The Life and Times of A Death DOdger
How many times can one man cheat death before it finally catches up with him?
In The Life and Times of a Death Dodger, Nick Evans reckons the tally stands at eight and a half – and counting.
With wit, warmth and a gloriously self-deprecating eye, Nick recounts a life punctuated by near-fatal illnesses, reckless adventures, catastrophic decisions, medical miracles and sheer, dumb luck. From childhood tuberculosis to disastrous DIY, from youthful bravado and dangerous escapades to brushes with mental collapse, natural disaster and lurking killers within his own body, Death has stalked him closely – and repeatedly missed.
This is not a tale of grim survival, but a joyfully human memoir packed with sharp observations, dark humour, vivid period detail and affectionate portraits of family, friends, doctors, teachers and long-suffering partners. Along the way, Nick reflects on post-war Britain, education, marriage, risk-taking, “blagging,” the NHS, and the strange business of growing older when you were never entirely sure you’d live this long.
By turns laugh-out-loud funny, shocking, poignant and unexpectedly life-affirming, The Life and Times of a Death Dodger is a celebration of resilience, survival and the absurdity of being alive – written by a man who really shouldn’t be here to tell the tale, but very much is.
Eight and a half lives lived. One voice worth listening to.
The Life and Times of a Death Dodger will appeal to readers who enjoy intelligent, humorous memoirs rooted in lived experience, where sharp observation, warmth and self-awareness transform personal history into something universal.
Like Bill Bryson, Nick Evans blends anecdote with cultural observation, finding comedy in everyday absurdity and danger in the seemingly mundane. Like Alan Bennett, he brings a distinctly British voice – wry, understated, and quietly devastating – to reflections on mortality, memory, class, and character. And like Frank McCourt, he writes candidly about hardship, survival and emotional vulnerability without sentimentality, allowing humour and honesty to carry the weight of experience.
This is a memoir for readers who value voice over vanity, truth over triumph, and humour as a survival mechanism.