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How to deal with FND (or unexplained medical symptoms)

In 2009 I was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND). The symptoms, including severe and uncontrolled twitching and spasms, came from the body not functioning because of faulty brain signals. There were no structural changes to be seen on a scan.

I had a diagnosis, but whilst I now had a name for it, the path back to good health wouldn’t be easy. Had I been diagnosed earlier – before I’d found my own way through – the hospital would apparently have provided occupational therapy, psychiatry and physiotherapy. When they told me what was wrong, I was already sorting myself out by other means. Happy for me to continue on my own path, they discharged me.

The journey to diagnosis had been highly stressful. If I’d been told from the offset what was wrong, I doubt it would have gotten so bad. For me, uncertainty bred anxiety and depression, which made the FND worse. The NHS is good at ticking things off lists, and, of course, this needs to be done. Many doctors admit that they are good at treating illness but often can’t help people who are unwell with something that is not adequately understood. Still physically in crisis, the doctors left me to wait for this glitch or imbalance to evaporate.

I am sometimes contacted by people who have been diagnosed with FND and are not receiving adequate care and support via the NHS. Things are improving, and there are some excellent consultants and departments doing brilliant work, but sadly others are still left to go it alone.

So, here is my quick guide to helping yourself whilst you wait for support:

  1. Check out these excellent online resources – neurosymptoms.org and FND Hope. They will help you get your head around your diagnosis. I found it important to try and accept the diagnosis.
  2. Find something to give you a break from the negative thoughts and the worry you will have about your situation. When I was ill I went for a walk every day (not easy when walking sets off the symptoms) and told myself I had to take one good photo every day. This made me really absorb myself in nature for a while, which I am sure helped me.
  3. Accept help if it’s offered, and be specific about what you need.
  4. If you have the budget available, consider alternative therapies. I had acupuncture and cranial-osteopathy, which gave me regular appointments with practitioners who cared for and supported me in ways the NHS team couldn’t. Anything that relaxes you and makes you feel more in control must be good.
  5. It’s also good to consider talking therapies. I found counselling invaluable both in terms of offloading emotions I’d been holding onto for years but also in coping with being off work and on a very uncertain journey with my health. NHS waiting lists can be long, but there are other avenues which you can find out about on the MIND website.

I’ve written blogs around counselling, acupuncture and why nature makes us happy.

You can find all this information and much more in my book The Cactus Surgeon: Using Nature to Fix A Faulty Brain which is on sale now!

A balanced look at the town vs. country divide

Divide by Anna Jones is a memoir (but so much more!) exploring the many differences between town and country. Each chapter covers a theme – including politics, diversity, food and environment. Anna’s pedigree as a journalist and interviewer shines through. Whilst Anna has lived in both town and country, this book is told much more from the rural point of view. Having grown up on a farm and having visited many farms for her work, she can pick out the stories that bring each chapter to life.

Like Anna, I grew up in the countryside but then moved to urban areas, first to Reading while I was at University and then to London. Eventually, my family and the business we now run together pulled me homeward. I found comfort in being surrounded by a more rural landscape. My husband was a true city boy, with experience of living in Birmingham and London. When we moved to North Essex, I saw the countryside through his eyes but also through the lens of a town dweller. How we drive anywhere to go for a walk, compared to living in London where we walked everywhere from the front door. How I can’t go to the supermarket without bumping into someone I know, and how every tradesperson we use has some connection to my family or our local business. Initially it drove him crazy, but he is used to it after twelve years and no longer wishes he was back in the city. I found so many parallels between Anna’s journey and my own.

I admired how Anna didn’t attempt to polarise the argument and that in each chapter Anna shares a variety of viewpoints. She is very balanced.

These paragraphs particularly struck a chord with me, “The biggest lesson I learnt is the divide only exists when you see parties and belief systems and groups. When you break it down to individuals and people, it melts away, making you wonder if it exists at all…
…Town and country people live and think differently – and that’s OK, so long as we understand why. And we can only do that by asking each other and finding out.”

Whilst the book will appeal mostly to those who have grown up in rural areas, and, like Anna and I, also experienced city life it is a book for all. It should be read by policy-makers and anyone interested in the farmers who grow their food.

Hannah is the author of The Cactus Surgeon, a nature & health memoir. Living in London, Hannah suffered burnout and was diagnosed with a functional neurological disorder. With no information available to help her, she found her own way to get better.

