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Blue

A Memoir – Keeping the Peace and Falling to Pieces

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Blue

By: John Sutherland
Narrated by: Charles Armstrong
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A searingly honest memoir of life, policing and falling apart

'Every contact leaves a trace'

John Sutherland joined the Met in 1992, having dreamed of being a police officer since his teens. Rising quickly through the ranks, and compelled by the opportunity to make a real difference to people's lives, he worked across the capital, experiencing first-hand the enormous satisfaction as well as the endless trauma that a life in blue can bring.

There were remarkable, career-defining moments: commanding armed sieges, saving lives and helping to take dangerous people off the streets. But for every case with a happy ending, there were others that ended in desperate sadness.

In early 2013, John suffered a major breakdown and consequent battle with crippling depression. After a career spent racing to be the first at the scene of crimes and catastrophes, he found himself in pieces, unable to put one foot in front of the other.

Blue is a memoir of crime and calamity, of adventure and achievement, of friendship and failure, of laughter and loss, of the best and the worst of humanity, of serious illness and slow recovery. With searing honesty, it offers an immensely moving and personal insight into what it is to be a police officer in Britain today.©2017 John Sutherland Mental Health Psychology Psychology & Mental Health True Crime Memoir Inspiring Heartfelt Health Crime
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Critic reviews

This courageous and finely written book is a timely invitation to think more deeply about what we ask of our police (Jane Shilling)
A stark account of a talented police officer's breakdown . . . This is a startlingly honest book and the final two chapters are heartbreaking (Richard Morrison)
I read BLUE more or less in one sitting. I thought it was wonderful - very powerful, deeply moving and utterly honest (Henry Marsh, author of DO NO HARM)
Admirably honest and movingly human . . . Sutherland asks us to look behind the faceless blue and see the individual people
A remarkable book: a magnum opus on belief and success, on depression and despair. It is well written and intellectually demanding, profound and deeply moving. In places, it is funny; everywhere, it is thoughtful. It has as much to tell us about mental illness as it does about policing. And there is much love in it: for friends, for family, for life (Alastair Stewart)
An honest look at the vulnerability that comes with bravery
Brave and very honest (Bear Grylls)
The effect of this honesty is to leave us both more appreciative of police officers and more concerned for their well-being, as well as encouraged that such a compassionate man was promoted so vertiginously. [Sutherland] describes police work as "fulfilling, humbling, inspiring, daunting, shattering, rewarding and soul-stirring" which is also a fair description of his book
Courageous and moving (Tom Harper, THE SUNDAY TIMES Home Affairs Correspondent)
John Sutherland lays out the human cost of working as a police officer in simple, devastating terms
A gripping book . . . moving and really powerful . . . I highly recommend it (Jumoke Fashola)
Will expand people's understanding of what it means to be a police officer in Britain today, revealing the truth about the toll that a career in policing can have on those tasked with the responsibility of tackling crime. This is a brave and compelling account of policing from a very senior officer in the most renowned police force in the world (Colin Taylor, author of LIFE OF A SCILLY SERGEANT)
I commend it to the public. It's a great book (Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service)
A superb book (Charles Cumming)
A remarkable, revealing and inspiring insight into the worlds of the police and the policed. The stories told are by turns heart-warming and saddening, moving and maddening - it is an account of the very best and the very worst of our society. It is a book which should be required reading for all who aspire to public office, in any sector and at every level (John Nichol, author of TORNADO DOWN)
A fascinating, powerful and beautifully written insight into the life of a police officer (Dan Walker, journalist and broadcaster)
A remarkable, honest account of twenty years in policing (Sophy Ridge, journalist and broadcaster)
All stars
Most relevant
A perfect read if you are interested in the realities of policing. An honest book that walks you from probationer to commander and everything inbetween with seering honesty including what Sutherland thinks of some of the policies that are implemented. No holds barred. The job the police do and the effects that can have on them. This should be read.
The narrator was perfect for the book.

Honest

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John Sutherland writes beautifully and portrays policing brilliantly as what it is and how the cumulation of many traumatic incidents can impact on your mental health.
Ps Thankyou for your service

Outstanding

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I really enjoyed listening to this book, a lot of the incidents took me back in time , but it was lovely to hear the thoughts and feelings described from a policeman's point of view .

Very interesting

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Fantastic memoir from a fantastic man. Honest and open from start to finish with interesting yet shocking tales of the life of a police officer, from humble beginnings to high flying yet troubled leader. At no point does Mr Sutherland claim this title for himself but believe me, this is a journey into the life of a hero and the strains that heroism can put on the human mind. Rest up Sir, you've earned it.

Honest and eye opening account

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This is a brilliantly written book that all serving officers should read. I have never considered myself someone who got "stressed" or struggled with the things I saw in the Job. Unfortunately it took the breakdown of my relationship to finally see how untrue this was. I'd read this book about a year beforehand and found it to be a brilliantly written piece by an inspirational man. In hindsight it should have helped me see those early warning signs myself, but unfortunately like many I simply ignored or brushed them away. Read, and please take heed....

Read/Listen and take heed

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