Childhood

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Brendan Murray redefines memoir in this haunting excavation of his own experiences as a child, teacher and parent to discover why imagination is so important throughout our lives. Why do some children grow up into happy lives, and others never make it? Brendan James Murray's childhood was one of stark contrasts: vivid imaginative adventures but also disadvantage, fear and the shadow of a school he spent months refusing to attend. When a silhouette on a freeway overpass forces him to confront the ghosts of his own childhood, he has a defining realisation about the extraordinary power of imagination to transform lives, and the degree to which it has been neglected. Childhood is a vital and deeply personal investigation into how we can help children find their place in the world, drawn from Brendan's profound and unique perspective as a child, teacher and parent. This haunting, uplifting memoir is a must-read for everyone seeking to understand