Poor

As the middle of five children growing up in dire poverty, Katriona O'Sullivan's odds of making anything of her life were low. She became a mother at 15 and ended up homeless. Five rackety years followed — barely coping, drinking to escape — until Katriona, now living in her father's native Dublin, hit rock bottom. Poor is the extraordinary story — moving, funny, brave, and sometimes startling — of how Katriona turned her life around. During her schooldays there had been teachers who looked out for her — beacons of stability in a chaotic childhood. They planted seeds of self-belief. In Dublin, when she sought help, she found mentors whose encouragement revived that self-belief. She got her act together, got a flat and a job as a cleaner, and got into Trinity College. Today Dr Katriona O'Sullivan is an award-winning lecturer whose work explores barriers to education. Despite her professional success and happiness in her marriage and as a loving mother, Katriona lives with the indelible legacy of her early years. Her book is a stirring argument for the importance of looking out for our kids, of giving them hope, practical support and meaningful opportunities.