Ebury Publishing Hard Knocks & Soft Spots

The author loves his life as an Irish traveller, but as a child he felt like an outsider. He was different to his siblings. On the rare occasions he went to school, he was bullied for being a gypsy boy. And beyond the gates of the camp he found nothing but hostility. In this title, he tells his story. 'I fight hard and love strong. I'm a traveller.' Paddy Doherty loves his life as an Irish traveler, but as a child he felt like an outsider. He was different from his siblings. On the rare occasions he went to school, he was bullied for being a gypsy boy. And beyond the gates of the camp he found nothing but hostility. Slowly, Paddy's hurt turned into anger and by the age of 11 he had started out on an illustrious career in bare-knuckle fighting. This earned him a position as one of the most well-respected (and feared) men in the traveling community. Yet while he won countless contests in the ring, the real battles he faced were very much outside. In this deeply honest autobiography, he tells of how he has loved and lost five children and battled depression, drink and drugs. He describes how it feels to be shot point-blank in the head and the lengths he'll go to to protect his people, as well as life since My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and Big Brother. Told with all the warmth and humor he is famed for, Paddy's rich and colorful story is one that will stay with you for a long time to come. As the star of Big Fat Gypsy Weddings and winner of Celebrity Big Brother, traveller Paddy Doherty won the hearts of a nation. But before his rise to fame, this well-loved character had already lived a rich and colourful life.Born into a generation of travellers, as a young man Paddy carved a career as a champion bare-knuckle fighter, earning himself a legendary reputation within the tight-knit community. But underneath this hard man exterior was a soft centre that bagged him the ultimate prize -- the love of a good woman.Together he and his wife Roseanne, living closely by the traditions of their community, became a mother and father figure to not only their own 10 children, but to a whole camp of travellers in Manchester. Yet among the warmth and fun of traveller life there's been heartache too. Having endured the deaths of five of his children and being shot point blank in the head by a rival, Paddy is no stranger to pain in more ways than one.Hard Knocks & Soft Spots is the story of how one man emerged from the most secretive and persecuted of societies to be unexpectedly accepted by a whole country. From King of the Gypsies to People's Champion, Paddy and his extraordinary tale are like no other. Autorid: Paddy Doherty