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Underclass: A Memoir
Dr Jessica Taylor grew up on a council estate where brutality and coercion were normalised, and where substance abuse was a day-to-day occurrence. Now one of the UK's most spirited advocates for women's rights, and a leading chartered psychologist helping women and girls subjected to violence and trauma, Jessica shares her own personal journey for the very first time.
Told through a series of absorbing vignettes spanning from her childhood days to gaining her PhD in forensic psychology, Underclass is a memoir about extraordinary strength, the complexities of belonging, and finding your power even when it feels as though the world is against you. Do you bend to fit in, or do you accept that you will always stand out? Do you run away from your roots, or love them for making you who you are? Do you fade into mediocrity, or do you change the world?
Taylor recounts with dark humour and unflinching detail the various lives she's lived, covering the violence suffered at the hands of her abusers, the realities of becoming a mother in her teenage years, coming to terms with her sexuality, putting herself through university, and overcoming underhand discrimination at work. She poignantly delves into both the classist and misogynistic double standards that she has faced throughout her life, whether she was waking up on a roundabout by the estate or chairing a parliamentary conference. You can take the girl out of the council estate, but you can't take the council estate out of the girl. Especially when it made her who she is today.
The result is deeply moving, searingly honest, horribly funny and, above all, unforgettable; a memoir that stays with you long after you've turned the last page.
Told through a series of absorbing vignettes spanning from her childhood days to gaining her PhD in forensic psychology, Underclass is a memoir about extraordinary strength, the complexities of belonging, and finding your power even when it feels as though the world is against you. Do you bend to fit in, or do you accept that you will always stand out? Do you run away from your roots, or love them for making you who you are? Do you fade into mediocrity, or do you change the world?
Taylor recounts with dark humour and unflinching detail the various lives she's lived, covering the violence suffered at the hands of her abusers, the realities of becoming a mother in her teenage years, coming to terms with her sexuality, putting herself through university, and overcoming underhand discrimination at work. She poignantly delves into both the classist and misogynistic double standards that she has faced throughout her life, whether she was waking up on a roundabout by the estate or chairing a parliamentary conference. You can take the girl out of the council estate, but you can't take the council estate out of the girl. Especially when it made her who she is today.
The result is deeply moving, searingly honest, horribly funny and, above all, unforgettable; a memoir that stays with you long after you've turned the last page.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 2, 2024
19 people are currently reading
333 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Taylor
8 books89 followersChartered Psychologist | Sunday Times Bestselling Author |
Director of VictimFocus | Speaker | Researcher
Alma mater: University of Birmingham (PhD) and The Open University (BSc)
Director of VictimFocus | Speaker | Researcher
Alma mater: University of Birmingham (PhD) and The Open University (BSc)
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 15, 2024
The easiest 5 stars I’ve given this year. Possibly in a decade.
I will admit I’d never even heard of Dr Jessica Taylor before starting the book, and now I just wonder if I’ve been living under a rock. I feel like I’ve been missing out!
I was enjoying the book even before I realised that the estate she grew up on and the school she went to is fewer than four miles from where I live. When that surprising penny dropped, my interest grew even deeper.
The memoir is absolutely a story of triumph over adversity - and such horrific repeated traumatic experiences. But wow what triumph. The determination, self belief and drive to achieve and then to take that a step further and advocate so strongly and passionately for positive change brings just a whole other level of admiration from me.
And amongst it all, there is an underlying humour that quite literally had me laughing out loud in places - most often when she’s talking to herself.
I absolutely loved this book, which in itself seems like a very odd thing to say given the subject matter. I listened to the audiobook - narrated by the author herself - and I’m so glad I did. I don’t think I’d have “got it” quite as well if I hadn’t heard *DOCTOR* Jessica Taylor speak the words herself.
The best book I’ve read in YEARS.
Nice one, Jess. I’m so very proud of you.
