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Shop Girl
Young Mary Newton, born into a large Irish family in a small Watford semi, was always getting into trouble. Mary was a trouble magnet. And, unlike her brothers, somehow she always got caught…
In Mary’s family family in the 70s, money was scarce. Clothes were hand-me-downs, holidays a church day out to Hastings and meals were variations on the potato. But these were also good times.
When tragedy unexpectedly blows this world apart, a new chapter in Mary’s life opens up. She takes to the camp and glamour of Harrods window dressing like a duck to water, and Mary, Queen of Shops is born…
In Mary’s family family in the 70s, money was scarce. Clothes were hand-me-downs, holidays a church day out to Hastings and meals were variations on the potato. But these were also good times.
When tragedy unexpectedly blows this world apart, a new chapter in Mary’s life opens up. She takes to the camp and glamour of Harrods window dressing like a duck to water, and Mary, Queen of Shops is born…
320 pages, Hardcover
First published February 26, 2015
About the author
Mary Portas
8 books28 followersWidely recognized as the UK’s foremost authority on retail and brand communication, Mary Portas has a multitude of expertise; business woman, advertising executive, retail expert, Government adviser, broadcaster and consumer champion. The British media crowned her “Queen of Shops”.
Beginning her retail career in John Lewis, Harrods and Topshop, she joined Harvey Nichols, progressing to the Board as Creative Director in 1989. She was credited with leading its transformation into a world renowned fashion store. In 1997 she launched her own agency, Yellowdoor (now called Portas) which has made its mark in the creative advertising landscape, producing category challenging campaigns and championing brand development for clients including Clarks, Louis Vuitton, Oasis, Swarovski, Dunhill, Boden, Thomas Pink, Patek Philippe and Westfield.
In January 2013 she re-launched her agency as Portas with a new offer reflecting today's retail landscape, and how consumers behave today.
Alongside her work with the agency, Mary has embarked on a number of personal projects. She has published three books, Windows: The Art of Retail Display, and How to Shop. In February 2015 she released Shopgirl, a memoir of her early years.
Inspired by her weekly ‘Shop!’ column in the Telegraph Magazine, Mary began her television career in 2007 when her efforts to rescue failing independent boutiques were documented by the BBC2 series Mary Queen of Shops. The show was nominated for two Royal Television Society Awards and a BAFTA.
Mary became Global Retail Ambassador for Save the Children when she transformed the Charity’s worst performing shop – Orpington – into its best. Mary created a new charity shop format with her Living and Giving stores. The concept is now being rolled out across the country providing a human, ethical and community shopping experience. To date they have generated in excess of £10 million for Save the Children. Again, her journey was documented by the BBC for Mary Queen of Charity Shops.
In January 2011, Channel 4 aired Mary Portas: Secret Shopper. This new format saw Mary championing the often “underserviced” customer on the British high street, giving a voice to disgruntled consumers. With two more series being commissioned in 2015.
Through Mary’s personal experiences, and those of her growing consumer database, Mary identified a ‘lost generation’ of older women who were not being served by the British High Street. She decided that they needed clothes, shoes and accessories made for them and went on to create her own shop within House of Fraser, aimed at “women not girls”. This received huge commercial and critical acclaim and was followed by the documentary, Mary Queen of Frocks.
Her next project was an attempt to revitalize the UK’s manufacturing industry; Mary’s Bottom Line. Mary reopened a factory in Manchester and staffed it with handpicked apprentices. The product was “Kinky Knickers” which have been stocked by top UK retailers Liberty, Boots and ASOS.com.
Mary’s continued advocacy of our High Streets led to her receiving a commission from the British Government to lead an independent review. She delivered her report on the future of our High Streets to the Prime Minister, in December 2011. The Portas Review outlined 28 recommendations to rescue failing High Streets. The Government, retailers and the public supported her plan, and Mary’s work has been a catalyst for community regeneration, and the re-visioning of high streets across the country. The Government committed funds in excess of £10million to support the findings of her Review. The TV show Mary Queen of the High Streets followed Mary’s journey in trying to help revive Britain’s failing high streets, by putting local people at the heart of the solution.
Mary continues to present Channel 4’s annual December documentary, What Britain Bought in which she offers an eye-opening look into the shopping trends of the year.
