Painful Yarns

This much anticipated collection of stories, written by clinical neuroscientist and co-author of Explain Pain, Dr GL Moseley, provides an entertaining and informative way to understand modern pain biology. Described by critics as 'a gem' and by clinicians as 'entertaining and educative', Painful Yarns is a unique book. The stories, some of his travels in outback Australia, some of experiences growing up, are great yarns.

At the end of each story, there is a section "so what has this got to do with pain?" in which Lorimer uses the story as a metaphor for some aspect of pain biology. The level of the pain education is appropriate for patients and health professionals. The entertainment is good for everyone. You don't have to be interested in pain to get something from this book and a laugh or two!

Book review from the Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy, 2009

“Moseley is pain management’s answer to James Herriot. This book captures that illusive ability to both educate and entertain.” Dr Michael Thacker, Director, Pain Science Program, Kings College, London

“When reading, it is always a good sign when you start to cry from laughing….this is clearly the best book about clinical pain that I have ever read.”
Dr John Keltner, MD (Harvard) Pain Physician, Anethiologist and Research fellow, Oxford University.

“Painful yarns are about life. The way Moseley turns them into metaphors about pain is brilliant. This is a real gem.” Diane Wilkinson, Freelance Writer.

“I love a good story….but the best bit was that when the stories were compared to how pain works, it made sense.” Dimos, Lorry Driver (not Hino’s), with chronic back pain.

“Persistent pain can be very difficult to understand. These stories provide an engaging, scientifically accurate way of explaining …they will help people understand their pain and help health care professionals understand the pain of their patients.” Professor Franics J Keefe, Pain Prevention and Treatment Research Program, Duke University Medical Centre, Duke University, USA

Dancing Giraffe Press (2007), 116pp, softcover, burst bound, includes pictures and figures. ISBN: 978-0-9803-5880-3.