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Back in the Day: The deeply affecting, first ever memoir by beloved national treasure Melvyn Bragg

Description:

Melvyn Bragg's first ever memoir - an elegiac, intimate account of growing up in post-war Cumbria, which lyrically evokes a vanished world.

'The best thing he's ever written . . . I loved it'
Observer

'A memoir bursting with affection'
Sunday Times

In this elegiac and heartfelt memoir, Melvyn Bragg recreates his youth in the Cumbrian market town of Wigton: a working-class boy who expected to leave school at fifteen yet who gained a scholarship to Oxford University; who happily roamed the streets and raided orchards with his gang of friends until a breakdown in adolescence drove him to find refuge in books.

Vividly evoking the post-war era, Bragg draws an indelible portrait of all that formed him: a community-spirited northern town, still steeped in the old ways; the Lake District landscapes that inspired him; and the many remarkable people in his close-knit world.

'A moving portrait of a lost England . . . remarkable'
Daily Telegraph

Read more

Review

A masterly evocation of his early life in Cumbria . . . Bragg's book, the best thing he's ever written, imbues the overused literary adjective "piercing" with real meaning . . . I can't hope to capture, in the space I have here, this book's extraordinary geography, let alone its strange, inchoate beauty: the way that Bragg, in his struggle fully to explain his meaning, so often hits on something wise and even numinous (when he does, it's as if a bell sounds). All I can say is that I loved it -- Rachel Cooke ― Observer

A childhood memoir bursting with affection and gruff love . . . a charming account of a lost era, full of details and often lyrical descriptions of people and places . . . If it sounds idealised, it isn't. Bragg is clear-eyed about the 'harshness under the surface' . . . a fascinating and often moving portrait of a time, a place and a working-class boy who fell in love with words and made a distinguished career out of using them extremely well. -- Christina Patterson ― Sunday Times

A moving portrait of a lost England . . . As a feat of dramatised recollection Back in the Day is remarkable. The Boys' Own scrapes and japes - an apple orchard raid, a gang hideout dug into a river bank - come alive like set pieces from his beloved Jennings. -- Jasper Rees ― Daily Telegraph

Utterly captivating . . . [Bragg] bears his audience in mind, never writing a dull or self-indulgent sentence and thinking about and celebrating other people on every page . . . it's full of rapture and the joy of everything . . . there are darker sides to the story, and they too kept me gripped . . . Bragg is such a persuasive writer, with such clear recall, that he even recreates the excitement of a sixth-form English lesson. I got totally caught up with his falling in love with learning and knowledge.' -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham ― Daily Mail

Wonderfully rich, endearing and unusual . . . a balanced, honest picture . . .The smoky, damp and introverted world in which livestock are still sold in the town centre, and horses are only slowly ceding to motor cars, is brought to life with subtle skill. Wigton's streets become soot-streaked theatre for a huge cast of town characters for whom the author shows a convincing, rather than patronising, affection . . . If any of our current political leaders wants to create a vision that actually makes people want to vote, they could do worse than prescribe this to their MPs as required summer reading. -- Richard Benson ― Mail on Sunday

Beautifully written, lyrical and romantic, touching and tender . . . I enjoyed and admired it all. -- Hunter Davies ― The Oldie

Rawly truthful and engaging . . . There is a blissful absence of cliché in this personal odyssey, which is at the same time a fascinating essay in social history. -- Michael Church ― i

Disarmingly poignant . . . In other hands this tale would easily be the stuff of cliché, except that Bragg fills every memory and anecdote with both meaning and feeling . . . He has written some 40 books and this lovely memoir is surely the most affecting of them all. -- Michael Prodger ― New Statesman

A wonderfully full and detailed picture of one particular place at a particular time and an evocation of Melvyn Bragg's intense and enduring involvement in it ― Michael Frayn

A wonderful memoir . . . a truly great book about what it means to come from somewhere, to be of a culture, to be cultured not in the rarest but the most communal sense. ― Howard Jacobson

He has an amazing memory for detail, but what shines through it all is his love for the place and its people. That makes the book very special. ― Ken Follett

An extraordinary work - eloquent, charming, insightful, vivid, touching, and a true work of literature ― Tony Palmer

Exquisitely penned . . . a love letter to his youth and to those who peopled it. A book you'll return to again and again. ― Sunday Post

Melvyn Bragg is a broadcasting legend and an accomplished novelist but this is his finest work and an instant classic. It's an affecting and evocative account of his working-class upbringing in the small Cumbrian market town of Wigton and a vivid Cider With Rosie-style portrait of a particular place and time. -- Best Summer Reads ― Mail on Sunday

