The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker
By Annie Gray

A rich, lively and nostalgia-provoking sensory experience ... this is history in its messiest, most bustling human essence'and THE TIMES'The queen of food historians'and LUCY WORSLEY'Annie Gray's fascinating history of a British institution in crisis illuminates and entertains' GREG JENNER'Properly immersive, full of juicy sensory detail - Annie Gray's romp down British high streets through the centuries is a blast'and TESSA BOASEBustling with rich detail, historical vignettes and surprising wares, this is the story of Britain's best-loved but ever-changing public spaces.What makes a high street? It's certainly not just about the shopping; these thoroughfares are often the beating heart of our towns and cities and, by extension, of the people who use them. As spaces where local life and culture unfolds, our high streets can be playgrounds of personal indulgence and community spirit, or sites of contentious debate and politicking.Historian Annie Gray takes us down the street and through the ages, from medieval marketplaces to the purpose-built concrete precincts of the twentieth century. Peeping through the windows of tailors, tearooms and grocers, we explore everything from the toyshops of yesteryear - where curiosities were sold for adults, not children - to the birth of brands we shop at today.Vibrant and enticing,and The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Makerand is an essential reflection on how we shopped and lived in days gone by - and what the future may bring.