Excellent read - would recommend - Rated 
What a sad young life Martha had - there are not too many rays of light in this book and once you begin the book it is hard to put down. Delighted to hear there is a sequel due out towards the end of the year.
marvelous read - Rated
I have only started to read books again and was absolutely amazed at the life that Martha had as a child. How could people be so cruel and yet she has written such a compelling account of her life.
Although subject matter might seem depressing for some people would recommend this book to all readers and take inspiration about how lucky most of us are and the life we lead.
Follow up book due out shortly and can't wait to find out what happend next in her life.
Fantastic book but heartbreaking - Rated
Like all of you other reviewers I was completely hooked on this book and couldnt put it down. As a mother of three I could not comprehend how a mother would allow her child (children) to suffer so much. I too wondered what the outcome to Martha's life was, and can tell you that there is a sequel coming, due sept 08. I hope Amazon and other sites get it on for pre order soon!!
Its called "Ma, I'm Locked in the madhouse" and unfortunately it appears Martha's suffering didnt end when she was sent to the Industrial school.
This is the synopsis:
"In the poignant sequel to Ma, He Sold Me for a Few Cigarettes, the once irrepressible Martha is now in her 30s. Following a shotgun wedding at 18, she was separated and left a single mother by 22. Her daughter has left home to continue her studies in England and Martha is alone, in bad health and vulnerable. She draws us back into her life once again as she verges on the precipice of a nervous breakdown.
Having thought that she left Jackser and her mother firmly behind her, a phone call echoes ghosts from the past and opens a Pandora's box. She discovers that one of the family is dead and the others need her help. Martha returns home, only to find that the demons of the childhood abuse she suffered now come thundering back, leaving her stripped of all her defences. As she struggles to hold on to her sanity, she finds herself in the madhouse, where she must retrace her steps back into the darkness and face the horrors of her past.
During this most difficult of times, Martha sees what she thinks is a chink of light at the end of the tunnel. She falls in love and believes that she has finally been given a chance of happiness. But, instead, the nightmare starts all over again, this time at the hands of a Jackser by another name . . ."
AT THE TOP OF MY LIST OF BEST READS !! - Rated
I was totally unprepared for this book. It completely blew me away. It is quite a big book but i read it in two sittings. During the first few chapters Martha tells us about her childhood, and i laughed out loud at least six times - i had to re-read certain bits as they were so funny.I kept thinking well this isn`t a bad old life...but enter `Jackser`-her mother`s fancy man-and poor martha doesn`t know what day it is half the time. I was so sorry for her as she faced each day, never knowing what horrors she would have to deal with next. I wanted to kill Jackser-and at times i wanted to kill martha`s simple minded mother too !How martha survived is anybody`s guess, but what a character she is ! Her one liners and put downs are in a league of their own. I absolutely loved this story-and especially the way she tells it- and strangely, the one time someone is kind to martha was when i cried.Her physical and mental pain and suffering are almost tangible. Every day in martha`s life is a story on it`s own. I want to know what happened next, and i do hope martha will write a follow up. Brilliant - don`t buy it if you`re busy !!!
Truely inspirational - Rated
This is the best book I have read in many years. It touched my heart so very much. I could not put the book down. Every page is gripping. When you read a book like this and to find that the author has succefully come out the other side and has gone on to successfully raise three children, it makes you realise there is hope in the world.
PLEASE MARTHA LONG, write another book. We must hve a continuation
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