Back in the Day paints a vivid and captivating picture of Bragg's early childhood . . . Bragg's childhood, spent running madly about the streets with his friends . . . is set against an unforgettably affectionately drawn backdrop of kind but strict grown-ups who laced the place with a sliver of fear . . . What is incredible is that Bragg has written the memoir . . . completely from memory. -- Catherine Scott ― Yorkshire Post

This wonderfully authentic and often moving account of Bragg's childhood up to the time he leaves for university, is a heartfelt celebration of family life in a working-class community during the 1940s and 50s. It brims with beautifully observed details -- PD Smith ― Guardian

Affectingly tracing his ascent from working-class Wigton to Hampstead intelligentsia, Bragg's first memoir is a homage to his boyhood Cumbria - and to the golden era of social mobility which gave him a leg up ― Daily Telegraph

Book Description

Melvyn Bragg's first ever memoir - an elegiac, intimate account of growing up in post-war Cumbria, which vividly evokes a vanished world.

Reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written nostalgic reminiscence and social history

N. · 17 November 2023

Bragg writes as if this has just flowed gushingly and effortlessly from his memory bank without pause. It is nostalgic, but delivers a magnificent social history of his hometown and surrounding areas, as well as an insight into the lives of people and their influence on one of the most important and inspiring broadcasters in our time (pun intended). Must read.

4.0 out of 5 stars What a memory!

E. · 20 February 2024

A wonderful evocation of a particular time and place, and beautifully written as you would expect. Truly impressed by his powers of recall, but in the end there was perhaps just too much detail.

5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic

H.S. · 30 September 2025

Looks fab

5.0 out of 5 stars See above

A.C. · 11 September 2025

This book was in excellent condition and arrived earlier than expected. Full marks!

3.0 out of 5 stars Well written but fictionalised

A. · 2 February 2024

A beautifully written memoir exactly capturing a time and place, a Northern town in Britain immediately after WWII. Unfortunately, Melvyn Bragg throws in pages and pages of invented dialogue (nobody can remember what was said sixty years after the event, not even Melvyn), including conversations at which he was not even present. This seriously detracts from what is meant to be a factual memoir, with the effect that it becomes difficult to escape the suspicion that other elements are made up also. A disappointing approach from this wonderful writer.

4.0 out of 5 stars The details are incredible

R.B. · 31 March 2024

Hard to imagine the details of times, names and places so clearly remembered. I enjoyed the book reading of the times go by in such detail and doubtful if these kind of times will ever be relived in todays world.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book

n. · 12 July 2023

I am a native of Wigton and could relate to everything Melvyn wrote even his parents who I knew.the book is fairly accurate and even with the name changes I knew who he was talking about and this made it a fabulous read can't recommend it enough

5.0 out of 5 stars Great

T.C. · 24 October 2024

Excellent memoir

Bien!

N.U. · 21 June 2025

Livre en parfait état.

on Melvyn Bragg’s ‘Early Years’ Autobiography

B. · 28 May 2023

This has all the hallmarks of a frank and sincerely honest book; a pastiche of look-in-the mirror reflections; a series of early-life’s paradoxes and contradictions. Above all, however, it is a warm look back on a life flavoured with the realities of life in England’s north-west and of a hard working student’s pathway towards academic success.Full disclosure: I am a fan of Mr Bragg’s and, I just discovered, an exact contemporary.A fulfilling pleasure to read and to recommend to those who enjoy autobiographical writing at its very best.

Affectionate and Memorable

R. · 7 June 2022

The memoir isn't my favorite literary genre, but Bragg's evocation of everyday life in a working-class English town in the 1940s is deeply affectionate and memorable. Though affection occasionally slides into sentimentality, Back in the Day convincingly re-creates a lost world. Bragg is a popular writer and broadcaster in his native land, but his younger self is not the most interesting character in this book--thank goodness. I look forward to reading it again.

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Back in the Day: The deeply affecting, first ever memoir by beloved national treasure Melvyn Bragg

Product ID: K152939449K
Condition: New

4.4

AED10621

Price includes VAT & Import Duties
Type: Paperback
Availability: In Stock

Quantity:

|

Order today to get by 7-14 business days

Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.

Returns & Warranty policies

Imported From: United Kingdom

At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.

BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.

Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.

If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.

Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.

All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.

While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.

Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.

BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.

All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.

All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.

