Diary of a Juvenile Delinquent. A Memoir. First Printing. Signed by Author

Berkoff Steven.

ISBN 10: 1907532080 / ISBN 13: 9781907532085

Published by London. JR Books Ltd, 2010

About this Item

London. JR Books Ltd. 2010. First Edition/First Printing (1 in number line on copyright page). Hard Cover. Aubergine boards with gilt titles to spine. Flat signed by the author without dedication to the title page. Photographic plates in the text. Photographic dust jacket which has some creasing and wear along the top edge only. No other defects. Very good. Book is in fine condition. Steven Berkoff's remarkable memoir of misspent youth is evocative and compelling from the very first page. Born in London's Jewish East End two years before the outbreak of World War 11. For the young Steven life was tough and always changing; his mother caring but his father was a strange beast a frightening presence who often disappeared for days. Relief came when his mother took him to New York to live for a while in the Bronx, but upon returning to London he misbehaved at school, and as he got older entered into the street life of the times. Leaving school at 16, he drifted from job to job, mostly in men's shops, one of which led him to him to fall in with some out of work actors who introduced him to theatre. With no qualifications he applied to drama school, auditioned, and was granted a scholarship. Scarce signed first printing.

Seller Inventory # MAR27.22010

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Diary of a Juvenile Delinquent. A Memoir. First Printing. Signed by Author
• Publisher: London. JR Books Ltd
• Publication Date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1907532080
• ISBN 13: 9781907532085
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)
• Seller catalogs:
  • memoir, arts, film, signed, first

About this title

Synopsis

Steven Berkoff's remarkable memoir of misspent youth is evocative and compelling from the very first page. Born in London's Jewish East End two years before the outbreak of WWII, life for the Berkoff family was very much hand to mouth. They dodged the bombs when the Blitz started, moved home when theirs was destroyed, and joined the street celebrations when VE Day finally came. For the young Steven life was tough and always changing; his mother caring but his father was "a strange beast" - a frightening presence who often disappeared for days. Relief came when his mother took him to New York to live for a while in the Bronx, but upon returning to London he misbehaved at school, and as he got older entered into the street life of the times - playing the pinball machines and jukeboxes, casing the dance halls, stealing kisses (and more), joining the gangs that entered into vicious daily fights, and eventually ending up in a remand home for stealing a bike. Leaving school at 16, he drifted from job to job, mostly in men's shops, one of which led him to him to fall in with some out of work actors who introduced him to theatre. With no qualifications he applied to drama school, auditioned, and was granted a scholarship. As he movingly ends this powerfully honest book, "I had arrived. I was there. [...] This is what I should do. This is what I should be. An Actor. The door closed and the lesson began."

About the Author

Steven Berkoff is an actor, writer and director whose diverse CV includes the films A Clockwork Orange and Octopussy. He has written several books and his plays have been published extensively.