Broken Greek: WINNER OF THE RSL CHRISTOPHER BLAND PRIZE 2021

In his memoir "Broken Greek," Pete Paphides explores his childhood in Birmingham, England, where he discovered the power of music to help him navigate his challenges and form a sense of identity.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 592 pages
Publication date: 10 June 2021
Publisher: Quercus Publishing

Do you ever feel like the music you're hearing is telling you the story of your life? When Pete's parents moved from Cyprus to Birmingham in the 1960s in search of a better life, they had very little money and only a basic understanding of English. They opened a fish-and-chip shop in Acocks Green. The Great Western Fish Bar was where Pete learned about coin-operated machines, male banter, and Britishness. Shy and introverted, Pete stopped speaking from the age of 4 to 7 and found solace instead in the bittersweet embrace of pop songs, thanks to Top of the Pops and Dial-A-Disc. From Brotherhood of Man to UB40, from ABBA to The Police, music provided the safety net he needed to protect him from the tensions of his home life. It also helped him navigate the challenges surrounding school, friendships, and phobias such as visits to the barber, standing near tall buildings, and Rod Hull and Emu. With each passing year, Pete's guilty secret became more horrifying to him: his parents were Greek, but all the things that excited him were British. And the engine of that realisation? Sugar Baby Love, Don't Go Breaking My Heart, Tragedy, Silly Games, Going Underground, Come On Eileen, and every other irresistibly thrilling chart hit blaring out of the chip shop radio.

Pete's parents moved from Cyprus to Birmingham in the 1960s in search of a better life, with little money and basic English knowledge. They opened a fish-and-chip shop in Acocks Green, where Pete learned about coin-operated machines, male banter, and Britishness. Shy and introverted, Pete stopped speaking from age 4 to 7 and found solace in pop songs, thanks to Top of the Pops and Dial-A-Disc. From Brotherhood of Man to UB40, from ABBA to The Police, music provided a safety net and helped him navigate school, friendships, and phobias. With each passing year, Pete's guilty secret became more horrifying: his parents were Greek, but all the things that excited him were British. The realisation came through Sugar Baby Love, Don't Go Breaking My Heart, Tragedy, Silly Games, Going Underground, Come On Eileen, and other chart hits blaring out of the chip shop radio.

Weight: 406g
Dimension: 198 x 127 x 35 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781529404449