Kit de Waal credits reading with saving her life after poverty
Author Kit de Waal told the BBC that books saved her life after she left home at 16 and faced a mental breakdown.
Early struggles and poverty
The Birmingham-born writer grew up in Moseley while living in severe financial hardship. Her father arrived from the Caribbean in 1956 and her mother was an Irish immigrant. De Waal described her childhood as marked by hunger and a lack of resources.
Turning point through reading
A solicitor recommended books to her when she was close to a serious mental collapse. She found the world of imagination through this chance conversation with the legal professional. The author stated honestly that reading saved her life from that dark period.
Lessons on difference and kindness
Her experiences taught her about being an outsider and the damage racism causes to children. She also remembered a neighbour inviting her family in to see their pet tortoise. That act of kindness showed her the power of community support.
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