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The Boy who Lived with Ghosts
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 boy’s desperate attempts to save his mother from the madness and the horror.
“Mitchell's overview of then rundown Portsmouth, England in the 1960s shocks as he deftly bypasses all the clichéd 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 ‘summers of love.’ 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.” -- IndieReader
“The 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.” -- Kirkus Reviews
“The Boy who Lived with Ghosts is a brilliant read. John’s story triggered a lot of emotions for me when I was reading and it brought me close to tears…I think it’s simply brilliant, I am going to recommend this book to you because it offers an insight into John’s 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.” -- Online Book Club
“Mitchell's overview of then rundown Portsmouth, England in the 1960s shocks as he deftly bypasses all the clichéd 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 ‘summers of love.’ 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.” -- IndieReader
“The 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.” -- Kirkus Reviews
“The Boy who Lived with Ghosts is a brilliant read. John’s story triggered a lot of emotions for me when I was reading and it brought me close to tears…I think it’s simply brilliant, I am going to recommend this book to you because it offers an insight into John’s 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.” -- Online Book Club
- GenresNonfictionMemoirGhosts
429 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2013
21 people are currently reading
2598 people want to read
About the author
John Mitchell
1 book31 followersI grew up with poverty, insanity and addiction, but I know now that it’s important to see the funny side of it!
But for all of my life, someone or something has lived right behind me, just visible in the corner of my eye. Fragments of those early childhood experiences continue to smother me in dreadful, breathless moments. I am still anxious about everything and I have a dark place inside my head that I stole from the blackness of the cellar in our first house.
My writing is honest and accessible. Storytelling is the most important form of human communication. At its best, it is like sitting down with an old friend and having a chat.
I hope this means that together we can laugh and cry—and cry with laughter.
Come and sit with me.
John
New York, 2015
But for all of my life, someone or something has lived right behind me, just visible in the corner of my eye. Fragments of those early childhood experiences continue to smother me in dreadful, breathless moments. I am still anxious about everything and I have a dark place inside my head that I stole from the blackness of the cellar in our first house.
My writing is honest and accessible. Storytelling is the most important form of human communication. At its best, it is like sitting down with an old friend and having a chat.
I hope this means that together we can laugh and cry—and cry with laughter.
Come and sit with me.
John
New York, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
August 25, 2013
Firstly thank you to good reads for my receiving this book in a give away. This book has had me laughing out loud, crying and left open mouthed in shock at some of the things I was reading.
John Mitchell has written so eloquently, and with humour, about his very traumatic childhood. I could picture him so clearly as a young child; so accepting, as young children are about their lives because they do not know any different. His dysfunctional family include his grandfather who thinks he`s a train, an alcoholic father, a Scottish grandmother, his depressive mother, his twin sister and his older sister whose demons invaded her own sanity.
We are all shaped by our childhood and the relationships we have with our family, but a bad childhood does not have to define who we become as adults in any negative way. John has shown that you can move on and make choices about the kind of person you want to be and the life you want to live. I hope John found writing this amazing memoir a healing process, albeit a very painful one.
I highly recommend this book to everyone, you cannot fail to be moved by it.
John Mitchell has written so eloquently, and with humour, about his very traumatic childhood. I could picture him so clearly as a young child; so accepting, as young children are about their lives because they do not know any different. His dysfunctional family include his grandfather who thinks he`s a train, an alcoholic father, a Scottish grandmother, his depressive mother, his twin sister and his older sister whose demons invaded her own sanity.
We are all shaped by our childhood and the relationships we have with our family, but a bad childhood does not have to define who we become as adults in any negative way. John has shown that you can move on and make choices about the kind of person you want to be and the life you want to live. I hope John found writing this amazing memoir a healing process, albeit a very painful one.
I highly recommend this book to everyone, you cannot fail to be moved by it.
July 17, 2013
This remarkable first book by John Mitchell is a riveting memoir of suspense, horror, and humor. A little boy in 1960s England copes with poverty, an alcoholic father, a depressed mother, and a schizophrenic sibling. Yet a tiny but tough Scottish grandmother and a colorful aunt relieve the terrible hardships and add comedy to his situation. This sensitive and creative child not only copes with the challenges but also attempts to relieve his mother's stress. This book is full of real terrors yet manages some of the funniest and most poignant scenes since "Catcher in the Rye."
