{"product_id":"9780552167017-this-boy","title":"This Boy","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlan Johnson's childhood was not so much difficult as unusual, particularly for a man who was destined to become Home Secretary. This book tells the story of two incredible women: Alan's mother, Lily, who battled against poor health, poverty, domestic violence and loneliness to try to ensure a better life for her children; and his sister, Linda.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'The best memoir by a politician you will ever read' \u003c\/b\u003ePhilip Collins, \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSchool on the Kings Road, Chelsea in the Swinging 60s, the rock-and-roll years, the race riots; \u003ci\u003ethis boy \u003c\/i\u003ehas seen it all. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e________\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlan Johnson's childhoodwas not so much difficult as unusual, particularly for a man who was destined to become Home Secretary. Not in respect of the poverty, which was shared with many of those living in Britain's post-war slums, but in its transition from being part of a two-parent family to having a single mother and then to no parents at all.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is essentially the story of \u003cb\u003etwo incredible women\u003c\/b\u003e: \u003cb\u003eAlan's mother, Lily,\u003c\/b\u003e who battled against poor health, poverty, domestic violence and loneliness to try to ensure a better life for her children; and \u003cb\u003ehis sister, Linda,\u003c\/b\u003e who had to assume an enormous amount of responsibility at a very young age and who fought to keep the family together and out of care when she herself was still only a child.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis Boy is one man's story, but it is also the story of England and the West London slums which are hard to imagine in the capital today. No matter how harsh the details, Alan Johnson writes with a spirit of generous acceptance, of humour and openness which makes his book anything but a grim catalogue of miseries.\u003cbr\u003e________\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePRAISE FOR \u003ci\u003eTHIS BOY\u003c\/i\u003e: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Moving and unforgettable' \u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Poignant' \u003ci\u003eTelegraph\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Eloquent' \u003ci\u003eGuardian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Wonderful' \u003ci\u003eSpectator\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Tribute to two strong women' \u003ci\u003eDaily Mail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rarewaves","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31380093534305,"sku":"9780552167017","price":10.77,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0092\/7504\/8033\/files\/orig_32397303.jpg?v=1737227979","url":"https:\/\/www.rarewaves.com\/products\/9780552167017-this-boy","provider":"Rarewaves.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}