"In January 1929, Eileen Gwynneth Yvonne Redfern was born in a meager one-room apartment on Coin Street in a grimy, industrial corner of London on the south bank of the Thames. In this memoir, Gwen Southgate weaves the story of a vanished time, place, and way of life in an area that is now a cultural showcase known as the South Bank.

Though Coin Street Chronicles is a personal story of one youngster's experiences in the 1930s and 40s, it is part of a broader tapestry, one which portrays the sweep of life in Britain at that time as seen through the eyes of a girl for whom it was the backdrop of childhood. Among its many colorful characters are the big-hearted, garrulous, chain-smoking Aunt-mum; yarn-spinning, practical joker Grampa Benson; and Gwen's feisty, much-married mother.

During World War II when evacuation from London opens wider horizons, Gwen and her two brothers learn to live with the idiosyncrasies of many families in many locations. They encounter bewildering incidents like the "Rice Pudding Affair" and the "Sinfulness of Enjoying a Sunday Walk."

With a flair for detail, Southgate brings the characters to life and paints vivid scenes that touch all of the senses."

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