From an impoverished childhood shaped by her parents' addictions to becoming a prize-winning academic, this is the incredible memoir from an inspiring voice, told with devastating candour, humour and warmth.
THE NUMBER 1 BESTSELLER
WINNER OF BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR, IRISH BOOK AWARDS
'One of the best [books] I have read about the complexities of poverty . . . one of the most remarkable people you will ever meet' Guardian
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Like young girls everywhere Katriona O’Sullivan grew up bright, enthusiastic, curious. But she was also surrounded by abject poverty and chaos.
After becoming pregnant and homeless at 15, what followed was five years of barely surviving. Yet today Katriona is an award-winning academic whose work explores barriers to education for girls like her.
What set Katriona on this unexpected path were the mentors and supporters who truly saw her. The teachers who showed her how to wash in the school toilets or turned up at her door to convince her to sit at least one GCSE. The community worker who encouraged her to apply for training schemes. The friend who introduced Katriona to Trinity College’s access program while she was a cleaner. Simple acts that would help her turn her life around.
Told with warmth, clarity and compassion – compassion for her parents, for her younger self, for others – Poor is both an astonishing personal testimony and an impassioned plea for the future of our children.
Praise for POOR:
‘Powerful – Katriona is a legend’ Barry Keoghan
‘Raw, passionate and resolutely honest – I’ll never forget it’ Annie Mac
'Full of insight . . . so important' Fi Glover, Times Radio
'I read poor in one sitting I found it so compelling . . . moving, uplifting, brave, heroic' Nuala McGovern, Woman's Hour, BBC Radio Four
'Moving, funny, brave and original - just like the author . . . absolutely incredible' Roísín Ingle, Irish Times Women's Podcast
‘One of the books of the year’ Patrick Kielty, Late Late Show, RTÉ One
'One of the most important books I have ever read … a beautiful telling of determination despite the odds' Lynn Ruane, Irish Times
'Fearless, funny and searingly honest' Adil Ray OBE
'Raw and remarkable' Irish Independent
'A book of empowerment and hope' Patricia Scanlan
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Opinion
We discussed this book at our book club. It divided 50/50 between those who found it to be self-indulgent and over-dramatised and those who found it to be a revealing insight into how it is to be raised in poverty and surrounded by addiction. I was in the latter camp: for the first time I understood…
We discussed this book at our book club. It divided 50/50 between those who found it to be self-indulgent and over-dramatised and those who found it to be a revealing insight into how it is to be raised in poverty and surrounded by addiction. I was in the latter camp: for the first time I understood the psyche of someone brought up in that environment; I wish that this book had been written while I was still a practicing doctor because it would have helped me to engage better with patients with this background. The epilogue is the best bit of the book: don’t skip it because it puts the rest into perspective
- Authors:
- O'Sullivan, Katriona
- Year Published:
- 2024
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Format:
- Paperback
- ISBN:
- 9780241996768
- Number of Pages:
- 304
- Publication Date:
- 18/04/2024
- Publisher:
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Place of Publication:
- London
- Language:
- English
- SKU:
- 9780241996768