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Visit the Sceptre Store

Back in the Day: The deeply affecting, first ever memoir by beloved national treasure Melvyn Bragg

Product ID: K152939449K
Condition: New

4.4

Back in the Day: The deeply affecting, first ever memoir by beloved national treasure Melvyn Bragg-0
Type: Paperback

AED10621

Price includes VAT & Import Duties
Availability: In Stock

Quantity:

|

Order today to get by 7-14 business days

Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.

Returns & Warranty policies

Imported From: United Kingdom

At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.

BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.

Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.

If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.

Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.

All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.

While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.

Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.

BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.

All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.

All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.

Description:

Melvyn Bragg's first ever memoir - an elegiac, intimate account of growing up in post-war Cumbria, which lyrically evokes a vanished world.

'The best thing he's ever written . . . I loved it'
Observer

'A memoir bursting with affection'
Sunday Times

In this elegiac and heartfelt memoir, Melvyn Bragg recreates his youth in the Cumbrian market town of Wigton: a working-class boy who expected to leave school at fifteen yet who gained a scholarship to Oxford University; who happily roamed the streets and raided orchards with his gang of friends until a breakdown in adolescence drove him to find refuge in books.

Vividly evoking the post-war era, Bragg draws an indelible portrait of all that formed him: a community-spirited northern town, still steeped in the old ways; the Lake District landscapes that inspired him; and the many remarkable people in his close-knit world.

'A moving portrait of a lost England . . . remarkable'
Daily Telegraph

Read more

Review

A masterly evocation of his early life in Cumbria . . . Bragg's book, the best thing he's ever written, imbues the overused literary adjective "piercing" with real meaning . . . I can't hope to capture, in the space I have here, this book's extraordinary geography, let alone its strange, inchoate beauty: the way that Bragg, in his struggle fully to explain his meaning, so often hits on something wise and even numinous (when he does, it's as if a bell sounds). All I can say is that I loved it -- Rachel Cooke ― Observer

A childhood memoir bursting with affection and gruff love . . . a charming account of a lost era, full of details and often lyrical descriptions of people and places . . . If it sounds idealised, it isn't. Bragg is clear-eyed about the 'harshness under the surface' . . . a fascinating and often moving portrait of a time, a place and a working-class boy who fell in love with words and made a distinguished career out of using them extremely well. -- Christina Patterson ― Sunday Times

A moving portrait of a lost England . . . As a feat of dramatised recollection Back in the Day is remarkable. The Boys' Own scrapes and japes - an apple orchard raid, a gang hideout dug into a river bank - come alive like set pieces from his beloved Jennings. -- Jasper Rees ― Daily Telegraph

Utterly captivating . . . [Bragg] bears his audience in mind, never writing a dull or self-indulgent sentence and thinking about and celebrating other people on every page . . . it's full of rapture and the joy of everything . . . there are darker sides to the story, and they too kept me gripped . . . Bragg is such a persuasive writer, with such clear recall, that he even recreates the excitement of a sixth-form English lesson. I got totally caught up with his falling in love with learning and knowledge.' -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham ― Daily Mail

Wonderfully rich, endearing and unusual . . . a balanced, honest picture . . .The smoky, damp and introverted world in which livestock are still sold in the town centre, and horses are only slowly ceding to motor cars, is brought to life with subtle skill. Wigton's streets become soot-streaked theatre for a huge cast of town characters for whom the author shows a convincing, rather than patronising, affection . . . If any of our current political leaders wants to create a vision that actually makes people want to vote, they could do worse than prescribe this to their MPs as required summer reading. -- Richard Benson ― Mail on Sunday

Beautifully written, lyrical and romantic, touching and tender . . . I enjoyed and admired it all. -- Hunter Davies ― The Oldie

Rawly truthful and engaging . . . There is a blissful absence of cliché in this personal odyssey, which is at the same time a fascinating essay in social history. -- Michael Church ― i

Disarmingly poignant . . . In other hands this tale would easily be the stuff of cliché, except that Bragg fills every memory and anecdote with both meaning and feeling . . . He has written some 40 books and this lovely memoir is surely the most affecting of them all. -- Michael Prodger ― New Statesman

A wonderfully full and detailed picture of one particular place at a particular time and an evocation of Melvyn Bragg's intense and enduring involvement in it ― Michael Frayn

A wonderful memoir . . . a truly great book about what it means to come from somewhere, to be of a culture, to be cultured not in the rarest but the most communal sense. ― Howard Jacobson

He has an amazing memory for detail, but what shines through it all is his love for the place and its people. That makes the book very special. ― Ken Follett

