4 out of 4 stars
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Boyhood Dreams, consisting of 361 pages and 30 chapters is truly an epic autobiography of Author John Scully. It provides a detailed account of his life of abject poverty and extreme targeting to a life of high attainment and self-actualization. It is certainly a page-turner, and his audience will be enthralled by the fast-paced and shocking events that have affected his life as well as his loved ones.
The author lives in squalor with his parents, his four sisters, and brother Mick in County Kildare, Ireland, during the postwar era. His home lacks many essential items. He attends school barefooted and is also a constant target for bullying from his schoolmates and surprisingly, his teacher.
Because life in his community seems so hopeless, he journeys to England to work towards realizing his dream of owning his own grocery store. In England, he is able to secure several jobs of which he has excelled. His path intertwines with Barbara who later becomes his wife.
Upon amassing enough financial gains, he, his wife and child return to Ireland where he opens his grocery store of which he has long dreamt about. He soon finds out that his community is no longer a simplistic and restrained one. It is now riddled with crime, police corruption, and political influences. His business, however, thrived and thus becomes the target for vandalism. Instead of rendering assistance, he encounters several cases of abuse occasionally at the hand of the Gardai police. Will Mr. Scully survive these constraints or will he be forced to return to England?
Anyone reading Author Scully’s narrative can easily detect the passion and alacrity which he sets out to record his experiences. His prose is clear, sharp, and the storyline flows seamlessly. The author has masterfully utilized ethos within the dialogue and action to portray the authentic life experiences that affect him and the other persons involved in his life. The mood that is felt throughout the passages of the book is determination. Loyalty, teamwork, and courage are promoted in this book.
There are several parts of this book that I do not relish because they have left me feeling very sad. One particular part, without giving away too many spoilers, is where the author’s children would bring the photograph of the store with the car and the van parked alongside it. They would ask why they were no longer possessing them. The author stated that he was afraid that his explanation would give the impression that he could not manage his business. He would, therefore, excuse or allow a wall of silence to come between them.
I like that the author’s life has shown great improvement. He went through a traumatic childhood where he and his brother were the targets of school bullying. This, however, did not deter him from pursuing his dreams. He went to England where he worked at various airline companies and was given several leadership positions. He then returned to his community, set up his business, and courageously fought against the criminals to maintain his stay.
I would highly recommend this book to persons who have been physically and psychologically abused and to those experiencing difficulty in their businesses. The writing is impeccable, therefore, I will award this book a 4 out of 4 stars rating coupled with all the above positive reasons.
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Boyhood Dream
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