Growing up in a garden centre, her childhood was full of nature and plants. This was in stark contrast to the concrete of the capital, where she became unwell. In searching for the answers to her illness, she wonders whether being torn from her pot and replanted in a more hostile environment was the reason her body started to malfunction. After seeking out alternative therapies, and moving to the countryside of North Essex, her ‘green recovery’ continued. It’s a book of mindful moments, savouring the small wonders of nature.

Moving and eye-opening

Sophie is a midwife. And she is also infertile. This moving memoir follows Sophie’s quest to become a mother. She experiences some terrible lows. It’s hard to imagine how anyone can experience traumatic pregnancies whilst also helping mothers bring their new-borns into the world. I’ve read a couple of memoirs which explore similar themes. One from a father’s point of view and one from another midwife. They have all been eye-opening and, while they each have very different stories, I admire them all for sharing their stories. In doing so they will no doubt help others feel they are not alone when going through something similar.

Sophie is incredibly open and honest about her physical and mental health during this period. I felt very connected to what she was going through, just from reading her words and despite having no personal reference to most of what she experienced. She uses the memoir to highlight ways the health profession could better support vulnerable mums. She is a catalyst for change because her perspective, as both midwife and mother, is invaluable.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who has experienced infertility and baby loss, but also for those supporting someone going through it. And, for anyone who is curious about the world around them. I enjoy reading books that give me a different perspective. I will remember Sophie’s experience, and have added it to a list of life experiences I have never gone through but now know something about. It might one day help me to connect with someone who is going through an unbelievably tough experience.

Similar memoirs I’ve reviewed that you may also be interested in:

Frontline Midwife by Anna Kent – tales of a nurse and midwife who works in war-torn and poor countries. Reflects on the differences between countries, but also the strength of women which is common in all locations.

Low Road – historical fiction, which follows the path of a child whose mother is born after she is raped, and the baby dies.

Trigger warning: The book explores themes such as baby loss and infertility which may be triggering for some people.

Hannah is the author of The Cactus Surgeon, a nature & health memoir. Living in London, Hannah suffered burnout and was diagnosed with a functional neurological disorder. With no information available to help her, she found her own way to get better.

Growing up in a garden centre, her childhood was full of nature and plants. This was in stark contrast to the concrete of the capital, where she became unwell. In searching for the answers to her illness, she wonders whether being torn from her pot and replanted in a more hostile environment was the reason her body started to malfunction. After seeking out alternative therapies, and moving to the countryside of North Essex, her ‘green recovery’ continued. It’s a book of mindful moments, savouring the small wonders of nature.

An entertaining and educational read for children

I always accept offers to review books about my two favourite topics – nature and health. This time, I’ve been gifted Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson. It’s a book for children (around 8-12) and in it we meet Norah and Adam. Their lives couldn’t be more different. Norah is in temporary accommodation on the edge of homelessness and Adam lives in a huge house. Regardless of their differing situations they could both do with a friend, and their paths cross after they both see a nest of baby birds that needs protecting.

The book cleverly navigates themes of friendship, poverty, health and parenting styles. Adam and Norah take it turns to narrate a chapter. I think for any child, it would be a good reminder that wealth is not a marker for happiness, and that absolutely anyone can find themselves needing a bit of help. Whichever end of the spectrum they are at (or somewhere in between) there are lessons to be learned. Not least, that nature is something to be nurtured and that pets, independence and access to wild spaces can be helpful for children going through a tough time. It’s a sweet, endearing and eye-opening read. It made me think more deeply about the plight of many UK children living in temporary accommodation.

All this is set against a backdrop of intriguing mysteries that need to be solved, and there are also a few dramas along the way. What’s more 20% of royalties are being donated to the homelessness charity, Shelter.

Hannah is the author of The Cactus Surgeon, a nature & health memoir. Living in London, Hannah suffered burnout and was diagnosed with a functional neurological disorder. With no information available to help her, she found her own way to get better.

Growing up in a garden centre, her childhood was full of nature and plants. This was in stark contrast to the concrete of the capital, where she became unwell. In searching for the answers to her illness, she wonders whether being torn from her pot and replanted in a more hostile environment was the reason her body started to malfunction. After seeking out alternative therapies, and moving to the countryside of North Essex, her ‘green recovery’ continued. It’s a book of mindful moments, savouring the small wonders of nature.

Cuddle up to a cosy gardening murder mystery

Every month I am sent details of books I can review, and when Seeds of Murder dropped into my in-box I said yes straight away. I generally go for books which are nature or health-based and this is described as a gardening murder mystery. I also enjoy this type of cosy crime mystery – novels that are not too graphic in their depiction of crime and violence but which allow you to play detective and guess who the perpetrator is.

