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The Rat In The Python: Book 2 Shopping and Food
If you haven’t heard of a liberty bodice, believe that half-a-crown is something to do with impoverished royalty and never had the experience of slapping a television to stop the grainy black and white picture from rolling, then this series might not be for you. Please give it a go, though – I’ve suspect that most of it will still resonate no matter where you were brought up!Book 2 looks at shopping and food after the end of WWII and how they’ve changed over the decades. From farthings to Green Shield stamps; from beef dripping sandwiches to Babycham, and beyond.The Rat in the Python is about Baby Boomers who, in the stability following the Second World War, formed a statistical bulge in the population python. It is a personal snapshot of a time that is as mystifying to my children as the Jurassic Era - and just as unrecognisable.My intention is to nudge some long-forgotten memories to the surface, test your own recollections and provide information and statistics to put it all in context.Are you sitting comfortably?Then I’ll begin…
174 pages, Paperback
Published November 17, 2023
1 person want to read
About the author
Alex Craigie
7 books147 followersAlex Craigie is the pen name of Trish Power.
Trish was ten when her first play was performed at school. It was in rhyming couplets and written in pencil in a book with imperial weights and measures printed on the back. There were two princes in it - one was called Rupert and the other was changed to Sam because she couldn't find enough rhymes for Randolph.
When her children were young, she wrote short stories for magazines before returning to the teaching job that she loved.
Trish has had seven books published under the pen name of Alex Craigie. Three books cross genre boundaries and feature elements of romance, thriller and suspense against a backdrop of social issues. Someone Close to Home highlights the problems affecting care homes, Acts of Convenience has issues concerning the health service at its heart, and The Bubble Reputation reflects her fears about social media and the damage it can do. Another book. Means to Deceive, is a psychological thriller set in Pembrokeshire in Wales.
Someone Close to Home has won a Chill with a Book award and a Chill with the Book of the Month award. In 2019 it was one of the top ten bestsellers in its category on Amazon.
The Bubble Reputation won a Chill With a Book Premier Readers' Award in 2023.
She is currently writing a series of books called The Rat in the Python about growing up as a Baby Boomer. The title comes from the term for the bulge in the population statistics caused by us post-war babies.
Trish was ten when her first play was performed at school. It was in rhyming couplets and written in pencil in a book with imperial weights and measures printed on the back. There were two princes in it - one was called Rupert and the other was changed to Sam because she couldn't find enough rhymes for Randolph.
When her children were young, she wrote short stories for magazines before returning to the teaching job that she loved.
Trish has had seven books published under the pen name of Alex Craigie. Three books cross genre boundaries and feature elements of romance, thriller and suspense against a backdrop of social issues. Someone Close to Home highlights the problems affecting care homes, Acts of Convenience has issues concerning the health service at its heart, and The Bubble Reputation reflects her fears about social media and the damage it can do. Another book. Means to Deceive, is a psychological thriller set in Pembrokeshire in Wales.
Someone Close to Home has won a Chill with a Book award and a Chill with the Book of the Month award. In 2019 it was one of the top ten bestsellers in its category on Amazon.
The Bubble Reputation won a Chill With a Book Premier Readers' Award in 2023.
She is currently writing a series of books called The Rat in the Python about growing up as a Baby Boomer. The title comes from the term for the bulge in the population statistics caused by us post-war babies.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 30, 2024
I enjoyed the first book in this series, and this one was just as immersive. It’s another dive into the 1950s and the daily life of young Baby Boomers and their families, particularly in the UK. It was a fun trip down memory lane, and I was intrigued by the similarities as well as the differences in my experiences in the US. The details are a wonderful mix of the author’s personal memories and research, including images from advertisements.
This installment of the series focuses on Shopping & Food. Shopping starts with a trip down “High Street,” the sorts of shops that met local needs, what they looked like, what they sold, and how business was conducted. Most of these were similar to shops I visited in the US, like the “Ironmonger” (our hardware store) and the sweet shop and the old Woolworth department store. There were some great details that I’d forgotten too, like the prams (baby carriages)—complete with babies—lined up on the sidewalk while the moms shopped.
