1963: A Slice of Bread and

Jam
 By
Tommy Rhattigan
Mirror Books
 ***THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER***

'Tommy's book is a stark but funny and heartwarming snapshot of

one year growing up in crippling poverty in an Irish traveller family
ruled by an abusive, alcoholic father and a drunken, neglectful
mother.' Daily Mirror

Amid the derelict terraced houses of Manchester's Hulme, one boy

experiences adventures, abuse, crippling poverty and an encounter
with the Moors Murderers.

A raw and often funny snapshot of 7-year-old Tommy's brutal

young life. He moves us through his daily struggle with poverty and
neglect in 1960s Manchester like it's the most natural thing in the
world.

Tommy lives at the heart of a large Irish family in derelict Hulme,

ruled by an abusive and alcoholic father and a drunk, negligent
mother. Alongside his siblings he begs or steals a few pennies to
bring home to his parents to avoid a beating, while looking for
something to eat and a little adventure along the way. With an
unlikely sense of fun and a huge dose of good humour, Tommy
introduces us to his foul-mouthed and chaotic family members.
Deeply flawed they may be, but amongst the violence, grinding
poverty and distinct lack of hygiene and morality lies a strong sense
of loyalty and, above all, a spirit of survival.

During this single year before his family implodes and his world
changes forever, young Tommy almost falls foul of the school
welfare officers, the nuns, the police, and Myra Hindley and Ian
 Brady.

Tommy's story continues with Boy Number 26 - also available now.

Readers love 1963: A Slice of Bread and Jam:

'A beautiful book, humbling, sad and funny all at the same time. It
will stay with me forever'
'A must-read'
'A wonderfully atmospheric and emotive story'
'So sad and still hilariously funny'
Real reader reviews from GoodReads.com

Mirror Books

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