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Product Description
Book Description
From the bestselling author of Ma, He Sold Me for a Few Cigarettes
Product Description
Aged thirteen, Martha is rescued by the courts from the clutches of her evil stepfather, Jackser, and her feckless mother, Sally. After numerous arrests for shoplifting, a judge rules that she is to be sent to a convent school with the instruction that she is to get an education.
Her initial relief at escaping the abuse and neglect she suffered at home is, however, short-lived, as she soon realises that there are many forms of cruelty in this life. As she says, 'You can have a full belly, but your heart can be very empty.' Ostracised by the other children for being a 'street kid' and put to back-breaking work by the nuns, she leads a lonely existence, her only joy coming from the books she devours and her mischievous sense of humour.
Desperate for love and a little place where she feels she belongs, despite all that she has suffered Martha retains her compassion for others and still continues to hope for a brighter future when she will be free to make her own way in life.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the second volume of Martha Long's memoirs after "Ma, He Sold Me For A Few Cigarettes", which had me HOOKED and was a real page-turner. As soon as this instalment of her memoirs came out, I leapt and bought a copy and, alas, I was quite underwhelmed.
This volume concerns Martha's life in her early teens in the 1970s (judging by the movies she cites as having watched - though the disclaimer at the beginning states that the events in the book might not actually be in the order that they happened, which gave me the impression that they might have been "dramatised" a bit and might not be entirely autobiographical...) in a convent on the outskirts of Dublin. The postscript on the book mentions that Martha is put to "backbreaking work" by the nuns, but the text contradicts this. Though Martha is certainly worked hard, she seems to enjoy it and I wouldn't describe scrubbing a few floors as "back breaking" - I was expecting hard-labour!
My major disappointment with this book is that it just never really seems to "get going" and doesn't have the passion or drive of the last volume. It seems to me to be a nexus between the first and third volumes of Martha's memoirs that could have very, very easily been included in either one, preferably in a cut-down format as there are many, many chapters in which nothing much happens.
In the first book, it was clear when "he sold me for a few cigarettes" but in this volume, Martha doesn't actually get herself "a new mammy" - I can't decide if this refers to her longings to "belong" to one of the nuns or to the brief period she's "adopted" as a Christmas present by a lower-middle-class family - an event that clearly had a significant effect on Martha but which was barely described in favour of relating Martha's own anecdotes that she told said family at the time. I felt an air of self-indulgence about this book, rather than the raw, brutal honesty of the first volume.
I hold out a lot of hope for the next volume (which is out in September) and I hope that it's more like the first volume than this one.
This volume concerns Martha's life in her early teens in the 1970s (judging by the movies she cites as having watched - though the disclaimer at the beginning states that the events in the book might not actually be in the order that they happened, which gave me the impression that they might have been "dramatised" a bit and might not be entirely autobiographical...) in a convent on the outskirts of Dublin. The postscript on the book mentions that Martha is put to "backbreaking work" by the nuns, but the text contradicts this. Though Martha is certainly worked hard, she seems to enjoy it and I wouldn't describe scrubbing a few floors as "back breaking" - I was expecting hard-labour!
My major disappointment with this book is that it just never really seems to "get going" and doesn't have the passion or drive of the last volume. It seems to me to be a nexus between the first and third volumes of Martha's memoirs that could have very, very easily been included in either one, preferably in a cut-down format as there are many, many chapters in which nothing much happens.
In the first book, it was clear when "he sold me for a few cigarettes" but in this volume, Martha doesn't actually get herself "a new mammy" - I can't decide if this refers to her longings to "belong" to one of the nuns or to the brief period she's "adopted" as a Christmas present by a lower-middle-class family - an event that clearly had a significant effect on Martha but which was barely described in favour of relating Martha's own anecdotes that she told said family at the time. I felt an air of self-indulgence about this book, rather than the raw, brutal honesty of the first volume.
I hold out a lot of hope for the next volume (which is out in September) and I hope that it's more like the first volume than this one.
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I feel like i really know Martha Long, she has such a way of engrossing you in the words there is no skipping chapters with her!
I know this is awful but i was left slightly disappointed becuase i thought all the questions that went unanswered in the first book would be answered in this one, but i think she may have left it open to write another one.
I now want to know what happens next!
I know this is awful but i was left slightly disappointed becuase i thought all the questions that went unanswered in the first book would be answered in this one, but i think she may have left it open to write another one.
I now want to know what happens next!
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I really loved the 1st book and raved about it to anyone who would listen. I kept checking the internet for the sequal which I thought would answer my questions regarding Charlie and the rest of the children. If you think this one will do it think again. In my opinion this one could have been put in a couple of chapters in the next book. Of course I still love Martha and will certainly be buying the follow up but if I'd known I would have missed this one out.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Quite boring
Loved Martha Long's first book "ma, he sold me for a few cigarettes" and bought this sequel as soon as I had finished the first book. Read more
Published 1 month ago by anon81
Dont miss out!!!!
Quality of the book was excellent and the price two thirds cheaper than the shops..... delivered in great condition. I never thought you would get so much for so little!! Read more
Published 9 months ago by K. Girvan
Ma I'm Gettin Meself a New Mammy
This is now the second book I have read in the series. It was absolutely fantastic!! My mother is in fact now reading them also. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Book Worm
book
the wife says it was good, but as other people have said they could have put it the start of the next book.
Published 14 months ago by ste
Wonderful service
Of the 3 books I ordered on the same day several weeks ago, this is the only one that I've actually received. The book was in great condition and the delivery was fast.
Published 16 months ago by Donna
made a friend happy
Told a friend I buy from Amazon with confidence, so she asked me to order the book for her. It was in good condition, and was well packaged, would buy again.
Published 20 months ago by happy stitcher
surprised by the reviews!
I have finished both this and the first book and came on here to write my review and was very surprised at some of the reviews already written. Read more
Published 20 months ago by L. Ali
Martha Long
I love the way Martha tells her story, she is a brilliant writer, although it is very sad in parts, she has a great sense of humour that always shines through.
Published 23 months ago by Bernie
brilliant
brilliant follow up to ma he sold me for a few cigarettes. cant wait to read part 3.
Published on 26 Oct 2009 by mad marie
Could not wait to read this book
After reading Martha Longs first book "Ma, He sold me for a few cigarettes", I wanted to know what happened next, so when I saw that she had written this one, I eagerly purchased... Read more
Published on 26 May 2009 by K. Paterson
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