Borstal Boy

Borstal Boy is an autobiography about Brendan Behan's teenage years, before and during World War Two. Born in Dublin, Ireland in 1923, Brendan had become an alcoholic by the time he was eight years old. When he was 14 he became a member of the IRA (Irish Republican Army). In 1939 he went to Liverpool, England, carrying explosives for the IRA. On the eve of his arrival he was arrested and in February 1940 he was sentenced to three years' reform school. First published in 1958, this autobiography follows the fascinating story of his early years.