I Swear - by John Davidson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

THE MUST-READ MEMOIR BEHIND THE MAJOR BAFTA AWARD-WINNING FILM, I SWEAR, STARRING ROBERT ARAMAYO.

From the remarkable Scottish campaigner, this is the powerful and moving autobiography offering extraordinary insight into what it is like to live with a severe form of Tourette's Syndrome.

'Funny and heartfelt ... this skilfully told tale deserves praise for how it lets us non-sweary people see inside the ordinary, albeit anxious, mind of someone with Tourette syndrome.' THE TIMES

Born in the 1970s on the Scottish Borders, John's was ten when his tics first arrived, as if from nowhere. Previously a happy, popular, football-mad boy he was labelled disruptive, rude, and even mad. As his condition progressed, from blinks and jerks to involuntary rude and obscene shouting, John was bullied, rejected - alienated from his family and a society that had no idea what to make of him.

Hospitalized and drugged for months, it was only an extraordinary and transformative friendship, and John's dogged optimism, that turned his life around, making I Swear an inspirational story of triumph over adversity.

Through John's eyes, we see Tourette's not just as a medical condition, but as a lens through which we can all better understand the importance of human connection. And how essential, as well as ultimately rewarding, it can be to keep going and never give up.
'An astonishing tale about an amazing man.' - JOJO MOYES, author of Me Before You and Someone Else's Shoes

'This superb book is an engaging and fascinating account of what it's like to live with Tourette's.' DAILY MAIL

'Brave, shocking, funny and moving ... This is a really important book.' RACHEL JOYCE, bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Homemade God

Review Quotes

Brave, shocking, funny and moving, I SWEAR opens our eyes to the reality of living with a complex condition. This is a really important book.--Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Homemade God

Most books have one plot twist, one villain and a happy ending, but this one has generous helpings of each ... Beyond its inevitable shock factor, this skilfully told tale deserves praise for how it lets us non-sweary people see inside the ordinary, albeit anxious, mind of someone with Tourette syndrome, --Ceci Browning, The Times

An astonishing tale about an amazing man. If this book were given out to schools it would triple the empathy levels for Tourette's.--Jojo Moyes

This superb book is an engaging and fascinating account of what it's like to live with Tourette's.--Daily Mail

About the Author

John Davidson MBE was born in 1971 in Galashiels. After leaving school without qualifications, he began work as a caretaker at Langlee Community Centre in Galashiels, where since 2002 he has also been a part-time youth worker.
Aged sixteen, John was the subject of a BBC documentary, John's Not Mad, about living with Tourette's syndrome, and he has since been an ambassador for the condition, giving talks and workshops in schools and to the police, and running residential camps for young people with Tourette's. Since 1989 he has featured in several follow-up documentaries; Kirk Jones's 2025 film I Swear is based on John's life.
In 2019 John joined the board of Tourette Scotland and was awarded an MBE in recognition of 'his efforts to increase understanding of the condition and helping families deal with it across the country'. He has also gained international recognition for his online support for families all over the world.