Slum Boy

One of the most moving accounts of non-fiction ever written

Author: Juano Diaz

Hardcover

An utterly inspiring story of a young boy's self-discovery through art while growing up in the slums of Glasgow in the 1980s.

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Hardcover

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Summary

An utterly inspiring story of a young boy's self-discovery through art while growing up in the slums of Glasgow in the 1980s.

Description

ONE OF THE MOST MOVING ACCOUNTS OF NON-FICTION EVER WRITTEN ACCORDING TO THE GUARDIAN

'This is a heart-breaking story, beautifully told. I hope it finds a million readers' - Andrew O'Hagan

'What a brave and powerful story. If you like Shuggie Bain and Damian Barr then Slumboy is for you' - Lemn Sissay

'Compulsively readable, it's Dickensian in its rich cast of Glaswegian characters' - Patrick Gale

'SLUM BOY is a remarkable and moving tale of survival' - Times Literary Supplement

John MacDonald must find his mother.

Born into the slums of Glasgow in the late '70s, a 4-year-old John's life is filled with the debris of alcoholism and poverty. Soon after witnessing a drowning, his mother's addictions take over their lives, leaving him starving in their flat, awaiting her return.

A concerned neighbor reports her, and he is forcibly taken away from his mother and placed into the care system. There, he dreams of being reunited with her. His mind is consumed with images and memories he can't process or understand, which his eventual adoptive parents silence out of fear as he grows into a young man within a strict Catholic and Romany Gypsy community.

This memoir is about how John found his way to his true identity, Juano Diaz, and how, against all odds, his unstoppable love for his mother sets him free.

Juano Diaz was awarded the Pride Awards 2024 for LGBTQ+ Heroes Changing the World.

Critic Reviews

What a brave and powerful story. If you like Shuggie Bain and Damian Barr then Slumboy is for you -- Lemn Sissay
Fans of (Douglas) Stuart and (Damian) Barr will pounce on this startling debut. Compulsively readable, it's Dickensian in its rich cast of Glaswegian characters -- Patrick Gale
Powerful and beautifully written... Juano Diaz's elegant and heartbreaking memoir immediately brings to mind Douglas Stuart's Booker-winning Shuggie Bain Guardian
A powerful and at times harrowing memoir. Slum Boy is a remarkable and moving tale of survival. Times Literary Supplement
The writing is beautiful Scooter LaForge
A heart-breaking, inspiring read Alan Cumming
An extraordinary survival story Sophie Fiennes
A reminder that beautiful things grow and flourish Christie Watson
A heart-rending story that has you constantly holding back tears Dr Pam Hogg
I laughed and cried. It's a masterpiece Joey Arias
A heart-breaking, inspiring read Alan Cumming
An extraordinary survival story Sophie Fiennes
A reminder that beautiful things grow and flourish Christie Watson

About the Author

Juano Diaz is an internationally acclaimed artist and collaborates with many others including Pierre et Giles and Grace Jones. His work has been exhibited in galleries across the world including at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Juano is currently working with film director Sophie Fiennes and lives in Wiltshire with his partner David and their son.