Hunger

Grace Dent

From an early age, Grace Dent was hungry. As a little girl growing up in Currock, Carlisle, she yearned to be something bigger, to go somewhere better. Hungry traces Grace’s story from growing up eating beige food to becoming one of the much-loved voices on the British food scene. It’s also everyone’s story – from treats with your nan, to cheese and pineapple hedgehogs, to the exquisite joy of cheaply-made apple crumble with custard. It’s the high-point of a chip butty covered in vinegar and too much salt in the school canteen, on an otherwise grey day of double-Maths and cross country running. It’s the real story of how we have all lived, laughed, and eaten over the past 40 years.

Hunger by Grace Dent is my book group read for October. Memoirs and non-fiction are not my preferred reading matter, but I found this a compelling yet moving read of the highest quality.

The memoir begins with Dent's childhood in Carlisle, a small town in Northern England, where financial struggles were a constant presence. Dent's ability to vividly capture the essence of her upbringing allows readers to empathize with the challenges she faced. Her prose is both evocative and relatable, painting a poignant picture of the determination that fueled her ambition.

One of the standout elements of "Hunger" is Dent's unflinching honesty about the obstacles she encountered along the way. The narrative doesn't shy away from the gritty details of the author's early years, creating a narrative tension that keeps the reader eagerly turning the pages. From navigating the complexities of social class to overcoming personal doubts, Dent's resilience is both inspiring and humbling.

The narrative arc is skillfully crafted, with Dent expertly weaving together the threads of her personal and professional life. The book captures the essence of a time and place while also resonating with universal themes of ambition, identity, and the pursuit of one's dreams.

The love she had to her family comes through. A father who hides a secret away from Grace and Mark, a mother whose attraction to upgrading their home verges on obsession. My favourite extract has the arrival of a huge Asda in their home town. Graces parents went twice in the first day. The draw back to Carlisle is never strong for Grace, yet she goes when her parents desperately need her.

Her fathers diabetes and then his dementia adds a bitter note to this families tale. Her mothers slow decline adds other worries for the Dent family, yet they manage to function as a cohesive unit. Barely mentioned yet hinted at is an eating disorder. Always just below the surface and never acknowledged fully. It however rounds the story. This is a mighty memoir.