THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA raw and often funny snapshot of 7-year- old Tommy's brutal young life. He moves us through his daily struggle with poverty and neglect in 1960s Manchester like it's the most natural thing in the world.Tommy lives at the heart of a large Irish family in derelict Hulme, ruled by an abusive and alcoholic father and a drunk, negligent mother. Alongside his siblings he begs - or steals - a few pennies to bring home to his parents to avoid a beating, while looking for something to eat and a little adventure along the way.With an unlikely sense of fun and a huge dose of good humour, Tommy introduces us to his foul-mouthed and chaotic family members. Deeply flawed they may be, but amongst the violence, grinding poverty and distinct lack of hygiene and morality lies a strong sense of loyalty and, above all, survival. During this single year - before his family implodes and his world changes forever - young Tommy almost falls foul of the school welfare officers, the nuns, the police - and Myra Hindley and Ian Brady.