What do you think?
Rate this book
Boy: One Child's Fight to Survive in the Brutal British Care System
“My parents had to try for eighteen months to conceive me, but my father was adamant he wanted one last child. After eighteen months of trying, my mother eventually conceived and nine months later I was born. My birth was a difficult one. It was like I was never meant to be in this world.”
Boy is Nigel Cooper’s memoir from the age of five to sixteen. It tells the shocking, brutal, disturbing, emotional story of his childhood spent in and out of various care homes and institutions during the 1970s and 1980s.
When Nigel was just seven years old, after the untimely death of his sister and father, his mother asked social services to take him away – and then his nightmare began. For the next nine years of his life, Nigel was repeatedly rejected by his mother and spent his childhood among bullies, abusers, psychopaths and criminals. He spent time in a children’s psychiatric hospital, where they carried out unimaginable tests, pumped him full of drugs and physically abused him; care homes, where he would come face to face with rough estate kids who would beat him up, force him to steal for them and threaten his life; and barbaric assessment centres for disturbed and delinquent children, where the staff were, at times, sicker than the children.
The system tried to break Nigel and it was a miracle that he survived. The British care system robbed him of his childhood. His story is truly extraordinary and will do a lot more than shed light on what it was like growing up during the Jimmy Savile years.
Boy is powerfully written, edgy, gripping and beautifully crafted.
Boy is Nigel Cooper’s memoir from the age of five to sixteen. It tells the shocking, brutal, disturbing, emotional story of his childhood spent in and out of various care homes and institutions during the 1970s and 1980s.
When Nigel was just seven years old, after the untimely death of his sister and father, his mother asked social services to take him away – and then his nightmare began. For the next nine years of his life, Nigel was repeatedly rejected by his mother and spent his childhood among bullies, abusers, psychopaths and criminals. He spent time in a children’s psychiatric hospital, where they carried out unimaginable tests, pumped him full of drugs and physically abused him; care homes, where he would come face to face with rough estate kids who would beat him up, force him to steal for them and threaten his life; and barbaric assessment centres for disturbed and delinquent children, where the staff were, at times, sicker than the children.
The system tried to break Nigel and it was a miracle that he survived. The British care system robbed him of his childhood. His story is truly extraordinary and will do a lot more than shed light on what it was like growing up during the Jimmy Savile years.
Boy is powerfully written, edgy, gripping and beautifully crafted.
- GenresMemoir
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 27, 2015
About the author
Nigel Cooper
10 books20 followersOfficial website: www.nigelcooper.uk
Nigel is an English novelist whose work spans psychological thrillers, crime fiction, supernatural, contemporary and dark humour. Before becoming a full-time author, he enjoyed a varied career that included journalism, photography, magazine publishing, television production, private investigation and music. These diverse experiences continue to shape his fiction, lending authenticity, atmosphere and realism to the stories he tells.
Born in England, Nigel grew up in the Lake District before moving to London as a teenager. There he studied screenwriting, learning the craft of storytelling for film and television, and later established a successful career in video production. In 1999 he founded his own corporate video production company before moving into television as a freelance lighting cameraman. In 2004 he launched a specialist video production magazine, building it into a respected publication before eventually selling it to concentrate on writing fiction.
Alongside his work in publishing and television, Nigel developed a lifelong passion for music. He studied classical piano to diploma level, earning a Performer’s Certificate from Trinity College London and winning the North London Music Festival on two consecutive occasions performing works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Rachmaninoff. He also achieved Grade 8 Rock & Pop Drums with distinction through Trinity College London and previously played in two rock bands as bassist and drummer.
Never one to stand still, Nigel later completed an intensive diploma in private investigation and spent time working as a freelance investigator with solicitor firms in Cambridgeshire. The research skills, investigative techniques and understanding of human behaviour he gained continue to influence the crime and psychological elements of his novels.
Throughout much of his career, Nigel worked as a journalist, magazine editor and photojournalist, writing technical features, tutorials, reviews, news stories and interviews for his own publication as well as other well-known magazines and newspapers. It was during these years that he developed his distinctive writing voice, making the transition from journalism to fiction a natural one.
His debut novel, Email From A Vampire, was published in 2012 following extensive research into vampire folklore and mythology. Rather than following familiar genre conventions, Nigel wanted to create a vampire story that felt grounded, believable and tangible.
He followed this with the psychological thriller Sophia in 2014, a deeply personal novel inspired by his own experiences of depression and self-destruction during that period of his life. In 2015 he published his autobiographical childhood memoir, Boy, through Ebury Publishing, an imprint of Penguin Random House. The memoir received widespread critical acclaim for its honest and unflinching portrayal of childhood adversity.
