Rock Me Gently: A True Story of a Convent Childhood

Firstly, "Rock Me Gently" is a real page turner. I read it a few months ago and I still can't get it out of my head. It's probably the most truly captivating and sensitive memoir I can ever remember reading. Kelly's story is beautifully written and told with style, thoughtfulness and an extraordinary sense of humour considering the hardships she had to endure throughout her life. Although Kelly has earned the right to complain, at no point does she play the victim. In fact, her tolerant stance towards the perpetrators of the abuse against her is at first startling, since many of the circumstances she describes are extremely harrowing to read and unquestioningly neglectful. Throughout the book I kept looking for bitterness or lingering shame, but her memoir is about thriving and letting go of negative feelings. Judith Kelly's story is testament to survival regardless of what type of spoon you're born with in your mouth. For those reviewers here who have expressed doubts about the authenticity of Kelly's story, I can tell you that at least the convent part rings true as I have a friend who attended the same Nazareth House in Bexhill as the author and she vividly remembers both Kelly and the convent events described in her story. To this day, my friend still suffers the psychological repercussions of her abusive childhood. Don't miss this one! It's worthy of your time and I highly recommend this book.

A very sad book that we should all read. It gives a different insight into the way nuns look after children, and would make a truly wonderful film. Mr. Speilberg please take note!