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  • Blue Lights and Long Nights

  • By: Les Pringle
  • Narrated by: Gordon Grifin
  • Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (91 ratings)
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Blue Lights and Long Nights

By: Les Pringle
Narrated by: Gordon Grifin
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Summary

Card-playing corpses, unfaithful husbands and "flying" ladies - life as an ambulance driver in the 1970s was certainly varied....

At the age of 23, Les Pringle decided to escape from office life, broaden his horizons, and become an ambulance driver. Little did he realize how broad those horizons would turn out to be.... Filled with warmth and humour, Blue Lights and Long Nights takes us back to a time when lonely old ladies could call 999 and have a cup of tea waiting when the drivers turned up for a chat; when learning to drive the ambulance meant going out for one test drive and managing not to hit a pedestrian; and every day brought a glimpse into other people's lives. Gripping, poignant and darkly funny, Blue Lights and Long Nights is an affectionate, warm-hearted look at a world gone by.

©2009 Les Pringle (P)2012 Magna Publishing, Random House Audiobooks 2012
  • Unabridged Audiobook

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What listeners say about Blue Lights and Long Nights

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29 years Service

Although I have only 29 years service, and was therefore not in the job at this time. The whole book brought back memories of days gone by.

Amazingly well written accounts and thoroughly enjoyable.

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Fantastic!

Great account of the "olden" days before the service was budget cut, under staffed and oversubscribed!

Great narrator and gripping book.

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some great funny stories

although the majority of this book is of a serious nature, the anecdotes that Les Shares are really funny

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Life on an ambulance

Some funny some sad. An insight into how saving the public can take a toll on these heroic person's.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining and interesting stories

Loved this book, great stories of a career in the ambulance service. Some funny, some sad and sometimes bizarre incidents recounted with humour and compassion. Recommended

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Light-hearted , easy listening

A good listen and a gentle approach to what could be a gruesome subject. We are spared many of the gory details, thankfully! I have no more medical knowledge than the average person and because the author didn't use too many technical terms, I was able to appreciate the stories. This is one of my collection of audio books that I will listen to again. I liked it enough to buy the second book, which continues the story.

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bit too much information at times but enjoyed it

loved it some stories went into a bit to much detail but I liked that some people might not I found it very interesting and enjoyed it a lot

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Amazing

An amazing book which is well read and tells the home truths about the ambulance service in the 70's. Nothing I could say I dislike about it.

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Very revealing.

I liked the off beet humer in this book. I have been recommending it and will continue to do so. Some of the material is a bit graphic though so if that is not your thing maybe give this a miss.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

blue lights and late nights.

I'm a Paramedic and started in the Ambulance Service around the time Les Pringle would have served about 5 years and his description of entering the service and the training brings back memories. His reflection of the emotional rollercoaster which working in the ambulance service most definitely is, is captured. The funny side also peaks through the curtain that people outside the service rarely see. For anyone joining the service today, or thinking of joining, should read (listen) to this as it aint changed that much!

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