Bad Behaviour

It should have been a time of acquiring confidence, building self respect and independence, of fostering a connection with the natural world through long hikes. A gripping, compulsively readable memoir of bullying at an elite country boarding school.


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'Unflinching . . . riveting. At once self-critical, intelligent and beautifully written. Unforgettable.' HANNAH KENT


It was supposed to be a place where teenagers would learn resilience, confidence and independence, where long hikes and runs in the bush would make their bodies strong and foster a connection with the natural world. Living in bare wooden huts, cut off from the outside world, the students would experience a very different kind of schooling, one intended to have a strong influence over the kind of adults they would eventually become.


Fourteen-year-old Rebecca Starford spent a year at this school in the bush. In her boarding house, sixteen girls were left largely unsupervised. As everyone tried to fit in and cope with their feelings of isolation and homesickness, Rebecca found herself joining ranks with the powerful girls, becoming a participant in - and later a victim of - various forms of bullying and aggression.


Bad Behaviour is the story of that year, a time of friendship and joy, but also of shame and fear.