Fighting for Life

A compelling, deftly constructed and powerfully told narrative . . . Hardman is a meticulous journalist with a gift for storytelling. Necessary reading
Rafael Behr, Guardian
Terrific . . . Every aspect of this history is informed and beautifully written
Alan Johnson, Observer, Book of the Week
Vivid and fascinating, this is a beautifully cogent, balanced and human biography of a health service haunted by its own mythology . . . Hardman is impressively even-handed and unsentimental
Melanie Reid, The Times, Book of the Week
It has by far the best analysis of where the health service came from, and where it’s going . . . full of excellent stories
Karol Sikora, The Telegraph
Brilliant
Adam Kay, author of This is Going to Hurt and Undoctored
Passionate, deeply researched and page-turningly full of good stories, this is so good one is tempted to say it is the book the NHS has always deserved
Andrew Marr
This is a sensational and much-needed book: funny, intelligent and so beautifully written that it doesn’t read like normal non-fiction . . . thorough, scholarly and above all readable
Chris van Tulleken
A kaleidoscopic history of the NHS
Henry Marsh, New Statesman
Hardman’s writing is breezily accessible, and her deeply researched book is full of colourful vignettes and an enjoyable spice of gossip . . . she is particularly good at locating the NHS within the wider social movements that have changed British life over the 75 years of its existence
Sarah Neville, Financial Times
A brilliantly written and engrossing biography of the NHS . . . compelling and even-handed
Kate Womersley, The Spectator