East End Girl (biography) by Sally Worboyes

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East End Girl by Sally Worboyes

 

I have never read a Sally Worboyes novel: I suspect they are not my thing. I bought this book (and two others like it) because it was a memoir of her childhood in London. It reminded me of my mother, who died only last year.

I really enjoyed reading this and I thought often of my mother, who although was born 25 years earlier than the author, a lot of her early life must have been very similar.

It brought home to me how easy we do have it now in some ways but not others; even then little girls had to be wary of paedophiles. Also family life was not always great, life was very hard and it is obvious that Sally's mother was in a state of depression for most of her marriage, and Sally herself would probably nowadays be labelled a "problem child" and dosed up to the eyeballs to keep her docile.

But the sense of community and of her friends and relatives all around her shines out very strong, and of her knowing all the nooks and crannies of the streets like the back of her hand.

There is much more to like about the book. I am going to make sure my kids read this one. Maybe they will appreciate a little more the things they have.

It was an easy read . I am sure my mum would have liked it too.