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The Boy in the Cellar

Written by: Stephen Smith
Narrated by: Oliver J. Hembrough
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Publisher's Summary

Stephen Smith is the boy who did not exist. Born out of wedlock in the early 1960s, Steve's parents - both devout Catholics - had felt so 'shamed' by their son's illegitimate birth that they hid him away from the world by locking him in the cellar...for 13 years. Apart from a few admissions to hospital as a result of his 'imprisonment', Steve remained in the coal cellar of the family home where he was deprived of daylight, his childhood, school and human contact until he'd reached his teenage years.

Starved and beaten, the little boy's world was a darkened room that measured just 8 feet by 10 with a single makeshift bed, a bare light bulb and a solitary table. Steve would spend his days conjuring up an imaginary world full of monsters he would draw to try to block out the physical and mental torture inflicted on him by his brutal father. Locked away like an animal with a bucket to urinate and defecate in, the only human contact he received was from his father, who'd regularly beat him with a shovel and whip him with a belt.

Eventually, he escaped only to fall prey to the instigators of two of the worst cases of institutional abuse in the UK at Aston Hall hospital and St. William's Catholic School.

A horrifying true story of torture and cruelty that reveals a human's full capacity to fight for survival and search out happiness and hope.

©2019 Stephen Smith (P)2019 Bonnier Books UK
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What listeners say about The Boy in the Cellar

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Grab tissues for this one!

unbelievable! had me crying and getting so mad but couldn't stop listening. Very well written!

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Excellent book

This was an excellent book and well worth listening to. There were parts that were hard to listen to, unbelievable that so much abuse happened to children and nothing was done about it. Very sad but great ending..

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Never a dull moment

Excellent book! I recommend to anyone. Never a dull moment my heart breaks for the characters in this book.

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That was near unbelievably heartbreaking

The ongoing systemic abuse of children in foster care and especially any children who come in contact with anyone associated with christian run groups, boarding homes, schools and other institutions needs to be looked at.

This was horrid to read how abuse can continue and be perpetuated by those who choose to have children. As someone who is childfree by choice, this reinforces my conviction of how reproductive freedom needs to be given to all rather than witheld by ignorance in lack of sex education or inaccessible contraception, and for people to think hard and long on why they want to have children, and to increase protections for children under the control of people who never get evaulated for whether they are suited to parenthood...which is everyone.

It was hard to think of how real these situations are and how abuse continues to be perpetrated by physical and sexual abusers, especially when investigations into abuse are curtailed by the nonsensical concept that the religious are more moral.

I'm impressed at this author for writing their story. And hope it does as the author states he hopes in this news article on this and it encourages other male victims of abuse to come forward: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-51049656

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Could not stop listening

A truly tragic and inspiring story and the marrator is wonderful! I highly recommend this book.

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gripping read

Could not stop listening. Thanks for sharing your story. It will help the many survivors of all kinds of abuse.

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Heartbreaking

Such a heartbreaking account of horrific abuse and neglect, but also a wonderful testament to the strength of the human spirit. I would highly recommend - the ending is a beautiful message

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Very Brave to Share this Story

I appreciate the strength it took this author to share this heartbreaking story of how our imperfect systems often fail the most vulnerable children.

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hard to hear the truth

very eye opening, hard to believe that there are more than we think that go through ,we are not alone. Thanks to the writer.

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Heart wrenching

Great read
The counting of the stairs steps is a wonderful literary device
I will never count back again without thinking of this poor child.

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