UGLY - The true story of a loveless childhood

[Ivory]

Has anyone read this book by Constance Briscoe?

Picked it up amongst a dozen other books last Friday. So far it is heart wrenching, depressing but a good read. Born to Jamaican parents who emigrated to England prior to her birth.

I handed my school photograph to my mother. She stared from the photograph to me.

'Lord, sweet Lord how come she so ugly. Ugly. Ugly.'

These cruel words are just the beginning. Constance's mother systematically abused her daughter, both physically and emotionally, throughout her childhood. Regularly beaten and starved, the child was so desperate she took herself to Social Services and tried to get taken into care. When Constance was thirteen, her mother simply moved out, leaving her daughter to fend for herself: there was no gas, no electricity and no food.

But somehow Constance found the courage to survive her terrible start in life. This is her heartbreaking - and ultimately triumphant - story.

[Nunya]

Re: UGLY - The true story of a loveless childhood

Is this the one where the daughter became a judge?

[chitowngirl]

Re: UGLY - The true story of a loveless childhood

yes, she's the judge... [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img] ...I want the audio book!!... [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]



From the Publisher
Constance Briscoe's story is truly extraordinary - and to hear her read this audiobook of her life is an unforgettable experience. Her character really shines through in this recording, not just in her words but in her voice and her delivery. It is both gripping and very moving.

About the Author
Constance Briscoe practises as a barrister and in 1996 became a part-time judge - one of the first black women to sit as a judge in the UK. She lives in Clapham with her two children, Martin and Francesca. Her partner is Tony Arlidge QC.

source

[Nunya]

Re: UGLY - The true story of a loveless childhood

If memory serves, wasn't her madda suing her over the book? Claiming libel or sitn...

[Fyah]

Re: UGLY - The true story of a loveless childhood

Not only did her mother sue her bahine, but her siblings denied that anything like that took place in the house they all grew up in, unless she was hallucinating. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/whistle.gif[/img]

They said she was looking for sympathy and felt unfulfilled because her mother never approved her marriage to an abusive white man. One sibling said she probably feels ugly now that she thinks her half-caste children are pretty. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/whistle.gif[/img]

Her story is not hard to believe though because my cousins in the UK always talk about how they and their peers were abused something terrible by their jamaican parents. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif[/img]

[Nunya]

Re: UGLY - The true story of a loveless childhood

The other thing I heard was that at the time of its publishing, there was something of a trend - wherein there were a few other books with the same theme: 'I was grossly abused but I persevered and overcame'...

The concensus after the suit, was that she was just riding on the storm of what was popular and any instances of abuse was greatly exaggerated...

Course, my memory is hazy about it all...

[Fyah]

Re: UGLY - The true story of a loveless childhood

Your memory serves you just right, because I heard the same.

She was an obvious opportunist and did not have the shame her madda gave her to act shameful bout di whole thing an nuhh tell di lies she told in that book. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/whistle.gif[/img] So mi hear. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/whistle.gif[/img]

What is even sadder is the gullible people who have bought her book and now read it like it is the Holy Grail. Kiss teet, everybody have a story if demm bury demm shame and looking for acceptance. All they have to do is hallucinate. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70400-talktohand.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/704555_dwl.gif[/img]

[Nunya]

Re: UGLY - The true story of a loveless childhood

So har madda did win de suit?

[chitowngirl]

Re: UGLY - The true story of a loveless childhood

Judge's mother sues her for libel
September 17, 2006

One of Britain’s most high-profile black women judges is facing a writ for libel damages from her mother over allegations that she was abused as a child.

Constance Briscoe, who 10 years ago was one of the first black women to be made a judge, is being sued by Carmen, her 73-year-old mother, over the claims made in Briscoe’s autobiography.

In the book, entitled Ugly, Briscoe claimed that her Jamaican mother not only beat and kicked her but spat on her and deprived her of food.

It was published earlier this year to critical acclaim and became a bestseller. However, it provoked an outburst of fury from Carmen Briscoe, who objected to her portrayal as a vile, abusive parent, which she says is untrue.

On Friday lawyers acting for Carmen issued proceedings in the High Court in London. The writ alleges "libel and aggravated damages" in the High Court against Briscoe and publishers Hodder & Stoughton.

