The book is an autobiographical account; of growing up in the North of England, in a family of ten, with two bedrooms and no wage earner, in the 1930's. The book covers the author's childhood to leaving school and starting work. Written in an amusing and light style, A Lang Way To The Pawnshop provides the reader with an insight into the difficulties people faced seventy years ago. It is remarkable that the book is about a period of history which is still in living memory, but so different to contemporary life. The book is of interest to a cross-section of readers from the young of a similar age to Tom in the book, to more mature readers who can remember aspects of life featured in the book.