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| The Books - FMD (Novel) - Following Orders - Page 2 |
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by James Drew - This is a work of fiction
but based on the
real-life events of the Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks
of 2000 and 2001 respectively experienced by the author. 'Following Orders' was published on 20th
February 2006 to mark the 5th anniversary of the start of the 2001 FMD
epidemic.
The novel is written from the perspective of a vet in the front line in the fight against the disease and explores the angst and moral dilemmas he faces in trying to change the policy that has been set. The confusion, desperation, and the almost intolerable emotions felt by those caught up in the epidemic are well explored and explained in a way that is not possible in official reports and scientific papers. Telling how the centralisation of Government policy can cause events to snowball out of control with no one apparently responsible or accountable. It also shows how people can be persuaded to simply, follow orders, without due consideration of the overall effect of their actions. It likens the process of what happened during Foot and Mouth to that which has led to the worst of human atrocities of the last hundred years. |
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Following Orders' describes in frighteningly graphic detail the real meaning of the innocuous phrase ‘Humane slaughter’ on farm, and how those involved can become blasé and de-sensitised to what is going on, purely as a means of self-preservation. At the same time, this is a love story of betrayal, honour, and ultimately hope. This novel is a definitive work bringing to the attention of a wider public what really happened, how, and perhaps some of the answers to why. James Drew writes from first hand experience of both disease outbreaks. He wrote this book in response to the attitude of those people not in the ‘front line’ who: ‘Can’t see what all the fuss was about.’ He says: ‘Those of us who experienced it have a duty to tell people what it was really like, so that History cannot be re-written or buried and lost in sanitised official reports. By writing in a fictional narrative I hope I can transmit to readers some of the emotions and the sense of helplessness felt but many of those caught up in the whole ghastly event; the sort of things that reports which concentrate on bare facts cannot hope (or indeed want), to portray. This was a life-changing event for many people and is the nearest thing they have ever come to feeling like they were living in a war zone. It must not happen again'. Price:£9.99 (plus £1.50 p&p) Signed copies are available from the
publishers. |
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