I will admit I’d never even heard of Dr Jessica Taylor before starting the book, and now I just wonder if I’ve been living under a rock. I feel like I’ve been missing out!
I was enjoying the book even before I realised that the estate she grew up on and the school she went to is fewer than four miles from where I live. When that surprising penny dropped, my interest grew even deeper.
The memoir is absolutely a story of triumph over adversity - and such horrific repeated traumatic experiences. But wow what triumph. The determination, self belief and drive to achieve and then to take that a step further and advocate so strongly and passionately for positive change brings just a whole other level of admiration from me.
And amongst it all, there is an underlying humour that quite literally had me laughing out loud in places - most often when she’s talking to herself.
I absolutely loved this book, which in itself seems like a very odd thing to say given the subject matter. I listened to the audiobook - narrated by the author herself - and I’m so glad I did. I don’t think I’d have “got it” quite as well if I hadn’t heard *DOCTOR* Jessica Taylor speak the words herself.
The best book I’ve read in YEARS.
Nice one, Jess. I’m so very proud of you.
May 4, 2024
I couldn’t stop once I started this book. As someone who grew up in an area of high depravation, so much of this was relatable and yet some of it too traumatic to comprehend. It broke my broke my heart that nobody rescued the young girl and blew my mind that she rescued herself.
April 23, 2025
Underclass: A Memoir is an involving yet brutal memoir of growing up in council estate in Stoke, surrounded by violence, sexual abuse, substance abuse, and crime. Dr. Jessica Taylor got herself and her kids out of both the estate and an abusive relationship, then gained a PhD and established a career as a forensic psychologist. She recounts her grim teenage years, which featured horrific sexual violence, teen pregnancy, and cruelty from her family. Chapters set during this period alternate with accounts of her struggles with classism in academia more than a decade later. These sadly did not surprise me, as classism is a notable feature of British academia and combines unhelpfully with the sexism likewise entrenched there. Taylor's writing is invigorating and sheds light on the harshness of 21st century poverty. She has had to fight to get her voice heard, as women from her background are generally mocked or ignored in the media and popular culture. She writes particularly eloquently and thoughtfully about discovering her queerness and addressing trauma. Automatic writing and compassion towards her younger self are among the methods she uses to process her past. Underclass: A Memoir is a powerful personal story, as well as an insightful examination of generational poverty in Britain.
January 29, 2025
What a fucking legend. How do I keep reading like every single academic memoir?
October 8, 2025
An absolutely gripping read.
May 13, 2024
I’m so glad Jess saved herself, and that we get to hear her story.
This memoir is the epitome of candor and bravery. What we learn is brutal, but the author is nothing but tenacious.
My favourite part was Jess reflectively honouring her younger self at the end of the story. I came out of my listening with a renewed sense of reassurance that I shouldn’t blame myself for any of my trauma.
My only criticism is that at times, the narrative seems slightly jumpy - but then, it does seem to be written in true Jess style (as she doesn’t even plan her speeches!)
4.5* ❤️
This memoir is the epitome of candor and bravery. What we learn is brutal, but the author is nothing but tenacious.
My favourite part was Jess reflectively honouring her younger self at the end of the story. I came out of my listening with a renewed sense of reassurance that I shouldn’t blame myself for any of my trauma.
My only criticism is that at times, the narrative seems slightly jumpy - but then, it does seem to be written in true Jess style (as she doesn’t even plan her speeches!)
4.5* ❤️
November 24, 2024
It sounds fucking weird and almost wrong to say that I love a gritty memoir. I haven’t seen this one reviewed on here at all but I picked it up off the shelf in Waterstones and instantly knew it was coming home with me after reading the blurb.
The first chapter of the book “what kind of alleyway is this” immediately sucked me in. If you’ve grown up on a council estate or in a rougher area I feel like you have “that alleyway”. I used to be terrified of mine and the myth of the weird old man that would kidnap you 😂 I instantly felt connected with Underclass. I found Jessica’s humour throughout the book excellent, I laughed out loud at so many references and could imagine the characters that you usually find within these communities. The good and the bad.
