Christy Brown was severely disabled from birth with cerebral palsy and unable to use any part of his body other than his left foot. Doctors said he was a mental defective and that he would never be able to lead any kind of normal life; Christy proved them wrong. This is the first authorised biography of Christy Brown, written with the help of his surviving family members and artists who knew him well. It tells the astonishing story of Christy's struggle with his disability and his development as an artist, author and poet, beginning with his mother teaching him to read and write using chalk on the worn floor of their small family home. Christy's memoir My Left Foot was published in 1954 and later made into an Academy Award-winning film starring Daniel Day-Lewis, while his bestselling novel Down All the Days was described by the Irish Times as 'the most important novel since Ulysses'. Using previously unpublished letters and poems, this book marks Christy Brown's importance as a writer and celebrates his indomitable spirit. His story is an inspiration, proving that an individual with hope and determination may overcome almost impossible odds.