March 8, 2014
My heart goes out to JM for all he endured and survived as a young boy and his courage for laying it all out there for the whole world to see. I really can understand his forgiveness of abuse by his older sister Margueretta, but what his mother allowed and grandmother (Nana) did for the entertainment of others was just too much of an offense to pardon. And, yes, I know, "to err is human, to forgive divine." I do, however, commend John Mitchell for his courage and strength to move on and am so glad I purchased his novel (though I know I could not bear to read it again), hoping his earnings from it will be astronomical.
July 21, 2013
This is an astounding first effort from John Mitchell. How he managed to take such a horrible life story and make it funny and unputdownable is nothing short of miraculous.
1960s Portsmouth, England, in the bowels of poverty, a little boy survives a drunk father, a depressed mother, and a paranoid-schizophrenic sister who physically abuses him every day and tries to kill herself over and over. His efforts to save his mother from depression are both hilarious and touching.
This memoir is a marvel.
1960s Portsmouth, England, in the bowels of poverty, a little boy survives a drunk father, a depressed mother, and a paranoid-schizophrenic sister who physically abuses him every day and tries to kill herself over and over. His efforts to save his mother from depression are both hilarious and touching.
This memoir is a marvel.
July 22, 2013
It is interesting moment when your childhood can see a strange imagination or a ghost and you befriend with that "thing". Yet creepy, but sometimes a good friend is whoever that stand by your side anywhere even you feel lonely. hahaha.... ^_^b
July 22, 2013
A True Story of childhood haunting! ..Very illuminating wisdom- through the eyes of a child.
September 26, 2013
I won a signed copy of this book from Goodreads giveaways.
The description of this book says "...disturbing but often funny account of survival...", while I totally agree with the disturbing part I don't find it funny in the least. I see how some of the things said and done would be funny if in another context but for me this book was mostly sad.
I loved this book because it brought so many emotions to me and made me thankful for everything I have. I also felt I could relate to some of the people in the book. My childhood wasn't nearly as traumatic and heartbreaking but my dad also "went to see a man about a dog" (among other things) and that caused a lot of problems in my younger years.
It was hard reading about the fondling and molestation of children. It made me so sad and also angry. I have 3 young kids of my own and I hate that there's people who do these things to kids.
The Epilogue was the perfect finishing touch to this Memoir! John, I admire you for your strength to put this in a book for the world to see. You are an inspiration! xxxxx <---that's 5 hugs! =)
The description of this book says "...disturbing but often funny account of survival...", while I totally agree with the disturbing part I don't find it funny in the least. I see how some of the things said and done would be funny if in another context but for me this book was mostly sad.
I loved this book because it brought so many emotions to me and made me thankful for everything I have. I also felt I could relate to some of the people in the book. My childhood wasn't nearly as traumatic and heartbreaking but my dad also "went to see a man about a dog" (among other things) and that caused a lot of problems in my younger years.
It was hard reading about the fondling and molestation of children. It made me so sad and also angry. I have 3 young kids of my own and I hate that there's people who do these things to kids.
The Epilogue was the perfect finishing touch to this Memoir! John, I admire you for your strength to put this in a book for the world to see. You are an inspiration! xxxxx <---that's 5 hugs! =)
July 31, 2013
John Mitchell's book is an inspiration, he writes about his childhood from the perspective of a child, it's the true story of his early life and I cried so much when I read it - no child should have to live a life like that but John Mitchell, by the way he writes and by the way he survives, and goes on to become a successful writer (actually an amazing writer) shows that whatever you grow up with, you can go on to achieve! This book should be required reading on every school curriculum - it would show future parents exactly how children see the adult world. John Mitchell is a real inspiration. Read this book!
July 18, 2013
I simply could not put this book down. It is a great read. It is a humorous yet distressing account of a young boy living in a rapidly decaying family environment due to alcoholism and mental illness. It is refreshing that the author was able to capture life thought the eyes of a child.
April 26, 2016
I'm a big fan of this one.
