Home
/
Non-Fiction
/
In the Shadow of the Eighth
In the Shadow of the Eighth
Apr 28, 2025 12:24 PM

Author:Peter Boylan

In the Shadow of the Eighth

In over forty years in medicine - seven of these as Master of the National Maternity Hospital - obstetrician Peter Boylan was at the births of more than 6,000 babies. He saw women and families at their most vulnerable, their most joyous, and sometimes their most heart-broken.

In the Shadow of the Eighth is the story of how a young doctor without strong views on abortion became convinced that women should be trusted to make the right decisions for their lives - and how he then did everything in his power to bring about a situation where they could.

More than that, it is an engaging account of working in one of medicine's most satisfying specialities, a revealing behind-the-scenes insight into what it's like trying to make change happen, and a fascinating portrait of a society in transition.

Lively, gripping, sometimes enraging but always compassionate, Peter Boylan's story is vital and encouraging reading for these turbulent times.

'A comprehensive, insightful and often shocking social history of the country' Irish Independent

'A hero to many (including me)' @MarianKeyes

'Both personal and political ... a very important history of recent events that have utterly changed Ireland's social and political landscapes' Irish Times

'A fascinating story' Matt Cooper, Today FM

'The book is fabulous' Pat Kenny, Newstalk

Reviews

A hero to many (including me)

—— @MarianKeyes

Both personal and political ... a very important history of recent events that have utterly changed Ireland's social and political landscapes

—— Irish Times

A fascinating story

—— Matt Cooper , Today FM

The book is fabulous

—— Pat Kenny , Newstalk

A comprehensive, insightful and often shocking social history of the country

—— Irish Independent

Compelling [and] compassionate book

—— RTÉ Guide

A fascinating new book that examines the multitudinous benefits of this form of locomotion

—— Harper's Bazaar

Like a poem to walking… [and] the science that might help convince planners to prioritise walking as a means of getting around

—— Lucy Whetman , UK Press Syndication

Forget apples. A walk a day really will keep the doctor away

—— Evening Standard

[In Praise of Walking] it provides an antidote to the many miseries that can accumulate because of our modern, sedentary lifestyle

—— Simple Things

Whether you’re an avid hiker or simply like to get out and do the school run on foot, this book will make you appreciate the physical, mental and societal benefits of getting outdoors on two feet.

—— Liz Connor , UK Press Syndication

An informative yet witty book on the importance of walking for our health and wellbeing, and for societies in general

—— Liz Nice , Eastern Daily Press

Compelling… A new angle on our favourite pastime

—— Walk Magazine

A fascinating read… This informative book…will rouse you from the sofa and make you want to get moving

—— Eastern Daily Press, *Book of the Week*

Ebullient, playful and creative... By turns caustic, astute and very, very funny.

—— Tanya Sweeney , Irish Independent

This is the first time I've read anything about motherhood that didn't bore me... It's all really unconventional but laugh-out-loud funny.

—— Sara Pascoe , Observer

Frank and fearless... a glorious validation to all parents doing it solo.

—— Sarra Manning , Red

Hits that sweet spot between laugh-out-loud funny, with its accounts of first dates, LA wackiness and personal mishaps, and a lyrical lament for a life of paternity tests, an absent father and the absence of raves.

—— Eithne Farry , Sunday Express

Joyfully crude and hilarious... Heawood is refreshingly unapologetic.

—— Eleanor Halls , Daily Telegraph

Achingly tender and snort-inducingly funny.

—— Sarah Hughes , i, *Summer Reads 2020*

Thought-provoking and insightful.

—— Metro

Unflinchingly honest, emotionally raw, and surprisingly sweet.

—— SheerLuxe

Raw and funny, Heawood’s memoir celebrates the messiness of life and motherhood with boldness, panache, and unexpected moments of real poignancy. An uncensored and eccentric delight.

—— Booklist

Heawood writes with warmth and wit about life as a single mother.

—— Rachel Cooke , Observer, *Books to Look Out For in 2020*

Rejoice! One of our favourite journalists Sophie Heawood – known for her hilarity and honesty – publishes her first book this year. It's a memoir about being a single mother when you haven't quite worked out how to look after yourself.

—— Arielle Tchiprout , Red *The best books we can't wait to read in 2020*

[Heawood] shares her story with huge wit and sharp observation.

—— Hannah Stephenson , Irish Examiner, *12 of the best new reads for summer*

A tender and hilarious account of her life as a single mother.

—— Sophie Morris , i

This [is an] incredibly candid and often LOLs memoir about how it feels to raise a baby on your own when you're more into negronis than nappies.

—— Cosmopolitan

Reading Heawood's often outrageous and occasionally undignified anecdotes was the perfect tonic during the second national lockdown. Though hilariously funny, her story of accidental pregnancy is also tender and poignant, with her accounts of motherhood feeling far less common through a single-parent lens.

—— Independent

A tender and funny account of single parenthood

—— Guardian

Packed with humour and honesty, it's also tender, moving and relatable, detailing Heawood's own evolution and growth alongside her young daughter's, and the highs and lows of solo parenting.

—— Harpers Bazaar
Comments
Welcome to zzdbook comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.zzdbook.com All Rights Reserved