Author Description

At the age of 38 Sue Torr couldn't read or write. Sue left school at the age of fifteen. She didn't think she could get any kind of job because she knew she couldn't read or write. Then all of a sudden her life changed forever. A kind woman she got to know gave her a book to read and asked her if she'd enjoyed reading it. Sue was faced with telling her she could only enjoy the pictures or admitting the truth. After years of hiding that she couldn't read or write, Sue finally felt she could tell someone. After that Sue's life began to change. She has gone on to write a play about her experiences, called 'Shout it Out' and run a national literacy project in Plymouth that is supported and funded by the Basic Skills Agency. She's also given talks to Unesco and travelled around the world giving speeches for United Nations conferences. This is her story.