A Thousand Naked Strangers: A Paramedic's Wild Ride to the Edge and Back

Really builds on the experience of the Atlanta paramedic

This is an excellent read for anyone who might be interested in a healthcare profession, or anyone curious about what an EMT would see on a daily basis! I am an RN for 30 years and relate so much to this material. I find the writing style refreshing and hilarious, and the stories told run the whole gamut from gory and horrific to comical and everything in between. EMT’s have some amazing tales to tell, and Kevin Hazzard does not disappoint! Well worth it!

I am a reader of strange things, but for all the strange things I read, this was not one of them. With the title, you would think it would be- and perhaps it should have been- the story of a paramedic’s experiences within his years working the job, it would be reasonable to expect a good deal of weirdness. I was, instead, shown something more realistic than I expected, even for a non-fiction book. Mr. Hazzard’s recounting of his career was pretty standard. I learned about the process of becoming an EMT versus becoming a Paramedic, the types of people who applied for a job like that, the difference between a private ambulance service and a hospital ambulance. I learned the ins and outs of humanity and what situations might arise, though many were less shocking than I thought they would be. Despite that, I enjoyed this novel quite a bit, enough to give it a four. I enjoyed the journey, the show of how life changes- of taking things when they come in stride, of it being okay to be nervous or afraid and how you slowly grow more capable with time, and of when to say enough is enough. The burnout, as Mr. Hazzard recounts, is real, and he goes through several stages of both being in love with his job and the high of it, and then crashing from it. Some of the most interesting parts of this book were simply the people he worked with and their unique descriptions and impressions of the job. I think that the best message out of this novel is simply how things change, how you have to roll with the punches, and how your perceptions of things change with time. While I can’t say this novel was overly entertaining or funny, it had its good moments, and I did feel like I got to see through the eyes of paramedics. There was just enough content to tip the scales for me, and I would urge people who want to go into the medical field to read this book- you just might learn a thing or two about what it takes.

As a seasoned nurse coming to the close of my 42 year nursing career, I loved this book. As a Georgia Baptist nursing student in the early 80's, I did ride alongs in the Grady ambulance and did clinical in Grady's ER. I also worked a short stent in an inner city ER. I had such admiration for EMT's and flight medics but found that that specialty was not my calling but I still learned so much. I could relate so much to the stories and feelings Hazard described. He describes the evolution of healthcare perfectly. I highly recommend this book.

Emergency medical services (or EMS) attracts a certain kind of person. Some are adrenaline junkies, some are looking to lose themselves in the service of others, and some are just looking to have a good time. If you're like me, then you might be a combination of all three. That seems to be the case for Kevin Hazzard. During his 10 years serving people in the worst parts of Atlanta, he has seen it all. Kevin's story is like going on a ride-along with him while he and his partners tear down the streets of Atlanta, going from call to call. Although he may break some rules along the way, he does it with a desire to do right by the people he serves. And really, that's what it's all about. The really beautiful thing about reading Hazzard's story is that even though his experience as a paramedic has changed him and showed him the darkest side of humanity, it hasn't seemed to take the light out of his eyes. He writes with a true desire to share, not complain, and definitely not to judge. Read this book and go on a true-to-life ride-along of drugs, violence, blood, babies, and gracious but gritty humanity.

Incredible, thought-provoking, exciting. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. It's not just an informative account of what it was like to work in EMS at Atlanta during this time period, it's also extremely well written. It has one of the best opening lines I've seen-- author wrote for a newspaper and it shows. At times I found it disturbing: not the content itself but the author's attitude towards the work. I don't consider this a bad thing though; if anything I found it absolutely fascinating.

Definitely one of my favourite books. Easy to read, funny and eye opening. Bought it to get an insight into a paramedics career in america and it did not disappoint!

Funny, thoughtful and honest

A superb, if gruesome, and inspiring book. Fascinating, beautifully written and refreshingly honest.

It was hard not to finish in one sitting which is really saying something for me, great book.

A fascinating account of what it's like to be a paramedic. There's an interesting, often wacky, range of characters and plenty of variety as Hazzard takes us through his time saving lives- or at least, trying to save lives- in Atlanta. It's not a job I would like! Way too stressful.