The Wild Boy of Waubamik: A Memoir

By Thom Ernst

“An inspiring story of resilience, told with a vivid sense of character and humour.” —RICHARD CROUSE, CTV host and film critic

Film critic, writer, and broadcaster Thom Ernst chronicles his life growing up with an abusive father in rural Ontario.

The residents of Waubamik know about the Wild Boy, a somewhat feral child, standing nearly naked in a rusty playground of weeds and discarded metal, clutching a headless doll. They know the boy has been plucked from poverty and resettled into a middle-class family. But they don’t know that something worse awaits him there.

This is the story of a system that failed, a community that looked the other way, and a family that kept silent. It is also a record of the popular culture of the 1960s — a powerful set of myths that kept a boy comforted. But ultimately, The Wild Boy of Waubamik is a story of triumph, of a man who grew up to become a film critic and broadcaster despite his abusive childhood. It reminds us that life, even at its darkest, can surprise us with moments of joy and hope and dreams for the future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dundurn
• Release date: Jan 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9781459750883

Thom Ernst

Thom Ernst is a Toronto-based film critic and broadcaster, and author. He is the former host of television’s longest running film program, Saturday Night at the Movies. He is the author of the memoir The Wild Boy of Waubamik.

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