When I first received my Goodreads Giveaway copy of The Boy Who Lived with Ghosts, I decided to take a few minutes to peruse it before setting it aside until I finished some of the books I was reading later in the week. The paperback is quite thick and notably tall. I was highly interested in the subject matter, but I wondered if author John Mitchell would be able to effectively structure a work about his own childhood with an eye to maximizing the reader impact over the course of such a long text. Having finished the memoir, I'm afraid I have no observations to share about its structure...I was too fully absorbed in the story told to pull myself out of it enough to get that level of critical distance, let alone put it down! I stayed up reading all night that first day. I really perused the heck out of this book! It was intense.
I had my first laugh on the first page, and I would agree with those who describe the book as funny -- the author endows this work with frequent applications of charming, dark wit -- but I would not list that as one of its primary strengths. The beauty of The Boy Who Lived with Ghosts inheres in Mitchell's tremendous honesty about things people almost never talk about.
Yes, the material is quite dark, but to characterize the overall impact of this book as "depressing" is facile, in my view. If you can't take a "downer", regardless of its literary or other merits, you may want to steer clear of this. I'd imagine most readers will either feel for him and his family or with them, depending on personal experience. Sadness will happen, but so will many other emotions be experienced in the process of reading.
Finally, I think this book will resonate with many who grew up with serious problems and/or in an environment that made them or the people around them significantly uncomfortable/unhappy. Beyond his fine writing and the thematic quality of the story, Mitchell effectively gives voice to a lot of unspoken realities in families. In that way, he combats the shame of membership in the "dysfunctional" family, and I think that's too rare and very valuable. I can't wait to read this book again, and I recommend it to all who find the description appealing!
Thanks for reading my thoughts -- I hope they are helpful to at least some of you.
When I first received my Goodreads Giveaway copy of The Boy Who Lived with Ghosts, I decided to take a few minutes to peruse it before setting it aside until I finished some of the books I was reading later in the week. The paperback is quite thick and notably tall. I was highly interested in the subject matter, but I wondered if author John Mitchell would be able to effectively structure a work about his own childhood with an eye to maximizing the reader impact over the course of such a long text. Having finished the memoir, I'm afraid I have no observations to share about its structure...I was too fully absorbed in the story told to pull myself out of it enough to get that level of critical distance, let alone put it down! I stayed up reading all night that first day. I really perused the heck out of this book! It was intense.
I had my first laugh on the first page, and I would agree with those who describe the book as funny -- the author endows this work with frequent applications of charming, dark wit -- but I would not list that as one of its primary strengths. The beauty of The Boy Who Lived with Ghosts inheres in Mitchell's tremendous honesty about things people almost never talk about.
Yes, the material is quite dark, but to characterize the overall impact of this book as "depressing" is facile, in my view. If you can't take a "downer", regardless of its literary or other merits, you may want to steer clear of this. I'd imagine most readers will either feel for him and his family or with them, depending on personal experience. Sadness will happen, but so will many other emotions be experienced in the process of reading.
Finally, I think this book will resonate with many who grew up with serious problems and/or in an environment that made them or the people around them significantly uncomfortable/unhappy. Beyond his fine writing and the thematic quality of the story, Mitchell effectively gives voice to a lot of unspoken realities in families. In that way, he combats the shame of membership in the "dysfunctional" family, and I think that's too rare and very valuable. I can't wait to read this book again, and I recommend it to all who find the description appealing!
Thanks for reading my thoughts -- I hope they are helpful to at least some of you.
August 3, 2013
one of the best written stories I have ever read... Could not put it down.. made me cry and laugh.. This is a true story about the author who as a child was raised in an old home and all the crazy things that when on his daily life from his mean sister to his loving Aunt Dot.. and the screams from the attic to the hauntings that went on. Once you open this book you will not want to put it down.. it actually gave me a different view on life.
July 24, 2013
What can I say? I love love love this book! Never been to England so wasn't sure if I would like it. It's a little boy telling you his thoughts. Amazing. I cried and laughed. Wish there was a follow up!