Mary was
Beginning her retail career in John Lewis, Harrods and Topshop, she joined Harvey Nichols, progressing to the Board as Creative Director in 1989. She was credited with leading its transformation into a world renowned fashion store. In 1997 she launched her own agency, Yellowdoor (now called Portas) which has made its mark in the creative advertising landscape, producing category challenging campaigns and championing brand development for clients including Clarks, Louis Vuitton, Oasis, Swarovski, Dunhill, Boden, Thomas Pink, Patek Philippe and Westfield.
In January 2013 she re-launched her agency as Portas with a new offer reflecting today's retail landscape, and how consumers behave today.
Alongside her work with the agency, Mary has embarked on a number of personal projects. She has published three books, Windows: The Art of Retail Display, and How to Shop. In February 2015 she released Shopgirl, a memoir of her early years.
Inspired by her weekly ‘Shop!’ column in the Telegraph Magazine, Mary began her television career in 2007 when her efforts to rescue failing independent boutiques were documented by the BBC2 series Mary Queen of Shops. The show was nominated for two Royal Television Society Awards and a BAFTA.
Mary became Global Retail Ambassador for Save the Children when she transformed the Charity’s worst performing shop – Orpington – into its best. Mary created a new charity shop format with her Living and Giving stores. The concept is now being rolled out across the country providing a human, ethical and community shopping experience. To date they have generated in excess of £10 million for Save the Children. Again, her journey was documented by the BBC for Mary Queen of Charity Shops.
In January 2011, Channel 4 aired Mary Portas: Secret Shopper. This new format saw Mary championing the often “underserviced” customer on the British high street, giving a voice to disgruntled consumers. With two more series being commissioned in 2015.
Through Mary’s personal experiences, and those of her growing consumer database, Mary identified a ‘lost generation’ of older women who were not being served by the British High Street. She decided that they needed clothes, shoes and accessories made for them and went on to create her own shop within House of Fraser, aimed at “women not girls”. This received huge commercial and critical acclaim and was followed by the documentary, Mary Queen of Frocks.
Her next project was an attempt to revitalize the UK’s manufacturing industry; Mary’s Bottom Line. Mary reopened a factory in Manchester and staffed it with handpicked apprentices. The product was “Kinky Knickers” which have been stocked by top UK retailers Liberty, Boots and ASOS.com.
Mary’s continued advocacy of our High Streets led to her receiving a commission from the British Government to lead an independent review. She delivered her report on the future of our High Streets to the Prime Minister, in December 2011. The Portas Review outlined 28 recommendations to rescue failing High Streets. The Government, retailers and the public supported her plan, and Mary’s work has been a catalyst for community regeneration, and the re-visioning of high streets across the country. The Government committed funds in excess of £10million to support the findings of her Review. The TV show Mary Queen of the High Streets followed Mary’s journey in trying to help revive Britain’s failing high streets, by putting local people at the heart of the solution.
Mary continues to present Channel 4’s annual December documentary, What Britain Bought in which she offers an eye-opening look into the shopping trends of the year.
Mary was
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
February 3, 2017
After listening to the BBC abridged book, which was just 75 minutes of extracts both full of pathos and humour, I was so impressed I bought the book. But the sum of the parts I listened to was greater than the whole book.
There were many chapters, some long. some short, each about a particular incident. That might be all right on a blog where you see a different one each time, but too many of them read like filler in a book. The whole thing was like going to a buffet full of appetizers and you want to try them all but still want to leave room for the main course. Except there isn't a main course, it's just these little dishes, tiny bites, that you have and they don't satisfy.
It was still good. I like Mary Portas the author, the person, but not a fan of her strident tv personality despite the fact she was extremely selective in what she would actually say about herself. She was more in to writing what she did and who did what to her. She should have been a stand-up comedian talking about her life in sound bites and sketches, she'd have been a whizz.
4 stars.
Notes on reading the book.
There were many chapters, some long. some short, each about a particular incident. That might be all right on a blog where you see a different one each time, but too many of them read like filler in a book. The whole thing was like going to a buffet full of appetizers and you want to try them all but still want to leave room for the main course. Except there isn't a main course, it's just these little dishes, tiny bites, that you have and they don't satisfy.
It was still good. I like Mary Portas the author, the person, but not a fan of her strident tv personality despite the fact she was extremely selective in what she would actually say about herself. She was more in to writing what she did and who did what to her. She should have been a stand-up comedian talking about her life in sound bites and sketches, she'd have been a whizz.
4 stars.
Notes on reading the book.