In the Food part of the book, I noticed a lot of the differences between the UK and the US. The author starts the section with information about rationing during and after WWII and how that impacted diet, what was available, and how it was prepared. I could relate to some of it – canned vegetables and meat, Ovaltine, and green stamps, but a lot of it was unique to the UK and I found it fascinating. (This would be invaluable to anyone writing about this time period).
The book is sprinkled with delightful anecdotes and humor. When describing the Fishmonger’s shop, Craigie writes: “The smell turned my stomach. I’d take a deep breath before entering and try to minimize the number of inhales afterwards. The others in the shop must have wondered what ailed the pale child with the increasing red face who answered any direct question with gestures whenever possible.” Highly recommended.
This installment of the series focuses on Shopping & Food. Shopping starts with a trip down “High Street,” the sorts of shops that met local needs, what they looked like, what they sold, and how business was conducted. Most of these were similar to shops I visited in the US, like the “Ironmonger” (our hardware store) and the sweet shop and the old Woolworth department store. There were some great details that I’d forgotten too, like the prams (baby carriages)—complete with babies—lined up on the sidewalk while the moms shopped.
In the Food part of the book, I noticed a lot of the differences between the UK and the US. The author starts the section with information about rationing during and after WWII and how that impacted diet, what was available, and how it was prepared. I could relate to some of it – canned vegetables and meat, Ovaltine, and green stamps, but a lot of it was unique to the UK and I found it fascinating. (This would be invaluable to anyone writing about this time period).
The book is sprinkled with delightful anecdotes and humor. When describing the Fishmonger’s shop, Craigie writes: “The smell turned my stomach. I’d take a deep breath before entering and try to minimize the number of inhales afterwards. The others in the shop must have wondered what ailed the pale child with the increasing red face who answered any direct question with gestures whenever possible.” Highly recommended.
February 19, 2024
I enjoyed “Rat in the Python: Book 1” a lot and equally adored this next installment with Shopping and Food. One thing that brought back many memories was the stamps saved from shopping or, what I remember, blue-chip stamps. My mother collected stamps not only from shopping but unused ones from neighbors, friends, and family. She was determined to get a grandfather clock, and she did. I helped paste many books of stamps. This book brings back all those splendid memories and history along with them. I didn’t have to go through any rationing, so I found that part very interesting, but I enjoyed all the canned and frozen foods that followed. This is a wonderful read for those who grew up in these times and like a trip down memory lane, or for those who want to learn how it used to be. Well written and entertaining all around.
January 2, 2024
I am a boomer born in the early part of the 1950s and loved my trip down memory lane with Alex Craigie in her first book which looked at life in the home, including the innovations that began to appear to assist the hard working housewives of the day.
In this latest book, Alex takes us out into the highstreet to look at the shops that serviced the communities including the cobblers, hardware and the various food shops supplying the plain homegrown, seasonal produce as well as some foods still rationed until the late 1950s. She also follows the transition as the small businesses began to disappear with the advent of the supermarkets.
This era also saw the introduction of allegedly more healthier options to daily staples such as butter, in the form of margerine… and as the author notes…
“This was the era of margarine, which was cheaper and easier to produce. Initially, it was mixed with a yellow dye to make it look more appealing than lard.”
The descriptions, and the accompanying advertisements of the day certainly brought back memories, good and not so good,and left me with a hankering for Swiss Roll, sour sherbet and a Milky Bar. The chapter on the sweet shop certainly took me back to my own Saturday visits clutching my sixpence pocket money and exiting with a twist of paper containing my favourite sweets.
It was the era of the Post Office rather than the banks, as cash was still the primary method of payment for most people. For those able to put a little by each week, savings books became the way to provide the money for holidays or for Christmas. It was also the place to cash in the precious postal orders for a few shillings which were given as birthday presents, and the place of course for sending telegrams and posting letters.
