Tom: A Child's Life Regained

John Embling

Softcover

ISBN 10: 014004860X ISBN 13: 9780140048605

Publisher: Penguin, 1978

'I'D ALWAYS GO AND SIT IN THE TOILETS EACH TIME THEY HIT ME...I'D JUST GET TIGHTER AND TIGHTERAND I'D WANNA KILLPEOPLE...THEY'D JUST BEAT THE HELLOUT OF YUH, THEY KNEW YUH COULDN'T DONUTHIN' ABOUT IT...' THIS IS HOW TOM DESCRIBED HIS TREATMENT AT PRIMARY AND TECHNICAL SCHOOL BUT IT WAS ONLY AFTER ALMOST TWO YEARS OF INTENSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP THAT HE COULD TALKFREELY TO ME ABOUTHIS THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS. WHEN I MET HIM, TOM WAS THIRTEEN, WITHDRAWN,VIOLENT AND SELF-DESTRUCTIVE. 'TOM' IS THE STORY OF HOW WE WORKED TOGETHER TO RE-ESTABLISH HIS LIFE. IT WAS A TORTUOUS, OFTEN UNREWARDING AND HEARTBREAKING TIME, AND THE TRAGEDY IS THAT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHERS LIKE TOM WHODO NOT GET THE CHANCE TO RE-DIRECT THEIR LIVES.