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Author Sells Out At Book Signing - Published Nov 2001
Nov 6th 2001
Nov 6th 2001
Dr Ken Luckman's book, Place of Compassion about building a hospital up a mountainside in the Southern
African Kingdom of Lesotho from scratch, got off
to flying start at the inaugural book signing in WH Smith in his home
town of Broomsgrove on Tuesday 29th October (2001), selling out of copies in
less than 40 minutes. Our editor who attended the book signing said, "
I couldn't believe it, that's 36 books, which we thought would be more
than enough!" The Manager of the bookshop was also a little open
mouthed. "We haven't had anything that good since I've been here
and we've had one or two well known authors come thought this shop!"
The launch was preceded by the following full page spread in the local paper, and Ken is a retired local medical practitioner and leading member of the local Christian Community, so as one purchaser, whilst standing in line, put it to our editor, "He is known to an awful lot of people around here!"
From 'The Worcestershire Evening Mail' Tuesday October 23rd
A Doctor who spend seven years building a hospital in Africa has written a book about the pioneering project. Dr Ken Luckman was working at the former Bromsgrove General Hospital as an obstetric house officer before he was asked to go to Lesotho, southern Africa, by the Missionary Society.
They were looking for a doctor for the unique medical project and also recruited a male nurse from Liverpool and a builder, from Bath, to be the ones to take medicine to the isolated community in the mountains. Dr Luckman, now aged 66, was only 26 when he undertook the amazing journey and the creation of St James' Hospital in Mantsonyane.
His book, entitled Place of Compassion, covers the seven years spent in Lesotho and his return to Britain in 1968. After that he worked as a General Practitioner in Rubery for 27 years until his retirement six years ago. He recalled how he often had to travel to see patients in the area, known as the kingdom in the sky, on horseback.
"The local people had no medical services and I had to travel for up to a day to reach patients. Many of their injuries were from falling down mountains, from horses and from attacking each other with sticks. "There was one road when we went out there. By the time we left in 1968 there was an airstrip and several hospital clinics set up. 1 suppose, looking back it was a fit of madness which made me go. But there is no question that we saved many lives."
Dr Luckman's wife, Hazel, aged 64, who taught at the George Dixon Grammar School in Birmingham and who was with him during the last three years of his stay in Lesotho has helped him write the book with the help of her diaries and her memories.
- Dr Luckman added: "In 1999 I paid a return visit and it was very gratifying to see what had been done. Communications were so much improved. They had a high land water scheme and people seemed much better nourished, but Aids is now pandemic."
Dr Luckman is expected to take part in an official book signing event at WH Smith in Bromsgrove's High Street on October 29th at 11am.
His book has been published by Authors Online at a cost of £8.95. - SUE SMITH © Worcestershire Evening Mail
Well done Ken - not a bad day's work! - Ed
The launch was preceded by the following full page spread in the local paper, and Ken is a retired local medical practitioner and leading member of the local Christian Community, so as one purchaser, whilst standing in line, put it to our editor, "He is known to an awful lot of people around here!"
From 'The Worcestershire Evening Mail' Tuesday October 23rd
A Doctor who spend seven years building a hospital in Africa has written a book about the pioneering project. Dr Ken Luckman was working at the former Bromsgrove General Hospital as an obstetric house officer before he was asked to go to Lesotho, southern Africa, by the Missionary Society.
They were looking for a doctor for the unique medical project and also recruited a male nurse from Liverpool and a builder, from Bath, to be the ones to take medicine to the isolated community in the mountains. Dr Luckman, now aged 66, was only 26 when he undertook the amazing journey and the creation of St James' Hospital in Mantsonyane.
His book, entitled Place of Compassion, covers the seven years spent in Lesotho and his return to Britain in 1968. After that he worked as a General Practitioner in Rubery for 27 years until his retirement six years ago. He recalled how he often had to travel to see patients in the area, known as the kingdom in the sky, on horseback.
"The local people had no medical services and I had to travel for up to a day to reach patients. Many of their injuries were from falling down mountains, from horses and from attacking each other with sticks. "There was one road when we went out there. By the time we left in 1968 there was an airstrip and several hospital clinics set up. 1 suppose, looking back it was a fit of madness which made me go. But there is no question that we saved many lives."
Dr Luckman's wife, Hazel, aged 64, who taught at the George Dixon Grammar School in Birmingham and who was with him during the last three years of his stay in Lesotho has helped him write the book with the help of her diaries and her memories.
- Dr Luckman added: "In 1999 I paid a return visit and it was very gratifying to see what had been done. Communications were so much improved. They had a high land water scheme and people seemed much better nourished, but Aids is now pandemic."
Dr Luckman is expected to take part in an official book signing event at WH Smith in Bromsgrove's High Street on October 29th at 11am.
His book has been published by Authors Online at a cost of £8.95. - SUE SMITH © Worcestershire Evening Mail
Well done Ken - not a bad day's work! - Ed