Also on the highstreet was the pub, and even in the 1950s it was still a place for the man of the house to get a quiet pint in on the way back from work or perhaps at lunchtime at the weekend. The author does have a delightful way of getting the message across…
“A woman didn’t enter a pub on her own in the 1950s unless she was happy for the punters to assume that she was looking for custom. Many pubs banned women from the main drinking area and stuck them away in a ‘snug.”
Along with this wonderfully nostalgic trip down the highstreets of the 1950s and the start of the move towards supermarkets, there are also some useful reminders of the sterling currency and how much you could still get for a penny! Also at the back of the book some quizes.. not just to test you knowledge of the era but another reminder of many items and habits that have disappeared from our modern lives.
I loved this book as I did the first. I do believe that living history is the best kind when it comes to the younger generation as they can discuss it with older family members and understand just how far we can progress in a reasonably short space of time. I would like to see these books and those that follow in schools as I believe children would relate more to a subject that they can still connect to through their own family histories.
For authors this, as was the first book, is a wonderful resource when writing within the time frames, and also readers from other cultures who would like to see how Britain’s rapidly changing environment compared to their own development in the mid-20th century.
I can highly recommend and look forward to the next walk down memory lane with Alex Craigie.
In this latest book, Alex takes us out into the highstreet to look at the shops that serviced the communities including the cobblers, hardware and the various food shops supplying the plain homegrown, seasonal produce as well as some foods still rationed until the late 1950s. She also follows the transition as the small businesses began to disappear with the advent of the supermarkets.
This era also saw the introduction of allegedly more healthier options to daily staples such as butter, in the form of margerine… and as the author notes…
“This was the era of margarine, which was cheaper and easier to produce. Initially, it was mixed with a yellow dye to make it look more appealing than lard.”
The descriptions, and the accompanying advertisements of the day certainly brought back memories, good and not so good,and left me with a hankering for Swiss Roll, sour sherbet and a Milky Bar. The chapter on the sweet shop certainly took me back to my own Saturday visits clutching my sixpence pocket money and exiting with a twist of paper containing my favourite sweets.
It was the era of the Post Office rather than the banks, as cash was still the primary method of payment for most people. For those able to put a little by each week, savings books became the way to provide the money for holidays or for Christmas. It was also the place to cash in the precious postal orders for a few shillings which were given as birthday presents, and the place of course for sending telegrams and posting letters.
Also on the highstreet was the pub, and even in the 1950s it was still a place for the man of the house to get a quiet pint in on the way back from work or perhaps at lunchtime at the weekend. The author does have a delightful way of getting the message across…
“A woman didn’t enter a pub on her own in the 1950s unless she was happy for the punters to assume that she was looking for custom. Many pubs banned women from the main drinking area and stuck them away in a ‘snug.”
Along with this wonderfully nostalgic trip down the highstreets of the 1950s and the start of the move towards supermarkets, there are also some useful reminders of the sterling currency and how much you could still get for a penny! Also at the back of the book some quizes.. not just to test you knowledge of the era but another reminder of many items and habits that have disappeared from our modern lives.
I loved this book as I did the first. I do believe that living history is the best kind when it comes to the younger generation as they can discuss it with older family members and understand just how far we can progress in a reasonably short space of time. I would like to see these books and those that follow in schools as I believe children would relate more to a subject that they can still connect to through their own family histories.
For authors this, as was the first book, is a wonderful resource when writing within the time frames, and also readers from other cultures who would like to see how Britain’s rapidly changing environment compared to their own development in the mid-20th century.
I can highly recommend and look forward to the next walk down memory lane with Alex Craigie.
February 17, 2024
Having read and enjoyed Book 1 of Alex Craigie’s The Rat in the Python series, I picked up the second book as soon as it became available. The planned series is a living history about growing up as a Baby Boomer in post-World-War-II Britain. Book 1 focuses on the home, its systems, furnishings, and decor, while Book 2 focuses on shopping and food. After finishing both books, I am fully invested in reading the series in its entirety!