September 8, 2013
I was given this book as part of a giveaway and I'm so glad I had the privilege of reading this memoir written from the point-of-view of a small child into his early adolescence. John Mitchell writes with eloquence, emotion and wonderful humor to outline the years that he survived as a child of 'poverty, insanity and addiction' (his own words). He is an unwilling witness and participant in a dysfunctional family (weren't they all) where love was also in abundance especially from his mother and maternal grandmother. It is a heartbreaking account specifically about his older sibling's emerging mental illness and how this subsequently effected the entire family dynamics. Abandoned by their father, John's mother does her best to feed, clothe and educate her children despite being very poor and single at a time when single-mothers were misunderstood and often ostracized. However in John's deft and compelling storytelling, I often found myself laughing and other other moments weeping for this little boy lost. There is so much more to this story than what I'm including here. I finished this book in a matters of days as I couldn't stop reading. My heart goes out to the author for having had the courage to write such a harrowing and often sad coming of age story. I highly recommend this memoir and look forward to more works from this debut author. Bravo!
February 21, 2015
Wow! Young John Mitchell grew up in England, grew up in extreme poverty & in the midst of a filthy home, a drinking family, a mother on the verge of a nervous breakdown, a father who abandoned him, an older sister who beat him & tormented him everyday, and ravaging mental illness. He & his twin sister were hungry most of the time, his mother would buy "tins with no labels" for the poor, so they never knew what they were going to eat, if at all.
A very sad, horrible life, but yet, this was written from the viewpoint of a child, so oftentimes, extremely hilarious. And you feel bad for laughing, because you see what is happening, but he is just a kid, how else do you explain something? He has become the man of the house when his father left, but yet, what can he do? And despite her own ills, his mother managed to survive & help everyone survive, despite her own mis-guided ways.
I was not sure about the "things that lived in the dark" the screams, but as you read, you understand, you KNOW what it all is, and it is so sad that mental illness back then was usually covered up by families.
I pray he & his family are fine.
A very sad, horrible life, but yet, this was written from the viewpoint of a child, so oftentimes, extremely hilarious. And you feel bad for laughing, because you see what is happening, but he is just a kid, how else do you explain something? He has become the man of the house when his father left, but yet, what can he do? And despite her own ills, his mother managed to survive & help everyone survive, despite her own mis-guided ways.
I was not sure about the "things that lived in the dark" the screams, but as you read, you understand, you KNOW what it all is, and it is so sad that mental illness back then was usually covered up by families.
I pray he & his family are fine.
September 18, 2013
A riveting account of poverty, mental illness, and abuse told through the eyes of a child. This book was humerous at times, but was also difficult to read because some of the situations that the author lived through were so awful. I very much liked watching John's view of his sister change as time went on and her illness progressed. Some of the descriptions, particularly the way that John talked about his love for his grandmother, were powerful and forced me to pause and think. This book was told through the eyes of a child, and the author did a wonderful job capturing this perspective; it made for a unique filter through which to see poverty and tragedy, which was both intriguing and haunting to experience as a reader.
This was a great book, and I certainly hope that we get to see more from this talented new author (maybe the rest of his sister's story?). I very much recommend this book to anyone interested in mental illness and social issues.
I received a signed copy of this through a Goodreads giveaway.
This was a great book, and I certainly hope that we get to see more from this talented new author (maybe the rest of his sister's story?). I very much recommend this book to anyone interested in mental illness and social issues.
I received a signed copy of this through a Goodreads giveaway.
September 12, 2013
I was gifted a copy of this book by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Whew! First of all, this is not the kind of book that I typically read. This is...real. Too real sometimes. The author obviously has a gift and I am so glad that he chose to put this story into written words. Accomplishing humor in such circumstances is truly miraculous. I had a very hard time, even as humorous as the story is, reading this book. Sometimes I had to put it down and walk away. Like any good book, you can't just completely walk away and leave it. I was completely invested from the start. Am I glad that I read the book? Yes. Would I choose to read another as emotionally taxing anytime soon? Not likely. Would I recommend this book to friends? Absolutely. John Mitchell, I am exhausted and emotionally drained. Please keep writing. I can't wait to see what you do next.
Whew! First of all, this is not the kind of book that I typically read. This is...real. Too real sometimes. The author obviously has a gift and I am so glad that he chose to put this story into written words. Accomplishing humor in such circumstances is truly miraculous. I had a very hard time, even as humorous as the story is, reading this book. Sometimes I had to put it down and walk away. Like any good book, you can't just completely walk away and leave it. I was completely invested from the start. Am I glad that I read the book? Yes. Would I choose to read another as emotionally taxing anytime soon? Not likely. Would I recommend this book to friends? Absolutely. John Mitchell, I am exhausted and emotionally drained. Please keep writing. I can't wait to see what you do next.