Since then, Nigel has continued to write across a wide range of genres. His novels include the supernatural thriller S.U.N.D.S., the crime thriller The Sound Of Crying, the romantic comedy Digital Romance Disorder, the psychological thriller The Killing of Emily Chandler, and the unconventional love story The 95,000 Word Suicide Note. Rather than remaining within a single genre, he prefers to write whichever story captures his imagination, believing that every idea deserves the style and voice that best serves it.
Away from writing, Nigel continues to enjoy music, performing classical piano and composing rock, pop and electronic music in his home studio.
Photography remains another lifelong passion. After studying photography in London, he spent several years working out of a studio in the capital, specialising in fashion, portraiture, advertising, editorial and commercial photography. His clients included Sony, JVC, Panasonic, Johnson & Johnson, Arsenal Football Club, BMW, Harley-Davidson, Ray-Ban, Smirnoff, National E
Nigel is an English novelist whose work spans psychological thrillers, crime fiction, supernatural, contemporary and dark humour. Before becoming a full-time author, he enjoyed a varied career that included journalism, photography, magazine publishing, television production, private investigation and music. These diverse experiences continue to shape his fiction, lending authenticity, atmosphere and realism to the stories he tells.
Born in England, Nigel grew up in the Lake District before moving to London as a teenager. There he studied screenwriting, learning the craft of storytelling for film and television, and later established a successful career in video production. In 1999 he founded his own corporate video production company before moving into television as a freelance lighting cameraman. In 2004 he launched a specialist video production magazine, building it into a respected publication before eventually selling it to concentrate on writing fiction.
Alongside his work in publishing and television, Nigel developed a lifelong passion for music. He studied classical piano to diploma level, earning a Performer’s Certificate from Trinity College London and winning the North London Music Festival on two consecutive occasions performing works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Rachmaninoff. He also achieved Grade 8 Rock & Pop Drums with distinction through Trinity College London and previously played in two rock bands as bassist and drummer.
Never one to stand still, Nigel later completed an intensive diploma in private investigation and spent time working as a freelance investigator with solicitor firms in Cambridgeshire. The research skills, investigative techniques and understanding of human behaviour he gained continue to influence the crime and psychological elements of his novels.
Throughout much of his career, Nigel worked as a journalist, magazine editor and photojournalist, writing technical features, tutorials, reviews, news stories and interviews for his own publication as well as other well-known magazines and newspapers. It was during these years that he developed his distinctive writing voice, making the transition from journalism to fiction a natural one.
His debut novel, Email From A Vampire, was published in 2012 following extensive research into vampire folklore and mythology. Rather than following familiar genre conventions, Nigel wanted to create a vampire story that felt grounded, believable and tangible.
He followed this with the psychological thriller Sophia in 2014, a deeply personal novel inspired by his own experiences of depression and self-destruction during that period of his life. In 2015 he published his autobiographical childhood memoir, Boy, through Ebury Publishing, an imprint of Penguin Random House. The memoir received widespread critical acclaim for its honest and unflinching portrayal of childhood adversity.
Since then, Nigel has continued to write across a wide range of genres. His novels include the supernatural thriller S.U.N.D.S., the crime thriller The Sound Of Crying, the romantic comedy Digital Romance Disorder, the psychological thriller The Killing of Emily Chandler, and the unconventional love story The 95,000 Word Suicide Note. Rather than remaining within a single genre, he prefers to write whichever story captures his imagination, believing that every idea deserves the style and voice that best serves it.
Away from writing, Nigel continues to enjoy music, performing classical piano and composing rock, pop and electronic music in his home studio.
Photography remains another lifelong passion. After studying photography in London, he spent several years working out of a studio in the capital, specialising in fashion, portraiture, advertising, editorial and commercial photography. His clients included Sony, JVC, Panasonic, Johnson & Johnson, Arsenal Football Club, BMW, Harley-Davidson, Ray-Ban, Smirnoff, National E
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 30, 2024
This book details a cruel and abusive experience of the British care system in the 70s/80s. I thought it was insightful and important, and provided a lot of commentary on how people are lost/forgotten in the system.
I felt the narrator/author was wholly unsympathetic to the other care children throughout the book. I thought maybe there might be a comment that retrospectively he can see they also came from hard backgrounds but dealt with it differently, but he seemed to write them off as all intrinsically evil which seems a little myopic
I felt the narrator/author was wholly unsympathetic to the other care children throughout the book. I thought maybe there might be a comment that retrospectively he can see they also came from hard backgrounds but dealt with it differently, but he seemed to write them off as all intrinsically evil which seems a little myopic
November 14, 2015
Incredible, heart wrenching book that kept me flipping pages till literally 5.00 a.m. After finishing the book you'll start to really appreciate everything you have, and symphatize those endured countless pain and sorrow like Nigel. The book grabbed my heart and I could relate to what the persona's undergoing. Again, 10/10 would recommend this book.
