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The Necessary Aptitude

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The Necessary Aptitude

By: Pam Ayres
Narrated by: Pam Ayres
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About this listen

‘I never once attended a Sunday morning church service in Stanford. There was always the feeling that they weren’t aimed at families like ours.’

Pam Ayres was the sixth child in a hard-up family who lived in a council house, her parents’ generation were harrowed by the war. Yet they lived by the green in the village of Stanford in the Vale, where everything you needed was within walking distance and the sound of motorcars was rarely heard. Then reaching her teens, Pam realised how few opportunities she had. At fifteen she started working for the civil service, and for a social life she had the local ‘hop’. Pam knew she had to reach out for more, and sought it first in the WRAF. But it was some time before she discovered the unique talent that would make her one of Britain’s best-loved comics …

Containing Pam’s much-loved combination of humour and poignancy, The Necessary Aptitude is a beautifully written memoir of growing up in the country in post-war Berkshire.

©2011 Pam Ayres (P)2011 Random House Audiobooks Performing Arts Women Funny

Critic Reviews

“Ayres gives a wonderful account of what it was like to grow up poor but respectable in post-war rural England. Some of her writing in the early chapters, describing life as the youngest of six children in a council cottage in the Vale of White Horse, Berkshire, has the original freshness of classics such as Flora Thompson's Lark Rise to Candleford.” Mail on Sunday

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Who couldn’t love this delightful woman

I loved every single minute of this beautifully writing book I’m so glad Pam read it herself, I could hear in her voice the so many funny parts that obviously bought back fond memories, will be definitely getting more as I come across them
Thank you Pam 🙏

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A most enjoyable book

I’m so glad I selected this book. Being born in the same year as Pam so many things were relatable and the fact that it was read by her in her wonderful voice was magical. Her humour is delightful.

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