Overview
A former paramedic's ""thrilling, captivating"" (Booklist), and mordantly funny account of a decade spent as a first responder in Atlanta saving lives and connecting with the drama and occasional beauty that lies inside catastrophe. In the aftermath of 9/11 Kevin Hazzard felt that something was missing from his life--his days were too safe, too routine. A failed salesman turned local reporter, he wanted to test himself, see how he might respond to pressure and danger. He signed up for emergency medical training and became, at age twenty-six, a newly minted EMT running calls in the worst sections of Atlanta. His life entered a different realm--one of blood, violence, and amazing grace. Thoroughly intimidated at first and frequently terrified, he experienced on a nightly basis the adrenaline rush of walking into chaos. But in his downtime, Kevin reflected on how people's facades drop away when catastrophe strikes. As his hours on the job piled up, he realized he was beginning to see into the truth of things. There is no pretense five beats into a chest compression, or in an alley next to a crack den, or on a dimly lit highway where cars have collided. Eventually, what had at first seemed impossible happened: Kevin acquired mastery. And in the process he was able to discern the professional differences between his freewheeling peers, what marked each--as he termed them--as ""a tourist,"" ""true believer,"" or ""killer."" Combining indelible scenes that remind us of life's fragile beauty with laugh-out-loud moments that keep us smiling through the worst, A Thousand Naked Strangers is an absorbing read about one man's journey of self-discovery--a trip that also teaches us about ourselves.
Full Product Details
Author: Kevin Hazzard
Publisher: Scribner Book Company
Imprint: Scribner Book Company
Dimensions:
Width: 13.70cm
, Height: 1.80cm
, Length: 21.10cm
Weight: 0.227kg
ISBN: 9781501110863
ISBN 10: 1501110861
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 20 September 2016
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Available To Order
We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately.
Reviews
An unstoppable adrenaline rush with lyrical moments of truth and beauty. Theresa Brown, author of Critical Care
An unstoppable adrenaline rush with lyrical moments of truth and beauty. <b>Theresa Brown, author of <i>Critical Care</i></b>
Author Information
Kevin Hazzard worked as a paramedic from 2004 to 2013, primarily at Grady Hospital in Atlanta. He has also written the Christopher Award-winning book American Sirens, about the first paramedics, and a novel, Sleeping Dogs. He now writes for film/TV, with work produced by Hulu, CBS, ABC, and Universal. He and his family live in Atlanta.