March 31, 2020
I recently took a sliver off the top of one of my index fingers while chopping veg. Typing is difficult, so, I will not be doing a lot of it. (BTW typing the review below almost drove me NUTS!)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOP GIRL
An enjoyable read about Mary Portas' childhood and early adult experiences. Mostly it jogged along as a pleasant memoir about a happy family life. It's charmingly full of contemporary pop and fashion references - lives lived by a bunch of enthusiastic and trendy children - as indeed we would expect from a young Portas and her siblings. But then we turn a corner & encounter tragedy.
The last part of the book focuses on fun again. She decides to take a course to train to become a window dresser. While there she pesters Harrods endlessly, until they finally offer her a job as a junior window dresser....and it is there that her career really takes off. We finally see the Mary Portus that many of us know - queen of the high street.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOP GIRL
An enjoyable read about Mary Portas' childhood and early adult experiences. Mostly it jogged along as a pleasant memoir about a happy family life. It's charmingly full of contemporary pop and fashion references - lives lived by a bunch of enthusiastic and trendy children - as indeed we would expect from a young Portas and her siblings. But then we turn a corner & encounter tragedy.
The last part of the book focuses on fun again. She decides to take a course to train to become a window dresser. While there she pesters Harrods endlessly, until they finally offer her a job as a junior window dresser....and it is there that her career really takes off. We finally see the Mary Portus that many of us know - queen of the high street.
March 1, 2015
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2015
From BBC Radio 4 - Book of the Week:
Mary Portas reads her moving, funny account of growing up in a large Irish family in a small Watford semi in the 1970s.
Young Mary is always getting into trouble. When she isn't choking back fits of giggles at Holy Communion, or playing pranks on her teachers, she's gluing together cardboard boxes with her mum and dad to win youth club competitions dressed as a pack of Player's No. 6.
In Mary's house, money is scarce and space is tight. But these are good times and everything revolves around the force of nature that is her mum.
Mary's dad is a tea salesman and she loves tagging along on his sales calls to independent shops, selling everything from Chappie dog food and Heinz soups to Homepride flour and Kellogg's Corn Flakes. And even as a six-year-old, the girl who will one day be known as "Mary Queen of Shops" knows there is a world enclosed in the four tiny letters of the word 'shop'.
Read by Mary Portas
Abridged by Jo Coombs
Mary Portas reads her moving, funny account of growing up in a large Irish family in a small Watford semi in the 1970s.
Young Mary is always getting into trouble. When she isn't choking back fits of giggles at Holy Communion, or playing pranks on her teachers, she's gluing together cardboard boxes with her mum and dad to win youth club competitions dressed as a pack of Player's No. 6.
In Mary's house, money is scarce and space is tight. But these are good times and everything revolves around the force of nature that is her mum.
Mary's dad is a tea salesman and she loves tagging along on his sales calls to independent shops, selling everything from Chappie dog food and Heinz soups to Homepride flour and Kellogg's Corn Flakes. And even as a six-year-old, the girl who will one day be known as "Mary Queen of Shops" knows there is a world enclosed in the four tiny letters of the word 'shop'.
Read by Mary Portas
Abridged by Jo Coombs
January 4, 2021
This was an interesting read, charting Mary's childhood, family background and her early employment, right up to the point when she embarks on freelance window-dressing as a career - 7/10.
June 26, 2024
Absolutely loved this book. Mary was brought up very near to my home town and so makes many references to places that I know of, used to visit or still go to
June 4, 2024
A fascinating insight into the early life of Mary Portas, Queen of Shops.
Mary was born in 1960, the same as me, so her childhood and teen years through the 1960's/1970's illustrated in different short chapters by food, music, products and fashion was a very reminiscent journey for me, so I thoroughly enjoyed those parts of the book. The struggles she endured obviously made her the woman she became and it was an absolutely honest autobiography.
Unfortunately the book ended too soon (when she was 20 and first went into retailing properly) and I wanted more, maybe a second book is on the cards?
Mary was born in 1960, the same as me, so her childhood and teen years through the 1960's/1970's illustrated in different short chapters by food, music, products and fashion was a very reminiscent journey for me, so I thoroughly enjoyed those parts of the book. The struggles she endured obviously made her the woman she became and it was an absolutely honest autobiography.
Unfortunately the book ended too soon (when she was 20 and first went into retailing properly) and I wanted more, maybe a second book is on the cards?
March 17, 2016
This is a personal book rather than a career book, and I would have enjoyed more information on how she changed into a 'shop' girl, but maybe it did just happen - often it does if someone is talented.
