A compelling, deftly constructed and powerfully told narrative . . . Hardman is a meticulous journalist with a gift for storytelling. Necessary reading \nRafael Behr, Guardian \nTerrific . . . Every aspect of this history is informed and beautifully written \nAlan Johnson, Observer, Book of the Week \nVivid and fascinating, this is a beautifully cogent, balanced and human biography of a health service haunted by its own mythology . . . Hardman is impressively even-handed and unsentimental \nMelanie Reid, The Times, Book of the Week \nIt has by far the best analysis of where the health service came from, and where it's going . . . full of excellent stories \nKarol Sikora, The Telegraph \nBrilliant \nAdam Kay, author of This is Going to Hurt and Undoctored \nPassionate, deeply researched and page-turningly full of good stories, this is so good one is tempted to say it is the book the NHS has always deserved \nAndrew Marr \nThis is a sensational and much-needed book: funny, intelligent and so beautifully written that it doesn't read like normal non-fiction . . . thorough, scholarly and above all readable \nChris van Tulleken \nA kaleidoscopic history of the NHS \nHenry Marsh, New Statesman \nHardman's writing is breezily accessible, and her deeply researched book is full of colourful vignettes and an enjoyable spice of gossip . . . she is particularly good at locating the NHS within the wider social movements that have changed British life over the 75 years of its existence \nSarah Neville, Financial Times \nA brilliantly written and engrossing biography of the NHS . . . compelling and even-handed \nKate Womersley, The Spectator