Description
Book SynopsisA BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK
'Nuanced, human and engaging' Nikesh Shukla, Observer
'Full of life, characters, gossip and all the richness of the local community' Sir David Jason
'A delightful story of growing up 'above the shop'' Nigel Slater, Observer
'Cleverly links her own memories of shop-bound life with the last 50 years of British history' Spectator
'I come from a hidden world: I am the daughter of shopkeepers. I've seen you on a Sunday morning, nipping out to get a pint of milk or to grab a newspaper. I came to know a lot about you; whether your politics leaned to the right or left, whether you were gay or straight, and whether you were plagued by cash-flow problems or had enough disposable income to indulge your penchant for Cadbury's Creme Eggs.'
Babita Sharma was raised in a corner shop in Reading, and over the counter watched a changing world, from the clientele to the products
Trade ReviewPart memoir, part social history,
The Corner Shop is a
gentle, charming and at times
poignant look at our nation of shopkeepers . . .
human, accessible and informative; a nuanced exploration of part of British Asian life that has long been stereotyped - and therein lies this book's strength. * Observer *
A delightful story of growing up "above the shop" * Nigel Slater, Observer *
An evocative real-life account of her own British Asian family running (and living above) a Reading shop * BBC Culture *
One of the best books I've read of the immigrant experience in this country . . . it's
the detail that makes it . . .
a subtle, enjoyable book. * Daily Mail *
A story of assimilation and triumph. * Radio Times *
Sharma cleverly links her own memories of shop-bound life with the last 50 years of British history . . . How much we found out about you, says Sharma teasingly, as you dashed in for that last-minute bottle of wine. * Spectator *
Full of life, characters, gossip and all the richness of the local community -- Sir David Jason
A compelling, full selection box of a story -- Sanjeev Kohli
I loved it cover to cover. * Angela Clutton, author of THE VINEGAR CUPBOARD *
