Murphy's Boy

By: Torey Hayden

Narrated by: Loretta Rawlins

His name was Kevin but his keepers called him Zoo Boy. He didn't talk. He hid under tables and surrounded himself with a cage of chairs. He hadn't been out of the building in the four years since he'd come in. He was afraid of water and wouldn't take a shower. He was afraid to be naked, to change his clothes. He was nearly 16.

Desperate to see change in the boy, the staff of Kevin's adolescent treatment center hired Hayden. As Hayden read to him and encouraged him to read, crawling down into his cage of chairs with him, Kevin talked. Then he started to draw and paint and showed himself to have a quick wit and a rolling, seething, murderous hatred for his stepfather.

©1983 Torey Hayden (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Murphys boy

story long winded and narrator not good at all very slow in place's and just could not get on with her voice

I loved it.

I loved Loretta, the way she read it made me not want to put the book down. The story was amazing!!! I love Torey Hayden, her books are amazing. moving on to the next book of hers.

one of my favorite authors

my only regret is that I finished it so fast! I've read many of her books and this was the first I listened to. highly recommend!

Interesting

I’m on a Torey Hayden binge. In MURPHY’S BOY, Kevin, a selective-mute teenager is her client. Over several years they work together through his anger and trauma. At times Kevin is violent, so violent Torey fears for his safety. Most everyone has given up on him, but Torey refuses.

MURPHY’S BOY is another dated book. Some of the terminology is antiquated and cringe-worthy. In one case a male therapist is fired because he’s “a homosexual” which is still legal in some states in the USA.

Torey frustrates me, at times brilliant with clients, yet often unethical and probably breaks laws. In one case, Kevin has a formulated plan and has built a weapon to kill his stepfather. Hayden not only doesn’t document this or alert the other members of the team in order to protect Kevin, she confiscates the homemade knife and brings it back because she promised Kevin she would. As therapists, we have an ethical obligation and duty to inform when someone is homicidal. Kevin not only had a plan, he talked about it week after week. Additionally, he was a resident in a treatment facility that Torey visited to see him a few times a week. Not alerting staff was reckless. Yet, at times she shows so much skill and patience she seems like she is giving him a chance at a decent life.

I truly enjoyed MURPHY’S BOY, but can’t rate it higher because of her ethical quagmires.

***ETA Hayden repeatedly refers to Kevin as ugly and unattractive. Even if I thought that about a client, which I likely wouldn’t because my brain doesn’t usually go there in terms of physical unpleasantness, I would never, ever write it in a book about a REAL PERSON, especially who might or might not read the book. If I think about all the kids I’ve worked with, some are cuter than others, some stunning or downright adorable. Every one had something worthy of positive mention.

Amazing Story of Healing and Restoration

This is my second book by Torey and she is an amazing human being. She gives back to broken and lost children through her work. I am a new special education teacher and her stories open my eyes to children, and the great need to love, understand and restore life to them. I will be forever changed by her compassion and love for the broken.

Great book, not a great narrator.

I loved the book but the narrator sounded very unnatural and wooden. Torey Hayden is an excellent writer, and I recommend all of her books; I only wish the narrator had done a better job. 5 stars for the book, 3 stars for the narration.

Enjoyed and Unforgetable

Loved it. It was emotional and unforgetable. I fell inlove by the end of it.

want to meet Kevin

I want to meet Kevin within the first 10 chapters, by the second section I just want to hug him like a mother would their own son. By the 3rd section I pray he has an amazing life from here on. Such an amazing story

Powerful, Heartbreaking, Heartwarming

Hated for it to end. An incredible story about a broken kid & the incredible therapist who patiently & lovingly helped to restore him. Would like to know the rest of his story.

Amazing Read

The teacher had so much empathy and didn't give up on him no matter what. Such a heart touching read!