Here is the official book blurb…

Steph Williams has landed her dream gardening job working for the wealthy, gated community of Beaulieu Heights. With her beloved dog Mouse for company, she’s quite content to be left alone to tackle the weeds and tend the flowers. There might be one resident who keeps a locked shed to which Steph is forbidden access, and secret feuds she happens to overhear, but it’s none of her business. That is, until she’s called in front of the neighbourhood committee, accused of blackmailing the residents with notes disclosing their darkest secrets. Now, she’s swapping gardening gloves for a detective’s notebook, with just ten days to clear her name and save her job. The seeds of suspicion have been planted. But when Steph’s investigation leads her to discover some freshly disturbed earth in the shape of a grave, it becomes a race against time to unearth the true culprit’s identity before it’s too late…

But, what did I think? I loved the backdrop of the Beaulieu Heights gardens, and, like when I garden myself, I found the passages of writing where Steph was working in them very relaxing. Whilst these were not too long the book would definitely be more enjoyable if you have a passion for plants and gardening.

The characters were interesting and varied and it’s nice to hear there is a second book, as there is more to come from the lead character, Steph. The star of the show, however, is Mouse her faithful dog! He is almost human-like and it’s a great way to bring in a secondary lead character without over complicating the plot. I was kept guessing who was behind the ‘goings on’ right until the end. Just like in Midsummer Murders, the multiple events and back stories are fantastically ridiculous for one small community.

I recommend you read it whilst reclining in the garden on a warm day. The perfect way to enjoy the fruits of your labours.

Hannah is the author of The Cactus Surgeon, a nature & health memoir. Living in London, Hannah suffered burnout and was diagnosed with a functional neurological disorder. With no information available to help her, she found her own way to get better.

Growing up in a garden centre, her childhood was full of nature and plants. This was in stark contrast to the concrete of the capital, where she became unwell. In searching for the answers to her illness, she wonders whether being torn from her pot and replanted in a more hostile environment was the reason her body started to malfunction.

After seeking out alternative therapies, and moving to the countryside of North Essex, her ‘green recovery’ continued. It’s a book of mindful moments, savouring the small wonders of nature.

Deeply moving, and wonderfully researched

It’s my stop on the blog tour for The Low Road by Katherine Quarmby. this read will sit with me for a while – surely the sign of great writing?

The book starts off in Norfolk in 1813. After her mother Mary Tyrell is staked through the heart after her death by suicide, Hannah is sent sent away to the Refuge for the Destitute in London. Here she is trained for a life of domestic service but all the while her past sits brooding inside her. She meets and falls in love with a fellow resident but from here things start to fall apart. Ultimately they both end up being transported to Botany Bay but are separated. We learn of their fates in Australia and how female transportees were treated there, for good and for bad.

It’s a brutal tale at times, tenderly told. Katherine has based this novel on the true story of Mary Tyrell and her research gives the writing wonderful depth. After the first few chapters I truly felt like I was the narrator – Hannah – as I was reading. I could feel her emotions and clung to every sentence hoping everything would turn out ok. The plot is excellent and the relationships bind the book together like the threads in my clothes. Katherine explores the ups and downs between friends and lovers, mothers and their children. And shares how young girls and women were tied to those who look after or imprison them. The dark horrors of Victorian England for women in particular were hard to read about. Rape is followed by motherhood, which is in turn followed by shame and babes being torn from the bosom to be given away. Choice and empathy is not an option. Women are imprisoned for pilfering when all they need is help. They are sent away from villages, refuges or even their own country because of the power of men, or for the weakest of crimes.

Yet throughout, friendship and love shines out, making it an uplifting and gripping read. It makes me thankful to be a women in modern times. We may not have fixed everything but we’ve certainly come a long way. Fans of historical fiction such as Marriage Portrait or Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell or older titles The Potato Factory by Bryce Courtenay will enjoy The Low Road.

Katherine Quarmby, author and journalist

Katharine Quarmby has written non-fiction, short stories and books for children. The Low Road is her first novel. Her non-fiction works include Scapegoat: Why We Are Failing Disabled People and No Place to Call Home: Inside the Real Lives of Gypsies and Travellers. She is also an investigative journalist and editor, with particular interests in disability, the environment, race and ethnicity, and the care system. Her reporting
has appeared in outlets including the Guardian, The Economist, The Atlantic, The Times, the Telegraph, New Statesman and The Spectator. Katharine lives in London.

