Review of Praying for Restraint by Allen Long

I am joining in on a blog tour with WOW! Women on Writing, reviewing the book Praying for Restraint by Allen Long. This book is perfect for anyone who is interested in the healthcare system from the perspective of an inner-city hospital, and all of the complicated dynamics that go into working in this type of environment. Make sure you add this to your reading list on GoodReads or purchase a copy on Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.

About the Book Praying for Restraint

Allen Long works as a CNA-certified nursing assistant at that supposed sanctuary of caring, an inner-city general hospital. What an unforgettable parade of bizarre, needy, abusive, menacing, endearing, and poignant humanity passes through its doors. And those are just the staff and administrators! Meanwhile, the patient population spans the affluent and sophisticated to the homeless, the mentally ill, addicts, gang members, and criminals in custody. Praying for Restraint takes the reader on a journey into the absurd and surreal that is ultimately uplifting and harrowing, both funny and heartbreaking. Long’s struggle to survive a relentlessly toxic work environment with body, soul, and marriage intact is as gripping as the battle against childhood abuse in his previous memoir, Less than Human. Reviewers found that book “inspiring, honest, and beautifully written, engaging, and thought-provoking.” Praying for Restraint earns that praise and more.

My Review

The author shared a stark reality in this book, one that I’m not sure we’re all entirely aware of, and as a writer, I think it’s important to know realities like this. He shows all of the politics, complications with patients, the challenges of a high stress job, and how everything is impacted by his experiences in this career. It’s touching how honest and raw this book was to read. The way he formats the book makes it really easy to read, because it’s broken up in short essays with each patient and experience. For anyone who wants to understand the job of someone working in the medical field, this is definitely one to read. For someone about to embark on that industry, I definitely recommend you read this.

Make sure you add this to your reading list on GoodReads or purchase a copy on Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.

Find out more about the author, and read other reviews, by following along the tour on the WOW! Women on Writing launch day post.