Three Months of My Life

 

Title	:	Three Months of My Life
Author	:	J. F. Foster
Language	:	English
Genre	:	Novel / Memoir-Style Historical Fiction
Publication Date	:	30 July 1914

 

Synopsis

Three Months of My Life is a deeply personal and reflective narrative set against the backdrop of British colonial India in the late nineteenth century. The story begins on the early morning of Midsummer’s Day in 1868, as the narrator makes his slow and fragile way toward the office of the Deputy Inspector General of Hospitals in Peshawur. His purpose is to appear before a standing Medical Committee that will examine his health and determine his future.

Physically weakened and escorted by a dooley in case he collapses, the narrator’s appearance alone tells a grim story. His pale face and exhausted condition reveal the toll that the harsh climate and relentless sun have taken on his body. He recalls the fateful day in May when, at the height of unbearable heat, he set out alone on a medical mission while other Europeans sheltered inside their darkened bungalows, protected by swinging punkahs and cooling breezes. Exposed to the fierce and unforgiving sun, he was struck down by its effects, an event that would alter the course of his life.

What follows is a haunting account of prolonged illness—weeks spent confined to a sickbed, suffering from constant headaches by day and a suffocating sense of dread by night. The pain is not merely physical; it is psychological and emotional, intensified by isolation, fear, and uncertainty. The deadly climate of Peshawur, known for its severe conditions, becomes almost a character in itself, shaping the narrator’s suffering and challenging his endurance.

Throughout the narrative, Foster blends personal memory with broader reflections on duty, vulnerability, and the cost of service in hostile environments. The novel captures the realities of colonial medical life, highlighting both the sense of responsibility felt by medical professionals and the physical and emotional sacrifices demanded of them. Three Months of My Life is ultimately a meditation on fragility, survival, and the human spirit when confronted by forces beyond its control.

Recommended For

This book is especially recommended for:

• Adult readers interested in historical and autobiographical fiction.
• Students of colonial history or medical history, particularly within the context of British India.
• Readers who enjoy reflective, first-person narratives focused on endurance and personal struggle.
• Literature and history classes examining imperial life, climate, and health in the 19th century.
• Those who appreciate introspective and atmospheric storytelling rooted in real-life experience.

 DOWNLOAD HERE