The Boy in the Cellar

By: Stephen Smith

Narrated by: Oliver J. Hembrough

Stephen Smith is the boy who did not exist. Born out of wedlock in the early 1960s, Steve's parents - both devout Catholics - had felt so 'shamed' by their son's illegitimate birth that they hid him away from the world by locking him in the cellar...for 13 years. Apart from a few admissions to hospital as a result of his 'imprisonment', Steve remained in the coal cellar of the family home where he was deprived of daylight, his childhood, school and human contact until he'd reached his teenage years.

Starved and beaten, the little boy's world was a darkened room that measured just 8 feet by 10 with a single makeshift bed, a bare light bulb and a solitary table. Steve would spend his days conjuring up an imaginary world full of monsters he would draw to try to block out the physical and mental torture inflicted on him by his brutal father. Locked away like an animal with a bucket to urinate and defecate in, the only human contact he received was from his father, who'd regularly beat him with a shovel and whip him with a belt.

Eventually, he escaped only to fall prey to the instigators of two of the worst cases of institutional abuse in the UK at Aston Hall hospital and St. William's Catholic School.

A horrifying true story of torture and cruelty that reveals a human's full capacity to fight for survival and search out happiness and hope.

©2019 Stephen Smith (P)2019 Bonnier Books UK

great book, horrible story

This book was hard to listen to, especially at first as the details are incompressibly deranged. With that said, it is written very well. It is a very good book but be ready to hear about humanity at it's worst.

Excellent abuse survival memoir

This is an excellent abuse survival memoir. Very gripping I could not put this one down.

Heart wrenching but so inspirational

What an amazing writer and narrator! The book had me on the edge of my seat with tears the entire time! It truly makes you wonder how there can be so many evil people in this world. It is so wonderful that he had the courage to write it! That is awesome. Strongly encourage others to read this survivor’s story.

must read for anyone with cptsd

the strength of the human spirit is awesome. I really enjoyed this listen. what a survivor story

A very hard listen

this book will tear at your soul. the amount of abuse is so painful. yet, this man is still a shining light. cannot say enough of how wonderful this story is for the triumph it imparts