It's lively and well-written, and her insight into people is interesting.
SPOILER: It was hard to read about her mum dying, and then a second tragedy as the children find out that without her mother, their father cannot, or will not support them. 'What kind of father makes his children homeless?' Mary cries, as he loses interest in them and slopes off to marry. A very common kind! It must be hard to have loved your father and then to find out what he's really like. Is it better to know from the beginning? But then you never have the sweet experience of liking your father. And then there's the view that, under the rule of his wife, he truly was a good father when the children were little. On the whole, I think the illusion is kinder because the children don't grow up warped and unable to love. It does make for a cruel awakening though.
It's lively and well-written, and her insight into people is interesting.
SPOILER: It was hard to read about her mum dying, and then a second tragedy as the children find out that without her mother, their father cannot, or will not support them. 'What kind of father makes his children homeless?' Mary cries, as he loses interest in them and slopes off to marry. A very common kind! It must be hard to have loved your father and then to find out what he's really like. Is it better to know from the beginning? But then you never have the sweet experience of liking your father. And then there's the view that, under the rule of his wife, he truly was a good father when the children were little. On the whole, I think the illusion is kinder because the children don't grow up warped and unable to love. It does make for a cruel awakening though.
October 29, 2020
I don't often read books like this but I work in retail and have always quite liked the personality of Mary Portas (especially in the charity shop program she did!) so couldn't resist picking this up ..
The bulk of the book is about her childhood and growing up which was quite interesting to read but personally I had hoped for more stuff about her time dressing windows and working in visual merchandising and her progress through that stuff to where she is now .. despite that though it was still an enjoyable little read and I'm glad I picked it up ..
The bulk of the book is about her childhood and growing up which was quite interesting to read but personally I had hoped for more stuff about her time dressing windows and working in visual merchandising and her progress through that stuff to where she is now .. despite that though it was still an enjoyable little read and I'm glad I picked it up ..
October 20, 2016
I'm not a particular fan of Mary Portas and haven't watched any of her TV series, but I'm having a bit of an autobiography phase in my reading and picked up this book in a charity shop. She's around the same age as me so the world she portrays is one I'm familiar with and it did give me a warm glow of nostalgia at times. She writes movingly of her life as a child and of the death of her parents. I enjoyed reading the book and would recommend to others, whether they know who she is or not.
January 13, 2023
A quick, easy, entertaining read, & a glimpse into the fashion & music of the 70s. Mary nearly sabotaged her burgeoning career a few times, but she got there in the end & made quite a success of herself.
July 13, 2024
4.5 🌟 not so much an autobiography but snippets of memories recalled with a title and one or two pages of the recollection. Chronologically works well. Short, quick, funny read, but if you don't know Watford would probably bore you!
January 24, 2017
I found this book to be a very genuine, warm and enjoyable read.
Rather than hitting the autobiography genre, this book fits more into the memoir category. Additionally, rather than celebrating any form of celebrity success, this book is nostalgic and looks back into the past and 'normal' everyday British life of a young and only just growing up Mary Portas.
The author talks fondly of her early upbringing, the central figure of her mother and of her hardships and very obvious pain after her mother's death. Her tone of writing is funny, affectionate and quite often self-deprecating towards many of her self-confessed failings and she knits together some of her early thoughts on life and the universe without ever being maudlin or self-obsessed in any way. Often, Portas sees herself as quite a uncomplicated and unassuming girl who is often at the mercy of higher, bigger forces in life and you can feel her honest vulnerability and voice jump off the page.
I like a memoir that captures your heart and this one contains so many references to the recent past decades in Britain whilst actually ending the narrative still within the early eighties. With little chunked chapters entitled 'Bird's Eye Super Mousse' (oh yes, I remember them) to 'Mr Kipling French Fancies' (yum) and 'N. Peal Cashmere Socks' (posh), each little shift in the life of Portas is captured by small snippets of cultural memories that chart the changes in life patterns, habits and whims that surround us all as we grow. It's a lovely hint of British nostalgia to feast on but also contains a tender and thoughtful narrative that simply sings more thought-process than fame.
Portas is an intelligent writer and this was a little book I found myself to be quite charmed by. Would recommend, especially to British nostalgia enthusiasts with a weakness for the 70s and 80s.
Rather than hitting the autobiography genre, this book fits more into the memoir category. Additionally, rather than celebrating any form of celebrity success, this book is nostalgic and looks back into the past and 'normal' everyday British life of a young and only just growing up Mary Portas.
