Broken Greek
Shy and introverted, Pete stopped speaking from age 4 to 7, and found refuge 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 his way around the challenges surrounding school, friendships and phobias such as visits to the barber, standing near tall buildings and Rod Hull and Emu.
With every passing year, his 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.
Never have the trials and tribulations of growing up and the human need for a sense of belonging been so heart-breakingly and humorously depicted.
Reviews
Lip-lickingly, dance-around-the-living-room good... A smash hit.
Unflinching and heartwarming".
Tender, clever and as funny as it gets ... a heart-piercing joy".
An exceptional coming-of-age story [...] Pete Paphides may very well have the biggest heart in Britain".
I ADORE this utterly wonderful coming-of-age memoir. Joyful, clever, and a bit heartbreaking".
Heartfelt, hilarious and beautifully written, BROKEN GREEK is a childhood memoir like no other".
So wonderfully written, such a light touch. Drenched in sentiment yet not in the least sentimental".
It's brilliant. Sad, really funny and beautifully written ... just fantastic".
A truly beautiful book".
Intoxicating".
Oh, how I love Pete Paphides and this book".
A balm in these times".
Fantastic ... Can't recommend it highly enough".
BROKEN GREEK took me on a fantastic journey back in to pop obsession and I loved it!
...a tender portrait of growing up between two cultures... it is a love letter to the pop music that became Pete’s ‘third parent’.
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