In amongst the humour though is a raw and honest account of Jessica’s life and the abuse, trauma and neglect she has experienced. There are some graphic descriptions in Underclass so just a word of warning for the faint hearted. I like that Jessica addressed that her story can seem “far fetched” in her afterword as I have to be honest the story did seem too much at times. But I think this perfectly rings home the fact that most of us are lucky to not have experienced such hardship in our lives, that it seems unbelievable to us. Underclass perfectly portrays the close knit community council estates can have, but also the darkness that can be associated with them and the difficulty of everyone knowing your business and small town gossip.
Some parts of the book did feel a little rushed but if you love a gritty memoir which looks into poverty, social classes and being judged for where you came then add this one to your list!
The first chapter of the book “what kind of alleyway is this” immediately sucked me in. If you’ve grown up on a council estate or in a rougher area I feel like you have “that alleyway”. I used to be terrified of mine and the myth of the weird old man that would kidnap you 😂 I instantly felt connected with Underclass. I found Jessica’s humour throughout the book excellent, I laughed out loud at so many references and could imagine the characters that you usually find within these communities. The good and the bad.
In amongst the humour though is a raw and honest account of Jessica’s life and the abuse, trauma and neglect she has experienced. There are some graphic descriptions in Underclass so just a word of warning for the faint hearted. I like that Jessica addressed that her story can seem “far fetched” in her afterword as I have to be honest the story did seem too much at times. But I think this perfectly rings home the fact that most of us are lucky to not have experienced such hardship in our lives, that it seems unbelievable to us. Underclass perfectly portrays the close knit community council estates can have, but also the darkness that can be associated with them and the difficulty of everyone knowing your business and small town gossip.
Some parts of the book did feel a little rushed but if you love a gritty memoir which looks into poverty, social classes and being judged for where you came then add this one to your list!
October 6, 2025
Wow, what a book and what a woman.
This was incredibly hard to read in parts and I cried several times as Dr Taylor recounted some of the horrific abuse she experienced at such a young age. One thing which just kept coming to mind is how loathed working class women are and especially working class single mothers.
Although I was only in academia up to Master's level, the sneering, middle-class condescension of Dr Taylor's fellow academics rang true. Almost every institution in our society, let alone academia, is set up to filter people from certain backgrounds out of positions they may have the possibility to effect public life (including for the betterment of people from working class backgrounds). This results in sectors such as academia being totally disconnected from the needs and interests of wider society and more a place where people jostle for recognition and status (and nowadays, more a of multi-billion Dollar husk of a business).
Having known so many women who (understandably) take the 'people please and keep one's head down' strategy to get by professionally and in personal relationships (especially vis a vis men), this book shows women don't have to accept being made ill (mentally or physically) just to exist in their chosen field.
This is a book everyone should read, but could no doubt be life-changing for any young woman who shares a similar background to Dr Taylor and has been written off and told to stay in their place by the society around them. In honour of Dr Taylor's love of a good swear - f*ck that!
This was incredibly hard to read in parts and I cried several times as Dr Taylor recounted some of the horrific abuse she experienced at such a young age. One thing which just kept coming to mind is how loathed working class women are and especially working class single mothers.
Although I was only in academia up to Master's level, the sneering, middle-class condescension of Dr Taylor's fellow academics rang true. Almost every institution in our society, let alone academia, is set up to filter people from certain backgrounds out of positions they may have the possibility to effect public life (including for the betterment of people from working class backgrounds). This results in sectors such as academia being totally disconnected from the needs and interests of wider society and more a place where people jostle for recognition and status (and nowadays, more a of multi-billion Dollar husk of a business).
Having known so many women who (understandably) take the 'people please and keep one's head down' strategy to get by professionally and in personal relationships (especially vis a vis men), this book shows women don't have to accept being made ill (mentally or physically) just to exist in their chosen field.