Her solicitor, Ade Soyege, said last week his client was also seeking an injunction to stop more copies of the book being sold.

The row has caused deep divisions in the Briscoe family. Cynthia Eastman, Briscoe’s sister, who is accused in the book of virtually ignoring the alleged abuse, has backed her mother, describing the allegations as "totally untrue".

Briscoe declined to talk about the legal case yesterday but said: "I have written about my life in my book Ugly and I’m not surprised by anything my mother would do, bearing in mind what happened in my past."

Her solicitor, Sarah Webb, said: "We have the evidence that supports the allegations that Constance has made in the book. She stands by every word that’s been written."

Whatever the libel courts decide, Ugly certainly makes for harrowing reading. Briscoe claims that for much of her childhood in south London she would lay awake in bed waiting for the creak in the stairs that warned of the arrival of her mother to beat her with a stick.

Briscoe, 49, also alleges her mother would tell her she was ugly and punch her bosom and pull her nipples in punishment.

The bitterness between the two continued after Briscoe left home and pursued a successful career as a barrister and a QC.

In 1999, three years after Briscoe became one of the first black women to be appointed a part-time judge, Carmen is said to have tried to sabotage her daughter’s career by writing to the Bar Council to allege that her daughter tried to hire a hitman to kill her.

The council, the barristers’ regulatory body, dismissed the claim as unsubstantiated.

Constance has two teenage children and lives with Tony Arlidge, also a QC.

source

[chitowngirl]

Re: UGLY - The true story of a loveless childhood

Constance Briscoe...


honestly, though...why the disbelief? [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

what about the legal action against the stepfather (when Constance was 12)? what about the mother leaving the home (when Constance was 13)? seems to me these two situations (and possibly other situations she wrote about) could be proved/disproved quite easily

yes, I realize these examples do not equal physical abuse, but the average 12-year old does not take legal action against the father figure in their life either...I believe something 'not so normal' was going on [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

yes, there are many reasons to dislike this book...but, I still don't see how any of those reasons automatically make what she wrote untrue...

[Nunya]

Re: UGLY - The true story of a loveless childhood

I don't believe anyone here said her claims was untrue. But I certainly am not saying that they were true either.

Only she, her parents and siblings know just how true/untrue they are...

However, I do get a sense of oppertunistic timing...

[Ivory]

Re: UGLY - The true story of a loveless childhood

Okay I am now stumbling along the book, I find myself skimming the pages as they're doing a mental number on my head. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/helpsmilie.gif[/img]

I don't know what to make of the book. For some reason I can't help but believe the story and that is why I am having troubles reading it now. It is so real. I don't understand why someone would write something so painful if there wasn't some truth to it.

As for the mother suing her, hmmm...wonder if it is being pinned in her 'bra' like her wages for working in the kitchen. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

Interesting insight you all have on the book. I had never heard of this book before and just happened upon it while shopping for some slavery books.

[Suesumba]

Re: UGLY - The true story of a loveless childhood

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nunya</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The other thing I heard was that at the time of its publishing, there was something of a trend - wherein there were a few other books with the same theme: 'I was grossly abused but I persevered and overcame'...

The concensus after the suit, was that she was just riding on the storm of what was popular and any instances of abuse was greatly exaggerated...

Course, my memory is hazy about it all... </div></div>

... caz when i read the synopsis, i thought it was about another book i'd read about the very same scenario.

[niceniss]

Re: UGLY - The true story of a loveless childhood

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SueSumba</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nunya</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The other thing I heard was that at the time of its publishing, there was something of a trend - wherein there were a few other books with the same theme: 'I was grossly abused but I persevered and overcame'...

The concensus after the suit, was that she was just riding on the storm of what was popular and any instances of abuse was greatly exaggerated...

Course, my memory is hazy about it all... </div></div>

... caz when i read the synopsis, i thought it was about another book i'd read about the very same scenario. </div></div>

you'd be surprised how similar most ppl's experiences are. Chalk it up to the human condition...

[Ivory]

Re: UGLY - The true story of a loveless childhood

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">you'd be surprised how similar most ppl's experiences are. Chalk it up to the human condition.. </div></div>

Very true, similar to what I was mentioning to Mountaingal earlier this evening.