One Unknown

Book excerpt: This is an incredibly moving account of tragedy and its aftermath, as told by Gill Hicks, survivor of the London bombings in July 2005. Gill was the last person to be pulled alive from the wreckage of the tube train at Russell Square underground station. Unidentifiable on arrival in hospital, having sustained horrific injuries which led to both of her legs being amputated, Gill was labelled as ‘One Unknown’ on her wristband and life hung in the balance for several days. She was saved by the dedication of the medical staff treating her, and by her own single-minded will to survive. This is, quite simply, a wonderful book. It is humbling, uplifting, funny and deeply moving, and it contains a message of great, yet quiet power. Gill writes with honesty, humour and courage. One Unknown is a call to us all to strive for a more tolerant and peaceful world. This paperback edition contains a new foreword - three years after the bombings happened, plus a new chapter written by Gill's husband, giving his account of the events of the past three years.