Broken Greek: A Story of Chip Shops and Pop Songs

Product Information

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 Popsand 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. 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. Paphides is struggling to navigate a life in which he is no longer entirely Greek but also not yet quite British. In his confusion, he spends several months mute, and communicates mostly by nodding his head. Comfort is derived from the pop songs he hears on the radio. A young Pete Paphides (left) with his family in Birmingham Cherry tomatoes, mixed greens, cucumbers, red onions, peppers, olives, feta, cucumber & parthena olive oil dressing

Broken Greek, by Pete Paphides, Part One - 10 BBC Radio 4 - Broken Greek, by Pete Paphides, Part One - 10

Appropriately, then, there is something of the everyman in Broken Greek. Many of the challenges faced by young Paphides – building and maintaining friendships, figuring out his sexuality, developing cultural tastes, trying to work out how to be cool and to avoid getting beaten up by the local toughs – are standard childhood fare. It is in the telling that the author elevates his story to something rather beautiful. I admit to falling a little bit in love with Victoria reading this book. Her childhood ambition to be an architect would never be realised and, following the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus, she knew they would never return to her husband’s birthplace. Still, she hopes that their sons will marry nice girls from the Greek Cypriot diaspora and eventually take over the business. But the sons have no intention of complying. At primary school Pete unilaterally changes his name from Takis. Both sons prefer listening to Billy Joel than Mikis Theodorakis. They have no ambition to work in the chip shop. A key moment in Pete Paphides’s memoir Broken Greek takes place when our young protagonist hears The Rubettes’ Sugar Baby Love for the first time and realises that, more than any other song in the world, this slice of bubblegum pop totally reflects his inner turmoil. Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said the Irish Embassy in Athens is providing consular support and a consular officer is "on the ground" in Ios. Hello sunshine! ’Nothing.‘ ‘What’s your name, then?’ ’Nothing. Maybe a conciliatory shrug.‘ ‘All right. Are you going to give me a smile, then?’Nothing.‘Come on, you silly sausage!’

The chapter that outlines the fateful evening you get to meet your heroes, The Barron Knights, is one of the most perfectly bittersweet things I’ve ever read.

Broken Greek - Incredible books from Quercus Books Broken Greek - Incredible books from Quercus Books

The principal of St Michael's, Tim Kelleher, said the school community is "absolutely devastated" over the deaths.I ADORE this utterly wonderful coming-of-age memoir. Joyful, clever, and a bit heartbreaking’– Nina Stibbe Golden beets, grilled artichokes, figs, feta, green leaves, red onions, balsamic and parthena olive oil dressing You just don't want to get the call to say your child is missing, but two of our families have had that call and we are devastated for them and our hearts are broken and our sympathy goes to them all." Pete’s sensitivity certainly wasn’t inherited from his father. When Victoria has to go into hospital her husband, a typically macho Mediterranean, can’t even manage to hoover the carpet. Expecting him to do even the simplest household chores is like “expecting a guide dog to round up sheep”. As Paphides deftly records, the closest Chris can get to telling his wife he loves her is to admit that he needs her.