William was an unwanted child. He was mistreated, beaten, mentally abused by his father, his brother and by his teachers. Yet, over time, William learned to look after himself and to stand up against those who refused to give him the chances that every child deserves. The lessons he had to learn for himself were not easy, often painful, and frequently leading him into danger, and his friends were not always the most level headed when it came to planning their next escapade. Perhaps William had something special within him, a determination to survive the abuse that was thrown at him, seemingly from all directions. Or perhaps it was inevitable that he would rebel against everything he suffered. Whatever the reasons, this remarkable book is the story that William has waited more than sixty years to tell.

The story of William is true, although the names of some people and places have been changed. It follows William's childhood from his birth to becoming an adult, his sad and his happy moments, his failures and his successes. Most of all, it tells the story of a child desperate to reach out to someone or something to find an escape from the cruelty that surrounded him for so long.