is the story of an outsider - a young female doctor in obstetrics - who confronts a woman whose baby has died following pre-eclampsia in the pregnancy. She becomes obsessed by the enigmatic disease. Her emotional involvement inspires brilliant clinical insights and intense professional opposition - and amongst those who love her, both devotion and despair.
has written on medical and other subjects for Pulse, New Statesman, The Guardian, and many others. He is also the author of the acclaimed horticultural travelogue Harvests and Harvesters (Gollancz), and the Ms Deedes series of adult adventures (Nexus).
have made the following comments on a first draft:
| "An extraordinary subject to have written a novel around.
Frighteningly real and very convincing."
Ros Claxton, founder member, London Birth Centre |
| "A fair description of the unacceptable face of socio-medical
politics... In fact I found I could not put it down, reading the whole book
in one three-hour session."
Wendy Greenshields, former Chair of Resources and Information Group, NCT |
| "An effective and powerful creation... a very moving
novel."
Iain Chalmers, former director, National Perinatel Epidemiology Unit |
| "Extremely interesting and enjoyable... A great merit of
scientific fiction is that you can explore the pychological contex in which
scientific work is produced."
Martin Richards, Head of Child Care & Development Group, Cambridge University |
| "It is a deeply moving and terribly accurate indictment of how
the medical establishment works."
Andrew Stanway, best-selling medical writer |
| "This is a good idea... I found it entertaining and a good
read... All that you write is part of my 32 years experience."
Peter Huntingford, former editor British Journal Obs & Gyn |
| Title: | Doctor Clegg's Machete |
| Author: | John Hargreaves |
| Publisher: | Tangible Press |
| Category: | General Fiction |
| Price: | £7.50 |
| Type: | PB, A5, 176 Pages |
| ISBN: | 0-9533728-0-4 |
| Publication Date: | November 1998 |
| Further Info: | Tel U.K. 01630-654346 |
| Email: | john.woodnote (at symbol) btinternet.com |
| Orders: | Cheques payable to: J Hargreaves, Woodnote, Quarry House Lane, Market Drayton, Shropshire, TF9 1NF, U.K. |
| http://www.dawnjames.clara.net |
| http://eboks.kalico.net |
| http://www.blueribbonbaby.org |