January 21, 2014
Wow. Where to begin. I liked that fact that the story read in an age appropriate way. Ie the five year old REALLY sounded like a five year old...I know, my youngest son is seven. The way he skipped around and clipped his sentences truly had me convinced the narrator WAS a small child.
On to the content...I found the story, appropriately, haunting. I get it. Personally, I get it.
"Someone had stolen my life. And I was the thief." Yep. Thank goodness the author AND I learned this lesson before we found ourselves sitting in a nursing home with our teeth floating in a cup.
Bravo for writing a courageous story. Bravo for your ability to forgive. Bravo.
On to the content...I found the story, appropriately, haunting. I get it. Personally, I get it.
"Someone had stolen my life. And I was the thief." Yep. Thank goodness the author AND I learned this lesson before we found ourselves sitting in a nursing home with our teeth floating in a cup.
Bravo for writing a courageous story. Bravo for your ability to forgive. Bravo.
July 3, 2014
I was fortunate enough to win a copy of The Boy who Lived with Ghosts via a Goodreads contest. A very well written memoir, the book handles some very sensitive, difficult family topics (mental illness, alcohol, abuse, etc.)... not with blame and pointing fingers, but with a "this is the way it was" tone. When life handed him lemons, the author DEFINITELY made lemonade. I found it riveting... and highly recommend it. Note: Don't expect it to be a "ghost" story dealing with the paranormal; it's a "ghost" story about real life...
September 24, 2013
I only started this book the day before yesterday and I am more than halfway through. So far I'm am loving the unusual point of view of the child. Makes you think a bit about how we look to other people. I am also very taken by the bravery of this boy. I would have given up long ago if I were him
August 30, 2013
I liked this book from the very moment I picked it up, and I didn't want to put it down. So many things in it that I could identify and empathise with, perhaps as the author and I are of a similar age. A very touching book with comic moments amongst the tragedy. Tears were streaming down my face at the end.
August 28, 2013
I enjoyed this book its very well written I was pulled into the story straight away. I am Scottish so loved the Scottish words being part of the story. This must have been a hard story to write and John Mitchell has done this amazingly.
August 25, 2013
Wow. Kind of a disturbing read. Language was tough. Sad story.
September 20, 2013
I truly enjoyed this book,I do highly recommend it! I will be reading more from John Mitchell! Thank you again John for the great first read autographed book!
September 7, 2016
I won a singed copy of this book on Goodreads and thought I was getting a ghost story. I know it said memoir but I was thinking it was about a child growing up seeing ghosts. Well I was partly right, there are plenty of ghosts in this book and unfortunately they're much more terrifying than the traditional ghosts shaking chains in the attic.
The Boy Who Lived With Ghosts: A Memoir by John Mitchell is his account of growing up in England during the 60's. It's about poverty, abuse, mental illness and so much more. Abandoned by his father who is an alcoholic John's family had to make do in a time where the stigma of being a single mom with children was very hard. Not only were they frowned down upon but there just weren't as many options for women back then, educated or not. John's mom is on the verge of a mental breakdown trying to take care of her three children. John suffers nearly daily abuse at the hands of his older sister and he grows up thinking there is a dead ghost in his house, it's in the attic, in the walls and always in the darkness just at the edge of his vision waiting for him. But that is only the beginning of John's nightmare.
I was sucked into the book immediately. It is a memoir but reads unlike any memoir or true account I've ever read. Not only is the pacing superb but John has such a way with words that you just don't want to put the book down at all. One of the best surprises about this book is the way that John is able to recall his childhood and tell the tale with the voice of his childhood self. I have never seen anyone reconnect with their inner child in such a way. It doesn't read like a man wrote it nor like a man trying to recall things through his childhood eyes. It reads exactly as if a 9 year old was telling the tale. And as the years go by and the boy grows older his narrative changes with him, becoming more mature, wiser in years yet still always a child although I'd argue that John never really got to be a child. He was thrust into the role of being the man of the house at a very young age and took his role seriously.
