Pacemaker

In Pacemaker, acclaimed poet David Toms confronts what it means to live life while always walking in tandem with a rare heart condition. In this reflective hybrid memoir, he invites us into the most intimate of struggles; to be keenly aware, with every step, that one day your heart may give out. He climbs mountains for leisure and in his personal life; explores heartbreak both metaphorical and literal; and takes us on journeys both real and imagined. Written with beauty and economy, Pacemaker speaks to all of us in its exploration of what it means to live in a fragile yet resilient body, to walk multiple challenging paths, and to always find a way to keep moving.

'Pacemaker is a rare volume, a deeply considered meditation on the heart and the stride that encompasses so much more besides. It trembles with the truth of a self, articulated with an eloquence seldom encountered. David Toms has written a beautiful, beautiful book - I loved it.' Doireann Ni Ghriofa