This is an honest and well-written account of Adrian Plass's life. Compared to many modern autobiographical accounts, his childhood wasn't too terrible. His father was an angry and jealous man, but he knew the devoted love of his mother, and was a voracious reader. During his teenage years he began to develop an image, enabling him to ignore his feelings of insecurity, and it wasn't until much later - happily married, with children he adored - that his past caught up with him and he descended into deep depression.

It's many years since I first read this; the first time I was, perhaps, slightly disappointed that it doesn't have the laugh-aloud humour of the 'Sacred Diary' books. But re-reading it in 2009, and again in 2021, I found it moving, and very readable.

Highly recommended.

Latest full review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2021/05/growing-up-pains-of-adrian-plass.ht... ( )