Summary
Barbara Tate was 17 when she heard the whispered word that would change her life: Soho. It would take four years for Barbara to escape her loveless home but when she finally made it to the forbidden streets of Soho - just as London was recovering from the trauma of the second world war - things would never be the same again.
There the naive Barbara meets the beautiful and capricious Mae. When she takes a job as Mae’s maid, Barbara imagines she’ll be housekeeping. But down a shabby bac…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781409120230 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1409120236 |
| Author: | Barbara Tate |
| Publisher: | Orion Publishing Co |
| Imprint: | Seven Dials |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 320 |
| Release Date: | 11 May 2011 |
| Weight: | 260g |
| Dimensions: | 196mm x 130mm x 22mm |
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Critics Review
‘The memoir is beautifully written, occasionally rather shocking, but is hard to put down, and can be very funny indeed.’
Readers of a shockable disposition should avoid this book - everyone else should rush out and buy a first edition. It is a jaw-dropping account of Soho prostitutes in the late 1940s - a world Barbara (Babs Tate) knew as she worked for one as her maid…She always said she wanted to paint one perfect picture before she died: she has certainly written one perfect book - SUNDAY TIMES
As full of life, laughter and tragedy as the streets of Soho itself - a wonderful book - Pip GrangerFascinating, heart-warming and a little bit shocking. I couldn’t put this down - Katie Fforde‘A truly fascinating, entertaining and heart-warming glimpse into some of Soho’s most eccentric and outrageous characters’ - SUNDAY EXPRESS‘Her book acknowledges with humility and grace, as well as wit, how close she came to living the tough, funny and colourful but ultimately tragic life she describes’ - DAILY MAIL‘Not only is this memoir told with candour and compassion but it also affords a fascinating glimpse into a lurid byway of London’s social history…Tate’s memoir fizzes with anecdotes and the quality of her writing is superb’ - DAILY EXPRESSAbout The Author
Barbara Tate
Barbara Tate left her Soho life and went on to marry, raise a family and become a successful painter. President of the Society of Women Artists, Barbara also received an honorary professorship from Thames Valley University. Barbara died in 2009.
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