As with Book 1 in the series, I learned that there were significant differences in everyday life between postwar Britain and the United States, where I grew up. One particularly striking difference was, for example, that in 1962, only 33% of the British population had a refrigerator.
In addition to statistical information to provide the larger historical context for Cragie’s childhood, the book includes vintage photographs and advertisements, place descriptions, and illustrative vignettes to show what it was like for the 1950s’ housewife to play “the Queue Game” or a little girl to fall for the Great Sea Monkeys Scam advertised in the back of comic books.
The print ads included in the book are a telling snapshot of social history in and of themselves, sending the message that not only would the targeted housewife purchase the advertised product, she would be ecstatic while using it or, conversely, if she didn’t purchase it, rue the day she was born. (The author notes that her mother chafed against the expectations of housewifery imposed on women by these titans of advertising.)
Another great strength of the book is is Craigie’s humorous prose style. Here are a couple of examples of lines I got a big kick out of.
On the subject of the Dreaded Dandruff: “Perhaps a generous application of something like Brylcreem came with a hope that it would trap the dandruff on the head and stop it roaming elsewhere.”
On the subject of the Dreaded Overcooked Cabbage: “However, Rory [the family dog] liked overcooked cabbage even less than I did and, if pressed, would slink out of the room until he deemed it safe to make a re-appearance.”
The main takeaway of The Rat in the Python: Book 2 was something I already knew, but it hit home in a way it hadn’t before: just how far society, in Britain and the US alike, has moved away from close-knit communities as the norm for everyday life.
As with Book 1 in the series, I learned that there were significant differences in everyday life between postwar Britain and the United States, where I grew up. One particularly striking difference was, for example, that in 1962, only 33% of the British population had a refrigerator.
In addition to statistical information to provide the larger historical context for Cragie’s childhood, the book includes vintage photographs and advertisements, place descriptions, and illustrative vignettes to show what it was like for the 1950s’ housewife to play “the Queue Game” or a little girl to fall for the Great Sea Monkeys Scam advertised in the back of comic books.
The print ads included in the book are a telling snapshot of social history in and of themselves, sending the message that not only would the targeted housewife purchase the advertised product, she would be ecstatic while using it or, conversely, if she didn’t purchase it, rue the day she was born. (The author notes that her mother chafed against the expectations of housewifery imposed on women by these titans of advertising.)
Another great strength of the book is is Craigie’s humorous prose style. Here are a couple of examples of lines I got a big kick out of.
On the subject of the Dreaded Dandruff: “Perhaps a generous application of something like Brylcreem came with a hope that it would trap the dandruff on the head and stop it roaming elsewhere.”
On the subject of the Dreaded Overcooked Cabbage: “However, Rory [the family dog] liked overcooked cabbage even less than I did and, if pressed, would slink out of the room until he deemed it safe to make a re-appearance.”
The main takeaway of The Rat in the Python: Book 2 was something I already knew, but it hit home in a way it hadn’t before: just how far society, in Britain and the US alike, has moved away from close-knit communities as the norm for everyday life.
March 24, 2024
Alex Craigie is taking us back to the 1950s and 60s England in this book 2 in her memoir series of her childhood growing up in a post war U.K. and sharing her recollections and facts of the times in the Boomer era U.K. about diets, food availability and scarcity, and the rise of the refrigerator, which only one third of the population had into the early 70s.
I found this book a fascinating look at the ‘food times’ of post war U.K. With still no refrigeration, microwaves, or anything of its ilk, and food rations, Brits were pretty crafty about what they would eat to get by and how meals were prepared. As the author goes through chapters about food availability, preservation, and her childhood favorites and dislikes, I found this book to be a great informational about the past told with inflections of humor and wonderful images of gadgets of the times, and it was an eye-opener to me as a Canadian child growing up in the sixties with no lack of food choices, colorful refrigerator models, and all the comforts of home while England was just catching up with the modern times as it was re-building from the aftermath of war.