Reading his attempts to help his mom combat her depression was priceless. There are some truly horrible moments in this book but Mr. Mitchell tells his tale with so much depth and humor that I found myself both horrified and laughing at the same time, then I felt bad about laughing because it really isn't a laughing matter but you just can't help it. So many things are told with such a unique humor that you can't help but laugh at it and that really above anything else helps to bring some much needed levity to so many deep and disturbing moments.
I'd really like to talk more about John's older sister since this is really her tale but the impact of learning what's really going on will be ruined for you if I do. During the start of the book I disliked her immensely then with horror I started to understand what was truly happening and I felt nothing but pain and immense sorrow for her. If you've never read this book then I urge you to do so and whether you read it or not I'd also urge you to check out Mr. Mitchell's Facebook page which has so many great topics that he shares with us. They continually bring me hope and inspiration on a daily basis.
I've always believed in "real" ghosts or more properly that when bad things happen in the world that they leave a negative image behind. I mean it makes sense, after all when bad things happen to you they leave the scars and negativity in your mind for years to come, if not forever and unfortunately those kind of ghosts are much harder to exorcise than the spooky kind. After reading his memoir I just really don't want to believe in actual ghosts anymore. I just don't have time for them. Lord knows I have plenty enough ghosts in my own closet that that I need to deal with. Long after finishing this book I'm left with the thought that if John Mitchell could overcome his fears and go on to be so successful and help so many people then so too can I become successful in my own way and that I too can overcome my fears and learn to truly live. I hope that John Mitchell will one day share more of his story with us. He has a unique talent and I'm so glad that he took the risk and faced his fears head on to bring us something so amazing. Thank you Mr. Mitchell.
The Boy Who Lived With Ghosts: A Memoir by John Mitchell is his account of growing up in England during the 60's. It's about poverty, abuse, mental illness and so much more. Abandoned by his father who is an alcoholic John's family had to make do in a time where the stigma of being a single mom with children was very hard. Not only were they frowned down upon but there just weren't as many options for women back then, educated or not. John's mom is on the verge of a mental breakdown trying to take care of her three children. John suffers nearly daily abuse at the hands of his older sister and he grows up thinking there is a dead ghost in his house, it's in the attic, in the walls and always in the darkness just at the edge of his vision waiting for him. But that is only the beginning of John's nightmare.
I was sucked into the book immediately. It is a memoir but reads unlike any memoir or true account I've ever read. Not only is the pacing superb but John has such a way with words that you just don't want to put the book down at all. One of the best surprises about this book is the way that John is able to recall his childhood and tell the tale with the voice of his childhood self. I have never seen anyone reconnect with their inner child in such a way. It doesn't read like a man wrote it nor like a man trying to recall things through his childhood eyes. It reads exactly as if a 9 year old was telling the tale. And as the years go by and the boy grows older his narrative changes with him, becoming more mature, wiser in years yet still always a child although I'd argue that John never really got to be a child. He was thrust into the role of being the man of the house at a very young age and took his role seriously.
Reading his attempts to help his mom combat her depression was priceless. There are some truly horrible moments in this book but Mr. Mitchell tells his tale with so much depth and humor that I found myself both horrified and laughing at the same time, then I felt bad about laughing because it really isn't a laughing matter but you just can't help it. So many things are told with such a unique humor that you can't help but laugh at it and that really above anything else helps to bring some much needed levity to so many deep and disturbing moments.
I'd really like to talk more about John's older sister since this is really her tale but the impact of learning what's really going on will be ruined for you if I do. During the start of the book I disliked her immensely then with horror I started to understand what was truly happening and I felt nothing but pain and immense sorrow for her. If you've never read this book then I urge you to do so and whether you read it or not I'd also urge you to check out Mr. Mitchell's Facebook page which has so many great topics that he shares with us. They continually bring me hope and inspiration on a daily basis.
I've always believed in "real" ghosts or more properly that when bad things happen in the world that they leave a negative image behind. I mean it makes sense, after all when bad things happen to you they leave the scars and negativity in your mind for years to come, if not forever and unfortunately those kind of ghosts are much harder to exorcise than the spooky kind. After reading his memoir I just really don't want to believe in actual ghosts anymore. I just don't have time for them. Lord knows I have plenty enough ghosts in my own closet that that I need to deal with. Long after finishing this book I'm left with the thought that if John Mitchell could overcome his fears and go on to be so successful and help so many people then so too can I become successful in my own way and that I too can overcome my fears and learn to truly live. I hope that John Mitchell will one day share more of his story with us. He has a unique talent and I'm so glad that he took the risk and faced his fears head on to bring us something so amazing. Thank you Mr. Mitchell.
