Father Figure: Beverley Nichols

In this uncensored 1972 autobiography, Nichols portrays his father, John Nichols, as an abusive, tyrannical alcoholic who ruined family life, describes his mother's suffering and his own dramatic attempts at patricide.  He opens this book with: The first time I remember my father he was lying dead-drunk on the dining room floor.  He  depicts his mother as a saintly woman who bore the brunt of his father's cruelty while trying to hide his addiction, and describes his growing, consuming hatred for his father and his desperate need to break free from his control.  He also describes three separate attempts to kill his father but opinions differ as to whether these actually occurred.