The author talks fondly of her early upbringing, the central figure of her mother and of her hardships and very obvious pain after her mother's death. Her tone of writing is funny, affectionate and quite often self-deprecating towards many of her self-confessed failings and she knits together some of her early thoughts on life and the universe without ever being maudlin or self-obsessed in any way. Often, Portas sees herself as quite a uncomplicated and unassuming girl who is often at the mercy of higher, bigger forces in life and you can feel her honest vulnerability and voice jump off the page.
I like a memoir that captures your heart and this one contains so many references to the recent past decades in Britain whilst actually ending the narrative still within the early eighties. With little chunked chapters entitled 'Bird's Eye Super Mousse' (oh yes, I remember them) to 'Mr Kipling French Fancies' (yum) and 'N. Peal Cashmere Socks' (posh), each little shift in the life of Portas is captured by small snippets of cultural memories that chart the changes in life patterns, habits and whims that surround us all as we grow. It's a lovely hint of British nostalgia to feast on but also contains a tender and thoughtful narrative that simply sings more thought-process than fame.
Portas is an intelligent writer and this was a little book I found myself to be quite charmed by. Would recommend, especially to British nostalgia enthusiasts with a weakness for the 70s and 80s.
March 24, 2015
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Ioved reading about her home life as a child and her family in general. I do wish that it spent more time talking about her career and how she moved up in the corporate world but perhaps that'll be another book?
Overall a good read.
Overall a good read.
November 22, 2016
Got a bit bored of this and ended giving up on it.
October 10, 2018
This was ok but just ok. It was well written, hilariously funny in parts and equally sad when Mary talks about her Mum. I agree with others though, that considering the title is Shop Girl, there is no mention of her influential work in window dressing until 218 pages in!!! There's only so many anecdotes you can read from someone's childhood before they get a bit repetitive. I'd like to have heard far more about her work life, her influence in turning around the high street and her involvement in government decision making about retail, and indeed about her marriage to her partner in 2014 (Mary and her female partner were one of the first couples to have their civil partnership converted to a marriage when the law changed). It is still a good read mind and on a separate note, I saw Mary Portas at Wilderness Festival 2017 and nearly shit my leg off in excitement!! Obviously she was rocking the festival style with a quirky get up of her own!
June 10, 2018
This book is a biography of Mary Portas's childhood and teenage years to when she finally went on her own. Although, the book title says "Shop Girl" I didn't think it told much about the shops, except in the end when she actually went to work in the shops and she was talking about it. The rest of the book was concentrated on her life, her studies, her family and a little bit into her love life. It portrayed very well the dynamics of their big family and what was life like for them with it's happy and sad parts and it made me wish I had a tight-knit group with my siblings. However, the book was not what I expected and even though it was a quick and easy read I was expecting something else which I did not receive.
May 25, 2021
I was attracted to this book by the author. Mary Portas has a real flair for retail and her passion is infectious. I’ve always enjoyed watching her programmes on tv. I didn’t read the blurb so didn’t realise that this was a retelling of her early years and the beginning of her career.
She came across as a right character and a bit of a trouble maker, but one with her heart in the right place. I almost gave up on it in the early chapters as I really wasn’t sure but I’m so glad I stuck with it.
I thought this was a wonderful tribute to her mother, and I freely admit to shedding a tear or two listening to Mary recount her late teens and maternal relationship.
I also enjoyed the social history she preserves within her account of her life.
Wonderful.
She came across as a right character and a bit of a trouble maker, but one with her heart in the right place. I almost gave up on it in the early chapters as I really wasn’t sure but I’m so glad I stuck with it.
I thought this was a wonderful tribute to her mother, and I freely admit to shedding a tear or two listening to Mary recount her late teens and maternal relationship.
I also enjoyed the social history she preserves within her account of her life.
Wonderful.
May 1, 2018
I wanted something light to take on holiday and flicking through it, it reminded me of Nigel Slaters ‘Toast’. Short nostalgia making chapters with titles like ‘ Atrixo hand cream’ and ‘Coty L’aimant’. It could have done with a better proof reader- see sentence below but that doesn’t detract from the whole
“Running upstairs I fling myself onto my bunk bed before reaching down to pull out my doll. I’ve never had one before. But Mum was so surprised that she bought it for me when I said in Woolworths that I liked the doll”
Other bits feel unfinished,
“I had to learn to curb my mischief in future if it was going to hurt people. But there was one person for whom I would never make allowances”
And who is this?? We never find out..