This book made me think about how much we take for granted in our lives without understanding that other parts of the world weren’t as quickly advancing into modern times because of war. It also reminded me of why I thought England was never known for their great food in such an era as I visited London for the first time in the late seventies and wasn’t impressed with food choices – as a North American. But look at the U.K. now with all its famous chefs and multi-cultural food choices. Amazing catching up in the world of food.
At the end of the book, the author offers some quiz questions about foods from different parts of the world, and about foods found in children’s books from the Boomer era. This author never disappoints, whether it’s her nonfiction or gripping fictional novels, Craigie keeps us engaged. This would also be a great book for school curriculum education of the past.
I found this book a fascinating look at the ‘food times’ of post war U.K. With still no refrigeration, microwaves, or anything of its ilk, and food rations, Brits were pretty crafty about what they would eat to get by and how meals were prepared. As the author goes through chapters about food availability, preservation, and her childhood favorites and dislikes, I found this book to be a great informational about the past told with inflections of humor and wonderful images of gadgets of the times, and it was an eye-opener to me as a Canadian child growing up in the sixties with no lack of food choices, colorful refrigerator models, and all the comforts of home while England was just catching up with the modern times as it was re-building from the aftermath of war.
This book made me think about how much we take for granted in our lives without understanding that other parts of the world weren’t as quickly advancing into modern times because of war. It also reminded me of why I thought England was never known for their great food in such an era as I visited London for the first time in the late seventies and wasn’t impressed with food choices – as a North American. But look at the U.K. now with all its famous chefs and multi-cultural food choices. Amazing catching up in the world of food.
At the end of the book, the author offers some quiz questions about foods from different parts of the world, and about foods found in children’s books from the Boomer era. This author never disappoints, whether it’s her nonfiction or gripping fictional novels, Craigie keeps us engaged. This would also be a great book for school curriculum education of the past.
November 11, 2024
The author brings to life the shops that were essential on the high street of towns and villages in the UK: the Greengrocer, the Bread shop, the Hardware, the Newsagents – many of which gradually disappeared as supermarkets flourished.
And in this book we read of the wonderful memories and hilarious facts of the author’s own life. Here’s one that resonates completely with me – the Fishmonger’s shop:
“The smell turned my stomach. I’d take a deep breath before entering and try to minimize the number of inhales afterwards. The others in the shop must have wondered what ailed the pale child with the increasing red face who answered any direct question with gestures whenever possible.”
Alongside the recollection of the smell of the Butcher’s shop I can completely empathise with the author.
And another personal memory for me was a change in my own mother’s shopping. Instead of going into the local dairy shop to buy butter (cut from a huge slab and wrapped in greaseproof paper), she began to buy margarine. As Alex Craigie writes:
“This was the era of margarine, which was cheaper and easier to produce. Initially, it was mixed with a yellow dye to make it look more appealing than lard.”
Gross!! And then I suddenly remembered how my mother-in-law used to pronounce “margarine” – with a hard ‘G’. Odd how small things bring back memories.
A short mention here of the quiz at the end of each of the books – fun to test how much you have learned/remembered as you read.
I'd already read and loved this author's first book in this series and loved it. As in that one, Book 2 is filled with wonderful photographs and images. Alongside the entertaining narrative it's an excellent read. I thoroughly recommend it to any reader who is interested in the social history of the United Kingdom during the twentieth century. And, as with Book 1, this is also a brilliant book for any writer researching these eras, because the extensive researching has already been carried out by the author.
And in this book we read of the wonderful memories and hilarious facts of the author’s own life. Here’s one that resonates completely with me – the Fishmonger’s shop:
“The smell turned my stomach. I’d take a deep breath before entering and try to minimize the number of inhales afterwards. The others in the shop must have wondered what ailed the pale child with the increasing red face who answered any direct question with gestures whenever possible.”
Alongside the recollection of the smell of the Butcher’s shop I can completely empathise with the author.
