoncelowe and 3 others like this.
  5. Guest 102

    Guest 102 Guest

    Also, worth noting the reviewer is a retired GP, he is on Twitter, with few followers, but not posted for a few years so pointless to engage. He is clearly way out of touch re. NICE guideline, but even GPs who are not retired are!

    I think what the book seems to suggest is the perils of both medical profession and patients in conflating ME with chronic fatigue. Again, I can’t comment on Nick’s illness, having not read book, but I would never refer to my illness as an ‘irritating enigma’. It is a devastating illness, a catastrophe.

    Also, I see Nick has a new book on loneliness and a previous book on anxiety and fatherhood. One can take from this whatever one wishes.
     
    Guest 102, Dec 8, 2018
    #25
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  6. Dolphin

    Dolphin Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I’m not convinced it says anything about the perils of conflating ME with chronic fatigue. The author could well have ME but not be severely affected or even if he doesn’t, someone with ME could go through similar circumstances. I was mildly affected by ME for over 4 years: if I had got a bit of extra support and could have reduced my workload a bit, my life wouldn’t have been a total catastrophe.
     
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2018
    Dolphin, Dec 8, 2018
    #26
    Little Bluestem, Snow Leopard, MEMarge and 8 others like this.
  7. Guest 102

    Guest 102 Guest

    Perhaps I am (unfairly) conflating Nick with the reviewer? .. the reviewer v much suggests that Nick recognised psychological components in his illness, that is just bizarre for any ME sufferer to write. Mild or moderate. Severe is perhaps a diff kettle of fish, I dunno, having always been severe.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 8, 2018
    Guest 102, Dec 8, 2018
    #27
    Little Bluestem and ladycatlover like this.
  8. JemPD

    JemPD Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Great review Trish!

    yes, that was my first thought too. I wouldnt be at all surprised if that is the entire issue with it
     
    JemPD, Dec 8, 2018
    #28
    Little Bluestem, MEMarge, MeSci and 2 others like this.
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