He Said He’s Sorry: Carving through Insanity

by Wayne Warrender

Raised by a sociopath.

When the person who’s meant to protect you is the one you need protection from.

From the outside, she was just “Mum.”
Wayne didn’t know his mother was a sociopath.
He just thought everyone’s childhood felt like a psychological obstacle course.
Turns out… it was just his.

But even as a child, Wayne knew something was very wrong.
Marjorie’s decisions never made sense.
The chaos wasn’t accidental; it was her world.

And he, along with his brothers, had no choice but to survive it.
To grow up inside it.
To learn how to walk through insanity and still come out whole.

This is the true story of a mother who was never the mother she should have been, and a boy who refused to become the damage she caused.

If you laugh, gasp, and swear out loud while reading this, you’ll be in good company.

421 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 22, 2025

About the author

Wayne grew up in the backstreets of Manchester, armed with little more than a sense of humour, a love for his Nana, and a cricket wicket painted on the wall of his backyard. His memoir, He Said He's Sorry, is a raw journey through chaos, survival, and the occasional laugh at life's foolishness.

Wayne has survived dodgy stepdads, life-threatening moments, and even his music taste (Just ask Prince). When he's not writing, he runs a cafe, chats with locals, and quietly wonders if his book will shock you, make you laugh, or both, ideally in that order.

One part raw truth, one part Mancunian mischief, this is an author who didn't just live to tell the tale; he turned it into a page-turner.

Reviews

[Buffie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Question

I wonder why he doesn't mention his daughter, Suzzanne later on in the book. It's a shame what some people go through

[Bookstagramshaz Sharon Logue · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me!! I loved this book! I went through every emotion. Yes there are some sad times but there are also some really funny moments. Wayne certainly didn’t have the best start in life and the lack of affection from his mum and this just broke my heart. I don’t want to giveaway too much but I promise you, the best rollercoaster of a book. I think for Wayne to write this book, was very brave to write this. Opening up like he has - respect 🙌❤️ …… book number 2 on the horizon (no pressure 🤣!)
#photography #waynewarrender #hesaidhe’ssorry #love #readingvibes
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚When the person meant to protect you is the one you need protection from.

From the outside, she was just “Mum.” Wayne didn’t know his mother was a sociopath. He thought everyone’s childhood felt like a psychological obstacle course. Turns out, it was just his.

This is the true story of a mother who was never the mother she should have been, and a boy who refused to become the damage she caused.

Set against the gritty backdrop of 1960s Manchester, England, and the 1970s valleys of South Wales, this memoir blends heartbreak, dark humour, and unbreakable spirit.


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[Ian & Amy Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes ‘Sorry’ is never enough.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Wayne tells his story with in what I would call ‘True northern grit’. Being a fellow Mancunian and living in Wythenshawe and going to Wayne’s School many years after Wayne it gave me that sense of empathy and understanding. It was like I was going through his journey with him. I found some of his chapters relatable, whether that’s a good thing or bad I don’t know but I do believe the trauma you go through as a child moulds you. It can either break you or make you stronger . Make you change that perspective of becoming just like them. Wayne is an inspiration to achieve all he has in his life after growing up with such trauma. Trauma from the one person who was supposed to protect him from everything harmful. His supposed to be protector. Instead she put him in situations she shouldn’t have and continued to do so with only a thought for herself. A fantastic read that takes you through time and a bonus website where you get to see photos of Wayne’s life and those around him. Thank goodness to those King Ian and Lord Jim’s in our lives who help drag us up from our humble beginnings.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very touching real life story

I enjoyed reading this book as it shows the resilience and determination Wayne has to make something of his life despite his childhood. Found it very inspiring and appreciate some humor in it when describing certain things. Definitely recommend to anyone.

[Sue Bertellotti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book hit every emotion! I was angry, frustrated, sad, heartbroken, amazed and I still laughed. The author takes you through all the emotions as he tells of his life with a mentally disturbed, manipulative mother and an abusive stepfather. Somehow he is able to show he maintained his own sanity and sense of humor. Sorry means nothing when the behavior continues.

