No Cake, No Jam

Hardship and happiness in wartime London

Marian Hughes

$24.99

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Ebury Press
15 January 2014

Memoirs

A true story of one girl's extraordinary childhood in wartime London - a classic tale of the triumph of the human spirit

No Cake, No Jam is the heart-warming true story of a little girl's London childhood during the Blitz, and of how she rose above adversity through sheer guts and strength of character.

Marian Hughes was born in the same year as her father committed suicide. She spent most of her early childhood with her elder sisters and brother in Spurgeon's Orphanage in South London. There she learned to love extravagant hymns and to receive regular beatings.

Suddenly, when Marian was ten, her mother appeared. All four children were swept up by their mother to live in a damp and filthy flat off Baker Street. There began a life of moonlight flits, camping and squats. Marian's mother forgot to feed her children, and paid no attention to school or the bombing. Marian soon turned to begging and stealing to help the family get by.

Marian's brother and elder sisters left home as soon as they could, but Marian remained to support her deranged and frequently violent mother, evading Care and Protection Orders and often running away. Then the day finally came when Marian had to sign the papers to have her mother committed. From that moment, 14-year-old Marian had to find out if she was strong enough to live for herself ...

Throughout all the twists and turns of her childhood, Marian never lost her spirit and never faltered in her loyalty. Full of vigour, truth, humour and curiosity, No Cake, No Jam is a passionate celebration of a life and love.

By: Marian Hughes
Imprint: Ebury Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 126mm, Spine: 19mm
Weight: 218g
ISBN: 9780091957254
ISBN 10: 0091957257
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 15 January 2014
Audience: Professional and scholarly , College/higher education , Primary & secondary/elementary & high school , Undergraduate , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Born in 1931, Marian found peace and normality at the age of 16 on a farm in Cornwall, helped by her understanding and loving stepfather. She later married and lived in North London, becoming a mother to three and grandmother to seven. She eventually tracked down her sisters and brother. Sadly, Marian died in 2005 at the age of 74.

Reviews for No Cake, No Jam: Hardship and happiness in wartime London

Marian Hughes was rescued from the hell of a wartime orphanage by a mentally unstable mother who turned her into a delinquent. In her evocative autobiography, she describes how she survived a childhood that would have broken the spirit of most young girls * Peter Lewis * It was a childhood that might have broken most girls' spirits. Marian defied fate, won her battle to survive and went straight * Daily Mail *