An extraordinary work - eloquent, charming, insightful, vivid, touching, and a true work of literature ― Tony Palmer

Exquisitely penned . . . a love letter to his youth and to those who peopled it. A book you'll return to again and again. ― Sunday Post

Melvyn Bragg is a broadcasting legend and an accomplished novelist but this is his finest work and an instant classic. It's an affecting and evocative account of his working-class upbringing in the small Cumbrian market town of Wigton and a vivid Cider With Rosie-style portrait of a particular place and time. -- Best Summer Reads ― Mail on Sunday

Back in the Day paints a vivid and captivating picture of Bragg's early childhood . . . Bragg's childhood, spent running madly about the streets with his friends . . . is set against an unforgettably affectionately drawn backdrop of kind but strict grown-ups who laced the place with a sliver of fear . . . What is incredible is that Bragg has written the memoir . . . completely from memory. -- Catherine Scott ― Yorkshire Post

This wonderfully authentic and often moving account of Bragg's childhood up to the time he leaves for university, is a heartfelt celebration of family life in a working-class community during the 1940s and 50s. It brims with beautifully observed details -- PD Smith ― Guardian

Affectingly tracing his ascent from working-class Wigton to Hampstead intelligentsia, Bragg's first memoir is a homage to his boyhood Cumbria - and to the golden era of social mobility which gave him a leg up ― Daily Telegraph

Book Description

Melvyn Bragg's first ever memoir - an elegiac, intimate account of growing up in post-war Cumbria, which vividly evokes a vanished world.

Reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written nostalgic reminiscence and social history

N. · 17 November 2023

Bragg writes as if this has just flowed gushingly and effortlessly from his memory bank without pause. It is nostalgic, but delivers a magnificent social history of his hometown and surrounding areas, as well as an insight into the lives of people and their influence on one of the most important and inspiring broadcasters in our time (pun intended). Must read.

4.0 out of 5 stars What a memory!

E. · 20 February 2024

A wonderful evocation of a particular time and place, and beautifully written as you would expect. Truly impressed by his powers of recall, but in the end there was perhaps just too much detail.

5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic

H.S. · 30 September 2025

Looks fab

5.0 out of 5 stars See above

A.C. · 11 September 2025

This book was in excellent condition and arrived earlier than expected. Full marks!

3.0 out of 5 stars Well written but fictionalised

A. · 2 February 2024

A beautifully written memoir exactly capturing a time and place, a Northern town in Britain immediately after WWII. Unfortunately, Melvyn Bragg throws in pages and pages of invented dialogue (nobody can remember what was said sixty years after the event, not even Melvyn), including conversations at which he was not even present. This seriously detracts from what is meant to be a factual memoir, with the effect that it becomes difficult to escape the suspicion that other elements are made up also. A disappointing approach from this wonderful writer.

4.0 out of 5 stars The details are incredible

R.B. · 31 March 2024

Hard to imagine the details of times, names and places so clearly remembered. I enjoyed the book reading of the times go by in such detail and doubtful if these kind of times will ever be relived in todays world.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book

n. · 12 July 2023

I am a native of Wigton and could relate to everything Melvyn wrote even his parents who I knew.the book is fairly accurate and even with the name changes I knew who he was talking about and this made it a fabulous read can't recommend it enough

5.0 out of 5 stars Great

T.C. · 24 October 2024

Excellent memoir

Bien!

N.U. · 21 June 2025

Livre en parfait état.

on Melvyn Bragg’s ‘Early Years’ Autobiography

B. · 28 May 2023

This has all the hallmarks of a frank and sincerely honest book; a pastiche of look-in-the mirror reflections; a series of early-life’s paradoxes and contradictions. Above all, however, it is a warm look back on a life flavoured with the realities of life in England’s north-west and of a hard working student’s pathway towards academic success.Full disclosure: I am a fan of Mr Bragg’s and, I just discovered, an exact contemporary.A fulfilling pleasure to read and to recommend to those who enjoy autobiographical writing at its very best.

Affectionate and Memorable

R. · 7 June 2022

The memoir isn't my favorite literary genre, but Bragg's evocation of everyday life in a working-class English town in the 1940s is deeply affectionate and memorable. Though affection occasionally slides into sentimentality, Back in the Day convincingly re-creates a lost world. Bragg is a popular writer and broadcaster in his native land, but his younger self is not the most interesting character in this book--thank goodness. I look forward to reading it again.

Similar suggestions by Bolo

More from this brand

Similar items from “Reference”

Share with

Or share with link

https://www.bolo.ae/products/K152939449K