Shattered

£10.99

On Boxing Day 2022, in Rome, Hanif Kureishi had a fall. When he came to, in a pool of blood, he was horrified to realise he had lost the use of his limbs. He could no longer walk, write or wash himself. He could do nothing without the help of others, and required constant care in a hospital. So began an odyssey of a year through the medical systems of Rome and Italy, with the hope of somehow being able to return home, to his house in London. While confined to a series of hospital wards, he felt compelled to write, but being unable to type or to hold a pen, he began to dictate to family members the words which formed in his head. The result was an extraordinary series of dispatches from his hospital bed – a diary of a life in pieces, recorded with rare honesty, clarity and courage.

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Description

SHORTLISTED FOR THE JAMES TAIT BLACK BIOGRAPHY AWARD 2025

From Hanif Kureishi, author of The Buddha of Suburbia, a memoir about the accident that left him paralysed.

‘I’ve never felt tempted to use the word “inspirational” about a book, and promise I never will again, but it’s the only word I can think of to describe Shattered‘ Lynn Barber, The Spectator

Imagine your life changing in a second: one minute you are watching the football with a beer, the next you are on the floor in a pool of blood, deprived of the use of your arms and legs. This fall renders you paralysed, robbed of your independence, entirely reliant on others for everything.

This happened to writer Hanif Kureishi on Boxing Day 2022. His account of what happened and its aftermath is a unique, riveting and frequently riotous account of a year-long odyssey home through five hospitals. From despair to hope, rage to courage, it might be the most truthful, and the funniest, medical disaster story ever written.

‘Incredible. A remarkable tale of resilience – and surprisingly funny’ iNews

‘Heartbreaking. [A] masterpiece of British stoicism. Intimate, brave and uplifting’ Independent

‘Wildly inspiring. His singular voice, his bawdy humour, his efforts to create meaning, all so characteristic and moving’ Guardian

Additional information

Weight 235 g
Dimensions 19.8 × 13 × 2 cm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Paperback
Pages

328
Language

English
Edition
Dewey

828.9203 (edition:23)
Readership

General – Trade / Code: K

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