A disturbing though often hilarious memoir, told uniquely through the eyes of a young child. This is a coming-of-age story of a boy, growing up in 1960s England. As shocking as it is, this is a story of survival and a boyโs desperate attempts to save his mother from the madness and the horror.
โMitchell's overview of then rundown Portsmouth, England in the 1960s shocks as he deftly bypasses all the clichรฉd elements of the 60s via gruesome images of destitution, a cast of unbelievably crazy misfits and the smells, local language, and music of a bleak and impoverished part of England. It's a wakeup call that not everyone experienced the โsummers of love.โ The most amazing aspect of the book is his ability to re-capture his own voice at ages 5, 7, 8 and 13. John Mitchell's debut memoir dazzles. It's original, clever, and amid all the horror, funny.โ -- IndieReader
โThe title suggests a ghost story, but a boy witnessing firsthand the onset and evolution of a mental breakdown is as bloodcurdling as anything supernatural, perhaps more so. A startling, sometimes-chilling tale of mental illness and familial abuse.โ -- Kirkus Reviews
โThe Boy who Lived with Ghosts is a brilliant read. Johnโs story triggered a lot of emotions for me when I was reading and it brought me close to tearsโฆI think itโs simply brilliant, I am going to recommend this book to you because it offers an insight into Johnโs heart-breaking childhood which will make you appreciate all that you have a lot more, The Boy who Lived with Ghosts is definitely a worthwhile read.โ -- Online Book Club
About the Author
John grew up in 1960's England. His start in life was in destitution, surrounded by decay. He witnessed the disturbing collapse of relationships and sanity in his family. He is passionate about protecting the innocence of children and writes prolifically on some of life's toughest subjects. He is now living in New York with his wife and family. John maintains an extensive social media presence, with over 180,000 fans and followers around the world who comment regularly on his frequent blogs and posts.