DAVENPORT, Iowa - s4story -- Legacy Book Press LLC has released its latest personal story, a memoir by Allen Long. Praying for Restraint revisits the time period that Long worked as a CNA—certified nursing assistant—at that supposed sanctuary of caring, an inner-city general hospital. What an unforgettable parade of bizarre, needy, abusive, menacing, endearing, and poignant humanity passes through its doors. And those are just the staff and administrators! Meanwhile, the patient population spans the affluent and sophisticated to the homeless, the mentally ill, addicts, gang members, and criminals in custody. The short vignettes in this memoir take the reader on a journey into the absurd and surreal that is ultimately uplifting and harrowing, both funny and heartbreaking.

About his book, Long said, "My greatest motivation in writing the book was to expose the poor management and mistreatment of staff and patients that I witnessed. I assumed Malmed Memorial, a fictitious institution, was not unique in its failings, and I hope the book will contribute to hospital reform. Another motivation was to tell a fascinating story that readers would enjoy. When I proofread the book's galleys months after I'd finished the book and resigned from Malmed Memorial, I found some of the episodes to be nearly unbelievable, even though I'd witnessed and experienced them." About why she chose Praying for Restraint to be a Legacy Book Press title, owner Jodie Toohey said, "I liked the way Allen approached such a serious topic with his dry sense of humor." An earlier reviewer, Steven Rosenthal, MD, said, "Allen Long is an astute observer and exhibits a caring and compassionate approach to patient care. These stories and observations are poignant and often, quite disturbing. I hope this book is helpful in improving the work environment in health care."

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Allen Long was born in New York City and grew up in Arlington, Virginia. He is the author of Less than Human: A Memoir (Black Rose, 2016) and over twenty short stories and memoirs appearing in literary magazines. Allen holds a BA in journalism from Virginia Tech, an MA in fiction writing from Hollins University, and an MFA in fiction writing from the University of Arizona. An assistant editor at Narrative Magazine since 2007, Allen lives with his wife in California. Learn more about him at his website, http://allenlongauthor.com/.

Legacy Book Press LLC, founded in 2020 and based in Iowa, seeks to publish personal stories told via non-fiction, autobiographical fiction, poetry, or a combination of the same. Praying for Restraint is its eighth publication, with four more coming soon later this year or early 2022.

Learn more at https://legacybookpress.com/praying-for-restraint/.

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