It's A Long Way From Penny Apples
The inspiring classic memoir of grit, courage and finding happiness
Published on 7. July 2003
Book
Paperback/Softback
480 pages
978-0-340-82653-9 (ISBN)
Description
Born and bred in the tough inner city slums of Summerhill in Dublin, Bill Cullen was one of fourteen children. A street seller from the age of six, Bill left school at thirteen to make a living. Dublin in the '40s and '50s was a harsh place, rife with unemployment and poverty, but the Cullens were blessed with the qualities of determination, good humour and an abundance of love. The lessons Bill learnt from his grandmother stood him in good stead as he progressed from selling dolls and cinema tickets on street corners to a job in a Ford card dealership and eventually to head a company with a turnover of more than GBP250 million. The Bill Cullen story is an account of incredible poverty and deprivation in the Dublin slums. It highlights the frustration of a father and mother feeling their relationship crumble as they fight to give their children a better life. It's a story of courage, joy and happiness.
Reviews / Votes
one of the freshest voices in Irish writing for years Essex Magazine (Aug) This life-enhancing journey from poverty-stricken hardship to opulence is full of humour, resilience and generosity. A genuine feel-good read. Daily Express This is a racy portrait of Catholic community solidarity and a family that refused to be ground down by poverty. The Sunday Times a joy to read ... he captures the living language of Dublin Skytext Refreshing, unsentimental, honest, optimistic and wise; and funny, too. This voice out of Ireland is the best one for years. Libby Purves The story of a Dubliner reflecting with stunning honesty on his city and his past. With characters that leap off the page, it combines blunt realism with the everyday humour of Northside Dublin life. An incredible book that will soon rank as a best-seller. An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern TD Unashamedly feel-good ... Cullen's story is an impressive one. Publishing News ... the perfect antidote to ANGELA'S ASHES ... He captures the spirit of the place with a sharp eye for detail and a quick ear for dialogue Home & Country Uplifting Dorset Evening Echo A fascinating read, an absorbing and compelling human story. I felt I was part of the Cullen family as they struggled in the inner city slums of Dublin, yet one is left with an abiding sense of the human spirit's ability to survive and to triumph. As Molly Darcy said, "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, so make the most of today". This book is an inspiration. Paidi O Se.More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Hodder & Stoughton General Division
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Illustrations
b&w photos integrated in text
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 32 mm
Weight
340 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-340-82653-9 (9780340826539)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Bill Cullen was born in Dublin in 1942 and grew up in the inner city slums of Dublin's Summerhill tenements. A street seller from the age of six, Bill left school at thirteen to make a living. In 1956 he got a job in a Dublin Ford car dealership and by 1964, as a twenty-two-year-old, he was appointed director general of the dealership. In 1986 he took over the troubled Renault car distribution franchise and turned it into a success. Bill Cullen is a director of the Irish Youth Foundation and in 1998 was a recipient of the Lord Mayor's Award for his work with the disadvantaged young people of Dublin.