July 26, 2015
*I won a signed copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway
When I first read the title and description, I think I was expecting a different book. What I got was something unexpected and even better. This story is real and pulls you in from the first page. Being told from the perspective of the author, John, while he was still a child is a unique way to write the story. It's first set in the 1960's in England, and progresses through about eight years.
The title gives a feeling that this story is about ghosts, and at first glance, you'd think it might be a ghost story. But it's a different take on ghosts - the literal ones that live with us. Or in John's family in this instance. It's a telling of his life and his family and the psychological dealings and hardships they went through. And personally, I'm a fan of these types of stories because they're more scary and moving.
The Boy Who Lived With Ghosts is the author's first novel, and it's really well written and has powerful storytelling. It didn't take me very long to finish it, a matter of a few days - though it'd had been less if I had the time. It's a sad story, really, but moving.
The ending was the perfect way to end as well
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a different read and a heartfelt realistic read. I'm happy to have gotten a copy for myself, and am glad to have gotten the chance to read this story.
When I first read the title and description, I think I was expecting a different book. What I got was something unexpected and even better. This story is real and pulls you in from the first page. Being told from the perspective of the author, John, while he was still a child is a unique way to write the story. It's first set in the 1960's in England, and progresses through about eight years.
The title gives a feeling that this story is about ghosts, and at first glance, you'd think it might be a ghost story. But it's a different take on ghosts - the literal ones that live with us. Or in John's family in this instance. It's a telling of his life and his family and the psychological dealings and hardships they went through. And personally, I'm a fan of these types of stories because they're more scary and moving.
The Boy Who Lived With Ghosts is the author's first novel, and it's really well written and has powerful storytelling. It didn't take me very long to finish it, a matter of a few days - though it'd had been less if I had the time. It's a sad story, really, but moving.
The ending was the perfect way to end as well
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a different read and a heartfelt realistic read. I'm happy to have gotten a copy for myself, and am glad to have gotten the chance to read this story.
October 22, 2015
Now that I have finished the book, I can only give a slow clap to John as I am mostly left with lack of words after reading the book.
Even though John as already claim that this book is a memoir which has its own part of fiction and when later he said that its a story that Margueretta would have wanted to tell, as a reader, I will be assuming that its the story of the boy who have suffered unfatefully. Those who are gifted with perfect pair of parents, enough choices in clothes and food and eduction which they consider as unneccessary burden; will always find it hard to imagine how they would have lived a life in poverty in such adverse conditions. But those who have suffuered and won, didn't know anything perfect. And may be its the absence of expectation that made them win the war eventually.
Many of us, who have had a difficult childhood, can easily relate to the same. John have simply shed the light on the events that have been forced to lock up in the darkest corner of the memory that noone would have ever wanted to re-discover. Yet it exists as the most essential part, coz that was the phase that defined how you would live in coming years of your life.
The courage, the bravery that John had displayed to shout out loud the ugliest thought of an innocent kid is admirable. The simplicity of language was powerful enough to see the world through the eyes of a small kid who is trying to reason with the current situation with only available resort of his own imagination.
Even though John as already claim that this book is a memoir which has its own part of fiction and when later he said that its a story that Margueretta would have wanted to tell, as a reader, I will be assuming that its the story of the boy who have suffered unfatefully. Those who are gifted with perfect pair of parents, enough choices in clothes and food and eduction which they consider as unneccessary burden; will always find it hard to imagine how they would have lived a life in poverty in such adverse conditions. But those who have suffuered and won, didn't know anything perfect. And may be its the absence of expectation that made them win the war eventually.
Many of us, who have had a difficult childhood, can easily relate to the same. John have simply shed the light on the events that have been forced to lock up in the darkest corner of the memory that noone would have ever wanted to re-discover. Yet it exists as the most essential part, coz that was the phase that defined how you would live in coming years of your life.
The courage, the bravery that John had displayed to shout out loud the ugliest thought of an innocent kid is admirable. The simplicity of language was powerful enough to see the world through the eyes of a small kid who is trying to reason with the current situation with only available resort of his own imagination.
