Against All Odds
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Product Description
Product Description
It had been years since I had seen any of the children with whom I had grown up. When I left the children's home, I promised myself that I would have nothing to do with them, I was sure that my only chance of living a good life would be to put the past behind me, even though that meant saying goodbye to some of the people I loved the most - as well as the ones I hated...it turned out that six of us had died, several by slow suicide in the form of heroin abuse, and at least two by faster means. When two police officers arrived out of the blue at Paul Connolly's door, he learned the shocking news that, out of the eight children with whom he shared a dormitory in care, only two were still alive. The revelation unearthed painful memories of a childhood that, until this point, Paul had tried desperately to put behind him. Abandoned at two weeks old, Paul came of age in the infamous St Leonards's Children's Home in East London. The children there were routinely abused, often over the course of many years. All were underfed and unloved and told that they would amount to nothing. Angry and frustrated, Paul channelled his rage into boxing - but when an accident shattered his ambition to turn professional, he found his true calling and became a successful trainer, even working as a consultant on the pilot of a top model's fitness video. Paul has finally found peace and fulfilment beyond anything he could have imagined all those years ago. He has found happiness with his wife and children and now helps to heal broken bodies, build confidence and transform lives - but he will never forget his past and the unnecessary victims of broken society...
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
93 of 94 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A must read, couldn't put it down. I found the book to be gripping and at times really quite emotional. Its amazing how someone with such a bad start in life can turn things around and go on to be a successful businessman with great family values. It goes to show that not everyone with a bad start turns out the way you'd expect.
Paul is most definately an inspiration to everyone. To those, who like himself had a bad start but also to those that didn't that may not appreciate how lucky they were to have a nice childhood.
I would highly recommend this book and have already passed it onto many family and friends.
Paul is most definately an inspiration to everyone. To those, who like himself had a bad start but also to those that didn't that may not appreciate how lucky they were to have a nice childhood.
I would highly recommend this book and have already passed it onto many family and friends.
103 of 105 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is such a raw and honest book that it is at times difficult to read. I am still angry, not just because of the abuse suffered by the youngsters at St Leonards - but at the casual cruelty of the carers pocketing the housekeeping and feeding the children bread and margerine so that they were always hungry. I am far from happy that every crime committed in the course of the book was dealt with adequately. It is a book that really makes you think. It reads like a novel but the central events are a matter of public record and it comes accross as painfully honest. In the end it is a success story - not because of the celebrity side of the fitness training, but on a personal level the fact that despite the abuses of his childhood and the rage he talks about, Paul does finally manage to achieve a loving and happy family life.
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book made me laugh and made me cry in equal measure.
The pain that Paul Connolly must have experienced throughout his chilhood was palpable.
And although part of me was repulsed by the violence and the malevolence that Paul displayed, another understood and urged more of the same in order for him to gain some sort of recompense from the ills of a society that let adults abuse the positions of trust they were put in.
Although Paul was on the whole spared the fate that some of the children endured at least he has survived to tell his story and has since become successful in building a career and a family.
I kept questioning why these children were not listened to and how the system failed to protect them. I only hope that this book is read by all those now involved in protecting vulnerable children, the message of which should reverberate for some time.
This book was a superb read and one that I would thoroughly recommend albeit one that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster from heartbreak and anger, to laughter and elation.
The pain that Paul Connolly must have experienced throughout his chilhood was palpable.
And although part of me was repulsed by the violence and the malevolence that Paul displayed, another understood and urged more of the same in order for him to gain some sort of recompense from the ills of a society that let adults abuse the positions of trust they were put in.
Although Paul was on the whole spared the fate that some of the children endured at least he has survived to tell his story and has since become successful in building a career and a family.
I kept questioning why these children were not listened to and how the system failed to protect them. I only hope that this book is read by all those now involved in protecting vulnerable children, the message of which should reverberate for some time.
This book was a superb read and one that I would thoroughly recommend albeit one that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster from heartbreak and anger, to laughter and elation.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Epic
A very inspirational read, paul is a born survivor and a inspiration to many of us. Great insight into a remarkable mans life.
Published 6 days ago by NICK
against all adds
This book was an excellent account of a very hard start in life. I found it incredible that children were treated in such an appalling way in 20th Century. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Janey
'Against All Odds' Paul Connelly great book
Some negative reviews harp on about this book not winning any literary prizes and furthermore many of those negative reviewers didn't even bother to finish the story. Read more
Published 14 days ago by Mickrobbo34
Against All Odds
I read this book the only problem I had was the bad language that was included into the book not everyone likes the swear words that are used. I enjoyed the story.
Published 15 days ago by Mrs. Joan Stokes
A really great read
I read this book in just 2 evenings - I simply couldn't put it down. It is emotionally charged, quite harrowing and upsetting in places, but ultimately feelgood due to the way Paul... Read more
Published 15 days ago by Mary
An Awe-inspiring read!
WOW!! What an amazing true story. The way Paul has turned his life around should be an inspiration to all and he should be very proud of what he has achieved. Read more
Published 18 days ago by Norm
Against all odds
What a great read I struggled to put this down. I can empathys with some of it and it really does help to put this sort of thing into words because it is so useful to others who... Read more
Published 19 days ago by Jo Jo
Not "The Most Amazing True Life Story You'll Ever Read"
I've met and read about other people who have faced just as bad, if not worse tragic circumstances or hardships in life, who haven't used it as an excuse for violence. Read more
Published 19 days ago by jojomy2k
Enjoyable but not as described or expected
I expected this book to be very sad after reading the reviews. I felt cold that I didn't cry or feel anything whilst reading as it just wasn't what I expected. Read more
Published 24 days ago by ch3zz13
Against all odds
Very easy to read and honest and raw content, I couldn't put it down once i started a little repetitive in places but to follow his journey from beginning to end gives hope to... Read more
Published 25 days ago by kp
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