The Corner Shop: Shopkeepers, the Sharmas and the Making of Modern Britain *as Heard on r4 Book of the Week* (in English)
Synopsis "The Corner Shop: Shopkeepers, the Sharmas and the Making of Modern Britain *as Heard on r4 Book of the Week* (in English)"
'One of the best books I've read on the immigrant experience in this country' Daily Mail 'Sharma's nuanced exploration of British Asian life behind the counter is human and engaging' Nikesh Shukla, Observer 'Full of life, characters, gossip and all the richness of the local community' Sir David Jason 'Cleverly links her own memories of shop-bound life with the last 50 years of British history' Spectator 'A delightful story of growing up "above the shop"' Nigel Slater, Observer A Radio 4 Book of the Week 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. I don't work for the secret services, nor do I have special access to you and your family's data. I come from a hidden world: I am the daughter of shopkeepers. From the general stores of the first half of the 20th century (one of which was run by the father of a certain Margaret Thatcher), to the reimagined corner shops run by immigrants from India, East Africa and Eastern Europe from the 60s to the noughties, their influence has shaped the way we shop, the way we eat, and the way we understand ourselves. Babita Sharma was raised in a corner shop in Reading, and over the counter watched a changing world, from the clientele to the products to the politics of the day. Along with the skills to mop a floor perfectly and stack a shelf, she gained a unique insight into a shifting landscape - and an institution that, despite the creep of supermarkets, online shopping and delivery, has found a way to evolve and survive. The Corner Shop is the remarkable human story of these little institutions that have changed the course of our history. 'A triumph' Radio Times 'A compelling, full selection box of a story' Sanjeev Kohli 'I loved it cover to cover' Angela Clutton, author of The Vinegar Cupboard