September 28, 2013
I am very pleased that I received this book from John Mitchell for being a Goodreads Giveaway winner a week ago. Unfortunately, I am not yet finished. However, I can tell that this memoir is so far REMARKABLE!
What I love from The Boy Who Lived with Ghosts is the way the author choose to structure the story; short chapters with new fears, new adventures, & the learning that comes with it. We can easily see the progress of John as he grows up through the language & his way of seeing things and people. Plus, the author did a great job when it comes to integrate innocence to his character, sometimes it can make you shiver and sometimes it can make you smile.
From time to time, I had to stop my reading to think about the human kind, trying to understand Man and his actions. Why ? How ? What if ? What is wrong with? ... are questions that constantly came to my mind.
John’s awful past in such a revolting world of misery opened my eyes on many points and gave me the possibility to see a different face of England.
Brilliant!
|Thank you Sir John Mitchell for your incredible work; I will write a further review as fast as I finish! |
What I love from The Boy Who Lived with Ghosts is the way the author choose to structure the story; short chapters with new fears, new adventures, & the learning that comes with it. We can easily see the progress of John as he grows up through the language & his way of seeing things and people. Plus, the author did a great job when it comes to integrate innocence to his character, sometimes it can make you shiver and sometimes it can make you smile.
From time to time, I had to stop my reading to think about the human kind, trying to understand Man and his actions. Why ? How ? What if ? What is wrong with? ... are questions that constantly came to my mind.
John’s awful past in such a revolting world of misery opened my eyes on many points and gave me the possibility to see a different face of England.
Brilliant!
|Thank you Sir John Mitchell for your incredible work; I will write a further review as fast as I finish! |
September 16, 2013
I received this book free from John Mitchell through a Goodreads giveaway. Wow! Absolutely amazing! If you liked "Angela's Ashes" and "A Child Called It" you will love this book. There were times I was so angry with the mother, but then you realize she really is doing her best. How do you truly understand that your young daughter has a mental illness until you are forced to? Especially in a time when mental illness was not widely spoken of. How do you hold yourself together? John's determination to keep his mother from losing her mind brought tears to my eyes. Just a young boy who should be taken care of doing the caretaking while taking regular beatings from the older sister who is supposed to be looking after them when their mother isn't. There are not enough words to express how moved I was by this book. I started it awhile ago but then had not had an opportunity to read for awhile. Today I read from page 187 to 429. I could not put it down. This is a book I will read again and again.
September 15, 2013
Though funny in parts this coming of age memoir is deeply disturbing and an excruciatingly painful read. Set in 1960s England it is the story of a family falling apart as the specter of mental illness slowly invades and a young boy tries desparately to hold his shattering family together. The efforts John makes to fight off his mothers encroaching mental illness is truly heartbreaking. The book gives a very different picture of 1960s to the usual summer of love and rock and roll we have come to expect.
Mitchell successfully maintains the voice of the child he was all the way through the book and is brutally honest about his feeling and emotions growing up aswell as making no effort to beautify or mask the smells, dirty and the grime of their living conditions.
The most extraordinary aspect of this book is that John and his twin sister survived such a childhood and were able to make successful lives for themselves.
Mitchell successfully maintains the voice of the child he was all the way through the book and is brutally honest about his feeling and emotions growing up aswell as making no effort to beautify or mask the smells, dirty and the grime of their living conditions.
The most extraordinary aspect of this book is that John and his twin sister survived such a childhood and were able to make successful lives for themselves.
August 6, 2013
I received this book for free through Good Reads First Reads. I had mixed feelings about this book, I felt it was well written, the detail of writing made me feel like I was living the horror along with this family. A lot of the story made me cringe, what John and his twin sister Emily had to go through was heartbreaking. I did enjoy how the story was told through John's account - through the eyes of a young boy. Parts of this story did bore me, mostly at the beginning - I really did have a hard time getting "sucked" into the story. Most of the time I got so angry at the mother for letting things happen, going to the Great Aunts cat infested home, Nana playing with little John's "willy" for fun, and she didn't seem to have much compassion for Marguerritta and her "problems". Overall it was a good read, and I would recommend it to others.
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