August 26, 2018
An awful but important and immersive memoir about growing up in care in the 70s/80s. Brought me to tears several times reading about the horrific conditions little Nigel (and others like him) faced and the lack of love and compassion in his life, at a time when - more or less abandoned by his birth family- he needed them most.
Desperation is tangible on every page, and I longed for Nigel to escape and find a place that felt like home. Sadly, that doesn’t transpire in his 16 years in the system. The author’s survival and later success is testament to the ‘inner nugget of hope’, which he refused to let be destroyed. Nigel is an intuitive and engaging writer, and I felt as if I was there with him, as he retells the difficult stories of his boyhood.
While children’s services have evolved in the UK, we can not be complacent. Accounts such as Nigel’s are powerful reminders of the firsthand experience of the children who are both victims and products of the system. The apathetic shoulder-shrugging, and at times active involvement of “responsible adults” who were supposed to be acting in loco parentis but instead perpetuated structural framework of awful abuse is a glimpse into the very depths of evil of which humans are capable. We mustn’t ever stand by and tolerate such injustice served on the most vulnerable in our society. Childhood should be a time of nurture, growth and hope. Children should feel loved and safe. I am angry about what happened to Nigel and very much moved by his account of a childhood in care - I’m sure it will stay with me.
Desperation is tangible on every page, and I longed for Nigel to escape and find a place that felt like home. Sadly, that doesn’t transpire in his 16 years in the system. The author’s survival and later success is testament to the ‘inner nugget of hope’, which he refused to let be destroyed. Nigel is an intuitive and engaging writer, and I felt as if I was there with him, as he retells the difficult stories of his boyhood.
While children’s services have evolved in the UK, we can not be complacent. Accounts such as Nigel’s are powerful reminders of the firsthand experience of the children who are both victims and products of the system. The apathetic shoulder-shrugging, and at times active involvement of “responsible adults” who were supposed to be acting in loco parentis but instead perpetuated structural framework of awful abuse is a glimpse into the very depths of evil of which humans are capable. We mustn’t ever stand by and tolerate such injustice served on the most vulnerable in our society. Childhood should be a time of nurture, growth and hope. Children should feel loved and safe. I am angry about what happened to Nigel and very much moved by his account of a childhood in care - I’m sure it will stay with me.
May 3, 2018
a book that details the disgusting brutal treatment nigel received at the hands of fellow pupils and also the people who were supposed to be caring for the children unwanted by his mother he was passed from one place to another begging to go home but when he did his mother made it clear he was not wanted unlike his brother and half brother it is a book that will make you cry and feel angry in alternative emotions it is a shame we cannot change the past but we can ensure that no one suffers this way again
August 8, 2020
A horrific story but really well written
August 26, 2024
Very sad
February 16, 2026
Harrowing. Eye opening. Heartbreaking. Inspiring
April 23, 2018
Very good book would recommend you read it as it is still happening to this day.
August 27, 2015
Boy is a shocking, compelling, harrowing read. Although a true memoir, it is beautifully crafted like a novel. I shed many tears reading about Nigel’s sad and brutal childhood, incredulous at the attitudes and behaviours of the adult staff in so-called ‘care’ homes. Desperate to be loved, Nigel was abused in every possible way by those around him. It’s a heart-rending story that had to be told – a boy robbed of his childhood in an era when children weren’t valued like they are today.
August 27, 2015
I feel weird reviewing such a harrowing read. Five stars for the amazing writing and courage in telling such a painful story. Nigel's story is horrible, and it disgusts me to think that humans are capable of such cruelty. I would like to send prayers and a big hug to the people of this world who have lived like Nigel. Nobody deserves it. I hope he has been able to find some healing and peace as he has left his past behind. Big respect.
September 4, 2015
‘Boy’ is a shocking, compelling, harrowing read. Although a true memoir, it is beautifully crafted like a novel. I shed many tears reading about Nigel’s sad and brutal childhood, incredulous at the attitudes and behaviours of the adult staff in so-called ‘care’ homes. Desperate to be loved, Nigel was abused in every possible way by those around him. It’s a heart-rending story that had to be told – a boy robbed of his childhood in an era when children weren’t valued like they are today.
September 15, 2015
I read this in two days. It is an interesting, but sad, view into a world of a child neglected by his mother and churned through the system.
February 23, 2018
This is a memoir about a child’s fight to survive the British care system in the late 70’s/early 80’s. It’s shocking to see how utterly appalling the ‘adults’ behaved back then as well as reading about the endless violence and cruelty that took place in the several institutions he was needlessly sent to.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews