Back on the Block: Bill Simon's Story

Bold and inspiring, this insider's story recalls the life of a stolen child who grew up to be an angry, addicted young man, only to eventually undergo a life-changing transformation into a compassionate pastor. Beaten, deprived of his freedom, and used as child labor, Bill Simon's abnormal childhood led to two decades of self-abuse and crime, of which this volume recounts many painful memories: of his mother telling him that she didn't want him and that he was "the scum of the earth," and of being locked up in the notorious Kinchela Boys Home for eight years. With humanity and hope, however, the chronicle shows how Bill turned his poisoned life around and now helps members of the Stolen Generations discover their voice, find their place, and put their pain to rest. From his home on the Block in Sydney’s Redfern—one of the most contentious and misunderstood places in Australia—Bill Simon tells the truth about life in one of Australia’s most notoriously abusive juvenile institutions and offers important insight into the brutality of the government's policy of assimilation.