“Woody’s book is brutal. It reflects the seriousness of the incident that changed James’ life and those around him but is not always a “serious book”. Any book like this needs levity.
The book serves its purpose as an honest response to many of the questions that James is asked every time he speaks to workers and managers. The choice of language reflects James’ voice but also the voices of his readers and his audiences.
This book is nothing like a glossy self-help about coping with trauma. It reflects the reality faced by James and hundreds of other people who are seriously injured at work. The clear, but never simple, lesson is ‘Don’t hurt yourself’.