Life, Death and Biscuits

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

‘A heart-breaking story of courage and compassion from the front line of the toughest battle our nurses have had to fight. Anthea Allen’s writing is raw, honest and full of love for those she cares for.’ Susanna Reid

An extraordinarily powerful memoir based on the diaries of intensive care nurse Anthea Allen, who worked on the front line of one of the largest hospitals in Europe during the Covid crisis.

A nurse for 25 years, Anthea thought she had seen it all. But with Covid came the greatest trial, personally and professionally, of her life. Thrust into hourly challenges – many a matter of life and death – while on the Critical Care units of St George’s in south London, Anthea processed her shocking experiences through writing. It started with an email to request biscuits. But her appeal to help boost the morale of her fellow nurses soon turned into a series of astonishingly moving stories detailing the realities of being a front line worker.

It wasn’t long before Anthea’s accounts were circulating far and wide, capturing the attention of the nation and being feted by the likes of Richard Branson and Good Morning Britain’s Susanna Reid.

In Life, Death and Biscuits, Anthea reveals the human story behind Covid, sharing tales of hope, fear and laughter from both her ‘family’ of nurses and the patients she encountered. Forged in a crisis, this deeply affecting memoir offers a unique and inspiring perspective on the pandemic that simultaneously tore the world apart and brought us together. Both heart-wrenching and uplifting, it serves as a testimony to love, resilience and the human spirit.

Reviews

‘[These] words will live on as an important history of Covid for generations to come’ – Sir Richard Branson

‘Vivid, loving, raw, opinionated. There have been several very good books written by doctors during the pandemic, but nothing as visceral as this.’ – The Times

‘A moving and awe-inspiring account’ –
Daily Mail

About the author

As a child, Anthea Allen dreamt of becoming a nurse. She began her training in 1991, and five years later joined the team on ICU at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, southwest London, where she still works as a senior sister. She is also responsible for recruiting nurses for the hospital’s adult Critical Care units. Anthea is a marathon runner and lives in London with her partner, their two children and three cats. Life, Death and Biscuits is her first book.