Shop Girl

Loved this book. Took me back to my teenage years during the 70's in England. Witty and made me laugh out loud.

I love Mary Portas and her commitment to retail in Britain, and I expected more of her adult journey in the book.

Whilst the first reviewer here might have wanted more of Portas's later life, those who listened to her pouring her heart out on Desert Island Discs won't be disappointed in the tale of her harrowing beginnings.

An unusual type for me, in that each chapter was a short contained story. But it was beautifully written and I could not put it down. I was sorry to see the end as I could happily have read on.So well written that you felt as though you were there.Mary starts in her childhood and carries on until her early 20s.Without spoilers all I can say is that Mary was born into a family of five. They were not well off and their mother was the heart of the home, her father worked. She and her siblings and their mother were all close.Her escapades had me in tears of laughter then tears of sadness at times.She really has worked hard, had fun and turned out amazingly.

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.

A good read. Mary is an inspiring lady whose life could’ve ended up so differently had it not been for her determination and creativity. It just goes to show with strength if character what you can achieve. Her start in life wasn’t easy after her parents died and there were times she was badly let down. A tale of triumph over adversity. An inspiration.

Really looking forward to reading this as I am a real Mary Portas fan. If she writes the same way she talks, it should be a cracking read!

An amazing trip down memory lane. I thought Mary wrote about the first decades of her life in an honest and heart-felt way that reminded me of similar experiences, from simple playing-out antics with friends, the food and shopping we all enjoyed in that era, through to coping with bereavement in times when emotions were kept buried. I hope Mary writes another book in the same style that takes readers up to her current successes.