All My Friends Are Invisible: the inspirational childhood memoir
Jonathan Joly
Feb 2022 · Hachette UK
4.7star
15 reviewsreport
Ebook
256
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More
About this ebook
*A mesmeric, harrowing and ultimately uplifting childhood memoir about identity, family and mental health that has touched so many readers around the world*
'So raw and full of so many emotions. I didn't want the book to end' @ftsworld
'It's hard to put into words how sacred this book is' @lisainthecity27
'I've literally read it in one sitting. Glued to every single word' @lorencoles
'Thank you for shining a light on 'different' children. Thank you for showing that there is no normal. But most of all thank you for proving that even when it's hard to make friends...there is always someone looking out for you' @gabrielle.rea
It was an ordinary day in 2016. In Gatwick Airport, Jonathan and his wife Anna were having breakfast with their two little children while waiting for their flight to be called. And then it happened, a familiar sensation that Jonathan hadn't had for decades: an out-of-body experience that transported him to another place, the safe place he used to escape to in his mind when he was a boy.
Because growing up in conservative 1980s Dublin, where there was little tolerance for children who were 'different', Jonathan Joly was, indeed, a different sort of child: creative, expressive, and - on the inside - a girl. The limitations of the people around him to understand his differences led to years of tyrannical bullying and abuse, forcing him to withdraw within himself to the point of clinical absence. His only chance for survival was the inner world he created for himself, rich with loving and supportive friends and playmates, that only he could see. Jonathan's invisible friends were his lifeline, and on that day at the airport, they came flooding back, and have remained with him to this day.
This extraordinary childhood memoir is not only an important, thought-provoking and exhilarating read, it gives hope and community for all those who have ever felt 'other', and proves how vital it is to provide children with the safe space to be themselves.
In All My Friends are Invisible, Jonathan Joly, known widely as one of social media's most successful content creators, shares the secret he's kept hidden these many years. He shows the beautiful world he retreated to time and time again when life was unbearable for his 'skin machine'. Most importantly, he introduces us to his invisible friends, and in so doing you may be transported back to the friends you had as a child that no one else could see, and who may have saved you, too.
'This will blow you away'- Stylist
'Joly's prose is sensitive and heartbreaking...darkly compelling' - Business Post
'An extraordinary and thought-provoking memoir' - Belfast Telegraph
'So raw and full of so many emotions. I didn't want the book to end' @ftsworld
'It's hard to put into words how sacred this book is' @lisainthecity27
'I've literally read it in one sitting. Glued to every single word' @lorencoles
'Thank you for shining a light on 'different' children. Thank you for showing that there is no normal. But most of all thank you for proving that even when it's hard to make friends...there is always someone looking out for you' @gabrielle.rea
It was an ordinary day in 2016. In Gatwick Airport, Jonathan and his wife Anna were having breakfast with their two little children while waiting for their flight to be called. And then it happened, a familiar sensation that Jonathan hadn't had for decades: an out-of-body experience that transported him to another place, the safe place he used to escape to in his mind when he was a boy.
Because growing up in conservative 1980s Dublin, where there was little tolerance for children who were 'different', Jonathan Joly was, indeed, a different sort of child: creative, expressive, and - on the inside - a girl. The limitations of the people around him to understand his differences led to years of tyrannical bullying and abuse, forcing him to withdraw within himself to the point of clinical absence. His only chance for survival was the inner world he created for himself, rich with loving and supportive friends and playmates, that only he could see. Jonathan's invisible friends were his lifeline, and on that day at the airport, they came flooding back, and have remained with him to this day.
This extraordinary childhood memoir is not only an important, thought-provoking and exhilarating read, it gives hope and community for all those who have ever felt 'other', and proves how vital it is to provide children with the safe space to be themselves.
In All My Friends are Invisible, Jonathan Joly, known widely as one of social media's most successful content creators, shares the secret he's kept hidden these many years. He shows the beautiful world he retreated to time and time again when life was unbearable for his 'skin machine'. Most importantly, he introduces us to his invisible friends, and in so doing you may be transported back to the friends you had as a child that no one else could see, and who may have saved you, too.
'This will blow you away'- Stylist
'Joly's prose is sensitive and heartbreaking...darkly compelling' - Business Post
'An extraordinary and thought-provoking memoir' - Belfast Telegraph
Ratings and reviews
4.7
15 reviews
Miss Strebor
- Flag inappropriate
- Show review history
February 14, 2022
this book is very confusing. Jonathan writes it as an autobiography but it seems fictional due to the amount of detail he goes into. The book doesn't seem to have much substance other than what feels like fabricated memories. The book is often disjointed and doesn't talk about gender/identity as he has hinted in all social media. its a shame he didn't use this book to talk about his experiences and feels he is pushing for another book. lots of words without much really being said.
Lilly 7992
- Flag inappropriate
August 16, 2022
wow just wow it was like reading a story of my life ,big hugs to you Jonathan and your family, definitely a book to read didn't put it down ,I highly recommend it ❤️🥰🥰
Ling Wu
- Flag inappropriate
February 4, 2022
Jonathan blews our minds once again with his personal journey! Keep on inspiring!
About the author
Jonathan Joly is widely known as one of social media's most successful content creators, with over seven million followers across social media. Born in Dublin, Jonathan is a gifted filmmaker and storyteller, and is dedicated to making the lives of others better, particularly those who feel misunderstood or alone in the world. Jonathan lives in the UK with his wife, Anna Saccone, and their four remarkable children (and six dogs). All My Friends Are Invisible is Jonathan's first book.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