Katharine’s family moved to Harleston, Norfolk, when she was seven. She still retains links with the area and she is a member of the local Historical Society. The book came about when Katharine and her family, all good walkers, discovered a new local walk which brought them across the tragic story of Mary Tyrell. Katharine researched the book whilst resident in Harleston making many visits to local archives and museums.

Blogger Hannah is the author of The Cactus Surgeon, a nature & health memoir. Living in London, Hannah suffered burnout and was diagnosed with a functional neurological disorder. With no information available to help her, she found her own way to get better.

Growing up in a garden centre, her childhood was full of nature and plants. This was in stark contrast to the concrete of the capital, where she became unwell. In searching for the answers to her illness, she wonders whether being torn from her pot and replanted in a more hostile environment was the reason her body started to malfunction. After seeking out alternative therapies, and moving to the countryside of North Essex, her ‘green recovery’ continued. It’s a book of mindful moments, savouring the small wonders of nature.

Come take a seat by the fire…

This a gentle and uplifting memoir. Sam intersperses the story of his life with his tales of traversing the West Highland Way. Each passage is fairly short and cleverly leaves you wanting more.

Sam is an actor, and the star of Outlander. Before reading I hadn’t seen any of his work (sorry, Sam!) but this didn’t take anything away from my enjoyment. It was interesting to hear about his path to success, with its many twists, turns and rejections along the way. Sam is open about the low points that contrast his highs, and the affect that growing up without a father has had on him. He finds many parallels with the twists and turns of his 96 mile walk. I enjoyed learning about the Highlands, and could relate to how liberating it is to walk alone and contemplate. In our busy lives, most of us give ourselves too few opportunities to stop and reflect.

Sam comes across as a humble, down to earth guy. As I finished reading I felt like I’d sat down with him for a series of cosy fireside chats. A comforting, unchallenging read.

More about the book:

In this journey of self-discovery, Sam Heughan sets out along the West Highland Way to explore his heritage and reflect on the personal waypoints that define him. The result is a love letter to the wild Scottish landscape that means so much to Sam, and a charming, funny, wise and searching insight to the world through his eyes.

The walk itself is the backdrop for this narrative, which tells the story of Sam’s life while exploring his outlook, values and interests. Sam is a figure of fascinating contrasts, a Hollywood star with deep roots in rural Scotland, he’s both outgoing and content in his own company. He has strong connections with his fans while recognising the fragility and value of anonymity. In this book, while charting a path through a stunning wilderness, Sam maps out the moments that shaped his views on dreams and ambition, family, friendships, love and life.

I was gifted this book in return for an honest review.

Hannah is the author of The Cactus Surgeon, a nature & health memoir. Living in London, Hannah suffered burnout and was diagnosed with a functional neurological disorder. With no information available to help her, she found her own way to get better.

Growing up in a garden centre, her childhood was full of nature and plants. This was in stark contrast to the concrete of the capital, where she became unwell. In searching for the answers to her illness, she wonders whether being torn from her pot and replanted in a more hostile environment was the reason her body started to malfunction. After seeking out alternative therapies, and moving to the countryside of North Essex, her ‘green recovery’ continued. It’s a book of mindful moments, savouring the small wonders of nature.

Read and rejoice!

It’s my stop today on the blog tour for The Invisible Women’s Club by Helen Paris. This five star read celebrates the power of connection and demonstrates the strength women can muster to achieve the impossible.

The book’s main character, Janet Pimm, is used to being invisible. 70 something, with her beloved allotment for company, she simply doesn’t need anyone else.

But when the local council threaten to close the allotments, Janet will do anything she can to try to save them – even enlisting the help of her irritatingly upbeat and interfering neighbour, Bev.

As the two women set off on a journey together, Janet begins to realise that perhaps she isn’t so happy to blend into the background after all. And that maybe there’s more to Bev than she first thought. As the bulldozers roll in and they fight to save the place Janet loves most, both women find their voice again and no-one can silence them now…

I was drawn to the allotment plot (!) and enjoyed the descriptions of the plot holders, particularly FbK (Felicity bloody Kendall) “closely resembling a blousy mophead hydrangea in some flounce of a dress, an artisan willow-woven trug of perfectly arranged shop-bought flowers swinging from her forearm.”

