Product Description

In 1971, Deric Longden's wife Diana fell ill with the mysterious disorder known as ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis). She was unable to move without a wheelchair, and was in almost constant pain. Equally distressing, perhaps, was the fact that every doctor she saw was unable to diagnose what was wrong with her. Deric, devoting more and more time to looking after Diana, watched his business gradually fail, and had to neglect his developing career as a broadcaster. He became house husband, nurse and caretaker of the women he loved. "Diana's Story" is told by a writer who can transform the bleakest moment with his warmth and wit. It is an extraordinary funny account of a marriage based on love and on an exceptional sense of humour.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #236052 in Books
• Published on: 1993-08-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

From the Back Cover
In 1971 Deric Longden's wife Diana fell ill with the mysterious disorder known as ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis). She was unable to move without a wheelchair, and was in almost constant pain. Equally distressing, perhaps, was the fact that every doctor she saw was unable to diagnose what was wrong with her. Deric, devoting more and more time to looking after Diana, watched his business gradually fail, and had to neglect his developing career as a broadcaster. He became househusband, nurse and caretaker of the woman he loved.

Diana's Story is told by a writer who can transform the bleakest moment with his warmth and wit. It is an extraordinarily funny account of a marriage based on love and on an exceptional sense of humour.

Customer Reviews

A touching, moving, incredible story
What a fantastic book! My mother lent me this to read after she had attended an evening where Deric Longden was the guest speaker. She queued for hours for him to sign her copy - and now I know why! A book hasn't made me laugh so much, or cry so much for a long time. I couldn't put it down and when finally, I came to the last page, the memories stayed with me for days. In fact, I don't think they will ever leave.

Wonderful, warm and witty
This is the first in 5 books (so far) written by Deric Longdon, and I think it goes a long way to express his feelings for his first wife Diana. At first it reads like a humourous tale of every day life for a man from Chesterfield and then you realise that it is a real story, and the pain and suffering of Diana is real. The humour continues throughout the tale with real life twists and turns. Then the part you realise you have been waiting for, without waiting for it happens. You discover Diana's death and the shock hits you as if you were the one to find her. I felt myself wishing that Deric had been able to save her, but not as much as Deric did I am sure. This is a warm, wonderful story that will touch you and make you very aware of what ME can do to a person and thier families.

Brilliant!
Before I read this I'd only read Deric's books about his life now with lots of cute cats and only the occasional sad bit, but this just shows the extent of the power he has with words. We've all lost relatives and some of them may have spent a while in hospital, but this just takes the cake. Deric Longden writes about his life with Diana as it happened and the most powerful parts are those when he shows us how his mind was working at the worst moments of their life together. He brings Diana to life superbly and shows her strength, courage and that she was a real person, with feelings, fears and hopes and that is something that is forgotten so easily when a person is confined to a wheelchair. The best example of this is the bit in the restaurant when Diana says to Deric "You didn't tell her (the waitress) about my periods." because so many doctors talk to Deric about these things, instead of asking Diana herself. The bit in the restaurant is one of the funny moments, of which there are many, and these show that Deric is the same absent-minded and humerous bloke he is in his later books. This one has to be read in order to understand him fully - buy it now!