Married to the Man Who Washed Himself Away: A memoir

While the book was sad at times it really is an uplifting story.Well worth a read.Joanies writing style is very good 😊

Loved this book

Stayed up late to finish this book, it was so interesting, equally heart warming & heart breaking, its filled with such strong female characters who you feel would of gone far in life if born into a different era. The book has an element of " What ifs" especially when dealing with the mental health issues, if the right treatment and understanding were available & the person was willing to accept the help this memoir would of turned out a lot different. A lovely read, highly recommended.

Beautifully written so enjoyed this book felt as though i knew the people so good didn't want it to end

I loved this book all about a family. The same happens to all families ups and downs and roundabouts. Well written

The book is written in a chatty over a cup of tea style but nevertheless the emotions and feel for the people and eras recalled are wonderfully captured. I love true accounts because life can be stranger than fiction and I find peoples lives fascinating in all their complexity. So not written in any great literary way but nevertheless a heartfelt honest account of the twists and turns life throws at us all.

Just a beautifully written memoir by Joan Leech. Sadly during the period of time this book was set, mental illness was ‘hush-hush’ it had a stigma to it, unlike today’s era. Joan describes the life she had to endure having a husband with OCD. The frustration she felt because he could/would not acknowledge that there was anything wrong with him. The highs and lows of raising a family whilst having to cope with a husband who had old fashioned views of men’s and women’s roles.

When I saw the description of this book I was drawn in straight away. The life that the children and mothers had to put up with takes your breath away. As the story progressed, I was amazed to note that I had my 2 children in 1969 and 1971. Kenny was a nightmare to live with. His health issues were compounded by having the power of money on his side. Joan should have taken herself and her children out of harms way. Carrying buckets of water up the stairs, being kept short of money, allowing the children to come second to Kenny and seeing their father eating a bag of sweets while they had none was heartbreaking. I realise money was short or non existent. Having sex with Kenny ? He was a selfish bully.

This book was funny, sad and a real eye opener. It shows how mental illness doesn't just affect the person but in all their relationships as well. Great read!

This is a well written memoir. Whew. What a hard life Joan Leech had. I’ve read these hard scrabble tales before. It’s the age old story of women surviving on nothing, having too many children, working from dawn to dusk and married to good-for-nothings. When reading this memoir, I kept wishing that she would just leave her worthless husband, but instead she had more children with him! Yikes. Yes, I suppose he had OCD, but that was only part of his problem. I’m glad she finally got away and found some happiness later in life.

Well written and easy to read. Heartbreaking and humorous. Short and sweet, not to long and drug out like many are. Highly recommend.

Married to the man who washed himself away is incredibly an inspiring, poignant and heart-wrenching memoir. I was thoroughly captivated by this heroic, ordinary woman and her struggles with a mentally ill husband while raising 5 children back in an era in the UK where money was scarce and love plentiful.Read this book!

A good book to read on a long flight. Interesting to see how this woman worked to support her children in spite of her husband with mental illness.