Janet cuts a lonely figure, not really bonding with anyone and we see her pushing away some olive branches of friendship. Then Bev offers her a lift and we start to see a different Janet. Both women are fed up of being over-looked, invisible. By connecting and opening up to each other they blossom. It’s a lesson for us all, that us ladies are definitely better together. The likes of Davina McCall and Dr Louise Newson have done us a great service, encouraging us to talk about the menopause (or peri-menopause) and to speak up if things are not right. The way we openly talk to our friends and colleagues about menopause is changing for the better, so it’s great to see this reflected in contemporary fiction. And Helen Paris weaves it into her storyline in an empowering way.

It’s a heart-warming novel, particularly perfect for days where you have time to get lost in a whole book or for bedtime, when you need an upbeat read. I can see this being a big success. It’s perfect for today’s uncertain times.

Hannah is the author of The Cactus Surgeon, a nature & health memoir. Living in London, Hannah suffered burnout and was diagnosed with a functional neurological disorder. With no information available to help her, she found her own way to get better.

Growing up in a garden centre, her childhood was full of nature and plants. This was in stark contrast to the concrete of the capital, where she became unwell. In searching for the answers to her illness, she wonders whether being torn from her pot and replanted in a more hostile environment was the reason her body started to malfunction.

After seeking out alternative therapies, and moving to the countryside of North Essex, her ‘green recovery’ continued. It’s a book of mindful moments, savouring the small wonders of nature.

Frontline Midwife

It’s my stop today on the blog tour for Frontline Midwife by Anna Kent. I was blown away by this book. It is so raw and honest, and I couldn’t put it down. Should they choose to have children, childbirth should be one of the most liberating and empowering moments of a woman’s life. Yet Anna shows us a darker side. Her accounts are not for the faint hearted, and there are very graphic descriptions of what happens when things go wrong. All because Anna is nursing in war-torn and poor countries where resources are minimal and what we might see as simple complications in the UK can be fatal in those conditions. We hear about women in South Sudan, Haiti and the Rohingya in Bangladesh. These terrible tales are not easy to shake off, and I am acutely aware that I am only reading about them. For Anna, these experiences stay with her, haunt her and colour her life choices.

For Anna’s tale is a very personal one, and I don’t want to share too much here in case you want to read it. I recognised parallels with Life & Death Decisions by Dr Lachlan McIver, a doctor who like Anna finds himself working in medicine in countries with huge issues. Like Anna he had a personal reason for being drawn to, and finding solace in, emergency care and alcohol. Anna and Lachlan both write very honestly, even brutally at times.

Anna’s enduring connections with James and Anita are touching. Compare this with the fleeting connections she has with the women she treats, trying to cut through politics, patriarchal society and personal doubt to help the women and their babies. It doesn’t always work out but her care and determination in such circumstances shines through. It is inspiring to hear how Anna and the women she cares for move forward in the most desperate of situations. Anna’s life is a rollercoaster, and I hope the book was a cathartic process for her. She says in her acknowledgements she has started to heal some very old wounds. I don’t think I am spoiling anything by saying I was relieved to find her in a better place at the end of the book.

This is a great book for anyone embarking in medical studies or a career in aid. It’s also a great read for anyone who, like me, enjoys making sense of the world. Comparing my safe, secure world to the brutal world many others face every day is helpful to me. It helps me to face my own challenges with a sense of perspective.

Be aware the book does come with trigger warnings around baby loss, gender-based violence, birth-related injuries and maternal death. Reading it won’t be right for everyone.

Hannah is the author of The Cactus Surgeon, a nature & health memoir. Living in London, Hannah suffered burnout and was diagnosed with a functional neurological disorder. With no information available to help her, she found her own way to get better.

Growing up in a garden centre, her childhood was full of nature and plants. This was in stark contrast to the concrete of the capital, where she became unwell. In searching for the answers to her illness, she wonders whether being torn from her pot and replanted in a more hostile environment was the reason her body started to malfunction.

After seeking out alternative therapies, and moving to the countryside of North Essex, her ‘green recovery’ continued. It’s a book of mindful moments, savouring the small wonders of nature.

Exploring The Whole Tooth

It’s my stop on the blog tour for The Whole Tooth by Dr Milad Shadrooh, AKA The Singing Dentist. Do check out his videos if you haven’t already!

The Whole Tooth is a light-hearted memoir, sharing tales of his life in dentistry, some facts about the industry & your teeth and some of the stories from his dentist practice. The last one, in particular, is very moving.

This easy read is both a factual guide and a love letter to dentistry. It’s also very timely with today’s damming report about the state of NHS dentistry from the Commons’ Health and Social Care Committee. Throughout the book Dr Milad’s smile and positivity shines through, but he does also shares concerns about NHS dentistry.

