A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK br 'Nuanced, human and engaging' Nikesh Shukla, Observer br 'Full of life, characters, gossip and all the richness of the local community' Sir David Jason br 'A delightful story of growing up above the shop' Nigel Slater, Observer br 'Cleverly links her own memories of shop-bound life with the last 50 years of British history' Spectator p 'I come from a hidden world I am the daughter of shopkeepers. I've seen you on a Sunday morning, nipping out to get a pint of milk or to grab a newspaper. I came to know a lot about you whether your politics leaned to the right or left, whether you were gay or straight, and whether you were plagued by cash-flow problems or had enough disposable income to indulge your penchant for Cadbury's Creme Eggs.' p Babita Sharma was raised in a corner shop in Reading, and over the counter watched a changing world, from the clientele to the products to the politics of the day. Along with the skills to mop a floor perfectly and stack