Dimensions
162 x 240 x 35mm
In the words of my father, my birth caused no end of trouble . . . '
From the moment she came into the world - two weeks early, throwing her parents' lives into disarray - Mary has gracefully but firmly done things her own way.
Born in 1935, in the city of Bath, Mary's childhood was a curious mix of idyllic picnics and ramblings, and alarming air raids; of a spirited and outdoorsy home life and a dreaded school existence. All nearly cut horribly short by an almost fatal bout of polio when she was 13, which isolated Mary in hospital, away from beloved family and friends for months.
Recovery saw her turn to her one true passion - cookery. And so began a love affair that has - so far - spanned six remarkable decades; from demonstrating ovens in the early 1950s to producing glossy food magazines in the 60s and 70s, gradually becoming the country's most prolific and - many would say - best loved cookery writer. Until her emergence in the 21st century as a TV sensation and style icon on the Great British Bake Off.
There have been challenges and one terrible tragedy along the way. As a working mother, at the heart of a busy household, Mary became an expert at the art of juggling and, following the death of her son William, even brought her working life into her home with her AGA school.
In this touching, evocative and fascinating memoir, we accompany Mary on her journey of nearly eighty years; a life lived to the full, with a wicked sense of fun and an eye for the absurd, it is the life of a delightfully traditional but thoroughly modern woman.