This is a book everyone should read, but could no doubt be life-changing for any young woman who shares a similar background to Dr Taylor and has been written off and told to stay in their place by the society around them. In honour of Dr Taylor's love of a good swear - f*ck that!
May 18, 2024
A mind blowing tale of determination and utter conviction.
Having followed Dr Jessica Taylor for a number of years on social media, read her other books and undertaken several of her Victim Focus courses around trauma informed practice and employing an antipathology approach to the over-medicalisation of life, I may be biased. Nevertheless, apart from being an absolutely riveting read, Underclass has furnished me with a better understanding of how and why Dr Taylor has successfully reframed ‘victimhood’ and our approach to those who have been unhelpfully labelled in this way. Her astonishing honesty about the challenges she has encountered and overcome is to be celebrated, not scorned.
The content of the memoir is fascinating, horrifying, and illuminating in equal measure. It is powerful, and I feel that its impact is due, in large part, to its ‘stream of consciousness’ style. It reminds me of the process that happens when you’ve been awake for too long in the early hours, and you start trying to ‘retrace the steps’ of how you got to the jumbled and distant memory that you’ve now arrived at. I guess this might not work for everyone, but having now developed a better understanding of the nature and impact of trauma, it is, for me, fundamental to my understanding and enjoyment of this book.
Having followed Dr Jessica Taylor for a number of years on social media, read her other books and undertaken several of her Victim Focus courses around trauma informed practice and employing an antipathology approach to the over-medicalisation of life, I may be biased. Nevertheless, apart from being an absolutely riveting read, Underclass has furnished me with a better understanding of how and why Dr Taylor has successfully reframed ‘victimhood’ and our approach to those who have been unhelpfully labelled in this way. Her astonishing honesty about the challenges she has encountered and overcome is to be celebrated, not scorned.
The content of the memoir is fascinating, horrifying, and illuminating in equal measure. It is powerful, and I feel that its impact is due, in large part, to its ‘stream of consciousness’ style. It reminds me of the process that happens when you’ve been awake for too long in the early hours, and you start trying to ‘retrace the steps’ of how you got to the jumbled and distant memory that you’ve now arrived at. I guess this might not work for everyone, but having now developed a better understanding of the nature and impact of trauma, it is, for me, fundamental to my understanding and enjoyment of this book.
May 27, 2024
I’ve done a review here and there of books.
This review isn’t a review.
It’s a thank you!
It’s a reiteration of my thoughts to the author when I read it!
“What an incredible memoir.
cried, laughed, screamed wtf, curled up breathless and worried, cheered, laughed some more, cried some more.
Finished the book, utterly proud of you!
Thank you for sharing, for doing what you do, for never giving up, for being a voice to the voiceless and for validating the invalidated!
From one dogged stubborn underdog to another.”
To finish I say this, I recommend you read this, it reads really well it challenges perceptions, it humanises statistics media throws around, whether you’ve experienced trauma or not. It’s full of experiences and perceptions that can only enrich your understanding, isn’t that why we read after all, to experience, to learn, to grow, to understand, to imagine, to hope, to dream and even to escape.
I wish more people challenged the structures we have no choice but to be born into and endure!!
This review isn’t a review.
It’s a thank you!
It’s a reiteration of my thoughts to the author when I read it!
“What an incredible memoir.
cried, laughed, screamed wtf, curled up breathless and worried, cheered, laughed some more, cried some more.
Finished the book, utterly proud of you!
Thank you for sharing, for doing what you do, for never giving up, for being a voice to the voiceless and for validating the invalidated!
From one dogged stubborn underdog to another.”
To finish I say this, I recommend you read this, it reads really well it challenges perceptions, it humanises statistics media throws around, whether you’ve experienced trauma or not. It’s full of experiences and perceptions that can only enrich your understanding, isn’t that why we read after all, to experience, to learn, to grow, to understand, to imagine, to hope, to dream and even to escape.