And another personal memory for me was a change in my own mother’s shopping. Instead of going into the local dairy shop to buy butter (cut from a huge slab and wrapped in greaseproof paper), she began to buy margarine. As Alex Craigie writes:
“This was the era of margarine, which was cheaper and easier to produce. Initially, it was mixed with a yellow dye to make it look more appealing than lard.”
Gross!! And then I suddenly remembered how my mother-in-law used to pronounce “margarine” – with a hard ‘G’. Odd how small things bring back memories.
A short mention here of the quiz at the end of each of the books – fun to test how much you have learned/remembered as you read.
I'd already read and loved this author's first book in this series and loved it. As in that one, Book 2 is filled with wonderful photographs and images. Alongside the entertaining narrative it's an excellent read. I thoroughly recommend it to any reader who is interested in the social history of the United Kingdom during the twentieth century. And, as with Book 1, this is also a brilliant book for any writer researching these eras, because the extensive researching has already been carried out by the author.
May 19, 2024
Alex Craigie's "The Rat In The Python: Book 2 Shopping and Food" is a nostalgic and insightful look at shopping and food in the postwar era, capturing the profound changes that have occurred over the decades. Craigie vividly depicts a bygone era, from the quaint use of farthings to the collectible allure of Green Shield stamps, and from the simplicity of beef dripping sandwiches to the novelty of Babycham.
The title, The Rat In The Python, is a metaphor for the Baby Boomer generation, a demographic boom that emerged in the post-World War II period of stability. Craigie's story provides a personal snapshot of a time that, to modern generations, may appear as distant and enigmatic as the Jurassic Period.
Craigie's goal is to evoke long-forgotten memories, challenge the reader's own recollections, and provide contextual information and statistics. This journey down memory lane is both entertaining and educational. The author's detailed account is a rich blend of personal anecdotes and meticulous research, bolstered by period advertisements that lend authenticity and charm.
Reading this book was a wonderful experience. The vivid descriptions and engaging storytelling transported me back in time, leaving me smiling and laughing. The similarities and differences between my own experiences in the United States and those depicted in the book were especially intriguing.
"The Rat In The Python" is a valuable read for both those who lived during the era and younger readers to give them a glimpse of the world. Wholeheartedly recommended.
The title, The Rat In The Python, is a metaphor for the Baby Boomer generation, a demographic boom that emerged in the post-World War II period of stability. Craigie's story provides a personal snapshot of a time that, to modern generations, may appear as distant and enigmatic as the Jurassic Period.
Craigie's goal is to evoke long-forgotten memories, challenge the reader's own recollections, and provide contextual information and statistics. This journey down memory lane is both entertaining and educational. The author's detailed account is a rich blend of personal anecdotes and meticulous research, bolstered by period advertisements that lend authenticity and charm.
Reading this book was a wonderful experience. The vivid descriptions and engaging storytelling transported me back in time, leaving me smiling and laughing. The similarities and differences between my own experiences in the United States and those depicted in the book were especially intriguing.
"The Rat In The Python" is a valuable read for both those who lived during the era and younger readers to give them a glimpse of the world. Wholeheartedly recommended.
May 6, 2024
Thanks for the memories...
I smiled and laughed as I read this book...the memories it invoked some that I often remember to this day and others that had been long forgotten but the memories came flooding back...The author didn't remember creamola foam a small can of powder which when you added a tsp to water it fizzled up...my favourite was raspberry and I loved it...A wonderful trip down memory lane...Thank you for the memories .
I smiled and laughed as I read this book...the memories it invoked some that I often remember to this day and others that had been long forgotten but the memories came flooding back...The author didn't remember creamola foam a small can of powder which when you added a tsp to water it fizzled up...my favourite was raspberry and I loved it...A wonderful trip down memory lane...Thank you for the memories .
March 8, 2024
I had forgotten so much about those days and this book brought it all back to me. If you are a post-war baby you will be amazed at life in those days, so different to today. So many things to remember. A great red too for younger readers giving them a peep into the world their parents knew.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews