Going Straight: Living with Ankylosing Spondylitis-A Laugh a minute!

As a suffer of AS for the past 16 years (12 of which were undiagnosed) I loved this book even as I sobbed through it at 4:00 a.m. This reading and crying and laughing at the same time was quite a feat, I must say, because I read it during a particularly violent flare of uveitis (an inflammatory eye condition related to AS), which left me only one good eye to read with to begin with. Written in a quirky and conversational style, the book relates one person's individual experience with this extremely painful and very disabling disease. One quickly becomes aware that Mr. Greaves is a philosopher of pain, that he has studied at its knee and been rapped on the knuckles repeatedly by it, the sternest of taskmasters. What he has learned is what anyone struggling with a chronic disease must learn: I have it, but I don't have to surrender to it. Although it is a recitation of a life of pain, I didn't find the book depressing at all. Rather, I found it to be very uplifting and encouraging. After mind-numbing, spine-twisting, life-altering pain, Greaves is gracious and thankful and funny as hell. If you have a less debilitating case of AS than the author, you will feel lucky and extremely thankful after you've read it. If you have a worse version of this condition, you will at least feel less alone. Never give up! Never surrender!

Loved this. I have recently been diagnosed with AS (quite belatedly -- I've had it for 30 years), and this is the best first-hand account of the disease I've read. The author's honest and disarming portrayal of his own humanness is strangely comforting, and his attitude of humour, acceptance, and gratitude is inspiring. There's a great line towards the end of the book: "AS is a cruel master; it has bent me to its will. I am what I am because of it, but odd to say, I would not have missed the experiences it has brought me, not for the world.” Thanks for that, Alan!

I agree with Seattlelover's review of the book. I have suffer with AS for 18 years (15 years misdiagnosed). I can relate to the pain struggle of Mr. Greaves. His debilitation with AS is extreme. I have bad days and better ones. Mr. Greaves is thankful for his support group. I'm blessed to have the support of family, friends and good doctors like him.

General in nature. I was looking for more in-depth information and co-morbity. I do not want to say eight more words.

Somehow I made the mistake of believing that I would learn more about AS from this book. Not only did I not find anything new about AS, I have been unable to decide why this book was written. It is not humorous, nor is it interesting.

Great story about one mans struggle with Ankylosing Spondylitis and his journey to go from bent to walking straight!

It was an OK read, nothing more.

i found this book an interesting and well written book into the one persons journey with what is a horrid desease for many.