The hand-reared boy cover

The hand-reared boy

by Brian W. Aldiss

The first British novel to explore, frankly and with unabashed honesty, the sexual awakening of an adolescent boy and to describe his youthful preoccupation with masturbation in such explicit terms. A classic study of a journey of self-discovery, it can be enjoyed as a witty portrayal of experiences common to all young males as they reach puberty and embark on the stormy voyage to adulthood.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?