| Description |
ix, 273 pages : illustrations, facsimiles, portraits ; 23 cm |
| Contents |
Contents note continued: Twenty Five Asperger's -- my pieces falling into place -- Twenty Six My rights met at last -- Twenty Seven From the University of Hard knocks to PhD |
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Machine generated contents note: One.Early years -- Two.The Daintys -- Three.Socialisation of sorts -- Four.Round robin of moves -- Five.Life on the streets -- Six.A change of attitudes -- Seven.Broome House and the Cubs -- Eight.Sharing the donkey's feed -- Nine.Back with the Daintys, then gone for good -- Ten.Rose Hill -- Eleven.Relative peace and a whole lot of learning -- Twelve.My working life begins -- Thirteen.From comparative peace back to senseless abuse -- Fourteen.Two years of brutal bastardry and the kindness of strangers -- Fifteen.Last of the child migrants -- Australia -- Sixteen.Back to fighting the system -- Seventeen.Induction into the Army -- Eighteen.From boy to man -- Nineteen.Corps training and Victoria -- Twenty.The ̀illegal immigrant' marries -- Twenty One Changing direction -- Twenty Two Life after the army when my honesty brings me trouble -- Twenty Three Alcohol fuels my search for identity -- Twenty Four Tracing my records and writing poetry -- |
| Summary |
So I Hit Him is an extremely powerful memoir that will shock many people, yet is intensely inspirational. Born in a former workhouse hospital in Manchester, England with multiple disabilities and not expected to survive, Michael was placed in care almost from birth. By the time he was 17, he had been placed in over 30 institutions and had suffered every manner of physical, emotional and sexual abuse and neglect. His Asperger's became the key to his survival in a hostile world, enabling him to endure punishment, deprivation and emotional conflict. His rage and frustration had created a man who used violence to deal with most situations in life. Readers: be prepared to suspend judgment as you read an inspirational story. Michael's strong will to live and learn enabled him to survive not only his time in care, but also his forced migration, as a child, to Australia, and his later alcohol addiction. It also enabled him to finally succeed in his ultimate goals of getting an education and helping youth in trouble. So I Hit Him is the compelling story of a man who, despite all odds being against him, still says he has had a lucky life |
| Analysis |
Australian |
| Notes |
Includes list of resources |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references |
| Subject |
Whatham, Mick, 1952-
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Adult child abuse victims -- Biography.
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Adult child abuse victims -- Australia -- Biography.
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Asperger's syndrome -- Biography.
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Asperger's syndrome -- Australia -- Biography.
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Children with disabilities -- Abuse of -- Australia -- Biography.
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Children with disabilities -- Abuse of -- England -- Biography.
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Children with disabilities -- Abuse of -- Biography.
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Children -- Crimes against -- Australia -- Biography.
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Children -- Crimes against -- England -- Biography.
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Children -- Crimes against -- Biography.
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Children -- Institutional care -- Australia -- Biography.
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Children -- Institutional care -- Biography.
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Children -- Institutional care -- England -- Biography.
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Immigrant children -- Institutional care -- Australia -- Biography.
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Immigrant children -- Australia -- Biography.
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Immigrant children -- England -- Biography.
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| Genre/Form |
Biographies.
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| ISBN |
9781922132284 (paperback) |
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