[JANE M · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing book...amazing, brave guy

What an amazing, incredible book. It just draws you into his world...such a harrowing, difficult, challenging world...yet you just keep reading on, linging for everything to work out...or, at least, wondering whats next

[Sarah Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put this book down . So well written and honest. Cried tears of sadness but also cried with laughter at Wayne’s description of his primary school experience. I’ve recommended you absolutely everyone. Conclusion is a perfect summation of how best to live a life

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read

His life like many was a harsh life and reading it at times was emotional. But he has shown that people can and will prevail.
Give it a read you will read to the end.

[Carol Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Really enjoyed this book. Had it read in a day. Delighted he made something of himself despite his mothers madness. His final words for his dad got me.. 😢

[Alison Draper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read

I found this book both distressing and uplifting. Sometimes funny. It is fascinating to read how someone rises above adversity despite making their own mistakes. I admire anybody who can do that.

[Charlotte Hardiman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed and a well written story.. I couldn’t put it down as the story flowed so well, and with shocking details you can’t believe happened’ !

[Eileen vaughan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring story,

Wayne, I admire your get up and go after which a horrendous time with that woman, truly horrendous , I wish you all bedroom your future travels. Eileen

[Paula Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book !

Absolutely loved this book, i couldn't put it down. Well written and very engrossing , totally loved it. Excellent read !!

[Diane Simmonette · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a life!

The author had such a traumatic childhood through to his teens yet somehow managed to rise above it and see things with such clarity

[Helda Everitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Excellent book from beginning to end. Was really interesting and a good read although sad in places. Well done for courage

[mrs wendy dix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely eye opening - excellent book

[Emma MorgAn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent autobiography well written and been born in Blackwood knowing the areas mentioned in book were awesome.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

very honest book about horrendous Child abuse & neglect

Wayne I admire your honesty &have heartfelt sympathy for the suffering & awful trauma you & your sibling’s endured. You were a very smart man & very hardworking. I wish you well.

[Luanne Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

one hell of a story

I think the author is amazing. Most people would not come out the other side the man he did. I salute you.

[Leanne King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

Great book of growing up with a dysfunctional family and a great understanding of how trauma affects people. I understand now why he won’t call her mum.

[miss amanda j watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Others insanity is a load to carry that can take a lifetime untangle

It's extremely rare for me to leave a written review despite being a prolific reader. I normally rate stars and move on to the next book. I found this honest account of Wayne's life thought provoking. I'd often found myself thinking of my life and how other people's actions had affected it and led me to the person I am today.
Make sure you go on those travels Wayne and enjoy your retirement.

[Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely incredible, heartbreaking memoir

[Sophia Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

He Said He’s Sorry is one of those memoirs that grips you from the very first page and doesn’t let go. Wayne’s story is raw and unflinching his childhood was filled with chaos, cruelty, and the kind of survival most of us can barely imagine. Yet what makes this book so powerful is that it isn’t just about trauma it’s about resilience, grit, and the sharp Mancunian humor that somehow finds a way to shine through the darkest of circumstances.

What struck me most was Wayne’s ability to balance heartbreak with wit. One moment I was shaken by the violence and injustice he endured, and the next I was laughing at his cheeky mischief or wry observations. That blend of grit and humor gives the book a unique voice you feel the pain, but you also feel the stubborn determination to rise above it.

[Gail murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

good read wasn't sure if id stick to it at first but im glad I did well written

[miss al sayers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Wayne, you are a great writer! You should write more books! I liked the way this was written and thank you for sharing your journey.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really got into this book while the writer was a child/young adult under the "care" of his mother Marjorie (who he refuses to call mother,) his abusive stepfather Brian, and living with his maladjusted older brother Mark. His writing style is definitely enjoyable, although some of the more British/Welsh references were lost on me. I know it cannot be pleasant to grow up in a household where you are beset by bizarre and dangerous behavior from all sides.

But as he became an adult the book clearly illustrates he has an overblown sense of his own value, and read much of what he wrote about his later life as coming from a person who believes he is the only normal and therefore worthwhile one that made it out of that situation. He seems to get a great deal of satisfaction out of outshining everyone around him and brags about upstaging his brother at a workout session, making good on business ventures that his previous bosses failed at and becoming financially successful, which seems a bit overimportant to his ego.

He harbors a lot of hatred for his mother Marjorie and her on-again off-again husband/boyfriend Brian. He hints at her behavior driving his real father to suicide, but doesn't elaborate. His search for answers about his past seems like it came way too late and I do not understand the point of his attempt at questioning an 81 y/o Brian suffering from Alzheimer's; what was he wanting out of that?

And while his mother was a self-centered woman whose personality disorder made her a poor caretaker for her children, I wonder why some people who were brought up by similar or worse parents have chosen to continue to love them simply because they gave them life, while Wayne seems stuck on his hatred. We all inherit and then learn part of our personality and behavior from our parents; good or bad. It seems like Wayne has a blind spot about the qualities he may have inherited from Marjorie. In the end I was left with a bad taste in my mouth by this book.

[Lucia Ivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wayne Warrender’s He Said He’s Sorry: Carving Through Insanity is one of those rare memoirs that doesn’t just tell a story, it opens a wound and somehow manages to heal through the telling. From the first page, I was struck by the quiet intensity of Wayne’s voice unflinching, honest, and almost shockingly self-aware. This isn’t a tale crafted for sympathy; it’s a lived experience, rendered with brutal clarity and piercing emotional truth.
The heart of the book beats in its contradictions: love and terror, laughter and despair, the child’s instinct to cling to the very person causing the pain. Wayne’s mother, Marjorie, is portrayed not as a caricature of evil but as a chilling embodiment of chaos itself a sociopath whose manipulations twist ordinary moments into psychological warfare. Yet, what lingers most is not her cruelty, but Wayne’s extraordinary capacity for endurance and self-reclamation.
His storytelling is vivid and cinematic, infused with a dark humor that feels like an act of rebellion against trauma. The pacing mirrors the emotional rollercoaster of survival sharp turns between horror and absurdity, sorrow and strength. I found myself pausing often, not out of discomfort, but to absorb the sheer magnitude of what he endured and how he chose to rise beyond it.
This book isn’t just about pain; it’s about the sacred defiance of becoming whole in spite of it. It left me reflecting deeply on how our past shapes us, and how forgiveness especially of ourselves is the quietest, hardest form of courage.
Wayne Warrender doesn’t just “carve through insanity.” He sculpts something beautiful from it something painfully, luminously human.

[Emelia Hendrix · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one stopped me in my tracks more than once.

I picked this up on Kindle Unlimited after reading the description, and from the very first pages, I knew I wasn’t in for an easy story, but I was in for an honest one. Wayne’s account of growing up with a sociopathic mother is raw, unsettling, and painfully real. There’s no sugarcoating here. What hit me hardest was how “normal” the chaos felt to him as a child, because that’s all he knew. The psychological obstacle course he describes isn’t dramatic for effect; it’s quietly devastating.

What makes this book powerful isn’t just the trauma, but the clarity. Wayne writes with a mix of dark humor, disbelief, and emotional intelligence that kept me turning pages even when I wanted to pause and breathe. I laughed in shock, muttered “what the hell?” more than once, and felt genuine anger on his behalf, especially knowing this is a true story. Through it all, the resilience shines through. This isn’t a book about becoming broken; it’s about recognizing the damage and refusing to carry it forward.

If you’re drawn to true stories about surviving dysfunctional families, psychological abuse, or reclaiming your identity after a toxic upbringing, this is absolutely worth your time. Uncomfortable, gripping, and unforgettable.

[Donna Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although there were a couple of terribly violent scenes...the cat incident and Brian the Axe Maniac...I did not FEEL the angst the children must have gone through living with a sociopath. In the end Wayne said he felt he didn't suffer psychologically. I totally disagree based on what I read. I think he was totally unavailable emotionally in all his intimate relationships. He may not have hit his kids but he never seemed to be there for them. He worked excessively at the expense of his family. His only daughter is never mentioned again after he split from wife #1. Why is that? Personally, in writing this memoir, I don't think he was being totally honest with himself. But what do I know? I didn't live his life.

[KitKats & Kindles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although there were some really warm funny bits in this - I couldn’t help feeling Wayne’s upset, confusion & frustration at his mum Marjorie constantly crawling back to his stepdad Brian for another beating.
I am curious to know how Wayne’s life unfolds but I also like to escape in a book and just found that this a) wasn’t making me want to pick it back up in a hurry & b) didn’t seem to be moving very quickly, but that’s partly my fault for choosing a biography as I don't read many.
I left the book at the end of Chapter 13 & may return to it in the not too distant future.