Metamorphosis
A Life in Pieces
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Metamorphosis
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Narrated by:
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Peter Caulfield
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
"We all have trapdoors in our lives. Sometimes we jump off just in time: we defuse an argument with a joke; we swerve to prevent a traffic accident. But sometimes we are unlucky enough to be on the trapdoor when the lever is pulled. My own trapdoor was hidden in the consulting room of an Oxford neurologist."
When the trapdoor opened for Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, he plummeted into a world of MRI scans, a disobedient body and the crushing unpredictability of a multiple sclerosis diagnosis. But, like Alice tumbling into Wonderland, his fall did something else. It took him deep into his own mind: his hopes, his fears, his loves and losses...and the books that would sustain, inform and nourish him as his life began to transform in ways he could never have imagined.
From Kafka to Barbellion, this is a literary map of the journey from the kingdom of the well to the land of the sick, and forwards into a hopeful future. It's an ode to great writing, to storytelling, to science and to the power of the imagination. And, above all, it's a darkly comic and moving reflection on what it means to be human in a world where nothing is certain.
©2023 Robert Douglas-Fairhurst (P)2023 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
"A pitch-perfect memoir: stylish, erudite, touchingly honest and darkly funny." (Jacqueline Wilson)
"This is a beautiful and devastating portrayal of a life-changing diagnosis...it is what the best writing should be: a book that will stay with you for life." (Natalie Haynes, author of A Thousand Ships)
"Douglas-Fairhurst is a startling and exciting writer." (A. S. Byatt)
What listeners say about Metamorphosis
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Melony
- 10-05-23
A fantastic read
This book was thought provoking and interesting. As someone navigating MS it was nice to hear of someone else's journey through diagnosis and treatment, but interspersed with fascinating literary references and observations. The audio version is great. Highly recommend
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 28-02-23
A stunning read
Both thought provoking and inspirational. I can’t recommend this enough. Such a way with words
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs W
- 17-02-23
Wonderful & Brave & Uplifting
So enjoyed the author’s literary company. Found this edifying, entertaining and reassuring in equal measure. Thank you.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Hoops
- 11-03-23
Coping with a life changing diagnosis
I was interested in this audiobook as I also have an unrelated neuro degenerative disease. I did find a number of parallels- reactions to the diagnosis, who / when/ how to tell others, negotiating your way through the maze of the NHS, etc - that were interesting comments/ observations. The sections on his contemporary experiences I found interesting. The extensive references to historical literature and ancient biographies, less so. (But after all he's a Professor). Well narrated.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Teresa Turner
- 07-03-23
Just beautiful
A story about life, not just about illness. I loved all the literary references and the writing is beautiful.
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