I wish more people challenged the structures we have no choice but to be born into and endure!!
May 16, 2024
"Underclass" is riveting, honest, and eye-opening.
Jess speaks from both heart and mind, telling of the law of the jungle, the stark differences between males and females, and her story of class warfare.
Her writing "voice" actually comes across as classless, which is one of its strengths. Instead, we learn about tribalism on the estates, in academia, everywhere.
But Jess doesn't lecture us about that, or causes and solutions or mental health per se. She lets the reader draw their own conclusions. That's another of the book's strengths.
I was left with the feeling of respect towards a person who has been through so much. She has raised subjects relevant to us all and taken them all the way.
"Underclass" is a perfect example of how to write a personal memoir.
Jess speaks from both heart and mind, telling of the law of the jungle, the stark differences between males and females, and her story of class warfare.
Her writing "voice" actually comes across as classless, which is one of its strengths. Instead, we learn about tribalism on the estates, in academia, everywhere.
But Jess doesn't lecture us about that, or causes and solutions or mental health per se. She lets the reader draw their own conclusions. That's another of the book's strengths.
I was left with the feeling of respect towards a person who has been through so much. She has raised subjects relevant to us all and taken them all the way.
"Underclass" is a perfect example of how to write a personal memoir.
August 20, 2024
I appreciated the everyday tone of the author's style of writing about the terrible violence she suffered - because VAWG is every day.
The classism tackled here is a welcome subject matter. Trying to shut down someone's career/ gatekeeping, or whatever form classism takes, is a quiet type of violence that needs to be exposed more in writing and publishing. This book does that in spades.
The classism tackled here is a welcome subject matter. Trying to shut down someone's career/ gatekeeping, or whatever form classism takes, is a quiet type of violence that needs to be exposed more in writing and publishing. This book does that in spades.
January 17, 2025
An excellent read detailing how a girl from a council estate survived being battered, raped, abused to become a leading clinical psychologist. Several inspiring lessons from her life including not letting your past trauma define you, not using it as an excuse and the importance of sticking up for yourself. Highly recommended!
September 28, 2024
Amazing
It seems wrong to take pleasure in reading about a life so filled with violence and very little love, but we need to hear the truth about what life is really like for so many.
An emotional read.
I'd definitely pick the bear.
It seems wrong to take pleasure in reading about a life so filled with violence and very little love, but we need to hear the truth about what life is really like for so many.
An emotional read.
I'd definitely pick the bear.
December 18, 2025
Read in 3 sittings. Beautifully written and draws you into Dr Taylors life from an abusive working class background to end up in a middle-class academic present. Sheds light on the current struggles of many women and the class system of GB that is still lingering on.
May 24, 2024
What a book! Not an easy read but an amazing sharing of what life can be for some young women growing up. So glad she's found something so positive from everything she's experienced.
September 21, 2024
Relatable and I'm full of admiration for her journey. This type of background can either hobble you or make you stronger and more determined - I'm so glad she has achieved and earned her platform.
November 27, 2024
Wow, packs a punch. Wish 18 y/o Bridie could have read this
March 23, 2025
Very good book, bleak but important
May 8, 2025
This was captivating from the opening paragraph - simply Wow. Powerful & will be recommending far and wide. I read it in 2 afternoons.
January 9, 2026
Well written hard to put down
August 22, 2024
my roman empire
September 5, 2024
I struggled a little with this one. Whilst I thought it would be right up my street, the book is all over the place.
Jessica is now a psychologist but this book details how people thought that was never a career for her.
It was in parts interesting but I felt the backwards and forwards from present to past was really distracting and this is what made it a struggle for me, it didn't keep me particularly wanting to pick it up. It could have been much more than it was.
Jessica is now a psychologist but this book details how people thought that was never a career for her.
It was in parts interesting but I felt the backwards and forwards from present to past was really distracting and this is what made it a struggle for me, it didn't keep me particularly wanting to pick it up. It could have been much more than it was.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews