Close to Where the Heart Gives Out (Paperback) - Dr Malcolm Alexander

Set in the wild and remote landscape of Eday, part of the Orkney archipelago, Close to Where the Heart Gives Out is an unflinchingly honest and moving tale of rural life, from the only doctor on the island.

An immensely heart-warming story of life on the frontline within extreme circumstances.

'Malcolm Alexander is to GPs what James Herriot is to vets' - Matt Gaw
'An ode to island life in all its glorious foibles' - The Herald

In his forties, Malcolm gave up his job in suburban Glasgow when a persistent seed that had been growing inside him started to bloom, disrupting the foundations of his life. When he saw the job advert, 'urgent: island doctor needed', he applied immediately. What he didn't anticipate was how much Orkney would affect his family, for better or worse.

In stories that range from the humorous to the deeply moving, Malcolm describes what it's like adjusting to life without modern conveniences and to the extreme - and constantly changing - weather; and what it means to be providing the best medical care to the local population with limited resources. Which often includes the wildlife as well ...

Malcolm's journey evokes the awe that the Orkney landscape can inspire, as well as the challenges of island life and the demons that the dark, cold winter months can give birth to. Gripping and beautifully written, Close to Where the Heart Gives Out reminds us of the importance of listening to our heart, as well as to the rhythms of the landscape.

About the Author

Dr Malcolm Alexander graduated from Edinburgh University in 1980 with the single thought of becoming a General Practitioner. Life had other plans, and he became Medical Director for Orkney Health Board and he finished his career working for 11 years as Associate Medical Director for the Scottish National Telephone Triage service, NHS 24, before finally returning to face-to-face practice in his local GP practice on one of the Scottish islands. He lives in an old Victorian home on the Isle of Bute.