Recently my ten daughter announced she wanted to be an influencer. I suggested the best way to do this was to be good at something and share that knowledge with others. Milad is a great example of an influencer who has achieved success because of his years of training rather than some other spurious reason. And let’s not forget his passion and talent for music, excellent eyebrows and the fact he seems like such a likeable guy!

What of my own relationship with the dental profession? Thinking about it I seem to have gathered quite a few toothy tales over the years. As a child, I had 13 baby teeth out all at once when I was about 11. All because my adult teeth weren’t pushing my baby teeth out. Terrifying! They put me under general anaesthetic in the dentist’s chair, and the orange-striped wallpaper went all weird. The next thing I know, I wake up dribbling with a numb mouth. I could only eat soup and ice cream for a few days.

I had a brace throughout my teens. I remember the pain of an unruly wire cutting into the inside of my cheek. My tongue being desperate to run over and over the new structures that filled my mouth as I left the surgery. And the dentist’s garlic breath and moustache getting painfully close. My fixed and ‘in and out’ braces seemed to be in place for years, yet I still have wonky teeth. I hate to think what they would have been like without the braces!

In my late twenties I had a recurring dream about losing all my teeth, and had to check they were still there when I woke up. My counsellor said it was a dream about change. All I knew is that it was very unnerving.

Today I happened to have an appointment with my hygienist, which is always a pleasure. Well, leaving with clean teeth is a pleasure. Having water blasted into your mouth and having some dribble down your chin and neck…less so. It can also be a dangerous business. Once, some plaque shot out of my mouth scooted behind my goggles and into my eye. Ouch! When my hygienist was on maternity leave last year, her temporary replacement was rather gung-ho. It’s not an exaggeration to say I felt violated. Last year I went to see my dentist for a filling, and I’m afraid to say I fainted after an injection. You can read more about that here.

Still want to know more about Dr Milad’s book? Here’s the official blurb:

For Dr Milad Shadrooh, there is no better job in the world, and this is an unprecedented, compelling account of life from the other side of the dentist’s chair. As a toddler, Milad was destined to become a doctor, but when it came down to it, the prospect of being continuously on call and wading through blood and gore felt like some form of torture. He chose dentistry and twenty years on, Milad has become the UK’s most celebrated dentist, with a collection of stories that will alternately astound you and have you rolling with laughter. Drawing on both his own experiences and those of his colleagues, Milad drills down into the grisly details, touching on everything from hilarious and unexpected patient situations, the history of dentistry, how to become a dentist, how to combat patients fear, teeth myth busting and how to have the perfect teeth. So put on your safety goggles, sit back and get ready for the best trip to the dentist you’ve ever had!

Milad has also become a YouTube sensation, hitting the headlines as the “Singing Dentist”, with his educational and entertaining dental parody songs gaining over 250 million views combined.

This blog is written by Hannah Powell, book blogger, author and director of two garden centres. Her award-winning memoir, The Cactus Surgeon, compares her days in the concrete of London, leading to burnout, with her nature-rich upbringing in rural Essex. It’s a nature and health memoir full of mindful moments.

Afro Saxon

It’s my turn on the blogger tour for Afro Saxon by Dillibe Onyeama. Here’s a summary of the book:

Afro-Saxon is the follow-up to the highly controversial book ‘A Black Boy at Eton’, published early 2022 by Penguin. Dillibe Onyeama was the first black boy to complete his education at Eton in 1968. Written at just twenty-one, it was a deeply personal, revelatory account of the racism he endured during his time as a student at the prestigious institution. He tells in vivid detail of his own background as the son of a Nigerian judge at the International Court of Justice at The Hague, of his arrival at the school, of the curriculum, of his reception by other boys (and masters), and of his punishments. He tells, too, of the cruel racial prejudice he suffered and his reactions to it, and of the alienation and stereotyping he faced at such a young age. ‘A Black Boy at Eton’ was a searing, ground-breaking book displaying the deep psychological effects of colonialism and racism, and the follow-up ‘Afro-Saxon’ tells more about his story and experiences in a white dominated society.

As soon as Dillibe Onyeama was born, in January 1951, his father put his name down for Eton, the UK’s most prestigious and expensive private school. No black child had gone there, but his father, a senior judge in Nigeria who had studied at Oxford, wanted him to have the best education he could possibly afford. Onyeama did go on to receive a fantastic education – and made history as the first black person to complete his study at Eton College. But the personal cost was staggering.