Poor

From an impoverished childhood shaped by her parents' addictions to becoming a prize-winning academic, this is the incredible memoir from an inspiring voice, told with devastating candour, humour and warmth.

THE NUMBER 1 BESTSELLER
WINNER OF BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR, IRISH BOOK AWARDS

'One of the best [books] I have read about the complexities of poverty . . . one of the most remarkable people you will ever meet' Guardian

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Like young girls everywhere Katriona O’Sullivan grew up bright, enthusiastic, curious. But she was also surrounded by abject poverty and chaos.

After becoming pregnant and homeless at 15, what followed was five years of barely surviving. Yet today Katriona is an award-winning academic whose work explores barriers to education for girls like her.

What set Katriona on this unexpected path were the mentors and supporters who truly saw her. The teachers who showed her how to wash in the school toilets or turned up at her door to convince her to sit at least one GCSE. The community worker who encouraged her to apply for training schemes. The friend who introduced Katriona to Trinity College’s access program while she was a cleaner. Simple acts that would help her turn her life around.

Dr Katriona O'Sullivan was born in Coventry to Irish parents. In 1998, at 20, she moved from Birmingham to Dublin and subsequently enrolled in the Trinity College access programme. After being awarded a PhD in psychology from Trinity she joined its staff. She now lectures in psychology at Maynooth University and lives with her family in Dublin. Poor is her first book.