Semi-detached

When do we learn to be a grown up? Or do we ever? This work recreates the author's suburban childhood and adolescence; every young trauma, embarrassment, joyous rebellion, and hazily-remembered summer's afternoon playing the woods. It tells the story of how he finally left the bosom of his loving, irascible, eccentric, solid, all engulfing family.

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When do we learn to be a grown up? Or do we ever? In "Semi-detached", Griff Rhys Jones recreates his suburban childhood and adolescence in precise and wonderful, evocative detail; every young trauma, embarrassment, joyous rebellion, hazily-remembered summer's afternoon playing the woods, freezing bus journey through the wilds of Epping to school and moulting Afghan coat and through it tells the story of how he finally left the bosom of his loving, irascible, eccentric, solid, all engulfing family. This work is a real treat for anyone who remembers or wants to know about Britain in the late 60s and 70s, laugh aloud at Griff's self-deprecating, elegant, affectionate prose, or understand a little bit better how on earth they got from there to here.