There are some funny moments such as the convent school sex Ed classes and her Mums disdain for Mills and Boon.
It’s a book of two halves and she describes matter of factly but very poignantly holding the family together after tragedy
strikes and I got a vivid sense of how quickly everything that we take for granted in life can change in an instant.
I also look at shop windows more closely now..
“Running upstairs I fling myself onto my bunk bed before reaching down to pull out my doll. I’ve never had one before. But Mum was so surprised that she bought it for me when I said in Woolworths that I liked the doll”
Other bits feel unfinished,
“I had to learn to curb my mischief in future if it was going to hurt people. But there was one person for whom I would never make allowances”
And who is this?? We never find out..
There are some funny moments such as the convent school sex Ed classes and her Mums disdain for Mills and Boon.
It’s a book of two halves and she describes matter of factly but very poignantly holding the family together after tragedy
strikes and I got a vivid sense of how quickly everything that we take for granted in life can change in an instant.
I also look at shop windows more closely now..
August 3, 2018
Interesting, sad and inspirational
I really enjoyed reading this book. I have always liked Mary Portas because she seems down to earth and obviously knows what she is talking about. The fact that she can write about the sadness in her life at such a young age, without coming across as self absorbed or a victim is really inspiring. It really is a lesson in getting out there and getting on with life. I am sure her mother would be really proud of her and her siblings.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I have always liked Mary Portas because she seems down to earth and obviously knows what she is talking about. The fact that she can write about the sadness in her life at such a young age, without coming across as self absorbed or a victim is really inspiring. It really is a lesson in getting out there and getting on with life. I am sure her mother would be really proud of her and her siblings.
March 19, 2019
I listened to the audio version of this and I was disappointed at how much of this was about Mary's early life and very little of it was about shop life which I was interested in hearing about. Mary narrates her own book and puts on great accents when talking in the voices of others. I was also not entirely keen on how short each chapter was and how they were broken up with descriptive headings which on audio just confused me.
September 10, 2019
Like many others have said - this book wasn’t exactly what I expected - but that’s not a bad thing.
The story takes you from her early years to the beginning of her 20s. Whilst most of the stories she tells are lighthearted and fun, there’s also a real story here of overcoming tragedy and setbacks and finding your path.
Would definitely recommend - and I think now I have to read her other book!
The story takes you from her early years to the beginning of her 20s. Whilst most of the stories she tells are lighthearted and fun, there’s also a real story here of overcoming tragedy and setbacks and finding your path.
Would definitely recommend - and I think now I have to read her other book!
December 9, 2019
BBC 4 Book of the Week recording of the author reading her own book. Excellent capsule of the author’s early life. Her trials and tribulations within a large family as she tried to keep her family functioning after her mother’s surprise death from a brain infection, her artistic ability which saved her from living on the streets of London after her father remarried, and her drive to succeed all made me want to explore her contributions to retail marketing in the late 20th Century.
June 25, 2019
Great little vignettes of childhood/young adulthood life in the 60s, 70s and 80s. I worked with Mary in the past and knew some of her history but found the reasons that made her the hard working, funny, generous tough cookie that she became. Reminiscent in some ways of Nigel Slaters Toast. Enjoyable and entertaining
December 29, 2016
I really enjoyed this book, but for me it was too much about her early life. I really got interested in the last third of the book when her "shop girl" career began, which is what most interests me. I hope there is going to be a follow on book.
March 21, 2018
I adore Mary Portas! It took me a while to warm to this because I guess I didn;t realise it was a memoir format (no idea why) - i think I thought it was going to be more of a 'how to be as awesome as Mary' book - haha.
December 10, 2019
I am not sure enjoyable is the correct word for a story that has so many painful episodes, but I liked it and while previously I had not seen much of the author next time she has a programme I shall watch with the information from this book in my mind.
December 20, 2021
Cliche'ed as it sounds I could not put this book down. The author has a gift and carries her reader emotionally through the family's ups and downs. A memorable period piece that runs through the 60's and 70's.
January 13, 2024
I didn't know much about Mary Portas before reading this and wouldn't have called myself a fan. I've a new perspective now. Her memoir is remarkable. She demonstrates so much resilience following family tragedy, and her strength of character and loyalty to her siblings has to be admired.
July 22, 2017
An interesting and lively easy read written in short sections.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews